Kiekeboe

"Kiekeboe" is a comic strip series created by Belgian artist Merho in 1977. The series appears in Dutch. It is first published in the newspapers "Gazet van Antwerpen" and "Het Belang van Limburg" and then published as comic books by Standaard Uitgeverij. The series is the best-selling comic in Flanders, but is unsuccessful abroad, with only a few publications in French and English.

History

"Kiekeboe" first started in 1977. Merho had previously worked with Willy Vandersteen but wanted to create his own series. The first story, "De Wollebollen", started in "Het Laatste Nieuws". on 15 February 1977. [cite news |first=Michel |last=Kempeneers |title=Merho over 30 jaar Kiekeboe |url=http://www.nieuwsblad.be/Article/Detail.aspx?articleID=g2k1567tn |work=Het Nieuwsblad |location=Belgium |date=2006-11-30 |accessdate=2008-09-23 |language=Dutch]

New albums in the series appear every three months, and sell over 100,000 copies each,cite news |author=jns (Belga) |title=Kiekeboe viert dertigste verjaardag |url=http://www.nieuwsblad.be/Article/Detail.aspx?articleID=dmf29112006_080 |work=Het Nieuwsblad |location=Belgium |date=2006-11-29 |accessdate=2008-09-23 |language=Dutch] . Like most Flemish comic strips, "Kiekebboe" comics are steady sellers, with most of the series available for sale at any one time. New titles are the best selling comics in Flanders, with some 80,000 copies sold in the first year of publication. In 2007, only the Dutch translation of the final "Harry Potter" book sold more copies. [cite web |url=http://www.boek.be/Nederlands/Diverse/Nieuws/Boekenverkoop_Vlaanderen_/page.aspx/954?xf_itemId=207 |title=Boekenverkoop Vlaanderen stijgt met 8% |accessdate=2008-09-23 |year=2008 |publisher=Boek.be |language=Dutch]

After being assisted for a while by Steve Van Bael and then by Dirk Stallaert, Merho announced that from 1 January 2006 on, the comics would be drawn by Steve Van Bael and Thomas Du Caju, who would each produce two comics a year. Merho continues to write the stories and to make early scetches. [cite news |first=Glenn |last=Geeraerts |title=Kiekeboe krijgt twee nieuwe vaders |url=http://www.nieuwsblad.be/Article/Detail.aspx?articleID=g6ciitmu |work=Het Nieuwsblad |location=Belgium |date=2005-10-05 |accessdate=2008-09-23 |language=Dutch]

To celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of the comic strip in 2007, an exposition was held in the Belgian Centre for Comic Strip Art and a wall painting was unveiled in Antwerp. Statues of Kiekeboe and of his daughter Fanny are placed in Middelkerke. [cite news |title=Stripfestival focust op 30 jaar Kiekeboe |url=http://www.nieuwsblad.be/Article/Detail.aspx?articleID=qo1et08i |work=Het Nieuwsblad |location=Belgium |date=2007-07-14 |accessdate=2008-09-23 |language=Dutch] Another statue of Kiekeboe can be found in Halle-Zoersel. [cite news |first=Marc |last=Simons |title=Merho komt handen te kort om te signeren |url=http://www.nieuwsblad.be/Article/Detail.aspx?articleID=641gemg3 |work=Het Nieuwsblad |location=Belgium |date=2007-08-27 |accessdate=2008-09-23 |language=Dutch]

Characters

* Marcel Kiekeboe - protagonist of the comic book series
* Charlotte Kiekeboe - Marcel's wife
* Fanny Kiekeboe - Marcel and Charlotte's daughter
* Konstantinopel - Marcel and Charlotte's son
* Leon Van Der Neffe - neighbour of the Kiekeboe family
* Carmella Van Der Neffe - Leon Van Der Neffe's wife
* Joeksel and Froefroe - Leon and Carmella Van Der Neffe's children
* Leo Van Der Neffe
* Jozefien "Moemoe" Kiekeboe - Marcel's mother
* Nonkel Vital - Marcel's uncle, Jozefien's brother
* Fernand Goegebuer - other neighbour of the Kiekeboe family
* Balthazar
* Inspecteur Sapperdeboere
* Firmin Van De Kasseien - Marcel's boss
* Dédé La Canaille

Titles

#De Wollebollen
#De duivelse driehoek
#De dorpstiran van Boeloe Boeloe
#De onthoofde sfinx
#Tegen de sterren op
#Kiekeboe in Carré
#De schat van Mata Hari
#De Haar-Tisten
#De zwarte Zonnekoning
#De doedelzak van Mac Reel
#Spoken in huis
#De Trawanten van Spih
#Kies Kiekeboe
#Een zakje chips
#Mysterie op Spell-Deprik
#Meesterwerken bij de vleet
#Fanny Girl
#Bing Bong
#Geeeeef acht!
#De Ka-Fhaar
#De pili-pili pillen
#De omgekeerde piramide
#De snor van Kiekeboe
#De anonieme smulpapen
#Het plan SStoeffer
#Album 26
#De getatoeëerde mossel
#Over koetjes en kalfjes
#De zoete regen
#Het lot van Charlotte
#Klavertje vier
#Het edelweissmotief
#De een zijn dood
#De zaak Luc Raak
#Kiekeboeket
#Het witte bloed
#Jeanne Darm
#Prettige feestdagen
#De fez van Fes
#Villa Delfia
#De bende van Moemoe
#De spray-historie
#De spookfirma
#Hotel O
#Een koud kunstje
#Konstantinopel in Istanboel
#De taart
#Black-out
#De Medusa-stichting
#Afgelast wegens ziekte
#Met de Franse slag
#De wraak van Dédé
#De roze Rolls
#Gedonder om de bliksem
#Schiet niet op de pianist
#Het Stokvis-incident
#Zeg het met bloemen
#Haaiman
#De kus van Mona
#Het gat in de kaas
#De zes sterren
#Doorgestoken kaart
#Moet er nog sneeuw zijn
#De onweerstaanbare man
#De comeback van Dédé
#De hoofdzaak
#Het geslacht Kinkel
#Thantomthant
#Zand erover
#Witter dan wit
#King Sacha
#Het Zipan-project
#Hoe meer kijkers
#De wereld volgens Kiekeboe
#Het idee van Dédé
#Kiekebanus (this album also belongs to the series of "Urbanus")
#Drempelvrees
#Havana Gilla
#Kunst en vliegwerk
#De babyvampier
#Blond en blauw
#De aqua-rel
#Lang zullen ze leven
#Het lijk had gelijk
#In het spoor van Dédé
#Misstoestanden
#De Simstones
#De hoed van Robin
#De S van Pion
#Black e-mail
#De affaire Chichi
#De Heeren van Scheurbuyck
#In tweevoud
#Taxi Comitée
#Alles kitsch
#De Incabouter
#Kielekiele Boe
#Verkeerd verbonden
#Mona, de musical
#99 Plus
#In vuur en vlam
#De potloodmummie
#Heil Bod
#De Himbagodin
#Het Boerka Complot
#Vrolijke vrolijke vrienden
#Tiznoland
#De DT fout
#Een echte Vitalko
#Baas boven baas
#Dédé bij nacht
#En in kwade dagen
#De wokchinees
#Bij verdiensten
#Het boemerangeffect
#Boek.Bv
#Drie bollen met slagroom

Notes