Gomer Goof - Volume 2 - It's a Van Goof

Gaston Classique #6

by André Franquin

To work in the same building as a walking disaster like Gomer is no picnic. Between his ‘fun’ chemistry experiments and his attempts at amateur rocketry, no one is spared – co-workers, secretaries, bosses, neighbours... We also discover that he’s just as dangerous outside of work: day at the beach or in the country, weekend between friends or romantic outing – there’s nowhere safe from the undisputed master of the goof!

Genres: Bande Dessinée, Comics, Comic Book, Humor, France, Comix, Sequential Art

47 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1968

Reviews

[Simon Chadwick]

Gomer’s back for some more ill-advised inventions, misguided moments and short-sighted shortcuts. Poor Fantasio so often bears the brunt of these comic mishaps, but by no means all of them, as Gomer seeks to disperse mosquitos, test balloons and dabble with a chemistry set all with little or no success. Even when he tosses the building’s keys from an upper floor window to the waiting Fantasio below things do not go smoothly, with the keys landing in a cement mixer which then has to be pursued with investigative journalism throughout the city.

Gomer is a baffoon and a dunderhead, but his heart’s in the right place, and there’s one character who sees past his bumbling flaws to the man that lies beneath. Miss Jeanne has a soft spot for Gomer, and this is beautifully demonstrated with a full page strip where each panel depicts the next stage of an outing by the pair but with some sort of mishap befalling them. However, rather than see the misfortune, Miss Jeanne sees the rose-tinted side of the situation again, again and again. Rather brilliantly done.

All masterfully drawn and packed full of humour, there’s lots to enjoy and appreciate on every page as Gomer inflicts his presence on those around him. A great comic creation now available for English readers to enjoy.

[Helmut]

Musik und anderer Lärm
Der erste Auftritt des Gaffophones sorgt für Verwicklungen neuer Art - nun sind auch die Büros neben, unter und über der Spirou-Redaktion betroffen.

Sonst ist alles beim alten: Die Verträge sind immer noch nicht unterzeichnet, Jules-de-chez-smith-en-face hilft Gaston bei seinen Ideen, und Gaston hat immer noch nicht die Gehaltserhöhung bekommen, die er eigentlich, bei seinem Einsatz, verdient hätte, und Fantasios Kopf ist im "kurz-vorm-platzen"-Dauerzustand.

Herrliche kleine Vignetten im typisch verschnörkelten Franquin-Stil, diesmal ganzseitig, mit einem echt liebenswerten Hauptdarsteller (liebenswert, solange man nicht mit so einem zusammenarbeiten muss!).

[Tristan]

I have a 1979 hardback reprint in French from Dupuis. Originally published in 1968, this volume numbered 6 is in fact the 7th to be published, but is the first in the full page format that all subsequent volumes were to adopt. It is because of this that the earlier volumes were re-edited in full page format, throwing the numbering of the series into complete confusion.

The full page format suited the zany humour of the series, which really took off, more often than not breaking out of the office setting to the wider world. This and the following volumes are just surreal genius, cementing Gaston Lagaffe as a cultural icon in France.

From this point on, Franquin was the sole credited author of the series.

[Michael Rhode]

I didn't realize this was a gag strip collection; I prefer my Franco-Belgian children's comics to be adventures.

Also, I really wish the publisher hadn't changed his name. Gaston LeGaffe is much more euphonic.

[StrictlySequential ArtNarrative]

2017 = £6.99 / 11.95

Really, really DUMB.

Why was this so popular? This must have been a bad period for it or I cannot see how it would be published as a series at all.

There is no story to be told anywhere within
->It's all the same thing gag of Gaston ("Gomer" is the Brit name) doing something stupid. They are only .5-1 pages each so there isn't even time to build the joke.

Then there is a ton of short prose pieces that I skipped after the first two because they were even stupider without the art.

[Timo]

Suurta huvitusta. Ei täydellistä, mutta suurta.

[Pedro Martinez]

Mon premier album de Gaston. Comprend l'invention du Gaffophone

[Patrice Blanchard]

Le génie de Franquin avec les encarts de la rédaction plein d'humour