Robert Velter
Encyclopedia
François Robert Velter known by his pen-name Rob-Vel, was a French
cartoonist
. He is best known for creating the character Spirou
in 1938.
at age 16, in the London Ritz Charlton. He later learned the trade as an assistant to American cartoonist Martin Branner
on the Winnie Winkle
strip from 1934-1936.
In 1938, Velter created the title character for the launch of a new magazine by Belgian publisher Éditions Dupuis
, Le Journal de Spirou
. Signed with the pen-name Rob-Vel, the story was titled Groom au Moustic–hôtel (Bellboy at the Hotel Moskito). Later the same year, he created Spirou's inseparable companion, the squirrel Spip, for the story L’héritage.
When Velter was drafted and wounded in 1940, his wife Davine (Blanche Dumoulin) took over the strip for a while. Due to the increasing difficulty of getting the strips from Paris to Belgium, Velter sold his rights to the publisher in 1943, and Jijé
took over the strip.
After the war, Velter published a number of strips, including Le Père Pictou, Les Tribulations du Chien Petto, Bibor et Tribar and M. Subito, but he was never able to reach the broad popularity of Spirou again.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
cartoonist
Cartoonist
A cartoonist is a person who specializes in drawing cartoons. This work is usually humorous, mainly created for entertainment, political commentary or advertising...
. He is best known for creating the character Spirou
Spirou et Fantasio
Spirou et Fantasio is one of the most popular classic Franco-Belgian comic strips. The series, which has been running since 1938, shares many characteristics with other European humorous adventure comics like Tintin and Asterix...
in 1938.
Biography
Like Spirou, Velter began his career as an lift attendantElevator operator
An elevator operator is a person specifically employed to operate a manually operated elevator...
at age 16, in the London Ritz Charlton. He later learned the trade as an assistant to American cartoonist Martin Branner
Martin Branner
Martin Michael Branner , known to his friends as Mike Branner, was a cartoonist who created the popular comic strip Winnie Winkle...
on the Winnie Winkle
Winnie Winkle
Winnie Winkle was an American comic strip which appeared over a 76-year span . Created by Martin Branner, who wrote the strip for over 40 years, Winnie Winkle was one of the first comic strips about working women. It was titled Winnie Winkle the Breadwinner until 1943...
strip from 1934-1936.
Dupuis
Éditions Dupuis S.A. is a Belgian publisher of comic books and magazines.Based in Marcinelle near Charleroi, Dupuis was founded in 1922 by Jean Dupuis, and is mostly famous for its comic albums and magazines. It is originally a French language publisher, but publishes many editions both in French...
, Le Journal de Spirou
Spirou (magazine)
Spirou magazine is a weekly Belgian comics magazine published by the Dupuis company...
. Signed with the pen-name Rob-Vel, the story was titled Groom au Moustic–hôtel (Bellboy at the Hotel Moskito). Later the same year, he created Spirou's inseparable companion, the squirrel Spip, for the story L’héritage.
When Velter was drafted and wounded in 1940, his wife Davine (Blanche Dumoulin) took over the strip for a while. Due to the increasing difficulty of getting the strips from Paris to Belgium, Velter sold his rights to the publisher in 1943, and Jijé
Jijé
Jijé was a Belgian comics artist, best known for being a seminal artist on the Spirou et Fantasio strip and the creator of one of the first major European western strips, Jerry Spring.-Biography:Born Joseph Gillain in Gedinne, Namur, he completed various art studies Jijé (13 January 1914 – 20...
took over the strip.
After the war, Velter published a number of strips, including Le Père Pictou, Les Tribulations du Chien Petto, Bibor et Tribar and M. Subito, but he was never able to reach the broad popularity of Spirou again.
External links
- Rob-Vel biography on Lambiek Comiclopedia
- Rob-Vel biography on non-official Spirou site