Anselme Lanturlu
Anselme Lanturlu (in English: Archibald Higgins; in German: Anselm Wüßtegern) is an edutainment comic series from France by The Professor Jean-Pierre Petit. They explain complicated concepts (mostly from mathematics and physics) in a humorous way. The series lasted from 1980 to 1990. A "new adventure" was published in 2005.
The books are out of print, but can be downloaded legally and for free here. Thank you very much, professor!
Tropes used in Anselme Lanturlu include:
- Albert Einstein: Appears in several books.
- Alien Geometries: Featured in "The Geometricon", "The Topologicon" and "The Black Hole". A world where a balloon gets a flat surface if you pump enough gas in it? A not-quite-Earth where the South Pole is just under the North Pole (or vice versa?), to Amundsen's chagrin? Actually, it works out, if you understand the maths behind it.
- Animal Companion/Talking Animal: They have several birds and the snail Tiresias.
- Edutainment
- Fan Service: Sophie! Essentially, she's a young Brigitte Bardot with glasses and a smarter expression.
- God: Appears in the story about the Big Bang.
- Inside a Computer System: "Informagic".
- Limited Wardrobe: Anselme always wears the same nondescript shirt with an "A" on it and the same broad-rimmed hat. Sophie is always clad in a one-piece swimsuit and high heels.
- Manic Pixie Dream Girl: Sophie has aspects of it in her relation with Anselme.
- Meganekko: Sophie.
- Shown Their Work
- Year Inside, Hour Outside: When special relativity is involved.