Review by Ian Keogh

The numbering on the strips show Your Answers or Your Life continuing from the strips gathered for In the Corner!, but Godi and Zidrou ensure Ducoboo’s a feature that’s easy to pick up on whichever collection is the starting point. Ducoboo is theoretically dim, so often called a dunce by a teacher who doesn’t realise arithmetical success isn’t the sole measure of intelligence. Were he instead ranked by the ingenuity of the methods employed to copy answers from regular test passer Leonie he’d be top of the class. He’d be better advised not to swallow any more safe keys, though.

More so than has been the case, some strips form continuing explorations of a theme, with the longest selection concerning the installation of a classroom sink. The problem with that is it’s to be placed in the corner Ducoboo considers his personal territory as he spends so much of he day sent to stand there. Godi imaginatively constructs a couple of strips as if news bulletins reporting Ducoboo’s heroic resistance over a two week period, followed by several good jokes centred on the plumber carrying out his work. He’s paid by the hour, you know. Another connected sequence ends the book with the school holidays approaching.

Zidrou’s expressive cartooning is really necessary, not because Godi doesn’t come up with enough good jokes, but because the classroom setting is repetitious and he’s often further limited by having to show Ducoboo and Leonie front on as per the sample page. He ensures this doesn’t ever look dull via exaggerated posture and expressions. When there’s a chance to move away from the classroom Zidrou really impresses with the background scenery, and he sells the more absurd moments also.

On a couple of occasions the French jokes don’t greatly survive translation. Readers starting with this book and not familiar with the French version of the dunces’ cap won’t get a joke about an oddly shaped Christmas tree, for instance. There’s also a joke using playing cards, and these remain the French versions with the ace defined as “1” and the queen as “D”.

What else to look for? Well, shockaroonie, there’s a strip where Ducoboo gets a 10/10 mark from the teacher. And he earns it well. Additionally we learn Mr. Latouche’s first name. Place your bets now.

We move to The Class Struggle with Godi and Zidrou providing far more hits than misses.