Sunday 11 June 2017

1966, Belgian Comics: “Suske en Wiske”, “De Dulle Griet”

In 1966 a new "Suske en Wiske" (UK: "Bob & Bobette" or "Spike and Suzy", US: "Willy and Wanda") album is published: "De Dulle Griet" (English title: "Dull Gret” aka “Mad Meg”). The series “Suske en Wiske” was created by Willy Vandersteen in 1945.

No 66: “ De Dulle Griet”
- two-coloured
- never published in English
- story and drawings by Willy Vandersteen
- published in French ("Bob et Bobette") as "Margot la Folle"

No 66 De Dulle Griet
The story was pre-published in the newspapers "De Standaard" and "Het Nieuwsblad" from 22 February 1966 until 1 July 1966. The main characters are Suske (Spike), Wiske (Suzy), Schanulleke, aunt Sidonia, Lambik (Ambrose), Jerom (Jethro), professor Barabas, Dulle Griet (Mad Meg), Lowie, and Dulle Grietjes (little Mad Meg's). The locations for this story are Antwerp and Bokrijk with the Mol-Sluis barn. The album was reedited in 1967 as No 78 in the coloured series.
Dulle Griet (Mad Meg) and Lambik (Ambrose)
Jerom (Jethro), Lambik (Ambrose) and Wiske (Suzy)
Lambik (Ambrose) and Dulle Grietjes (little Mad Meg's)
Synopsis
Professor Barabas visits Wiske (Suzy) and shows her a fragment of the painting "De Dulle Griet" (“Dull Gret”) by Pieter Bruegel the Elder. He wants to bring a person from the painting to life with his new invention, the teletransfor...
Lowie and Dulle Griet (Mad Meg)
Schanulleke
Suske (Spike), Professor Barabas, Sidonia and Wiske (Suzy)


Trivia
  • reference to “De Dulle Griet” (“Dull Grett”) painting by Pieter Breugel the Elder (1561), the personification of the horrors of war
  • three references to the Vietnam War: Dulle Griet: “Rechten van de Mens? Waar verkopen ze dat? In Vietnam?” (translation: “Human rights? Where do they sell it? In Vietnam?”), Suske (Spike): "Ik wel, maar in Vietnam zijn ze aan de linkerzijde doof en aan de rechterkant horen ze niet goed!" (translation: "I do, but in Vietnam they are deaf to the left and on the right they hear not well!"), and the two last drawings
  • reference to the stir around the Leuven University in May 1966. The Belgian episcopate decided to continue to maintain the French language department at the University of Leuven. One little Dull Gret says "Zit er in Leuven een vuiltje aan de lucht?" (translation: “Is there a problem in Leuven?”)
  • reference to Joan Baez, Little Dull Gret misunderstands: “Gaat ze zingen als Joan Baas?” (translation: “Is she going to song like Joan Baez?”)
  • reference to Belgian television series “Johan en de Alverman” (1965), little Dull Gret: “Nee, hij is groter dan het Alvermannetje!” (translation: No, he is bigger than the “Alvermannetje”!”)
  • reference to Belgian prime minister Théo Lefèvre (1961 – 1965), Sidonia: "Alsof mijn neus een T.Jomodel zou zijn!" (translation: "As if my nose would be a T.Jomodel!")
Reference to “De Dulle Griet” (“Dull Grett”) painting by Pieter Breugel the Elder (1561),
the personification of the horrors of war
Reference to the "Vietnam War": “Rechten van de Mens? Waar verkopen ze dat? In Vietnam?”
(translation: “Human rights? Where do they sell it? In Vietnam?”)
Reference to the "Vietnam War", Suske (Spike): "Ik wel, maar in Vietnam zijn ze aan de
linkerzijde doof en aan de rechterkant horen ze niet goed!"
(translation: "I do, but in Vietnam they are deaf to the left and on the right they hear not well!")
Reference to the "Vietnam War", closing credits
Reference "Leuven University"
Reference "Joan Baez"
Reference “Johan en de Alverman”
Refence Belgian prime minister Théo Lefèvre
Reference "Mol-Sluis"
Cars
  • Ford Fairlane 500 (1965)
  • unidentified police car
Cars: Ford Fairlane 500 (1965)
Cars: unidentified police car

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