Info OVNI - Series Hors - Danger Corrosif

Magazine Overview

This issue, titled 'LA GRANDE PEUR MARTIENNE' (The Great Martian Fear), is a French publication that appears to be a satirical and humorous take on UFO phenomena and ufology. The cover itself warns 'DANGER CORROSIF' (Corrosive Danger), with 'REPRODUCTION AUTORISEE' (Reproduction Authorized) at the bottom, suggesting a potentially provocative or sensitive content that is nonetheless permitted for duplication. The issue date is noted as October 16, 1954.

Content Analysis

The publication features a series of comic strips and commentary that satirize the field of ufology and the public's fascination with UFOs and aliens. The content is primarily in French and uses a lighthearted, often absurd, tone.

Article: 'L'Histoire des Sciences, c'est AUSSI l'histoire des savants...' (The History of Science is ALSO the history of scientists...)

This introductory text sets the stage for the issue's humorous approach. It acknowledges the abundance of works on UFO phenomena but points out that little has been done concerning 'Ufologues' themselves. The text invites readers to turn the pages and observe the 'picturesque fauna' of these 'charming little creatures,' with a playful warning that readers might recognize themselves. It concludes with a wish for good 'discovery' and encourages laughter, comparing the subjects to 'little green men.' A note emphasizes that the portraits presented are in alphabetical order to avoid offending anyone.

Comic Strip: 'LA GRANDE PEUR MARTIENNE'

This comic strip, dated October 16, 1954, narrates a humorous investigation into a supposed sighting by Doctor Robert de Baillolet, who allegedly saw a 'loving cousoupe' (flying saucer). The dialogue involves a phone call to the Baillolet town hall, where the butcher Sanzot is contacted, and then Barthel and Brucker. The investigation humorously explores the possibility of Martians, with a character named Drucker recalling Doctor Robert's death and his potential color blindness (Daltonism). The punchline is that the doctor, being color blind, might have mistaken green elephants for Martians, thus resolving the 'mystery.'

Comic Strip: 'MON OPINION SUR LES PETITS HOMMES VERTS A RADICALEMENT CHANGE LE JOUR OÙ JE ME SUIS PERSONNELLEMENT RENDUCOMPTE QU'IL EXISTAIT EFFECTIVEMENT DES OUNI EN FORME DE TIRELIRE.' (MY OPINION ON THE LITTLE GREEN MEN HAS RADICALLY CHANGED THE DAY I PERSONALLY REALIZED THAT SAUCERS EFFECTIVELY EXISTED IN THE FORM OF MONEY BOXES.)

This comic features a caricature of a man, possibly an author or commentator, sitting with a bag of money labeled 'DROITS D'AUTEUR' (Author's Rights) and 'GAUCHES D'AUTEUR' (Author's Leftovers/Mistakes). He declares that his opinion on little green men has changed since realizing UFOs exist as money boxes. He then directs the reader to his latest book, available for 49.00F, and advises someone to go to bed, calling them 'SAGE!' (good/wise).

Comic Strip: 'LA VOIX DU NORD' (The Voice of the North)

This section contains several small comic panels. One shows a person in bed, apparently sleeping ('Rô ZZZZ clic'). Another depicts a phone conversation where one person asks, 'Coucou... Cher ami ufologue. Devinez qui est au bout du fil?' (Hello... Dear ufologist friend. Guess who is on the other end of the line?). The response is 'JAALLOZZ.' A subsequent panel shows a character blowing a horn, with sound effects like 'Bor' and 'Digi...digi...digi...digi...'. The final panel in this section presents a character with a shocked expression on the phone, surrounded by smoke and electrical sparks. A caption below reads: 'DIC MORALITE LES UFOLOGUES... N'ONT AUCUN SENS DE L'HUMOUR!' (DIC MORALITE UFOLOGISTS... HAVE NO SENSE OF HUMOR!).

Advertisement/Comic: 'SUPER-STATION DE DÉTECTION OVNI'

This panel features a grotesque, zombie-like character holding a device and standing on a toilet. The text above him reads 'OUI...BIEN SÜR... MAIS NOUS ÔTRES A LA S.V.E.P.S.' (YES... OF COURSE... BUT WE OTHERS AT S.V.E.P.S.). Below, an advertisement for a 'SUPER-STATION DE DÉTECTION OVNI' (Super UFO Detection Station) is shown with a recommended price of 140,000.00 F. A label on the character's arm reads 'Garantie pur MARINELLA 92% MG' (Guaranteed by MARINELLA 92% MG).

Comic Strip: Analysis of UFOs vs. Airplanes

This strip presents two aircraft, labeled A and B. A character, identified as 'GIRAUD' (possibly the artist), stands on a ladder and explains the essential difference between object A, which is an obvious fake airplane (therefore a real UFO), and object B, which is a fake UFO (therefore a real airplane). The dialogue is filled with wordplay and satire. Another character, a young student labeled 'PINVI DIC... JEUNE CANCRE...' (PINVI DIC... YOUNG FAILURE...), is told to learn from 'MAITRE D'AIGURE' (Master of the Eagle/Insight) instead of painting elephants green. The text also includes phrases like 'GIRAUD EST UN FAVOT' (GIRAUD IS A FAVOR), 'GIRAUD N'EST PAS AU COURANT' (GIRAUD IS NOT AWARE), and references to 'GIRAUD EST AMOUREUX DE LA FILLE DU SURG' (GIRAUD IS IN LOVE WITH THE SURG'S DAUGHTER).

Comic Strip: 'GRAND MAITRE es ouranologie évoluant dans son élément' (GRAND MASTER of ouranology evolving in his element)

This comic depicts a large, pregnant-looking character dressed as a sailor, standing on a toilet bowl and holding a plunger. He is looking at a 'lenticular spaceship' in the sky and exclaims, 'ASTRONEF LENTICULAIRE EN VUE... LA BARRE A 800... PARE A PLONGER!' (Lenticular spaceship in sight... The bar at 800... Ready to dive!). The text 'DELVAL N'EST PAS LOIN' (DELVAL IS NOT FAR) is also present.

Comic Strip: Dr. Hynek and UFOs

This panel satirizes Dr. J. Allen Hynek, a prominent figure in UFO research. A character resembling Hynek is shown speaking into a microphone held by a parrot perched on a stand labeled 'USAF'. The text coming from the parrot includes sounds like 'GAZ DES MARAIS... COOO... COOO... GAZ DES MARAIS...' (MARSH GAS... COOO... COOO... MARSH GAS...). Hynek is quoted as saying, 'DR HYNEK.. PLEASE.. UNE DECLARATION SUR LE PHENOMENE U.F.O.' (DR HYNEK.. PLEASE.. A DECLARATION ON THE U.F.O. PHENOMENON). Below, three figures labeled '1 TYPE', '2 TYPE', and '3 TYPE' are shown in distress, reacting to the sounds or the situation.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the satire of ufology, the questioning of eyewitness accounts, and the humor derived from the perceived absurdity of alien encounters and the seriousness with which they are sometimes treated. The editorial stance is clearly one of lighthearted skepticism and parody, using comic strips to poke fun at the subject matter and its proponents. The publication seems to suggest that the 'great Martian fear' is more a product of imagination and misinterpretation than of genuine phenomena, and that ufologists themselves are often subjects of amusement rather than serious study. The use of French cultural references and humor indicates a specific audience likely familiar with the context of UFO discussions in France during the 1950s.

This issue of "Jeu Intellectuel" (Intellectual Game) is a collection of satirical cartoons, primarily focused on the intersection of ufology, science fiction, and psychoanalysis. The content is presented in French and uses humor to critique and question common beliefs and theories within these domains.

Cartoon Series Analysis

Page 1: The Professor's Explanation

The issue opens with a dialogue between "Meheust" and "Professeur Arthur C. Clarke." Meheust questions Arthur C. Clarke about the coincidence between science fiction and flying saucers. Clarke's response, "ÉLÉMENTAIRE.... MON CHER MEHEUST" (Elementary.... My dear Meheust), sets a tone of ironic explanation.

Page 2: The Map of Lies

This page features a cartoon illustrating a map of France with various lines and points. The text explains that by randomly pointing on a map, one can obtain a configuration that "demonstrates strictly whatever you want." This is presented as the "CARTE DE LA PROPAGATION RECTILIGNE DES BOBARDS" (Map of the Straight-Line Propagation of Lies/Nonsense). A warning states, "ATTENTION : CECI N'EST PAS L'ECHELLE DE LA CARTE !" (Attention: This is not to scale!). This segment satirizes the use of arbitrary data or visual aids to support unfounded claims.

Page 3: The Castaway

Under the title "LE NAUFRAGEUR" (The Castaway), a cartoon depicts a monstrous, alien-like creature in a spacesuit speaking to a man in a suit. The creature, addressing the man as "REVEREND-PÈRE SCHATZMAN... A MOI....AU SECOURS!" (Reverend-Father Schatzman... To me.... Help!), seems to be in distress. The man in the suit responds, "ALLONS ALLONS, MON FILS... NE VOUS LAISSEZ PAS IMPRESSIONNER PAR CETTE FEMELLE. DITES VOUS BIEN QUE VOUS ETES SIMPLEMENT EN TRAIN DE RÊVER-ÉVEILLE... PINCEZ VOUS UN BON COUP ET VOUS VOUS RENDORMIREZ AUSSI-TOT !..." (Come on, my son... Don't let yourself be impressed by this female. Tell yourself that you are simply in a waking dream... Pinch yourself hard and you will fall asleep again!). This cartoon appears to satirize encounters with the unknown or potentially hallucinatory experiences, suggesting they might be mere dreams.

Page 4: Freudian Delusions

This page is titled "FREUDAINES" (a pun on "Freud" and "fadaises" meaning nonsense or trifles). It includes a song with lyrics attributed to "Carl Gustav Freud" and music to "Ludwig Amadeus Tchaikowski." The lyrics, "C'EST L'A-MER MI CHEL QUI PER DU SON 'CA'" (It's the sea, Michel, who loses his 'it'), are nonsensical. The main cartoon shows a patient on a couch speaking to a doctor. The patient exclaims, "ET BIEN VOILA Dr DEBREN-RITZAV.... C'EST TERRIBLE, JE FAIS UN ABCES DE FIXATION PSYCHO-UFOLOGIQUE...JE BAVE HA BILE SUR UN SEUL HOMME ALORS QU'IL VATANT DE HAL A DIRE SUR TANT ET TANT D'AUTRES...HİSERE." (Well, here it is Dr. Debren-Ritzav.... It's terrible, I have a psycho-ufo-logical fixation abscess... I drool bile on one man while he babbles about so many others... Hiss!). The doctor, in a separate panel, diagnoses, "JE VOIS ... JE VOIS OH LE TOUT BEAU CAS INCURABLE DE VIÈROUDYTE AIGÜE ACE STADE ÇA NE SE SOIGNE PLUS MAIS SE VAIS REDIGER LA DESSUS UN MEMOIRE QUI DECLENCHERA L'HILARITE DE MES CONFRERES...HA...HA...JE POUFFE DE RIRE...LA.CRISE...." (I see... I see. Oh, the beautiful incurable case of acute Vieroudyte. At this stage, it's no longer treated, but I will write a paper on it that will trigger the hilarity of my colleagues... Ha... Ha... I burst out laughing... The crisis....). Another panel shows the patient pleading, "JE VOUS EN SUPPLIE Or... SAUVEZ-MOI... NE LAISSEZ PAS CE MAL ME RONGER LE CERVEAU...." (I beg you, Doctor... Save me... Don't let this evil gnaw at my brain....). The doctor reassures him, "CHER PATIENT, RASSUREZ VOUS. JE VIENS D'EXAMINER SOIGNEUSEMENT UNE RADIO-GRAPHIE DE VOTRE CRĀNE ET JE PUIS VOUS ASSURER QUE DE CE CÔTE LÀ, VOUS NE RISQUEZ ABSOLUMENT RIEN." (Dear patient, rest assured. I have just carefully examined a radiograph of your skull and I can assure you that on that side, you are in absolutely no danger.). This section satirizes psychoanalysis, particularly its jargon and perceived detachment from reality, linking it humorously to ufology.

Page 5: Intellectual Game

This page, titled "JEU INTELLECTUEL," presents a series of vignettes characterizing an individual, likely a satirized ufologist or intellectual. These include: "SA PLAQUE DE PORTE TOUT A FAIT RÊVĒLATRICE..." (His doorplate, quite revealing...), "SON PAILLASSON HOELLEUX DE BON ALOI..." (His well-intentioned, smooth doormat...), and "SON OPULENTE BIBLIOTHEQUE BOURREE D'OUVRAGES DE REFERENCE" (His opulent library, stuffed with reference works). The library is shown filled with books like "TINTIN," "ALMANACH VERMOT," "PIPI," "MA VIE. D. RITZ," "M.O.C," "MOCI," "GRAINE DE SOUCOUPES VO," "SCIENCE FICT," and "PENSÉES DE BREDAY RITZE." The text "ENTRÉE INTERDITE A VIEROUDY ETA TOUT AUTRE RASTAQUOVERE" (Entry forbidden to Vieroudy and any other Rastaquouere) is also present. Other vignettes show "SON LIVRE DE CHEVET.... AINSI SOIT-IL ..." (His bedside book.... So be it...), featuring "EVANGILES Selon Saint Aimé Michel" (Gospels According to Saint Aimé Michel), translated by "P. DEBRAY RITZEN." There's also "SA FABULEUSE GALERIE DE TOILES DE HATTRES..." (His fabulous gallery of paintings...) and "SA COLLECTION DE BIBELOTS PRECIEUX...." (His collection of precious trinkets...). Finally, "SON ECRITOIRE ADAPTĒE A SA PROSE EPISTOLAIRE...." (His writing desk adapted to his epistolary prose...) is depicted, along with "SON FIDELE NEGRE" QUI LUI SOUFFLE TOUTES SES IDEES..." (His faithful "negro" who whispers all his ideas to him...). The final panel on this page poses a challenge: "QUE TOUS CEUX QUI ONT TROUVE DE QUEL UFOLOGUE EN CHAMBRE BIEN CONNU IL S'AGISSAIT NOUS ECRIVENT ILS ONT GAGNE!" (May all those who have figured out which well-known ufologist in his chamber it is, write to us. They have won!). This entire page is a satirical character assassination of a specific type of intellectual, likely a ufologist, by listing stereotypical and often absurd possessions and influences.

Page 6: Project Magonia

A cartoon shows two men. One, smoking, says, "DIX CONTRE UN QU'IL NE S'EN SORT PAS DE SON PROJET 'MAGONIA' TENU!" (Ten to one he won't get out of his 'Magonia' project, held!). The other man calls out, "ALEXANDRE.... AU SECOURS!" (Alexandre.... Help!). This suggests a difficult or overwhelming project named "Magonia."

Page 7: The Doctor's Parable

Under the title "LA PARABOLE DU BON DOCTEUR......" (The Parable of the Good Doctor......), a figure resembling a doctor or priest addresses a group of "UFOLDGUES...MES FRERES..." (Ufologists... My brothers...). He questions their new malady, asking why they deny what they once revered and cast opprobrium on testimonies. He advises them, "CESSEZ DE SCIER LA BAANCHE SUR LAQUELLE VOUS ETES ASSIS..." (Stop sawing the branch on which you are sitting...). The cartoon below shows a figure in a tree sawing off the branch he is sitting on, while another figure shouts, "...FAITES COMME MOI !.. SCIEZ LES BRANCHES DES AUTRES" (...Do as I do! Saw off the branches of others). This is a clear allegory about self-destructive behavior and the dangers of undermining one's own field or beliefs.

Page 8: Crash Stories

Two characters are depicted. One says, "OUI, JE SAIS J'EN SIDERE PAS MAL AVEC MES HISTOIRES DE 'CRASH' OVNI ! HAIS MOI, AU MOINS, JE SAIS TRES BIEN DE QUOI JE PARLE...LÁ PREUVE : PAS PLUS TARD QU'HIER SOIR, AU REFECTOIRE, JE NE SUIS RAMASSE UNE SOUCOUPE EN PLEINE TASSE!" (Yes, I know I'm boring a lot with my UFO 'crash' stories! But at least, I know very well what I'm talking about... The proof: just last night, in the refectory, I picked up a saucer in my cup!). The other character responds with "BOLTS! NUTS! SGAP!". This cartoon satirizes UFO crash retrieval stories and the credibility of those who report them, suggesting they are prone to exaggeration or delusion.

Page 9: Deflating UFOs

This page features a large cartoon with the text "PSSii POFF" and "NOM DE DJUNG DE NOM DE DJUNG!.. C'EST LA TROISIÈME FOIS QUE JE ME RAMASSE UNE SALETE D'ECLAT D'ARCHETYPE DANS LA CARBUGNE A VALVE I..." (Name of Djung, name of Djung!.. This is the third time I've picked up a dirty shard of archetype in the valve carbuncle...). The image shows a UFO-like object deflating like a balloon, with smoke or steam coming out. The caption reads, "face au surhomme psycho ufologique les OVNI se dégonflent" (facing the psycho-ufo-logical superman, UFOs deflate). This implies that the complex psychological or theoretical frameworks applied to UFOs can reduce them to something mundane or nonsensical.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the critique of ufology, the perceived overlap and confusion between science fiction and UFO phenomena, and the satirical examination of psychoanalytic interpretations of these subjects. The editorial stance is clearly skeptical and humorous, using cartoons to poke fun at the earnestness, jargon, and sometimes questionable methodologies employed in these fields. The magazine appears to champion a more rational or at least less credulous approach to understanding unexplained phenomena, by highlighting the absurdity and self-referential nature of some theories and claims.

This issue of EXCLUSIF, identified by the page number '20' and a footer '19' on the preceding page, focuses on the mysterious disappearances associated with the Bermuda Triangle. The primary article, titled 'EXCLUSIF: ENCORE UNE VICTIME DU TRIANGLE DES BERMUDES' (Exclusive: Another Victim of the Bermuda Triangle), presents a dramatic narrative through a comic strip.

Article: Another Victim of the Bermuda Triangle

The central piece of this issue is a comic strip that depicts a shipwreck in a turbulent sea, with a prominent rock formation. The dialogue within the comic strip suggests that Alain Colas is presumed to be lost. One speech bubble reads, 'ALAIN COLAS?.. JE GLOUP... PRESUME...' (Alain Colas?.. I Gulp... Presumed...). Another character, seemingly from an organization named GEPAN, expresses surprise and honor in meeting the presumed victim, stating, 'SOI-MEME... GLUB MAIS DITES MOI, GEPAN L'HONNEUR DE VOUS CONNAITRE ....GLUB!' (Myself... Glub but tell me, GEPAN the honor of knowing you.... Glub!). This implies a surreal or perhaps humorous take on the mysterious nature of disappearances in the Bermuda Triangle, potentially involving an encounter with an unknown entity or phenomenon.

The issue highlights the enduring mystery and fascination surrounding the Bermuda Triangle, framing Alain Colas as the latest in a series of unexplained disappearances. The use of a comic strip format suggests an accessible and perhaps sensationalized approach to the topic.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The editorial stance appears to be one that sensationalizes and dramatizes unexplained phenomena, particularly the mysteries of the Bermuda Triangle. By presenting a specific individual, Alain Colas, as a victim, the magazine aims to capture reader interest through a narrative of loss and enigma. The inclusion of 'GEPAN,' an acronym often associated with French governmental bodies investigating UFOs (Groupe d'Études et d'Informations sur les Phénomènes Aérospatiaux Non-identifiés), adds a layer of intrigue, suggesting a connection to official investigations or a broader interest in unexplained events. The overall tone is one of mystery and perhaps a touch of dark humor, as indicated by the 'GLUB' interjections in the dialogue.