19 Oct-31 Aug 2005. The Franquins World exhibition at the Cit des Sciences looks at the work of Belgian comic strip illustrator Andr Franquin, author of the popular Gaston Lagaffe and Marsupilami series. Through six main themes An Artists Life, The Editing, The Black Room, The Studio, The Scientific Enigma, The Saga of Inventions the exhibition tells the story of an endearing, humanist artist whose values are also those of his heroes. Various emblematic characters of the Belgian illustrator guide the visitor in this journey through Franquins world: from Gaston Lagaffe to Marsupilami, to Spirou and Fantasio. Why the Cit des Sciences? Franquin was fascinated by science and technology and a number of his stories are inspired by scientific ideas. Throughout the visit there are a wide range of 3D objects created by Franquin for his comics, including the gaffophone, the daisy mower and the zorglumobil. And last but not least a model of an old Fiat 509 in which Gaston spent most of his time.