Ducoboo: King of the Dunces

Ducoboo: King of the Dunces, by Zidrou & Godi and newly translated by Cinebook, is an unusual book to be bringing to the English speaking world. It has no real reputation behind it, not having set the French-speaking world alight, so its appearance over here is somewhat a surprise.

The format is unusual too, insofar as it is a series of one or two pages strips gathered together in a book rather than being a 42 page narrative, as with Asterix or other similar looking series. If anything, it appears to be much closer in style and spirit to the traditional British comic weekly, such as Buster or Whizzer & Chips, where we have no real story, instead relying on a string of events to take us to the punchline. And as with the greatest of these strips, Ducoboo usually ends with a 'whacking', be it literal or metaphorical.

Ducoboo: King of the Dunces was originally published in its album form in France in 2003 under the title L'Élève Ducobu, tome 5 : Le roi des cancres. Written by 'Zidrou' (Benoît Drousie) and drawn by Bernard Godi (Bernard Godisiabois), this translation (by Luke Spear), from the 5th French album, is the first of at least three planned Ducoboo volumes.

The scenario is this: Ducoboo is, plainly, a lazy young schoolboy - a dunce - with a talent for getting in to trouble. Set in a school, the extended set of characters include his teacher, for whom he is a clear problem, and a brainy girl, who's affection for Ducoboo is unrequited. A third regular character appears in the form of a talking skeleton, who hangs in the corner of the class, presumably there for biology lessons.

Drawn very much in the big-foot style of children's comics, Ducoboo works very well and shows off the gag format to its best advantage. Not every joke works, but there are enough attempts that for each failure there are at least couple of successes.

Translations are always tricky - ensuring a balance between fidelity to the original and making it comfortable to its new audience being particularly difficult. Given that this is a children's book and inevitably has to compromise more than one aimed at adults, it appears to be a success. It reads smoothly and there's nothing that jars and takes one out of the mood. The near universality of the school experience doubtless helps, but even on its own terms the translation works. It has been slightly Anglicised - a single reference to Manchester City being the prime give away - but not in a way that fixes it to a particular location.

Ducoboo doesn't have the instant historical appeal of a Lucky Luke or an Asterix, nor is there the pull of adventure that Tintin gives us. However, in its own terms it succeeds admirably being charming without being saccharin. No matter what happens, it's fair to say Ducoboo fails to learn from experience.

Cinebook should be congratulated on both their ambitious publishing programme, and for bringing us work outside of the traditional 'big hitters' of Franco-Belgian comics. If only a British publisher was equally brave with our comics heritage - Bash Street Kids anyone?

Title

Writer

Artist

Translation

Pages

Publisher

Year

ISBN

Price

Ducoboo: King of the Dunces

Zidrou (Benoît Drousie)

Bernard Godi (Bernard Godisiabois)

Luke Spear

48

Cinebook

2006

978-1905460151

£5-99