Kicking off the week with this preview of Oni and Magnetic Press’s publication of Zidrou and Frank Pé’s The Beast…
Oni Press and Magnetic Press Unleash THE BEAST – The First English-Language Edition of World-Renowned Artist Frank Pé’s Final Graphic Novel
Belgian Comics Legends Zidrou and Frank Pé Re-examine A Beloved Comic and Animation Icon in This Touching Tale of Friendship and Animal Rights
THE BEAST THAT INSPIRED AN ANIMATED SERIES, A FEATURE FILM, AND A VIDEO GAME IS MAKING HIS COMIC DEBUT IN AMERICA! Oni Press and Magnetic Press – the Eisner Award-winning publisher celebrating prestige graphic novels from around the globe since 2013 – are proud to release the first-ever English edition of THE BEAST by internationally celebrated creators Zidrou (The Adoption) and Frank Pé (Zoo). Featuring the creators’ heartfelt spin on André Franquin’s iconic creature, the Marsupilami, this touching graphic novel explores post-WWII Brussels through the eyes of a lonely young boy and his unlikely friend. The one-of-a-kind adventure begins when THE BEAST VOL. 1 debuts on May 12th.
The Marsupilami first appeared in Franquin’s 1952 Spirou as Spirou’s lovable pet. From there, the fictional feline and other members of the marsupilami species won the hearts of Franco-Belgian readers before evolving into a multimedia empire featuring an animated series, a feature film, and even a Sega Genesis video game. Now, Zidrou and Pé are throwing the adorable, playful creature into the harsh world of animal trafficking and post-war Europe.
Captured in the heart of Palombia by Chahuta Indians and sold to exotic animal traffickers, a marsupilami lands in the port of Antwerp in the 1950s. Managing to escape, he arrives in the suburbs of Brussels and is taken in by François, a young boy who is a fan of animals and whose daily life is far from easy. François is picked on by the local kids, particularly because his father had been a German soldier, an unforgivable crime in those postwar years; a fact he and his mother cannot escape. Both are ostracized for their connection to past events.
“This sometimes dark but always hopeful adventure by renowned author Zidrou and celebrated gallery artist Frank Pé portrays a beautiful friendship between a boy and his beast,” says Magnetic Press’ Director of Publishing, Mike Kennedy. “The authors pay a superb tribute to the fabulous animal created by Franquin in the series Spirou et Fantasio while denouncing the mistreatment and trafficking of exotic animals. A magnificent adventure whose heart is the extraordinary friendship that can unite a child with an animal.”
Throughout his prolific career, writer Zidrou has written everything from humorous children’s series like L’élève Ducobu to emotionally rich, challenging graphic novels such as The Adoption. THE BEAST highlights the esteemed scribe’s dynamic range and shines a light on artist Frank Pé’s playful, expressive art that has earned him critical acclaim around the globe as a cartoonist and fine artist. Pé passed away in November 2025, leaving a highly respected body of work, including Zoo and his personal tribute to Windsor McCay’s Little Nemo. This graphic novel is the culmination of a lifetime of gorgeous art. Readers can see two masters at work when THE BEAST: VOL. 1 arrives in bookstores and comic shops on May 12th, with THE BEAST: VOL. 2 due out in June.
THE BEAST VOL. 1 HC
WRITTEN BY ZIDROU
ART BY FRANK PÉ
COVER BY FRANK PÉ
ON SALE MAY 12, 2026 | $24.99 | 156 PGS. | HC
THE BEAST VOL. 2 HC
WRITTEN BY ZIDROU
ART BY FRANK PÉ
COVER BY FRANK PÉ
ON SALE JUNE 2, 2026 | $24.99 | 204 PGS. | HC
