For its new and 385th collection, the Journal de Spirou pulled out all the stops with the help of Delaf. The latter graced us with a truly fry-filled cover inspired by Franquin, featuring Gomer Goof, his cat, his seagull, and fries in a cone! Is this the first time Gomer has been depicted with fries? Not at all!

Periodically, for years, the Journal de Spirou has published large compilation albums of over 500 pages with 9 magazines bound in a hardcover. This 385th volume collects the issues published from October 4 to November 29, 2023. To beautify it, Dupuis called on Marc Delafontaine, alias Delaf, a lifelong fan of André Franquin's work and particularly Gomer Goof, whose torch he has carried on. The result is delightful, with an authentic fry stand and a jovial Gomer sharing his fries (in a cone, please!) with his seagull and cat who can't contain themselves! Add your own sauce to taste...

Fries in the world of Gomer Goof

This is obviously not the first time fries slip into Gomer Goof's exploits. As early as June 9, 1966, in Journal de Spirou No. 1469, Franquin paid a beautiful tribute to fries, giving his character Gomer the idea to prepare them (this gag was later included in the album «Gare aux gaffes d’un gars gonflé», Dupuis, 1973). And in those panels, magic happens: even Mr. De Mesmaeker enjoys them with his fingers and «pickles»! Until his eyes fall on the paper used to make the cones... Can you guess? Yes, it was the pages of the famous contracts that would never be signed, much to Fantasio’s despair! Dupuis recalled this on their Facebook page on August 1, 2019, to celebrate International Belgian Fries Day, of course (illustration)!

Gomer Goof and fries, as merchandise and beyond Franquin

In 2017, the Fariboles figurine workshops, with the miniature vehicle artisan CG Models, produced a remarkable Gomer and the bumper car, made of resin and metal. Their creation is directly inspired by a panel drawn by Franquin.

You might also come across a postcard of a jumping Gomer Goof shouting «I’ve got the fries!» at a flea market, but this is probably less ‘official’…

To learn more about two Belgian specialties, also check our article «Frite et bande dessinée».