Plunk
Encyclopedia
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 (most often between one and four pages long) about the misadventures of Plunk, a little pink alien with green trousers and a green hat from the planet Smurk.
Plunk was first created in the late 1980s for the Belgian Centre for Comic Strip Art
as a fictional example of the merchandising that can be produced with successful comic figures like The Smurfs
or Peanuts
. In 1990, he became a character in Taco Zip, the comic strip by Cromheecke which appeared at the time in the Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant
. These comic strips were later reprinted in four albums and twenty years later in one collection.
A decade later, Plunk became the central figure in a series of very short animated movies, commissioned by VTM
, the major Flemish commercial TV station. The plan abandoned before any of these shorts were ever broadcast though.
In 2007, Plunk was again revived, this time to get his own series. The Plunk stories are prepublished in Spirou
(French language), in Gazet van Antwerpen
and Het Belang van Limburg
(Dutch language), and sometimes on the Plunk-blog maintained by Cromheecke.
The first two albums of Plunk were nominated at the Stripschapprizes
(the major comics awards in the Netherlands) for the Award for Best Dutch Language Youth Comic in 2007 and 2008.
Since 2008, Plunk is the mascotte of the award for the best Dutch language short comic story, the Plastieken Plunk, awarded by the comics magazines Plots and Pulp Deluxe. From 2004 until 2007 this award was given by Pulp Deluxe alone, but it was renamed after Plots joined.
Luc Cromheecke
Luc Cromheecke , is a Belgian comics artist best known for the comic series Tom Carbon, Taco Zip, Roboboy and Plunk.-Biography:Luc Cromheecke was born in Antwerp in 1961...
and Laurent Letzer, and published by Dupuis. So far three albums have appeared.
The comics are wordless humorous short stories (most often between one and four pages long) about the misadventures of Plunk, a little pink alien with green trousers and a green hat from the planet Smurk.
Plunk was first created in the late 1980s for the Belgian Centre for Comic Strip Art
Belgian Centre for Comic Strip Art
The Belgian Comic Strip Center chronicles the history of Belgian comics...
as a fictional example of the merchandising that can be produced with successful comic figures like The Smurfs
The Smurfs
The Smurfs is a comic and television franchise centred on a group of small blue fictional creatures called Smurfs, created and first introduced as a series of comic strips by the Belgian cartoonist Peyo on October 23, 1958...
or 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...
. In 1990, he became a character in Taco Zip, the comic strip by Cromheecke which appeared at the time in the Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant
De Volkskrant
de Volkskrant is a national daily Dutch morning newspaper, the leading centre-left broadsheet, although now in tabloid size.-History:...
. These comic strips were later reprinted in four albums and twenty years later in one collection.
A decade later, Plunk became the central figure in a series of very short animated movies, commissioned by VTM
VTM
The abbreviation VTM may refer to::* Vampire: The Masquerade, a popular role-playing game* Virginia Tech massacre* vtm, the main commercial television station in Flanders, Belgium...
, the major Flemish commercial TV station. The plan abandoned before any of these shorts were ever broadcast though.
In 2007, Plunk was again revived, this time to get his own series. The Plunk stories are prepublished in Spirou
Spirou (magazine)
Spirou magazine is a weekly Belgian comics magazine published by the Dupuis company...
(French language), in Gazet van Antwerpen
Gazet van Antwerpen
The Gazet van Antwerpen is a Belgian newspaper in Antwerp and Flanders, published by Concentra.-History:...
and Het Belang van Limburg
Het Belang van Limburg
Het Belang van Limburg is a Belgian regional newspaper. The newspaper was founded in 1933 as a merger of a few weekly magazines.- External links :* *...
(Dutch language), and sometimes on the Plunk-blog maintained by Cromheecke.
The first two albums of Plunk were nominated at the Stripschapprizes
Stripschapprijs
The 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:...
(the major comics awards in the Netherlands) for the Award for Best Dutch Language Youth Comic in 2007 and 2008.
Since 2008, Plunk is the mascotte of the award for the best Dutch language short comic story, the Plastieken Plunk, awarded by the comics magazines Plots and Pulp Deluxe. From 2004 until 2007 this award was given by Pulp Deluxe alone, but it was renamed after Plots joined.
Plastieken Plunk winners
- 2004: Steven Dupré
- 2005: Brecht Evens
- 2006: Filip Strubbe and Ivan Claeys
- 2007: Kristof Spaey and Steven Dupré
- 2008: Pinda
- 2009: Brecht Evens
- 2010: Erwin Kho
Plastieken Pplunk audience award
- 2008: Swahili and Peter Moerenhout
- 2009: Pieter Rosseel and Peter Moerenhout
- 2010: Bartosz Sztybor and others
External links
- The Plunk Blog, mainly in English
- Example of a Plunk comic, at the Dupuis website
- Interview with the StripSpeciaalZaak website
- Plastieken Plunk