Smurfs before Smurfs Before they got their own series, the smurfs first appeared in 1958 as secondary characters in the series Ivan and Vivan (originally Johan et Pirlouit) and that's right in the top episode you have before you. The little blue creatures became so popular that Peyo, the author of this comic, started a comic series in which the smurfs are the main characters. After the cartoon series (Hanna-Barbera Productions) started in 1981, the Smurfs became world stars and the favorite characters of generations, and they are still to this day. Comic books, cartoons, video games... The smurfs have also entered the legend. And the legend began like this...