The long-running Franco-Belgian comic series Spirou and Fantasio has a number of major and minor recurring characters.
Main characters
Spirou
Spirou is the main character of this series.
Fantasio
Fantasio is introduced by Jijé in 1943 as faithful friend and comical sidekick, and appears in all published Spirou et Fantasio adventures afterwards.
Recurring characters
Bring M. Backalive
Bring M. Backalive is an intrepid poacher who hunts in the Palombian jungles, obsessed with achieving his career's last remaining elusive triumph, to capture a live specimen Marsupilami. The character appeared in two Franquin stories, and later featured in the Marsupilami spin-off series.
Appearances
24. La cage (in Tembo Tabou) (Franquin) M0. Capturer un Marsupilami (in Capturez un Marsupilami) (Franquin)
The Count of Champignac
Pacôme Hégésippe Adélard Ladislas de Champignac is an old, castle-dwelling aristocrat, genius of a scientist. He works in many fields such as chemistry, biology, physics, but most frequently he creates chemical substances from various mushrooms found in his castle's park. These experiments may have extraordinary effects such as softening metal, allowing the body to resist water pressure, speeding or reversing the body's ageing, giving people super-strength, or even turning people black. Also a skilled engineer, he has constructed numerous incredible machines such as individual dolphin-like submarines, and other handy gadgets. He is also proven to be a paleontologist, an astronomer and an astrophysicist.
Champignac is connected to several almost as eccentric scientists who frequently visit him at the castle, bringing new inventions and experiments that often bring about troublesome consequences. Due to his overall brilliance, he has several times been the victim of industrial espionage.
A wife of some time in his past has been mentioned, but no explanation of her absence was ever given. He has no children, but would eventually have a near-identical looking nephew, Aurélien de Champignac (L'horloger de la comète).
Appearances
2. Il y a un sorcier à Champignac
5. Les voleurs du Marsupilami
7. Le dictateur et le champignon
9. Le repaire de la murène
10. Les pirates du silence
13. Le voyageur du Mésozoïque
14. Le prisonnier du Bouddha
15. Z comme Zorglub
16. L'ombre du Z
17. Spirou et les hommes-bulles
19. Panade à Champignac
HS4 Fantasio et le fantôme et 4 autres aventures
(incomplete)
Célestin Dupilon
Célestin Dupilon is a former veterinarian of Champignac-en-Cambrousse, who after retirement has assumed the role of town alcoholic. He paces about the town in a constant state of drunkenness, though he remains impeccably dressed. He was first introduced in Le voyageur du Mésozoïque (1957), by Franquin.
Cyanide
A gynoid, built by Louis LaGarne, but turned maverick and is bent on conquering humanity by any opportunity she can get. Created by Tome and Janry.
Don Vito Cortizone
Recurring maffia boss character, created by Tome and Janry.
Duplumier
This mild-mannered, timid official is the Mayor's assistant and right hand man. He was first introduced in Il y a un sorcier à Champignac (1951), by Franquin and Henri Gillain.
Gaston Lagaffe
Gaston Lagaffe first made a discrete appearance in Le voyageur du Mésozoïque, a slightly more noticeable appearance in Vacances sans histoires, and had an active role in La foire aux gangsters, before appearing in Franquin's two final Spirou adventures. He is better known as the hero of his own series, where Spirou and Fantasio appear regularly as well. Because Franquin kept the rights to this character, he hasn't appeared in any Spirou et Fantasio adventures since Franquin abandoned the series.
Appearances
11. Vacances sans histoires (in Le gorille a bonne mine) (Franquin) 12. La foire aux gangsters (in Le nid des Marsupilamis) (Franquin) 13. Le voyageur du Mésozoïque (Franquin) 19. Panade à Champignac and Bravo les Brothers. (Franquin)