June 10, 2008

NZH timetables using European comics

Filed under: Comics by Branko Collin @ 6:00 pm

The 24 Oranges crew visited the Stripdagen Haarlem last Sunday, where it was reminded of the special connection one of the sponsors has with comics. NZH is a public transportation company from 1880 (now part of Connexxion) which during the 1980s brought out timetable books that used covers drawn by comics artists—first Dutch artists, then the leading European ones. For ages now Dik Winter has had a site with these and similarly themed later covers from GVB, the Amsterdam public transport company.

NZH’s (and GVB’s) connection with comics likely stems from jonkheer (squire) AndrĂ© Esta’s love for comics. Esta was the NZH CEO in the 1980s, and in the 1990s he switched to GVB.

Shown here is Lucky Luke by Belgian artist Morris.

Photo below: a vendor’s stand at a sunny Grote Markt in Haarlem.

Tags: , ,

June 7, 2008

Comics artists on their plans at the Stripdagen Haarlem

Filed under: Animals,Comics,Shows by Branko Collin @ 3:11 pm

One of the major comics cons of the Netherlands is being held today and tomorrow, the Stripdagen Haarlem. The Amsterdam Weekly blog asked four members of the Dutch underground comics establishment what they will be visiting. Read the tips of

Sez Van Vugt:

2. Lots of nice exhibitions during the festival, but I wouldn’t want to miss the Lamelos vs. The Doozers spectacle in De Philharmonie (Saturday, 16.00) for the world. Two famously anarchistic comic artist ensembles build cardboard monsters and will fight each other to death! Mayhem ensues!

The gist seems to be that most will watch the guinea pig races (an old Dutch TV tradition) held at the De Philharmonie, and will ingest a liquid called “beer” afterwards.

Illustration: Tonio van Vugt, self-portrait. Disclaimer: Orangemaster also writes for Amsterdam Weekly and its blog.

Tags: , , , , ,