The series, originally grounded in comedy derived from the contrast between Attila's status as a real dog and a highly trained spy, gradually transitioned into the domain of science fiction.
This shift in genre gave rise to disagreements between the writers Rosy-Kornblum and artist Derib, ultimately leading to the series' untimely conclusion, despite its esteemed position among comic aficionados as a work destined to become a classic.
The series chronicles the exploits of Attila, a canine chosen for his remarkable intellect and capacity for verbal communication, who is deployed by the Swiss military as an intelligence operative.
Instead, he opted to illustrate a medieval series, Arnaud de Casteloup, with a script by Charles Jadoul [fr], which permitted him to depict horses, a subject close to his heart.
At Spirou, Derib encountered Maurice Rosy, the artistic director of Dupuis for the past ten years and author of numerous series in the magazine, including Bobo and Tif et Tondu.
Through consultation with Delporte, Rosy became aware of Derib's Swiss nationality, which prompted him to situate the series within the context of Switzerland, a country that had been infrequently represented in comic books.
This marked a pivotal moment for the series, as it was featured alongside other esteemed titles such as Buck Danny, Gil Jourdan, Tif et Tondu, Marc Dacier [fr], and Le Vieux Nick, as well as gag-based series like Gaston Lagaffe, Boule et Bill, and Bizu [fr].
[6] The series was regarded as a notable and welcome addition to the 1967 offerings of Spirou, a publication that was facing challenges in maintaining a fresh and engaging lineup.
[7] In terms of narrative style, Maurice Rosy opted to establish a fantastical ambiance, a genre he had previously explored in some of his Tif et Tondu stories, which he was concurrently developing alongside Attila.
The collaboration proceeded as follows: Additionally, Rosy, a gifted artist in his own right, provided a comprehensive and meticulously detailed storyboard of the narrative,[10] which Derib was at liberty to adapt and alter as he saw fit.
Having worked for over twelve years as an idea generator for Dupuis Editions, he was experiencing difficulties in maintaining inspiration, particularly in the wake of the events of May 68.
[12] He subsequently encountered Maurice Kornblum [fr], a proprietor of a commercial establishment specializing in sporting and camping equipment, who aspired to pursue a career in painting.
Additionally, they procured an IBM typesetter, a scarce item for private individuals at the time, as well as a Rank Xerox camera, which they employed to enlarge, reduce, and reproduce the drawings they created.
From this point onward, Derib, the illustrator, began to perceive a diminution in his role and influence within the creative process due to the emergence of a new collaborative dynamic between the two scriptwriters.
Additionally, the introduction of science fiction into the series made him lose interest in continuing the work, despite a fifth story having been fully storyboarded by Rosy and Kornblum.
[18] Derib even left Spirou after one of his story proposals was rejected by the editor, although great comic creators like André Franquin and Peyo had approved of it.
At the same time, Rosy dissolved his partnership with Kornblum for financial reasons, as well as to regain a sense of freedom that he felt he had lost.
[1] This work, which had never been released in album form, was later published in a limited edition of three hundred copies by La Vache qui Médite in October 2010.
For those with an affinity for comic books, Attila represents a series that, despite its merits, did not achieve the acclaim it deserved and could have become a seminal work in the field of sequential art.
[21] Furthermore, the advent of a third figure, Maurice Kornblum, prompted a shift in the series' trajectory towards science fiction, a direction that Derib found disagreeable,[16] as he favored a narrative centered on the comedic dichotomy of the character's dual identity as both a spy and a dog.
[22] Upon commencing work on the series, Derib had recently concluded his tenure at Peyo's studio, where he had been responsible for inking The Smurfs.
[23] From the second album onwards, the style of the drawings diverged from that of Peyo yet remained closely aligned with the artistic conventions of the Marcinelle school.
[24] To assist the fledgling artist, the scriptwriter Maurice Rosy provided him with a comprehensive storyboard of the narrative, which Derib was at liberty to modify by his creative vision.
The website Sceneario.com described the anthology as an "indispensable masterpiece" and commended the introductory dossier as "excellent", enabling readers to establish direct contact with the authors.
"[28] For Actuabd, "this reissue allows rediscovery of this relatively obscure series by Derib", and the presentation narrative provides "a fascinating insight into the magazine of good comedy.
1637[1] from August 28, 1969,[33] an advertisement page announced the official release of Attila in a softcover album under the title Un métier de chien [fr].
2578[1] from September 8, 1987,[34] for a new serialized adventure titled Bak et Flak étonnent Attila, written by both Maurice Rosy and Kornblum and drawn by Didgé [fr], lasting until no.
The fourth and final original album published by Dupuis Editions was released in 1974 and titled La Merveilleuse Surprise d'Odée [fr].
[11] The fifth and final album of the original collection was published in 2010 by La Vache qui Médite and is titled Bak et Flak étonnent Attila.
[35] Subsequently, Dupuis Editions released a comprehensive anthology of the initial four albums, along with the two short stories published in Spirou, in the Patrimoine collection.