Do you know what a swoof is? If you grew up reading Peyo’s comics or watching Hanna Barbera cartoons you will already have an idea what a swoof is. Or do you!
In the comic book version the Schlips (original German name of the Swoofs) had orange skin, not green skin as depicted in the cartoon version. The change of skin colour in the cartoon colour was to eliminate any racist connotation. Also in the comic there is no references to Gargamel, Azrael and Smurfette.
The cartoon was adapted from the comic Astronaut Smurf published in 1970. In the comic the smurf who was referred to as Astrosmurf is Dreamy Smurf in the cartoon version, in the comic he was given no name.
In the comic, Papa Swoof had black hair and beard, unlike the white hair and beard he has in this cartoon version. Again there were possible racism concerns.
In the comic, the Astrosmurf had to undergo two more Swoof challenges. One was to fight against a “strong” Swoof and to climb a mountain to get an edelweiss before night fall. Both of these challenges were removed in the cartoon version.
In 1973 Bully produced Jungle Smurf #20069 that resembled a swoof from Peyo’s comic. Jungle Smurf can be found holding a spear, with orange skin and black hair, white paint around its mouth to resemble like an African warrior.
When Schleich announced their new smurfs for 2016, many adult collectors who are familiar with the swoofs were surprised to see the introduction to Jungle – Native #20783.
For me Jungle – Native looks like a cross between Angry Smurf (small mould/Schleich ref# 20007) and Jungle Smurf. If you take the mouth from Angry and the orange skin from Jungle….. Or is it only me who thinks this?
Keep on Smurfin
Kath B