Do we like them?

Do we like Papa Smurf?

A character from The Smurfs (1958–present)

Our score: 9 out of 10. Yes, we'd back him. He's a patient, clever leader who looks after everyone in the village. He can be fussy and bossy, but he's almost always right.

Papa Smurf first appeared in Peyo's 1958 comic story "La Flûte à Six Trous", the first story to feature the Smurfs. He is the oldest and wisest of the small blue forest folk, who are about three apples tall. He wears a red cap and trousers and has a white beard. Every Smurf in the village looks to him as a leader and father figure.

Most stories start with a problem. The wizard Gargamel wants to catch the Smurfs, or one of them has stirred up trouble. Papa Smurf answers with a plan, a potion from his laboratory, or a calm talk. He is the village's alchemist as well as its leader, so he can often fix whatever has gone wrong.

He earns a high score because his authority is kind. He listens, teaches and forgives the foolish mistakes of Brainy, Clumsy and the others. Fans know him as a bit cantankerous and fussy, and sometimes too protective, which keeps him from a perfect 10. Overall he is one of the most dependable leaders in children's fiction.