If you grew up in the 1970s and 1980s, perhaps you have heard of the pifos community. What are pifos? Fans of Pif Gadget, of course! A legendary weekly launched in 1969 by Vaillant Editions, a subsidiary of the French Communist Party, this flagship title of the youth press was instantly sold on newsstands and still stands out today as an essential comfort blanket for post-sixties generations.
The idea of associating a gadget object with a magazine was then unprecedented in the French press. Inspired by North American practices, she returned to France to the publisher Vaillant when the latter wanted to develop its youth magazine Vaillant The Journal of Pif, which sold 55,000 copies and had as its mascot the popular dog Pif, a character created by José Cabrero Arnal. To boost sales, it was decided that a “surprise” would henceforth accompany each issue, as is the case across the Atlantic in cereal packets.
Sidereal glasses
On February 24, 1969, Vaillant The Journal of Pif therefore becomes Pif et son gadget surprise. If the name of this new journal undergoes variations, Pif Gadget is one that will remain engraved in memories. The success was immediate: between 200,000 and 225,000 copies of the first issue were sold. His first gadget? Sidereal glasses, which allow you to see without your gaze being seen by others – wearing them was like imagining yourself being a hero from space!
The 1970s became the golden age of Pif Gadget. Toddlers are passionate about the adventures of the prehistoric man Rahan or those of the sailor Corto Maltese, while gadget-mania reaches new heights. The 1980s, less qualitative in terms of content, began with a bang and remained a reference period but, for various reasons, the sales curve gradually eroded.
In the late 1970s, Pif sells 400,000 copies; in 1985, to 220,000; and in 1992, to 40,000 – figures which would, however, make many publications dream of today. The newspaper disappeared in 1994 before returning in monthly form in 2004, then going on hiatus again about five years later. Finally, in 2020, Pif Gadget reappears quarterly.
“From magic to my childhood”
Even if the eighties began the decline in success, they nonetheless had a profound impact, like the seventies, on the kids of the time. Never told, the 1980s of Pif Gadget deserved a spotlight, and this was the objective of an ex-fan, Sébastien Gérard, now 48 years old, who chose to recount the 1981-1994 era in a fascinating work, The Story of Pif and his gadget (Pulse Video Editions).
The book-investigation into the evolution of the magazine also highlights the happiness it brought to its readers. It is rich in more than 600 photographs (covers, comic strips, gadgets, posters, advertisements, etc.), which we owe to the professional Laurent Barraud, 61 years old, who built one of the most important collections around Pif Gadget.
The book also includes archive photos held by Sébastien Gérard: “Pif gave magic to my childhood,” underlines the latter. I particularly have strong memories of my summers. In 1985, over four weeks, the magazine offered everything you needed to build the perfect adventurer’s kit: survival knife, Canadian tent, compass, guide. I lived in a small village and, with my friends, we had fun thanks to Pif. »
Generation Recreate A2
The magazine fits perfectly into the media zeitgeist and takes particular note of a phenomenon: the explosion of cartoons on the small screen. It gives a large place to popular youth programs, such as Recré A2, where we then discover the mythical Mysterious Cities of Gold. Pif even created, from 1984, a ceremony, Les Truffes d’Or, which, for four years, allowed children to choose their favorite cartoons. During the first edition, more than 30,000 people cast their vote – a huge score!
On the comics side, creativity is not at its peak over these years either, but Sébastien Gérard highlights some nuggets: “ Pif published, from 1983, the comic strip Coganwhose hero of the same name fought poachers, and to which the WWF contributed [World Wide Fund For Nature, le Fonds mondial pour la nature, NDLR]. We can also cite Radio Kids, which appeared in 1987, a story that featured pre-teens, some from diverse backgrounds, who ran the college radio. The series echoed the struggles of the anti-racism association Touche pas à mon pote and the emergence of free radio stations. »
So, isn’t it time to rehabilitate this decade of the 1980s, less adored in the hearts of the purists of the planet? Pif ? Laurent Barraud, a reader from the 1970s generation, has a clear opinion on the question: “I would not assert, as is customary, that Pif was better in my time. I believe that the Pif that we prefer is above all the one we knew in our youth. » This should make all the pifos agree!
“The Story of Pif and his gadget”, by Sébastien Gérard and Laurent Barraud. Editions Pulse Video, March 2024, 272 pages, 35 euros.
2024-04-03 12:06:22
#Story #Pif #gadget #unprecedented #dive #cult #magazine
