Jommeke is a Belgian comic strip series in publication since 1955. It was created by Jef Nys and can be defined as a humoristic children's adventure series. Jommeke, an 11-year-old boy, is the series' main protagonist. It was originally published in Kerk en Leven, before moving to Het Volk, where it ran until the newspaper ceased to exist in 2010. It is now published in Het Nieuwsblad, De Gentenaar and De Standaard.

"Jommeke"
Jommeke and his parrot Flip
Jommeke and his parrot Flip
Author(s)Jef Nys (later continued by Gerd Van Loock (drawings and writing), Hugo de Sterk, Philippe Delzenne (drawings) and Jan Ruysbergh (writing) [1]
Launch date30 October 1955
Genre(s)Humor comics, Adventure comics, Children's comics

Jommeke is very popular in Flanders and, together with Suske en Wiske, is the best-selling comic strip in the region.[citation needed] However, its success has always remained a phenomenon in Belgium and the Netherlands, and attempts at marketing foreign translations have all failed.[citation needed]

History

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The first appearance of Jommeke was on 30 October 1955, as a gag-a-day strip in the Flemish magazine Kerk en Leven.[2] After moving to another newspaper, Het Volk, in 1958, Jommeke became a full length adventure comic strip, while Nys also continued Jommeke gag pages in 't Kapoentje. Jommeke has sold 51 million albums in Belgium alone, which means an average of about 4.5 albums per person. This makes Jommeke the best-selling comic book series in Belgium behind Suske en Wiske. There's also a newspaper for children called "Jommekeskrant", which is delivered weekly together with popular Belgian newspaper "Het Nieuwsblad".

Main characters

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Statue of Jommeke and his parrot Flip in Middelkerke
 
Statue of Annemieke and Rozemieke in Middelkerke
  • Jommeke: An 11-year-old boy who lives with his parents in Zonnedorp. He has a parrot named Flip who accompanies him everywhere. He is clever, honest, brave, loves adventure, and is recognizable by his distinct blonde haircut.
  • Flip: A red-winged, green parrot who is Jommeke's pet. Flip is able to talk like a human and is highly intelligent, if somewhat arrogant. His real name is "Filipus", but he prefers "Flip". He is cool-headed and has on several occasions saved the day using his wit and his unique abilities as a bird such as flying, using his beak and taking advantage of his small size to spy and sneak. Although his age is unspecified, he has shown adult behavior, on a few rare occasions, by consuming alcohol and smoking cigars. He is also quite the womanizer, usually unsuccessfully, due to the fact he is a parrot and not a human.
  • Filiberke: Jommeke's best friend, Filiberke joins him on most of his adventures. His pitch-black hair color contrasts nicely with the protagonist. He is creative, and a bit odd too. Many albums start with Filiberke engaging in some crazy activity relating to the main story (e.g. he's "playing a cucumber" at the start of album 146 Komkommer in 't zuur). He also often pretends to be sick to the annoyance of the other characters.
  • Pekkie: Filiberke's black poodle.
  • Annemieke and Rozemieke: Two identical twin girls, notable for their pony-tails. Their names are often shortened to "The Miekes". They are also good friends with Jommeke. Annemieke even has somewhat of a crush on Jommeke, and Rozemieke on Filiberke. The Miekes are notable for their motherly traits, including cooking and washing.
  • Choco: Choco is a chimpanzee in a sailor suit. He is the Miekes' pet. He earned his nickname due to the fact that he loves to eat chocolate spread (or "choco", as it is named in Belgian Dutch.)
  • Professor Gobelijn: An absent-minded professor, notable for his large walrus moustache. He is good-hearted, but frequently makes mistakes because of his absent-mindedness. For instance, he states the exact opposite of what he means, only to correct it immediately afterwards: I.e. "We will arrive next year, I mean tomorrow", "I have completely forgotten, I mean I remember it now." His inventions include pills that make people fly, a car that runs on grass, a submarine in the shape of a whale etc. In "Purpere Pillen" (Purple Pills) Jommeke and Filiberke saved Gobelijn's life. A plaque on his mansion states that he is a "Professor in Everything", i.e. he has a degree on any subject imaginable.
  • Anatool: The main antagonist of the series. He is an untrustworthy butler who often resorts to theft and often fulfills the role of antagonist in the stories. He always wears old-fashioned shoes with elevated heels.
  • Kwak and Boemel: Two hoboes who live in an underground house in the middle of the forest. Sometimes they side with Jommeke and his friends, but most of the time they are their opponents. They don't shy away from stealing, kidnapping and collaborating with Anatool to get rich. Also notable are their speech impediments. Kwak makes unnecessary use of the letter "h" in front of words that start off with a syllable. Boemel switches the letters "b" and "p" and the letters "d" and "t" in every word he says.
  • De Koningin van Onderland: Prutelia van Achterberg, better known as "The Queen of Onderland", is a mentally ill woman who thinks she is a queen. She is Jommeke's most dangerous and ruthless opponent and the true villain of the series. She frequently escapes from her local asylum and then flees to her castle in Zonnedorp. In the third album "De Koningin van Onderland" (1959) she kidnapped all the children in Zonnedorp to become her personal slaves.

List of albums

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As of June 2020, the following Jommeke albums exist:

  1. De jacht op een voetbal
  2. De zingende aap
  3. De koningin van Onderland
  4. Purperen pillen
  5. De muzikale Bella
  6. Het hemelhuis
  7. De zwarte bomma
  8. De ooievaar van Begonia
  9. De schildpaddenschat
  10. De straalvogel
  11. De zonnemummie
  12. Paradijseiland
  13. Het Jampuddingspook
  14. Op heksenjacht
  15. Het staartendorp
  16. De gouden jaguar
  17. Diep in de put
  18. Met Fifi op reis
  19. Wie zoekt die vindt
  20. Apen in huis
  21. Het verkeerde land
  22. Het wonderdrankje
  23. Dolle fratsen
  24. De verloren zoon
  25. De zeven snuifdozen
  26. Kinderen baas
  27. Geheime opdracht
  28. De Samsons
  29. De vliegende ton
  30. Jommeke in de Far West
  31. Knappe Mataboe
  32. In Pimpeltjesland
  33. Jacht op Gobelijn
  34. Jommeke in de knel
  35. Gekke grappen
  36. Neuzen bij de vleet
  37. De schat van de zeerover
  38. Kaas met gaatjes
  39. Lieve Choco
  40. Anakwaboe
  41. Twee halve lappen
  42. De witte bolhoed
  43. Filiberke gaat trouwen
  44. De Jommekesclub
  45. De zeepkoning
  46. De tocht naar Asnapije
  47. Diamanten in de zoo
  48. De zilveren giraf
  49. De groene maskers
  50. De plastieken walvis
  51. De fwietmachine
  52. De zingende oorbellen
  53. Het kristallen eendje
  54. Broeder Anatolius
  55. Tita Telajora
  56. De vruchtenmakers
  57. Het geheim van Macu Ancapa
  58. De strijd om de Incaschat
  59. De Kuko-eieren
  60. Alarm in de rode baai
  61. De hoed van Napoleon
  62. Luilekkerland
  63. Madam Pepermunt
  64. De kristallen grot
  65. De grasmobiel
  66. De vrolijke bende
  67. De slaapkop
  68. De gele spin
  69. Straffa Toebaka
  70. De verborgen tempel
  71. De sprekende ezel
  72. Choco ontvoerd
  73. De gekke wekker
  74. De Kikiwikies
  75. Prinses Pott
  76. Het rode oog
  77. Peuterweelde
  78. Juffrouw Perlefinneke
  79. Het plezante kliekske
  80. De njam-njambloem
  81. De luchtzwemmers
  82. Opstand in Kokowoko
  83. De stenen aapjes
  84. De Plank van Jan Haring
  85. De granda papiljan
  86. De lustige slurvers
  87. De stad in de vulkaan
  88. Jommeke in Bobbejaanland
  89. Het piepende bed
  90. De kleine professor
  91. Prins Filiberke
  92. Het aards paradijs
  93. De haaienrots
  94. De supervrouw
  95. Melanie
  96. Paniek rond Odilon
  97. De valse kameel
  98. De kaart van Wawa Wang
  99. De grote knoeiboel
  100. Het jubilee
  101. Het monster in de ruïne
  102. De vampier van Drakenburg
  103. De bron van El Razar
  104. De vlucht van Bella
  105. De knook van Azmor
  106. Zoete Mosterd
  107. De pestkopjes
  108. De sidderplanten
  109. Guitenstreken
  110. De viool van Varazdina
  111. De olijke oliemannen
  112. Het ei van de smartlapvogel
  113. In de greep van Mac Rum
  114. Het kriebelkruid
  115. De lappenpop van Anatool
  116. De gelukzoekers
  117. De stenen handdruk
  118. De bedrogen miljonair
  119. Het apencircus
  120. De vlag van Lord Chester
  121. De rare doedelzak
  122. Het Boheems schommelpaard
  123. De schat van Angkor
  124. Het geheimzinnige eiland
  125. Drie in een slag
  126. Het bal van Mathilde
  127. De watervallen van Svanjabak
  128. De grote zeilrace
  129. De whiskymaker
  130. Het geheim van Ambiorix
  131. De kippen van Gobelijn
  132. De spookkrater
  133. Het gekkegas
  134. De prinsen van Snoby
  135. De kruik van Aztrakan
  136. Het monster uit de diepte
  137. Apen te koop
  138. De rib van Kalafar
  139. De blauwe grot
  140. De Chinese kast
  141. De bruid van El Toro
  142. De documenten van Langneus
  143. Va Kwak en moe Boemel
  144. De pijp van Geurig Gras
  145. Het levenselixir
  146. Komkommer in 't zuur
  147. Het Yacochacabeeldje
  148. De vliegende brigade
  149. De grote puzzel
  150. De gestoorde zeereis
  151. Het meermonster
  152. S.O.S. Benistal
  153. Het hoofd van Samos
  154. De hellestokers
  155. De kleine vandaal
  156. De superster
  157. De koningin van Kachar El Nachar
  158. Het probleem van Jeff Klaxon
  159. De kokoskoe
  160. De verdroogde bron
  161. Drie toverstokjes
  162. De zwarte parel
  163. Het Midasmysterie
  164. Het verdwenen kasteel
  165. Spaghetti met kaas
  166. De mandoline van Caroline
  167. De appelvreters
  168. Het heksenbal
  169. De slangegodin
  170. Het Chocokomplot
  171. De goudvis van Filiberke
  172. Fifi in de knoei
  173. Het geheim van de hoefslag
  174. Het zevende zwaard
  175. De verdwaalde vuurtoren
  176. De snoezige dino's
  177. Kwistig kwissen
  178. Het bedreigde paradijs
  179. Paniek op de Akropolis
  180. Filicasso
  181. De valse papegaai
  182. Het zingende moeras
  183. Berta Gobelijn
  184. De kroon van Kazimir
  185. De modekoningin
  186. De pruik van Anatool
  187. De zwarte cactus
  188. De vurige inktvis
  189. De koppige cobra
  190. Alarm in het begijnhof
  191. De magische spiegel
  192. De drietand van Neptunus
  193. De zilveren traan
  194. Dinopolis
  195. Gerommel in de Far West
  196. De Elfenbron
  197. Het schuimspook
  198. De Kraaienburcht
  199. De vergeten mijn
  200. Stefanie Stekkebeen
  201. De Kovonita's
  202. De panda van Wanda
  203. De lachende mango's
  204. De verdwenen tuinkabouter
  205. De kopermicroben
  206. De ring van Mac Rum
  207. De geniale malloten
  208. Het raadsel van Kiekebilleke
  209. Blinkende knopen
  210. Het pompoenenkasteel
  211. De geest van Anakwaboe
  212. De limonadelelies
  213. Zeven sterren
  214. Holeman
  215. De kimono van Yamamatsu
  216. De laatste viking
  217. Zoektocht naar Sorab
  218. Het blauwe prieeltje
  219. Operatie Bonsaï
  220. De frietbaron
  221. Wowofski
  222. Strijd om de bizon
  223. De komkommerprinses
  224. De rare kwibussen
  225. De erfenis van Sorgeloos
  226. Het luchtkasteel
  227. Het brein van Gobelijn
  228. De goudkoorts van Anatool
  229. Het slimme varken
  230. Pekkie in Hollywood
  231. Het zeemeerdinges
  232. Duel in Venetië
  233. Paljaskof
  234. De pechvogel
  235. Mama Mataboe
  236. De dobbelmannetjes
  237. Het roze olifantje
  238. Kamperen is plezant
  239. Graaf Dondersteen
  240. De beer op sokken
  241. Nobelprijs voor Gobelijn
  242. De puddingkoningin
  243. Het zwarte prikgevaar
  244. Groene Haring
  245. Het vreemde avontuur
  246. Filiberke en Biliferke
  247. Krokodillentranen
  248. Fifi kampioen
  249. Het Oké-parfum
  250. Savooien op de Galapagos
  251. Schattenjagers in Bokrijk
  252. Het Spookdorp
  253. Choko verliefd
  254. Paradijseiland in gevaar
  255. De clanstrijd
  256. De blauwe wenssteen
  257. Tobias Snuffel
  258. De kwakzalver
  259. Storm aan zee
  260. Oost west, thuis best
  261. De recordjagers
  262. De brulharp
  263. De Keizer van Tuktut
  264. De wens van Amma-Moai
  265. De papegaaienbruiloft
  266. Pannenkoeken van Pierehaar
  267. Olmek en Toltek
  268. Prins Carnaval
  269. De lawaai-eter
  270. De gestrande pennenzak
  271. De koning van Bananopia
  272. De boemerang van kirimbir
  273. Odilon vermist
  274. Baron Anatolsky
  275. Chaos in Pimpeltjesland
  276. De onderwatertoerist
  277. De babbelpil
  278. Het Nianmonster
  279. Fifi de speurneus
  280. De Vogelvriend
  281. Bollywood in Bellewaerde
  282. School op stelten
  283. De notenkraker
  284. De redding van Doris Dada
  285. In de klauwen van Prutelia
  286. Missie Middelkerke
  287. Het kistje van Sir Pimpeldon
  288. De zwarte diamant
  289. De rondekoning
  290. De ideeëndief
  291. Pampa en de blauwe duif
  292. De roodstaartpapegaai
  293. Balletkoorts
  294. De wraak van de mummies
  295. De Jungfrau smelt!
  296. De vuurdraak
  297. Speelgoed overboord
  298. De schrik van Onderland
  299. De Flipposaurus
  300. De plasticjagers
  301. Feest in Zonnedorp
  302. De sneeuwmaker
  303. De atchoembloem

Translations

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Apart from some editions for the Netherlands, Jommeke has been translated into French, English, Finnish and Swedish. These translations were not commercially successful. [citation needed]

A German edition was published from 1971 until around 1980 and lasted 32 volumes (the original comics were printed out of order and volumes 27-28 do not exist!) by Gemini Verlag (1-18) and Europress (19-26, 29-34). The series title was (Die tollen Abenteuer von) Peter + Alexander, obviously a play of words on Austrian actor and singer Peter Alexander.

In 2011, German editor stainlessART began republishing the German version of Jommeke, keeping original names and places. As of April 2021, 26 titles have been published in this series.[3]

The series was also published in translation as Jeremy in Indonesia, by children's book publisher BIP (Bhuana Ilmu Populer) in 2013.[4]

In 2018, a Chinese translation was published in cooperation with Bright Media, with an initial run of 25 titles.[5]

Jommeke in other media

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In 1968, Jef Nys directed a live-action film called "De Schat van de Zeerover" ("The Pirate's Treasure"), which was a low-budget adaptation of the eponymous Jommeke album. It was essentially an amateur project, made by him and his family members and starred his own son in the main role.[6]

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Mural painting in Antwerp

On 31 July 1997 [7] Jommeke was the first comic book character to receive his own statue in Middelkerke, in front of the casino.[8] It was sculpted by Valeer Peirsman.[9] On 26 March 2014 Jommeke's statue became a victim of vandalism. It had to be restored and was placed back again on 28 June 2014.[10] On 29 July 2006 Annemieke and Rozemieke also received a statue in Middelkerke, near the Theresiastraat.[11] It was sculpted by Monique Mol.[12] In 2015, it was announced that two other characters from the franchise, Filiberke and Pekkie, would also receive statues on the Zeedijk of Middelkerke.

On 18 June 2011 [13] a wall depicting Jommeke characters was inaugurated near the Frans Halsplein in Antwerp.[14]

On 27 May 2015 a special comic book wall was made in the Lokvogelstraat in Laeken, Belgium. It features a huge wall painting starring Jommeke and the main cast members.[15]

Sources

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  1. ^ "Jef Nys".
  2. ^ "Jef Nys".
  3. ^ www.jommeke.de
  4. ^ "Kapal De Plank John Haring". www.goodreads.com. Retrieved 2019-04-23.
  5. ^ NWS, VRT (2018-06-06). "Jommeke beleeft zijn avonturen voortaan ook in het Chinees". vrtnws.be (in Dutch). Retrieved 2019-04-23.
  6. ^ "De schat van de zeerover (1968) - IMDb". IMDb.
  7. ^ "Valeer Peirsman - Jommeke". Archived from the original on 2017-10-09. Retrieved 2015-10-19.
  8. ^ "Middelkerke toerisme | Stripstandbeelden". Archived from the original on 2014-08-08. Retrieved 2015-10-17.
  9. ^ "Valeer Peirsman - Jommeke". Archived from the original on 2017-10-09. Retrieved 2015-10-19.
  10. ^ http://www.hln.be/regio/nieuws-uit-middelkerke/jommeke-en-flip-terug-op-post-a1931037/. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  11. ^ "Middelkerke toerisme | Stripstandbeelden". Archived from the original on 2014-08-08. Retrieved 2015-10-17.
  12. ^ http://www.standbeelden.be/standbeeld/91 [dead link]
  13. ^ http://www.hln.be/hln/nl/957/Binnenland/article/detail/1280551/2011/06/18/Achtste-stripmuur-zet-Jommeke-in-de-kijker-in-Antwerpen.dhtml. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  14. ^ "Stripmuren in Antwerpen - Comic murals in Antwerp".
  15. ^ ""Nice tribute to Jommeke and Jef Nys"". 27 May 2015.