"When 'Les Schtroumpfs' arrived in a Belgian comic strip in October 1958, no one could have expected the global fame and consciousness they would reach. The elflike blue wonders gained popularity in Europe through comic books and classic figurines, but it wasn't until they became the stars of NBC's Saturday morning lineup in the 1980s that all of America fell in love with the Smurfs. Now, thirty years later, the Smurfs are headed to the big screen in a star-filled live-action/CGI hybrid. The World of Smurfs is the first book to take fans through the creation of the Smurfs, from the early days of their creator, Peyo, as a struggling cartoon artist; to the global phenomenon they became; to the recent Smurf resurgence..."--P. [4] of cover.