Archives : Vandersteen

In 1948, Vandersteen was already a star in Flanders. His first albums met with great success on the Dutch-language market. Looking at the francophone market sector, over which Hergé reigned supreme, he could see that the weekly “Spirou” and “Tintin” comics had transformed the genre of francophone bande dessinée, and that they were beginning to occupy a promising niche in France. He made approaches to the “Tintin” editorial board, and was favourably received by the editor, Raymond Leblanc, who was anxious to increase sales of the weekly “Kuifje” (“Tintin” in Flemish). Hergé, however, was determined to maintain his hold over the magazine of which he was now the artistic director. He found the series “Suske en Wiske” to be too vulgar, and imposed a strict graphic style on the episodes of “Bob et Bobette” that were selected for publication in “his” magazine. “Le fantôme espagnol” marks the beginning of the series of albums that many specialists consider to be the high point of Vandersteen’s career. It is, moreover, a remarkable cover illustration that is given new life by this appearance in large format.