'Without freedom, there is no humanity' - Charlie Hebdo victims paid tribute to in special issue of Spirou magazine

The team at Spirou contacted over 300 authors to ask them to participate in a special issue

Pencils, representing the freedom of expression, placed in tribute in Nantes (Reuters) (Reuters)

The editorial team at Spirou - based at Dupuis in Marcinelle - has organised its own tribute to support the victims of the Charlie Hebdo attack.

After the shootings and hostage-taking by gunmen that left France reeling, the team at at Franco-Belgian comics magazine Spirou contacted over 300 authors to ask them to participate in a special issue.

Yoann, the official designer of Spirou, is responsible for the cover.

In a press release, publisher Dupuis said: "By stating "I am Charlie" as so many others already have, Spirou and Editions Depuis unite with those who vigorously defend the free flow of ideas.

"Spirou is not a political newspaper. Spirou is an entertainment newspaper. But always, Spirou has defended freedom, solidarity, tolerance, friendship, intelligence and humour.

"Without press freedom, there is no democracy. Without freedom of creation, no editing, and the comics you read here would not exist.

"Without freedom, there is no humanity."

An editor told French media that the issue is "just to pay tribute".

"This can be done in a humorous way but without discourse on hate speech," they said.

"We are not Charlie Hebdo and we never shall be but we share the desire to claim a creative freedom."