Title: Tytus the Teacher

This review will not even maintain a semblance of objectivity. And this is for a simple reason - the author of this one is a product of the mid-1980s, so Tytus is for her, as for most born in the 1970s and 1980s, a cult figure. Just like Papcio Chmiel, whom it was simply impossible not to like.

It was possible, however, of the three heroes of the legendary comic book: Romek, A'Tomek and Tytus to have their own favorites. One is the voice of reason, the second charming, though not sinning with excessive intelligence, and the third - a humanly treated chimpanzee, who goes on his extraordinary adventures on a par with his fellow-heroes. My generation loved this trio, largely for the colors, for the ideas, for the crazy creations and fun with words, but also for the unobtrusive educational element. And this, as is well known, during the times of the system justly passed, was doing remarkably well, effectively spoiling promising literary creations.

Karol Weber followed the path subtly set by Chmielewski, weaving a little sadness, a little reflection and quite a lot of emotion into a commemorative album in memory of the late cartoonist.

Tytus, as always a bit scatterbrained and endearingly straightforward, we meet Weber at the train station. It is here that he, out of breath, runs to make it in time to meet none other than Papa Chmiel - his father, creator, creator. Full of wisdom and warmth is the dialogue between the creator and the character he created, and although the whole comic has little action, the work is complemented by fantastic drawings from the hand of Gedeon. For here the whole background "plays". The nameless people crowded at the station are extremely expressive, their faces expressing more than, as they say, a thousand words.

Tytus in Weber's work loses nothing of his youthful charm and his invariable naivness, while Papcio, on the other hand - mature, calm and full of warmth - makes many a reader's eye turn to tears. Especially when Papcio Chmiel, with a small suitcase in hand, metaphorically boards a train, and the station display points in the direction of "Heaven."

(mak)