Ce troisième tome des Formidables Aventures de Lapinot réjouira les amateurs d’intrigues alambiquées, d’aventures feuilletonesques savoureuses, de finesses spirituelles et de gros monstres.
(This third volume of the Spiffy Adventures of McConey will delight those who like convoluted plots, spicy pulp adventures, witty subtleties, and big monsters.)
Walter (translated in English as Harum Scarum) is a 1997 comic book by Lewis Trondheim. It is the third album of The Spiffy Adventures of McConey series. It is a parody of Gothic Horror. It is set during the Belle Époque. Lapinot is a medicine student. Titi is a policeman, inspecteur Boulanger. Richard is a journalist. Bertrand Walter, the son of a university lecturer, invites them to visit his father's flat, where they find a monster.
Walter provides examples of the following tropes:
- Affectionate Parody: Of Gothic Horror genre.
- Applied Phlebotinum: Professor Water's powder transforms everybody into monsters in case of adrenaline rush.
- Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking: Titi threatens to arrest Richard for inciting a riot, lie, disorderly conduct, paranoid madness, suicide attempt and pathetic writing.
- Bloodstained Glass Windows: Lapinot, Richard and Titi fight with Pr Walter in St Stephen church. They are transformed into monsters during the fight.
- Bluff the Impostor: Lapinot thinks the guy in Mr Bartfeld's house is not Mr Bartfeld, so he tells him he has just realized he is "Charles Bartfeld", whereas Mr Bartfeld's real name is "Georges". The impostor does not notice the wrong first name.
- Brandishment Bluff: Titi and Richard do it with Finger Gun.
- Chekhov's Gun: Bertrand Walter lights a fire to light up his father's flat. He will later use it to destroy his father's powder and formula. The powder will not be destroyed, but spread in the whole city because of the smoke.
- Distracting Disambiguation: Stanislav Khambehl threatens to cut the jugular veins of the heroes. It gives rise to a discussion about the meaning of "jugular".
- The Edwardian Era: This is set before WWI at a time where automobiles and bicycles were common.
- Faux Affably Evil: Stanislav Khambehl from Manoukistan is very polite, but he is very cruel and merciless.
- Fictional Country: Manoukistan and Tchérouvie.
- Finger Gun: Titi and Richard stick their fingers inside their pocket for a Brandishment Bluff.
- Freudian Trio: Titi, who represents law and order, is the superego. Richard, the very intrepid reporter, is the id. Lapinot is the ego.
- Going for the Big Scoop: Richard goes back to Professor Walter's flat where there is a monster.
- Gothic Horror: The story is set in the Belle Époque. It is about a Mad Scientist who creates a powder that transforms people (or rather Funny Animals) into monsters.
- Heel–Face Turn: Bertrand Walter contacted Manoukistan and Tchérouvie to sell them his father's formula. Then, he realized it was not a good idea.
- In Medias Res: The story starts when Lapinot, Richard and Titi enter Professor Walter's flat. Later, Lapinot tells the beginning of the story.
- Intrepid Reporter: Richard.
- Laser-Guided Karma: All the people who wanted to grab the powder finally get transformed into monsters.
- Mad Scientist: Professor Walter, who transforms people into monsters.
- Magic Antidote: Pr Walter has an antidote for his powder and it instantaneously reverses the effects of the powder even on people already transformed into monsters.
- Magic Pants: When the heroes are transformed into monsters, Lapinot's and Titi's pants are not completely torn, so when the process is reversed, their modesty is safe. Richard's pants are completely torn, but their remainings are just on his pubis when he comes round.
- Mutants: Anybody who was in contact with Professor Water's powder transforms into a monster in case of adrenaline rush.
- No Plans, No Prototype, No Backup: When Bertrand Walter throws his father's powder and formula into the fire, they are lost of everybody.
- Professor Guinea Pig: Subverted. Bertrand Walter thinks his father tested the powder on himself. Actually, he did not.
- Redemption Equals Death: Bertrand Walter is killed after his Heel–Face Turn.
- Reptiles Are Abhorrent: The villain, Pr Walter, is a crocodile. His son Bertrand Walter, too.
- Right Behind Me: When he starts writing his article, Richard criticizes Titi, who is right behind him and hears everything.
- Smart People Play Chess: Stanislav Khambehl from Manoukistan plays chess with the world champion.
- Time Machine: Subverted. The people from Manoukistan and Tchérouvie think there is one, but there is not any.
- Transformation Horror: Many Funny Animals are transformed into monsters.
- Utopia Justifies the Means: Professor Walter wants a world without hate and violence. So he plans to contaminate everybody with a powder that transforms people into monsters in case of adrenaline rush.
- Well-Intentioned Extremist: Professor Walter.
