Zantafio

Zantafio is a recurring antagonist in the Spirou et Fantasio comic strip. He was created by André Franquin and first appeared in Spirou et les héritiers (1952). Zantafio bears a strong resemblance to the Fantasio character of that series, because he is his cousin. In Le dictateur et le champignon (1953), he is a South-American dictator of the fictional country of Palombia. He does not have the complex personality of Zorglub, another recurrent antagonist in the series.

Zantafio first appeared during a bequest contest against Fantasio. He who shall pass the trials would get the heritage. After cheating several times and yet losing, Zantafio admitted his defeat, claiming that he had time to reflect upon his cheating and feeling guilty about it. He left his cousin in good terms while they were chasing the Marsupilami in Palombia.

Yet, Zantafio returned as the dictator of the country, much to the surprise of Spirou and Fantasio. He offers Spirou and Fantasio a place within his army, but they are repulsed by Zantafio's change in personality. No longer friendly, Zantafio went merciless and brutal, drunk with power. Spirou and Fantasio, with the inventions of the Count of Champignac, initiate a revolution. After a revolution, Zantafio was driven out of his functions and disappeared in the wild.

Zantafio stroke back by taking revenge upon his cousin by framing him for thievery. He employed special henchmen to impersonate him and therefore disgrace him. Spirou foiled his plans.Zantafio then returned several times as a criminal, smuggling or spying. He even became Zorglub's second-in-command and tried to replace him in L'ombre du Z (1956).

When writer Jean-Claude Fournier took over the series, the criminal organisation known as the Triangle became the main recurrent antagonists in the series. In Tora Torapa (1973), Zantafio returns as leader of the Triangle.

After Fournier left the series, Zantafio disappeared for a long time as well: the new creative team of Nic Broca and Raoul Cauvin created new villains for their short run and their successors Philippe Tome and Janry started out their run with newly created villains well. Tome and Janry's La jeunesse de Spirou included a story based on their spin-off series Le Petit Spirou, which showed Zantafio as a child (but still with a moustache), but this story was done for comedic purposes. In Spirou à Moscou (1990), Zantafio returns in an attempt at becoming the new Tsar of Russia.

When Jean-David Morvan and José-Luis Munuera took over as creative team on Spirou and Fantasio, Zantafio returned in their second issue, L'homme qui ne voulait pas mourir (2005).