Gaston+(Comic)

=**Gaston **=

**Brussels **
// Gaston // is a daily comic strip by Belgian cartoonist André Franquin which appears in the comics magazine //Spirou//. Created in 1957, the comic is based around the antics of Gaston Lagaffe, a lazy, clumsy, accident-prone junior in an office. The comics are very popular in many countries in Europe, but especially in France and Belgium. They have been translated into over a dozen languages, but as of right now, no complete English translation of //Gaston// exists. Gaston himself has appeared on a fair amount of merchandise since the 1980s, and appeared first in the popular Franco-Belgian comic //Spirou et Fantasio.//

Centering on the young Gaston Lagaffe (whose last name means "the blunder"), //Gaston// details the efforts of a youth trying to avoid doing his work. He works at the offices of the //Journal de Spirou//, the same magazine in which the comic is actually published, after accidentally walking into the office and getting hired. He lacks common sense, and as a result manages to cause disasters wherever he goes. These catastrophes are always then met with Gaston's catchphrase: "M'enfin!," or "What the...?" The comic is formatted like a traditional gag Belgian comic, with a visual punch line at the end that has usually been foreshadowed throughout the comic. Physically, the comic occupies a full page in the Journal de Spirou, and features many running gags, including periods of alternating laziness and hyperactive invention. On occasion, Gaston's disregard of authority leads to major problems, and he even endangers the city from time to time.

 The //Gaston// comics are some of the most popular comics in Belgium, and have been for over 50 years. Comics and graphic novels play a large role in Belgian society, as they are some of the most respected and long-lasting art forms in the country. Belgium has a fair amount of classic comics that are very well ingrained into their pop culture (including //Gaston//), and understanding some of these might give us travelers insight into the overall culture of Belgium. In addition, the //Gaston// comic is often used to advocate certain political causes, as a result of its familiarity to the Belgian population. //Gaston// has been used to advocate such organizations as Greenpeace and Amnesty International, which then in turn helps shape the mindset of Belgium as a whole in regards to the issues being tackled by those organizations. Ultimately, Gaston has worked his way into the hearts of the Belgian people, and understanding him will help us understand Belgian culture more thoroughly.