Comics / European Comics

The Purple Smurf

By Patrick Bérubé
June 8, 2010 - 21:00

When a strange fly bits one of the Smurf he suddenly becomes purple instead of blue and start biting to other Smurf who in their turn become purple and start spread the infection. It's an all out epidemic and only Papa smurf can find the antidote before the entire Smurf village become sick. This graphic novel also contain the Flying Smurf, a short story about a Smurf who will try anything to fly.

I have to admit that it relatively hard to write a critic about Peyo's work. Since their creation, the Smurfs have been the spotlight of many books, essays and articles. The fact alone that his comic book have been in print for such a long time in so many countries should tell you how good it is and how universally appealing it can be. What I appreciate the most about it is probably the simplicity and the cleverness of the story. Even if the premise is often relatively simple it is always so well executed that it can be engaging for almost any reader may he be young or adult. For my part, it's only recently that I rediscovered the pleasure of reading this series because as a kid I preferred the more adventurous tale of Peyo's other creation Johan et Pirlouit. The Purple Smurfs was always one of my favorite mainly because it is basically an horror concept but adapted for an all-age audience. A notable European creator once argued with me that The Purple Smurfs was in fact the first zombie story but this is a debate for another time...

Peyo's art is also I believe one of the reason of this comic book universal appeal. Even if the Purple Smurfs is one of the earliest tale of the Smurfs, the art is still very much on par with the rest of the series. His line is so clean, his panels so well executed and the story flow so effortlessly that even my four years old daughter can read a Smurfs comic book alone and understand most of the story.

The Purple Smurfs is a comic book that have aged very well. It honestly do not feel like it's 50 years old and it still today keep the same appeal. It is truly a classic and if you want to introduce younger readers to comic book it is one of the best suggestion I can think of.

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12