Luc Cromheecke
Encyclopedia
Luc Cromheecke is a Belgian
comics
artist best known for the comic series Tom Carbon, Taco Zip, Roboboy and Plunk.
, and folded after one issue.
In 1983 Cromheecke started the comic strip Taco Zip, which appears in Robbedoes, De Volkskrant
, and De Morgen
. He creates in the next years the series Tom Carbon, which appears in the Dutch magazine Sjors
and again in Robbedoes. Both series have an initial run of 4 albums, and Tom Carbon gets translated in French and German. In 1989, he is invited by the Comics Museum in Brussels to make the material for the displays about merchandising
, for which he uses a minor character from Taco Zip, the mad alien Plunk.
In the next years, Cromheecke does a number of short lived series and makes many illustrations for magazines and for publicity campaigns. In 1994, he partakes in an exposition of young talents at the Angoulême International Comics Festival
with Lewis Trondheim
and others. He also makes a few CD-roms, and a short-lived series Ben le Forestier for the French magazine Astrapi, but in general seems to have quit the comics scene in those years.
In 2003, he returns with Roboboy, a juvenile series about a robot child living with a normal family, and the havoc it unwillingly creates. The renewed interest in his work this generates sparks additional comics from some old series like Tom Carbon and Taco Zip. Together with Jean-Michel Thiriet, he creates since many years a weekly page in Spirou
to get people to take a subscription. In 2006, he also creates the spin-off series Plunk
for Spirou, and publishes the first album of Ben de Boswachter. An exposition celebrating twenty years of Taco Zip debutes at Strip Turnhout in Turnhout, and travels around different cities in Belgium
and the Netherlands
, including the oldest comic shop of Europe, Lambiek
in Amsterdam
Cromheecke draws at the end of 2005 the cover for the last issue of Robbedoes magazine after 67 years, which is also used for the last collection of Robbedoes magazines, album #262.
Cromheecke cites as his influences American comic strips like B.C.
and Peanuts
.
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
comics
Comics
Comics denotes a hybrid medium having verbal side of its vocabulary tightly tied to its visual side in order to convey narrative or information only, the latter in case of non-fiction comics, seeking synergy by using both visual and verbal side in...
artist best known for the comic series Tom Carbon, Taco Zip, Roboboy and Plunk.
Biography
Luc Cromheecke was born in Antwerp in 1961. After having studied painting, graphic arts and publicity at the Royal Academy for Fine Arts of Antwerp, he created the magazine "Flan Imperial" with fellow student Fritzgerald; it featured material by Dutch artists René Windig and Eddie De Jong. The magazine sold badly despite a short review in RobbedoesSpirou (magazine)
Spirou magazine is a weekly Belgian comics magazine published by the Dupuis company...
, and folded after one issue.
In 1983 Cromheecke started the comic strip Taco Zip, which appears in Robbedoes, De Volkskrant
De Volkskrant
de Volkskrant is a national daily Dutch morning newspaper, the leading centre-left broadsheet, although now in tabloid size.-History:...
, and De Morgen
De Morgen
De Morgen is a Flemish newspaper with a circulation of 53,860. It originates from a merger in 1978 of two socialist newspapers Vooruit and Volksgazet ....
. He creates in the next years the series Tom Carbon, which appears in the Dutch magazine Sjors
Sjors
Sjors, the Dutch name for George, may refer to:* Sjors van Driem , Dutch linguist at Leiden University* Sjors Verdellen , Dutch soccer player...
and again in Robbedoes. Both series have an initial run of 4 albums, and Tom Carbon gets translated in French and German. In 1989, he is invited by the Comics Museum in Brussels to make the material for the displays about merchandising
Merchandising
Merchandising is the methods, practices, and operations used to promote and sustain certain categories of commercial activity. In the broadest sense, merchandising is any practice which contributes to the sale of products to a retail consumer...
, for which he uses a minor character from Taco Zip, the mad alien Plunk.
In the next years, Cromheecke does a number of short lived series and makes many illustrations for magazines and for publicity campaigns. In 1994, he partakes in an exposition of young talents at the Angoulême International Comics Festival
Angoulême International Comics Festival
The Angoulême International Comics Festival is the largest comics festival in Europe. It has occurred every year since 1974 in Angoulême, France, in the month of January.The four-day festival is notable for awarding several prestigious prizes in cartooning...
with Lewis Trondheim
Lewis Trondheim
Lewis Trondheim , born 11 December 1964, is an extremely prolific French cartoonist and one of the founders of the independent publisher L'Association. Both his silent comic La Mouche and Kaput and Zösky have been made into animated cartoons...
and others. He also makes a few CD-roms, and a short-lived series Ben le Forestier for the French magazine Astrapi, but in general seems to have quit the comics scene in those years.
In 2003, he returns with Roboboy, a juvenile series about a robot child living with a normal family, and the havoc it unwillingly creates. The renewed interest in his work this generates sparks additional comics from some old series like Tom Carbon and Taco Zip. Together with Jean-Michel Thiriet, he creates since many years a weekly page in Spirou
Spirou (magazine)
Spirou magazine is a weekly Belgian comics magazine published by the Dupuis company...
to get people to take a subscription. In 2006, he also creates the spin-off series Plunk
Plunk
Plunk is a Belgian comic series created by Luc Cromheecke and Laurent Letzer, and published by Dupuis. So far three albums have appeared.The comics are wordless humorous short stories about the misadventures of Plunk, a little pink alien with green trousers and a green hat from the planet...
for Spirou, and publishes the first album of Ben de Boswachter. An exposition celebrating twenty years of Taco Zip debutes at Strip Turnhout in Turnhout, and travels around different cities in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
and the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, including the oldest comic shop of Europe, Lambiek
Lambiek
Lambiek is a comic book store and art gallery in Amsterdam, founded in 1968 by Kees Kousemaker .It has held exhibitions of art by comic creators, including Robert Crumb, Daniel Clowes, Erik Kriek, André Franquin, Tanino Liberatore and Chris Ware...
in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
Cromheecke draws at the end of 2005 the cover for the last issue of Robbedoes magazine after 67 years, which is also used for the last collection of Robbedoes magazines, album #262.
Cromheecke cites as his influences American comic strips like B.C.
B.C. (comic strip)
B.C. is a daily American comic strip created by cartoonist Johnny Hart. Set in prehistoric times, it features a group of cavemen and anthropomorphic animals from various geologic eras...
and Peanuts
Peanuts
Peanuts is a syndicated daily and Sunday American comic strip written and illustrated by Charles M. Schulz, which ran from October 2, 1950, to February 13, 2000, continuing in reruns afterward...
.
Awards
- 1992: nominated for the Award for a First Comic BookAngoulême International Comics Festival Prize for First Comic BookThis Prize for First Comic Book is awarded to comics authors at the Angoulême International Comics Festival between 1985 and 1988, when it was replaced by the Coup de Coeur, an award for the best comic book by authors with at most three publications...
at the Angoulême International Comics FestivalAngoulême International Comics FestivalThe Angoulême International Comics Festival is the largest comics festival in Europe. It has occurred every year since 1974 in Angoulême, France, in the month of January.The four-day festival is notable for awarding several prestigious prizes in cartooning...
, FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... - 1994: nominated for the Award for best foreign comicAngoulême International Comics Festival Prize for Best Comic BookThe Prize for Best Album , also known as the Golden Wildcat , is awarded to comics authors at the Angoulême International Comics Festival....
at the Angoulême International Comics Festival - 2002: Best Author (Dutch language) at the Prix Saint-MichelPrix Saint-MichelThe Prix Saint-Michel is a series of comic awards presented by the city of Brussels, with a focus on Franco-Belgian comics. They were first awarded in 1971, and are the second oldest comics award in Europe still presented, behind the Adamson Awards...
, BrusselsBrusselsBrussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union... - 2003: Best Youth Album (Dutch language) at the Prix Saint-Michel
- 2003: Best Youth Album (Dutch language) at the Stripdagen, Alphen aan den Rijn
- 2007: nominated for the Bronzen AdhemarBronzen AdhemarThe Bronzen Adhemar is the official Flemish Community Cultural Prize for Comics, given to a Flemish comics author for his body of work. It is awarded by the Flemish Ministry of Culture during Strip Turnhout, the major Flemish comics festival, once every two years...
, Turnhout - 2007: nominated for the Award for Best Dutch Language Youth Comic at the StripschapprizesStripschapprijsThe Dutch Stripschapprijs is a prize awarded to comic writers and cartoonists for their whole work. It is awarded annually by the Stripschap, the Dutch Society of comics fans. The prize is non-pecuniary.-Winners:...
- 2008: nominated for the Award for Best Dutch Language Youth Comic at the Stripschapprizes
- 2010: nominated for the Award for Best Dutch Language Youth Comic at the Stripschapprizes for Roboboy 6
Source
- Béra, Michel; Denni, Michel; and Mellot, Philippe (1998): "Trésors de la Bande Dessinée 1999-2000". ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, Les éditions de l'amateur. ISBN 978-2-85917-258-9
External links
- Biography at the Comiclopedia (Last retrieved 26 October 2006)
- Plunkblog by Cromheecke & Letzer