Tintin Forums

Indeed a couple of British Biggles stories do exist:
Ron Embleton did two stories in 1960/61 for TV Express: Biggles versus Dr. Zanchu and Biggles versus Von Stahlheim.
Mike Western also did two stories for TV Express, both in 1961: Biggles and the Galilean Chalice and Biggles and the North Africa gang.
Being a big Gerry Anderson fan I know Ron Embleton very well. He did a lot of work for TV21 and (among other things) the endcredit-cards of the Captain Scarlet tv series.
I don't know anything about Mike Western.

Buck Danny is one of the strips every boy grows up with, like Tintin, Asterix, Lucky Luke and Suske and Wiske (and if you parents know something of strips Blake and Mortimer, Lefranc, Yoko Tsuno and Alex too). Francis Bergese took over from the Charlier/Hubinon tandem that was responsible for the first 40 albums (published between 1949 and 1979). The stories first appeared in Robbedoes/Spirou in weekly instalments. Album number 51 is just issued: Mystery in Antarctica.

De Geuzen was one of Willy Vandersteen's pet themes. He just loved that era an it features frequently in the Suske and Wiske stories as well. It was not just the Flemish though, who tried to free themselves from the Spanish. In Dutch history the period is known as De tachtigjarige oorlog (The eighty year war)(1568-1648). There was no Belgium or The Netherlands then, but all part of the Spanish empire. When the peace treaty was signed in 1648 the borders were established as the lines were the troops were opposed. That explanes the very erratic border of today between Belgium and The Netherlands and the reason why Belgium (and France, of course) are predominantly Roman Catholic and The Netherlands any religion you care to mention, because that's what the war was all about: freedom of religion. Nothing has changed, don't you think????
The reason why there are only 10 books is that it was Wllly's child, and his alone. Nobody from the Studio worked on it and it was his wish that the series died with him.

My ex-wife has LOTS of them, and i still have a box full of suske and wiske...

All in dutch, so i cannot read them..

I have some in English under the title "Spike and Suzy" though..but only 4 books.

She also has a very NAUGHTY book of suske and wiske..and i think other famous European characters appear in it..Tintin i believe? Asterix? Spirou? I cannot remember..i only seen it once..

Maybe its in the box i have..i will have to look..

I should send it back to her..

Thanks for that, thundercars! I’d missed your post before, and so hadn’t seen the mention of the British Biggles strips; I’m not familiar with TV Express as a comic (the dates are before I was born), but wonder if it was based around a Biggles TV show which ran in the UK in 1960, with Neville Whiting as Biggles, and John Layton as Ginger?

Ron Embleton’s art was always superb, his Gerry Anderson stuff is fantastic, so I’d imagine his Biggles was vey good…

I’ll look out for De Geuzen next time I’m in the Netherlands.

Jock123, some more info - there were three Ron Embleton Biggles stories in TV Express, in issues 306-331, published in 1960-61. These were wonderful colour strips on the front and back covers of the comic. With issue 332 the strip sharnk to one page and moved inside the comic, and the strips were then drawn by Mike Western. He drew six stories, in issues 332-76, with the last one published in January 1962. Ron Embleton also drew a final strip in the 1962 TV Express Annual. As you say, it was based on the 1960s TV Show, though it lasted rather longer than that show. The stories were republished in French a couple of years ago but copies of the books seem to be quite hard to get.

Thanks, tangles!

I have spent too many hours in shops sifting through old comics and annuals, but I don’t think I have ever come across TV Express, so I will keep my eyes more fully open in future!

Hi

I am a big fan of 'Spike and Suzy' as it is now called in English. My username is named after one of the characters, who is called Lambik in Dutch, and Wilbur in 'Bob and Bobette'.

So far, the books have been published in English under three differant names - Willy and Wanda, Bob and Bobette, and Spike and Suzy

Willy and Wanda was the title of a set released in America in the mid 1970s. The titles released were:
- An island called Hoboken
- The zincshrinker
- The King Drinks
- A Fools Gold
- The Tender hearted matador (aka Duck Lambik, your goose is cooked)
- The iron Flowerpotters
- The Merry Musketeers
- The Circus baron
- The Golden Flower (a special edition)
- Dancing Cards (special edition)
- Sony San (s.e)
- The Jewel in the lotus (s.e)

In UK, they were released as 'Bob and Bobette'
- The Diamond boomerang
- The Flying bed
- The Texas rangers
- The Plunderers
- The Poisoned rain
- Kingdom of the Sea snails
- Rhino Rescue
- The Amazing Coconut

Special editions published from 200 to 2006:
- The Stroppy Steward
- The Energetic rascals
- The very clever professor

In the late 90s and early 00s, another UK series was released called 'Spike and Suzy'. This name is generally considered the proper English name.
- Sagarmatha
- The Circle of Power
- The Secret of the Incas
- The Fairies of Efteling
- Loch Ness mystery
- Highland Games

In Dutch and French, around 300 books have been released, and that is not including the many special editions. New books are published all the time.

I am also making a website about Spike and Suzy, bt I'll post it when it's ready.

I've quite enjoyed the work of Willy Vandersteen. I own the following:
Willy and Wanda - Dancing Cards
Bob and Bobette - The Amazing Coconut
Bob and Bobette - The Flying Bed
Bob and Bobette - Rhino Rescue
Bob and Bobette - Kingdom of the Sea-Snails
Bob and Bobette - The Plunderers

These titles were sold for $2.95(Aus) but that was quite some time ago and they were new. Does anyone know how much I would need to pay to get hold of the other titles?

Danoz: These titles were sold for $2.95(Aus) but that was quite some time ago and they were new. Does anyone know how much I would need to pay to get hold of the other titles?

Check Amazon.co.uk. The UK series volumes are still (mostly) available at cover price.

George

I love Suske and Wiske!