Spiru and the Heirs

Fantazio learns that his uncle, whom he last saw at his christening, has died and left a will for his nephews. The inheritance will go to the one who successfully endures three trials. There are two contenders — Fantazio and... his cousin Zantafio.

In the first trial, they must invent a new socially useful device. After some unsuccessful attempts to create something original, Fantazio builds a fantacopter. Cousin Zantafio, having spied on Fantazio's idea, decides to make a flying machine too, but not by himself; he orders it from an experienced mechanic for money. It is clear that his zantadget demonstrates better flight qualities in the tests. However, the desire to show off leads to a fire, and it is only thanks to Spiru, who controls the fantacopter, that a tragedy is averted.

In the second round of the inheritance struggle, the opponents must participate in a car race and finish in the top six. To master piloting skills, Fantazio and Zantafio enroll in the auto society "Tyrbo." Five days before the start of the Kukushon Grand Prix, the main pilots of "Tyrbo" suddenly disappear, and the manager has no choice but to replace them with trainee pilots. Fantazio finishes third, despite all of Zantafio's attempts to put obstacles in his way. A month later, in another Grand Prix, Zantafio comes first, but that race is marked by accidents, with the winner being the only one who avoided collisions. Additionally, three pilots mysteriously disappeared there as well. An investigation has begun, but Spiru and Fantazio already know who is behind this!

In the third trial, the opponents must catch and gift the zoo a marsupyls, a rare beast about which science knows little. Spiru and Fantazio head to Palumbia. Overcoming difficulties and dangers in the depths of the Palumbian forest, at the foot of a volcano, our travelers find what they are looking for. And Fantazio receives his inheritance!

The upbeat boy Spiru in a groom's outfit, who first appeared on the cover of the eponymous magazine in 1938, is a true legend of Franco-Belgian comics. For 85 years, together with his friend, tireless journalist Fantazio, and his faithful companion, the clever squirrel named Pip, he has traveled the world, investigated mysterious events, saved those in trouble, restored justice, and punished villains. The series of his adventures consists of over 50 volumes, and the opportunity to draw at least one story about Spiru is an honor for the best comic artists in Europe.

A key event in Spiru's fate was meeting Andre Franquin (1924–1997). The talented artist worked on the series for nearly a quarter of a century and elevated it to the level of a masterpiece of the 9th art. For the first time in Russian, eight of Franquin's best albums are being published, including "Spiru and the Heirs," "The Marsupyls Thieves," "The Rhino's Horn," "The Moray Eel's Lair," "The Marsupyls Nest."