Pipeline #434, 04 October 2005

[Augie De Blieck Jr.]

Short column this week.

I think. I reserve the right to change my mind about that, too.

but it looks like I'll be focusing on ASTERIX IN BELGIUM this week, along with a couple of updates from previous columns. In other words, this will be the least well-read column of the year.

Next week, I'll blatantly plug every single X-Book to balance it all out.

UGH

-Augie

[Deathstroke]

Bah, slacker!

[Augie De Blieck Jr.]

Hey, my site was hacked this weekend. Show some pity! ;-)

And the ASTERIX review has gotten out of control. It's about 1500 words on its own, I think.

-Augie, still writing

[Deathstroke]

Hey, my site was hacked this weekend. Show some pity! ;-)

And the ASTERIX review has gotten out of control. It's about 1500 words on its own, I think.

-Augie, still writing

Yeah, I kid cause we luv ya!

[Augie De Blieck Jr.]

The final column ended up over 2500 words. UGH. I can't make a short column even when I attempt it. . .

Thanks for the luv.

-Augie

[cactusmaac]

I really liked Asterix as a kid.

Of course for the full Belgian experience, you could review Tintin.

[Augie De Blieck Jr.]

I do have a TINTIN book I picked up in Chicago this year. I'm not nearly as excited about it, but I'll get to it someday. (Just found this page: http://www.coolfrenchcomics.com/top10.htm and added TINTIN IN TIBET to my Amazon wish list.)

I also picked up a couple of LUCKY LUKE albums, and the two FREDDY LOMBARD volumes from Humanoids.

And, of course, I've reviewed Francois Schuiten's works in Pipeline before.

Hmmm, maybe I need to put together a Belgian-themed edition of Pipeline sometime.

-Augie, wishing someone would translate LE PETIT SPIROU or JOJO or LES FEMMES EN BLANC from Dupuis - heck, gimme all of SPIROU Magazine...

[Bakema NL]

An American with Belgian ancestors who finally discovers Belgian comics.......full circle...and about time, lots of nice stuff to be found over here.
I'm not Belgian, I'm one of those neighbours from the country right above Belgium, who always make fun of those dumb Belgians.......you can fill books with Dutch jokes about Belgians. When jokes about Dutch always are about them being cheap and everything, the ones about Belgians is always about them being utterly dumb. The jokes are great by the way, just as great as the Belgians are, much to like about the country and when I'm there I always get the feeling people are much friendlier than in my own country. And of course they make great comics...and waffles...and beer......and don't let me start on the women, the way they talk is enough to arouse you. :D

Asterix is one of the best series in comics ever. The 33rd album will be in stores on the 14th of october, launched in 27 countries on that day with a printed number of 8 million. Since 1959 there have been 310 million copies sold of Asterix worldwide, translated in 107 languages and dialects.
Since Goscinny's death the books felt a little different, of course, but still very fine reads, these characters are great, every album is a joy to read.

[cactusmaac]

I do have a TINTIN book I picked up in Chicago this year. I'm not nearly as excited about it, but I'll get to it someday. (Just found this page: http://www.coolfrenchcomics.com/top10.htm and added TINTIN IN TIBET to my Amazon wish list.)


More enjoyable reads would be Tintin in America, Cigars Of The Pharoah, The Crab With The Golden Claws and its' sequel Red Rackham's Treasure.

[De Carabas]

Any way to find out how many hits the "au courant" link got? :p

EM

[Augie De Blieck Jr.]

How I wish, Eric...

Maac - I'm adding those to the Wish List next.

Bakema - We have Polish jokes over here to suit that purpose, but those have fallen out of favor in a most serious way. Damned political correctness. Thankfully, we can still do dumb blonde jokes. That'll have to suffice.

Now, I need to find a podcast from Belgium hosted by a native woman to test out your claim about their voices. . .

-Augie

[Bakema NL]

How I wish, Eric...

Maac - I'm adding those to the Wish List next.

Bakema - We have Polish jokes over here to suit that purpose, but those have fallen out of favor in a most serious way. Damned political correctness. Thankfully, we can still do dumb blonde jokes. That'll have to suffice.

Now, I need to find a podcast from Belgium hosted by a native woman to test out your claim about their voices. . .

-Augie

It's the accent, that does it.
And an example of one of Belgian's finest.....she's not getting younger, but I don't mind that, she's still sexy as hell....
http://www.ddeg.be/pages/miss/frames/oldmiss/1986.jpg
This is Belgian Goedele Liekens, a practicing psychologist-sexologist and known from tv too......the accent, the looks and she's a sexologist.........doesn't get better. :)

And you're right, political correctness just sucks. As long as it's meant as a joke all is fine and all the jokes come from somewhere, it's just taken to the extreme, all exaggerated. Belgians are not dumb, but I love the jokes. And I laugh just as hard when people tell a joke about the Dutch. :)

[Augie De Blieck Jr.]

Ah, My People. I've never been prouder. =)

I bet I can find audio SOMEWHERE on the web of her talking. . . There's gotta be a clip from one of her shows somewhere. But, wait: Is she a Flemming or a Waloon?

-Augie

[Bakema NL]

Flemming...........she also started this site/club, http://www.vaginavrienden.be/ ......friends of the vagina. She started it because of an American test result, held amongst 1100 women, where 90% of those women were not satisfied with their vagina. She was miss Belgium too in the past by the way............and I found an audio clip for you, an interview about said site/club on a radio show in the Netherlands..... http://www.radio538.nl/538/programmas/ruud/audio_sterren.jsp# ....scroll all the way down and then work your way up to date 14/10 (48th from the bottom up). :)

Now I'm beginning to wonder and laugh about how an Asterix thread can derail like this.....from Asterix to the vagina...........damn how I love comics. :D

[Augie De Blieck Jr.]

If nothing else, it's the most lively thread we've had on a column in recent memory. That said, I shall speak of my fellow Flemming no more. . . I'm so desperately attempting to keep things PG or so. ;-)

-Augie

[Augie De Blieck Jr.]

Tom Spurgeon notes a 100 Greatest Belgians list that includes a number of cartoonists:

http://www.comicsreporter.com/index.php/cartoonists_hit_greatest_belgians_list/

-Augie