Achille Talon
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Achille Talon is a comic book and the eponymous main character (Walter Melon in the English translations), created by Michel Regnier (who is best known by his pseudonym Greg). It began circulation in 1963. This series, which he both wrote and illustrated, presents the comic misadventures of the eponymous anti-hero.
The name derives from "talon d'Achille", the french expression for an "achilles' heel", which suits the character quite well, only the Achilles' heel of Achille Talon isn't his heel, but his nose, which is truly gigantic. The figure was dreamt up by Greg when, due to a clerical error, some pages of Pilote were blank and none of the other authors were available.
Contents |
[edit] The characters
Achille Talon is a somewhat uptight citizen, a bourgeois and an intellectual (or so he likes to think) and very eloquent, albeit not always very honest. He is vain to the extent that he builds a giant statue of himself in his front garden and desperately tries to get on the good side of the local gentry. He sometimes resolves in activism (eg. pro peace or against pollution) or inventions. He is always at odds with his neighbour Hilarion Lefuneste, who loves to argue too.
Well in his forties, Achille is single and lives at home with his father, Alambic Godsent Corydon Talon, who is a beer-fanatic, and his mother. He never tires of trying to seduce Virgule de Guillemets, who brings sophistication to his life. His professional life is spent at the offices of Pilote, where he fills an unnamed position and is mainly dictated to by a small unnamed CEO with huge ego — in which it is not difficult to see a (very unflattering) portrait of René Goscinny.
All that being said, when push comes to shove, Achille Talon can be courageous and magnimonous, a protector of animals and ever vigilant guardian of proper etiquette, so much so that he gets into a huge fight with an author on a book on etiquette over which of them has the honour of giving the other the right of way. A patron of the arts (as long as he is the one portrayed) and even a wise, but apparently tyrannical, head of state, even if it's only for a short while.
- One of Greg's greatest strengths lay in his ability to use the French language to amazing advantage. Everything was fodder for a verbal/written gag to him. However much the exaggerated visual humour may stand out (e.g. phones often do not simply ring, but practically explode,) his plays on words are what makes this strip a real delight. From the story text, to the title of the individual gag pages, to the characters - all are an opportunity for Greg to show off his skill with words. Achille isn't the only character whose name is such a pun. Most are. Consider the recurring character of the local retailer (his business being whatever the plot happens to require it to be for that particular gag) named Vincent Poursan. Looks fine as a normal French name until you realise that, pronounced in French, it sounds like "twenty-hundred percent" ... which is about his usual profit margin by the way.
[edit] Typical quotes
- "Bof" or "Hop" are his favorite interjections, especially if things do not turn out as expected.
- "After careful consideration of the facts, I've decided to faint. It may not be very heroical, but it is relaxing. Therefore, zzzzz"
[edit] Television adaptation
A television series of fifty-two twenty-six minute episodes was made for Canal+ in 1996 by Saban International. Each episode is broken up into two short stories. It was released in France for the first time on September 3, 1997 in the television show C + Cléo on Canal+.
In the animated cartoon, Achille Talon is a very awkward superhero, who offers his services as a hero for hire, replacing the likes of Luke Skywalker, Zorro and Tarzan when they become indisposwd. Talon manages to make justice triumph by pure luck. The series was renamed Walter Melon for English-speaking television.
[edit] Volumes
- Achille Talon cerveau choc (1966)
- Achille Talon aggrave son cas (1967)
- Achille Talon persiste et signe (1969)
- Mon fils à moi (1970)
- L'Indispensable Achille Talon (1971)
- Achille Talon au pouvoir (1972)
- Les Insolences d'Achille Talon (1973)
- Achille Talon méprise l'obstacle (1973)
- Les Petits Desseins d'Achille Talon (1974)
- Le Roi de la science diction (1974)
- Brave et honnête Achille Talon (1975)
- Achille Talon au coin du feu (1975)
- Pas de pitié pour Achille Talon (1976)
- Le Mystère de l'homme à deux têtes (1976)
- Le Quadrumane optimiste (1976)
- Le Trésor de Virgule (1977)
- Le Roi des Zôtres (1977)
- Coquin de sort (1978)
- Le Grain de la folie (1978)
- Viva papa (1978)
- Ma vie à moi (1978)
- Le Sort s'acharne sur Achille Talon (1979)
- Achille Talon et la main du serpent (1980)
- L'Âge ingrat (1980)
- L'Esprit d'Eloi (1980)
- L'Arme du crocodile (1981)
- Ne rêvons pas (1981)
- L'insubmersible Achille Talon (1981)
- La Loi du bidouble (1982)
- Achille Talon a un gros nez (1982)
- Il n'y a (Dieu merci) qu'un seul Achille Talon (1982)
- La Traversée du disert (1983)
- La Vie secrète du journal Polite (1983)
- L'Incorrigible Achille Talon (1983)
- Achille Talon à bout portant (1984)
- Achille Talon n'a pas tout dit (1985)
- L'Archipel de Sanzunron (1987)
- Achille Talon contre docteur Chacal et mister Bide ! (1989)
- Talon (Achille) pour les dames (1989)
- Achille Talon et le monstre de l'étang Tacule (1991)
- L'Appeau d'Ephèse (1996)
- Le Musée Achille Talon (1996)
- Achille Talon a la main verte (1998) (Widenlocher and Godard)
- Tout va bien! (2000) (Widenlocher and Brett)
- Le Maître est Talon (2001)
- Le Monde merveilleux du journal polite (2004) (Widenlocher and Herlé)
