Page 27 - (DK Eyewitness) Top 10 Travel Guide - Brussels Bruges Ghent & Antwerp

A POR TR AIT OF BRUSSELS  25

During the 1960s, the idea of Wiske, has been translated into 22 million comic books each
the comic strip being the Ninth English and appears as Bob and year. Today, Belgian car toons
Art (after the seventh and Bobette in the UK, and Willy are sold in more than 30
eighth, film and televi sion) and Wanda in the US. The countries, including the US.
expanded to include adult main characters are a pair of
themes in the form of the “ordinary” kids aged between
comic-strip graphic novel. 10 and 14 years who have
extraordinary adventures all
Peyo and The Smurfs over the world, as well as
travelling back and forth in
Best known for The Smurfs, time. Today, Vandersteen’s
Peyo (1928–92) was also a books sell in their millions.
member of the team behind
the Spirou journal which Comic Strip Art Today
published his poetic medieval
series Johan et Pirlouit, in 1952. Comic strips, known as bandes
The Smurfs first appeared as dessinées or beeldverhaal,
characters here – tiny blue continue to be published in
people whose humorous Belgium in all their forms.
foibles soon eclipsed In news papers,
any interest in the children’s comics and
strip’s sup posed main graphic novels, the
charac ters. Reacting Ninth Art remains
to their popularity, one of the country’s Larger-than-life cartoon by Frank Pé
Peyo created a strip biggest ex ports. The adorning a Brussels building
solely about them. Set high stan dards and
in the Smurf village, imagina tive scope of Street Art
the stories were a new generation
infused with satirical Modern cover of artists, such as There are currently 40 large
social comment. The by Marvano Schueten and comic strip images decorating
Smurfs were a popular Marvano, have fed the sides of build ings around
craze between 1983 and 1985, growing consumer demand for Brussels’ city centre. This
featuring in advertising and comic books. Both French and outdoor exhibi tion is known
merchandising of every type. Flemish publishers issue over as the Comic Strip Route and
They spawned a feature-length is organized by the Comics
film, TV cartoons and popular Art Museum (see pp54–5) and
music, and had sev eral hit the city of Brussels. Begun in
records in the 1980s. 1991 as a tribute to Belgium’s
talent for comic strip art, this
street art project continues
Willy Vandersteen to grow. A free walking map
While Spirou and Tintin were of the route is avail able from
French-language journals, tourist information offices
Willy Vandersteen (1913–90) and on the visit.brussels
dominated the Flemish market. Contemporary comic-strip artists at work website, as well as from the
His popular creation, Suske en in their studio Comics Art Museum itself.

Suske en Wiske by Vandersteen The Smurfs by Peyo Contemporary cartoon strip by Schueten

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