Belgium.
Belgium
1926
Belgian comics are bilingual, published in French as bande dessinée and in Dutch as strips.
The tradition starts with Hergé's Tintin in 1929 and was built around the weeklies Spirou (1938) and Tintin (1946), and in May 2024 the Brussels-Capital Region recognised the art of comics as intangible cultural heritage.
355
809
1926
1980s
Artists from Belgium in the archive.
Comics from Belgium in the archive.
Totor, the earliest comic from Belgium in the archive.
The decade when the most new comics from Belgium began.
bande dessinée, strip
Belgium in 3 chapters
A short history you can leaf through. Click a page, use the arrow keys, or press Turn the page to read on.
Belgium.
3 chapters
1929
to 1945
Chapter 01
Tintin and Spirou
Belgian comics are said to really start in 1929 with Hergé's Tintin. The weekly Spirou followed on 21 April 1938.
1946
to 1968
Chapter 02
The two weeklies
Tintin magazine started in 1946 in French and Dutch, with Edgar P. Jacobs's Blake and Mortimer among its first series, while André Franquin drew Spirou et Fantasio from 1946 to 1968 and created Gaston in 1957. In Flanders, Marc Sleen's Nero ran in Het Volk from 1947 and Jommeke debuted in 1955.
1980
to today
Chapter 03
An international magazine and a listed heritage
In 1980 Spirou published the Congolese artist Mongo Sisé, the first African cartoonist to appear in a European magazine. On 23 May 2024 the Brussels-Capital Region became the first Belgian region to recognise the art of comics as intangible cultural heritage.
The comics to know
- The Adventures of TintinLes Aventures de TintinHergéBelgium, 1929Hergé
- SpirouJean DupuisBelgium, 1938Weekly magazine, first issue 21 April 1938.
- Tintin magazineBE, 1946Weekly published in French and Dutch.
- Blake and MortimerBlake et MortimerEdgar P. JacobsBelgium, 1946Edgar P. Jacobs. Among the first series in Tintin magazine.
- Spirou et FantasioAndré FranquinBelgium, 1946 to 1948André Franquin. Drawn by Franquin from 1946 to 1968.
- NeroBE, 1947Marc Sleen. Ran in Het Volk.
- JommekeJef NysBelgium, 1955
- Spike and SuzySuske en WiskeWilly VandersteenBelgium, 1945Flemish series, also published in French as Bob et Bobette.
The people to know
- HergéComics artist, 1907 to 1983Tintin.
- André FranquinComics artist, 1924 to 1997Drew Spirou et Fantasio; created Gaston (1957) and the Marsupilami.
- Edgar P. JacobsComics creator, 1904 to 1987Blake and Mortimer.
- MorrisComics artist, 1923 to 2001Created Lucky Luke (1946); wrote the 'Neuvième Art' article series in Spirou, 1964 to 1967.
- Marc SleenComics artist, 1922 to 2016Nero.
More artists from Belgium
All 355 artists- PeyoComics artist, 1928 to 1992
- Jean Van HammeComics writer, Born 1939
- GregComics artist, 1931 to 1999
- Jean-Michel CharlierCartoonist, 1924 to 1989
- Hermann HuppenComics artist, 1938 to 2026
- Willy VandersteenComics artist, 1913 to 1990
- Roger LeloupComics artist, Born 1933
- Raoul CauvinComics writer, 1938 to 2021
- Maurice TillieuxComics artist, 1921 to 1978
- André-Paul DuchâteauComics writer, 1925 to 2020
- Philippe VandeveldeComics artist, 1957 to 2019
- Yvan DelporteComics writer, 1928 to 2007
More comics from Belgium
All 809 comics- Lucky LukeMorrisBelgium, 1946
- The Blue LotusLe Lotus bleuHergéBelgium, 1934
- The Crab with the Golden ClawsLe Crabe aux pinces d'orHergéBelgium, 1940
- Tintin in TibetTintin au TibetHergéBelgium, 1959
- Cigars of the PharaohLes Cigares du pharaonHergéBelgium, 1932
- Tintin in the Land of the SovietsTintin au pays des SovietsHergéBelgium, 1929
- King Ottokar's SceptreLe Sceptre d'OttokarHergéBelgium, 1938
- Tintin in the CongoTintin au CongoHergéBelgium, 1930
- The Broken EarL'Oreille casséeHergéBelgium, 1937
- The Black IslandL'Île NoireHergéBelgium, 1937
- The Red Sea SharksCoke en stockHergéBelgium, 1956
- Tintin in AmericaTintin en AmériqueHergéBelgium, 1931
