Willy Linthout


Willy Linthout is a Belgian comics author, best known for the Urbanus comics and his graphic novel Years of the Elephant.

Biography

Willy Linthout is born in Eksaarde near Lokeren, Belgium in 1953. He was a comics collector when he met Flemish comedian Urbanus. They decided to create a comic strip based on the character Urbanus, Urbanus. The first album appeared in 1983, and it soon became of the most popular Flemish comic strips. So far, 135 albums have appeared. The series is noted for its black comedy and satire.
Linthout also collaborates on the popular Kiekeboe comic strip of Merho, and has created together with Luc Cromheecke the series Roboboy.
In 2007, after the suicide of his son, he wrote and drew the graphic novel Jaren van de Olifant, which was nominated for a number of international awards and won the Bronzen Adhemar, the most important Flemish comics award.

Awards