Thursday 26 September 1946 was a warm and sunny day. Also for Belgian comic fans. That was when the first edition of the comic strip weekly Tintin/Kuifje was published, which in its glory days was widespread. Some 45 years later, the curtain fell, but for its 77th anniversary, an extra thick issue with a top bill was published once this month. And King Philippe visited publisher Lombard.
© Flickr / Paille (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Together with its big rival Spirou/Robbedoes from publisher Dupuis, Tintin/Kuifje had the bulk of Belgian comic talent, both scriptwriters and illustrators, under its roof. The legendary magazine consisted mainly of continuation strips. At its heart, "young readers aged 7 to 77" could follow the new adventures of the eponymous title character every week. Soon Tintin/Kuifje conquered near and far countries. As an extra sales incentive, the publisher chose all kinds of promotional activities over the years: readers' letters, competitions, even beach games and the Tintin point vouchers that could be exchanged for food, for example. In the 1980s, things took a turn for the worse. A declining quality level, but above all the fact that the formula of the comic weeklies had simply had its day, heralded the end, apart from a few unsuccessful comebacks.
Until 25 August 2024, following the example of King Philippe, you can meet old and young comic strip creators and their famous brainchildren yourself at the exhibition Le Lombard, a family affair at the Belgian Comic Strip Centre.
