MAURO CALDI, PILOTA STRAORDINARIO

THE OCTOBER 2023 ISSUE OF Classic & Sports Cars introduced me to the motoring comics of Denis Lapière (writer), Michel Constant (illustrator) and wife Béa who colors Michel’s illos. Amazon lists several tales of their race driver Mauro Caldi, and La Guerre des Familles, an oversize (9 1/4 x 12 3/4 in.), hardbound, 48-page, full-color comicbook (its quality emphasizing the word “book”) arrived in amazingly good time.

La Guerre des Familles, written by Denis Lapière, illustrated by Michel and Béa Constant, Paquet, 2012.

It’s en français (several others auf Deutsch), but my early total-immersion French is fine for enjoying this tale of the Targa Florio (the Sicilian race firmly lodged among my happy memories). Here are tidbits from Mick Walsh’s Classic & Sports Car article and from Lapière and Constant(s)’ charming book.

Mauro, Joanna, and Gigi. “In the mid-’80s,” Mick Walsh writes, “Michel teamed with Lapière to create the Mauro Caldi character. This young, red-haired driver, mechanic and amateur detective became the star of a classic book series set in Italy during the ’50s.” Joanna is Mauro’s girlfriend, pert with as we used to say in high school legs that go all the way up. Mauro’s pal and co-driver is Gigi, who profits from Mauro’s knowledge of car positioning.

This and other images from La Guerre des Familles.

Michel displays a deft hand in drawing cars and settings of the era. And Denis captures sound effects appropriately: VROOOO, VROOW, and rendering the typical racing Ferrari’s off-the-line VROP VROP VROP. 

Later, as drama evolves between two Sicilian families, the Scratellini (into horses and fruitti) and the Spottorno (into modern horsepower), we learn that pistols go PAN PAN, occasionally BANG BANG, and with silencers PLOP PLOP PLOP. 

The backstory of this feud involves “la plus jolie femme du village: la somptuese Giulietta Larini.” That is, her legs go all the way up too. The two family scions compete with a third guy, “Giacomelli, timide, romantique et enflammé.” Without giving away too much, Giulietta is lost in a stormy sea, Giacomelli answers a call to the priesthood, and the scions sire Roberto and Graziella, Spottorno and Scratellini respectively. 

Guess who fall in love.

There are VROPS VROPS and PANS PANS a’plenty in preparation for the Targa Florio, in which our hero Mauro competes with the likes of Stirling Moss (Mercedes-Benz), Eugenio Castellotti (Ferrari), and Luigi Musso (Maserati). Early on, a little bearded guy asks Joanna “Puis-je prendre une photo?” 

Of course, it’s Jenks, Stirling’s co-driver. “Funny guy,” Joanna says. By the way, Joanna compiles Targa route notes for Caldi (see a similar idea in “Jenk’s Box of Magic.”)

Families United and…. Marriage achieves resolution of the Spottorno/Scratellini feud and, what’s more, the Padre helps Mauro’s chances in the race.

I suspect F.I.A. Sporting Regulations frown on such things and, after all, it is a comicbook: Mauro’s Ferrari wins the Targa. 

I look forward to other Mauro Caldi adventures. A great way to practice one’s français. ds 

© Dennis Simanaitis, SimanaitisSays.com, 2023