king french eighth volume comics series belgian cartoonist commissioned conservative belgian newspaper children supplement weekly august august intended story satirical criticism policies nazi_germany particular annexation austria march story tells young belgian reporter dog snowy travel fictional balkan nation combat plot overthrow monarchy king king commercial success published book form shortly conclusion continued forced closure series defining comics tradition coloured king distinctive claire style aid king introduces recurring character introduced fictional countries later stories story adapted studios animation animated series adventures synopsis having discovered lost park returns owner professor informs reporter plans travel balkan nation discovers secret agents follows responsible nearby restaurant unknown man agrees meet found unconscious shortly reporter receives threatening note target bomb attack survives police detectives thompson intercept bomb events linked decides accompany professor forthcoming visit country plane journey notices acting character suspects replaced reading history plot steal current king forcing forcibly ejected airplane pilot informs local police fears plot police captain conspiracy ambush escapes fellow passenger opera singer leaving car evade singing arrested survives assassination attempt arrival foot meets king aide camp colonel unsuccessful assassination attempt aimed morning personally warns king plot rush kept find smuggled building aid thompson recently arrived pursues thieves able prevent carried border neighbouring letter obtained thieves reveals plot orchestrated political means annex country fighter plane flies military shoot continues foot help snowy king thanks king makes knight order golden receive honour later discovers twin brother police arrest rescue professor ultimately return home flying boat history background best known pen employed editor illustrator little twentieth children supplement twentieth century roman catholic conservative belgian newspaper based native brussels run subsequently removed paper following scandal comic strip revolving exploits fictional belgian reporter adventure draw specifically contemporary events instance previously use japanese invasion political backdrop setting closely observed events surrounding policies nazi_germany producing story particularly influenced annexation austria nazi_germany march munich agreement subsequent nazi invasion followed october weeks finished germany invaded poland point threat belgian sovereignty posed nazi increasingly clear claimed basic idea story given friend biographer suggested likely candidate school scouting friend warned second war germany years scholars claimed develop names instead country names supposedly appeared paper included edition author described hypothetical conflict small kingdom power reportedly paper entitled general foreign policy explored nature inter state conflict mathematical way attributed claims said researcher confirmed source instead paper richardson entitled foreign politics story group psychology published mention case given publication date unlikely influence designed satirical depiction nazi germany named political leader nazi leader adolf_hitler italy leader similarities leader netherlands leader referred agents naming real romanian fascist group sought king forge romanian german alliance officers wore uniforms based german planes german design original version escapes revised version replaced adopted basis false flag operation plans outlined del technique coup depiction influenced costumes cultures balkan region neighbouring romania albania appear based found balkans appearance village featuring red roofs specifically inspired town black flag similar albania black eagle romania european country native mineral rich taken reference deposits found romania composite regions historical ties romania czech bohemian history influenced names medieval bohemian kings inspiration polish language influenced inclusion endings place names polish history paralleled description history language book french vocabulary joke understood original brussels based readership despite eastern european location partly metaphor belgium king physically resembling king iii belgium decision create fictional east european kingdom influenced fictional country created novel prisoner subsequently appeared film adaptations places visually based pre existing european sites based museum berlin royal palace based berlin brussels based castle constructed fifteenth century historical province located modern day finland revised version drawn additional tower inspired russia united_kingdom bore influence king carriage based original publication king august august title prove adventure published entirety story french catholic newspaper collected story single hardcover volume insisted contact hurry process changing political situation europe nazi soviet pact signed day delivered book remaining drawings finishing touches included book original cover royal coat arms title page depicting victory turks battle page suggested publication story title changed changed king king introduced recurring character series appears alongside pianist witnessed introduction antagonist colonel reappears later adventures destination moon sequel explorers moon brothers inclusion echoes brothers inclusion conclusion continued germany placed belgium occupation forced closure adventure abandoned second version story edition assisted artist worked oversaw changes costumes background story version dressed like version dressed uniform inserted cameo wife royal court scene cameo wife brother paul friend inserted cameos page appear officers character professor given original version changed second avoid confusion character butler introduced secret published second version book form subsequent publications legacy king adventure published british audience eagle comic names retained characters renamed thompson names adopted translated series english publishing republished original black white version story fourth volume archives collection published version edition critical analysis described king biting political satire asserted courageous written given threat nazi invasion imminent describing classic locked room mystery praised tightly constructed plot ultimately deemed best adventures written world war alongside thought noteworthy archaeologists discovered belonging 13th century prague biographer believed story atmosphere merry widow added touches films fellow biographer thought exhibited political maturity originality felt able break free narrative limits realism use setting called king thriller paranoid compared pace story steven_spielberg films noting despite real world present inclusion interfere pure nature adventure ultimately awarded stars opined adventure convincingly authentic feel satirical portrayal nazi_germany coupled sufficient scope invention creation compared lady preferred colour version assembled aid deeming particularly successful thought polished accomplished adventures series perfectly paced balanced narrative mixed drama comedy successfully literary critic stanford_university asserted inclusion iron guard evoked colonel noting figure evil face expressed disbelief depiction apparent economic problems reasons anti conspiracy strong mass revolution remains literary critic identified instances story argued linked wider themes identified recurring host guest theme visit believed theme present story identity stolen theme identified series mccarthy sacred political saw echoes king king wait days appearing public mccarthy thought linked jesus christ resurrection mccarthy opined number characters book visually resembled captain character introduced subsequent adventure crab adaptations king adapted animated series adventures series created belgium studios directed written studio divided minute black white episodes diverted original plot ways adapted episode television series french studio canadian animation company episode directed voiced character fans adopted language appears story construct akin fan following star trek
King Ottokar's Sceptre