Created by: Marcel Navarro (1919-2004)
Scripts:  Franco Frescura
Art: Luciano Bernasconi
 
Wampus is the story of an alien monster with shapeshifting powers who has been sent by an evil cosmic intelligence -- the "Great Mind" -- to destroy Earth.  He is discovered and pursued by French secret agent, Jean Sten.  In the course of six issues, Wampus causes havoc and destruction in France, Germany, New York, Tokyo, London (which is destroyed by a tactical nuclear device) and Spain.
 
 

The Stories


1. Wampus  (1969)
2. Le Dernier Ricanement [
The Last Laugh]  (1969)
3. Et Vint le Chaos [
And Chaos Came]  (1969)
4. La Grande Explosion [
The Great Explosion]  (1969)
5. Vu du Pont [
View From A Bridge]  (1969)
6. Toilette du Bourreau [
Executioner's Wash] (1969)  
7. Le Ciel est Rouge [
The Sky Is Red] (drawn in 1969 but published only in Ombrax Nos. 230-233, 1985)

  
 

Publishing History

  
Wampus was originally published in 1969 by Editions Lug in Lyons (France) in six digest-sized magazines.  The series was discontinued after only six issues because of censorship problems.  The final episode was eventually serialized in "Ombrax", another of Lug's magazines.  The same concept was then reprised as L'Autre [The Other], in "Futura".

Wampus was reprinted as a back-up feature in "Rodeo" Nos. 568-579.  

 

 



 

The Authors  

  
Lyon-based journalist and writer Marcel
Navarro (1919-2004) started his career in comics working for the Lyons-based comic book publisher S.A.G.E. during World War II.  There he met Robert Bagage (the future founder of Editions Imperia) and Pierre Mouchotte (the publisher of "Fantax").   These three men eventually became almost single-handedly responsible for the "small format" publishing phenomenon of the 1950s and 1960s.  After the war, Navarro created the character of Secret Agent Z.302 (drawn by Bagage) for Éditions Sprint. Then, in 1946, he contributed stories to Chott's Fantax.  Finally, he co-founded the Aventures & Voyages publishing house, which published a number of children's adventure stories.  
  
In 1950,
Navarro teamed up with Auguste Vistel to create Éditions Lug, which became one of the leading publisher of French and Italian digest-sized comics and, starting in 1969, French editions of Marvel Comics.   
  
It is in this capacity that
Navarro (using the pseudonyms of "J. K. Melwyn-Nash" or" Malcolm Naughton") co-created and/or edited a number of popular characters such as the western avenger, Ombrax (Alan Mistero in Italy), the Tarzan-like Zembla and a number of super-heroes such as Rakar, Dick Demon, Wampus and, later, Mikros and Photonik.  
  
Navarro also wrote a special episode of Marvel's Silver Surfer, especially drawn by Jean-Yves Mitton for the French market (the subject of an article written by Jean-Marc Lofficier for "Alter Ego" #1.)  In 1989, Marcel Navarro retired and Editions Lug was sold to SEMIC

  
Franco
Frescura is an Italian writer, who also wrote L'Autre, Dick Demon, Rakar , Mister Song, Waki, and Wampus.

  
Luciano
Bernasconi is a renowned Italian artist. He was one of the major creators working for Lug in the 1960s and 1970s, and is still working for its successor, SEMIC, today.

Bernasconi's credits include: L'Autre, Bob Lance, the Bronze Gladiator, le Comte de Saint-Germain, Jeff Sullivan, Kabur, Kit Kappa, Phenix, Sibilla, Starlock, Waki, and Wampus


LUCIANO BERNASCONI'S OFFICIAL SITE



COVERS OF THE 1969 ITALIAN EDITION OF WAMPUS
(click on thumbnails to enlarge)


1


1 (back cover)


2


3


4


5


6


7



PIN-UP BY LADRONN

Writer: Jean-Marc Lofficier.
Artist: Luciano Bernasconi.

7. Le Sacrement du Mal [
The Sacrament of Evil] (Fantask No. 3, 2001) (guest-starring Mister Song)
8. Dragut! (Fantask No. 4, 2001) (guest-starring
Dragut and Sibilla)
9. La Chute de Camelot [
The Fall of Camelot] (Fantask No. 5, 2001) (guest-starring Bob Lance)
10. Sous le Signe de Rome [
Under the Mark of Rome] (Mustang No. 303, 2002) (guest-starring Saint-Germain and Gallix)
5. Le Pouvoir de Kabur [
The Power of Kabur] (Mustang No. 304, 2002) (guest-starring Kabur)
6. La Fin des Temps: Labyrinthe (
The End of Time: Labyrinth) (Mustang No. 305, 2002)
7. La Fin des Temps: L'Ultime Confrontation (
The End of Time: The Ultimte Confrontation) (Mustang No. 306, 2002)

These episodes complete the saga of
Wampus, depicting the final confrontation between Jean Sten and his alien nemesis. They also feature a number of guest-stars from the SEMIC universe.

Art by Bernasconi

Writer: J.-M. Lofficier
Art: Jay Stephens.
"Intersection" (in French in PLANETE COMICS No. 14, SEMIC, July 2002; in English in STRANGERS No. 2, Image, April 2003)