De Kiekeboes: Difference between revisions

Line 2:

''De Kiekeboes'' is the most successful Flemish comic strip since ''[[Suske En Wiske]]''. Though ''Suske en Wiske'' has more success and thus larger sales globally, ''De Kiekeboes'' are far more popular in Flanders today. Author Merho started his career as a protégé of Suske en Wiske author Willy Vandersteen, but since 1977 he started his own comic strip: ''“Kiekeboe”'' (since 2010 renamed as ''“De Kiekeboes”'').

At first sight ''“De Kiekeboes”'' is your typical Flemish family strip in the tradition of ''Suske en Wiske, [[Jommeke]]'' and ''[[Nero]]''. All stories center around the family Kiekeboe: father Marcel, mother Charlotte, teenage daughter Fanny and school boy Konstantinopel. However, the series have a more realistic every day life setting avoiding many of the typical comic book strip clichés: no [[~~Worlds~~ Strongest Man]], no [[Absent Minded Professor]], no [[Talking Animal]] and fantasy elements are kept to a minimum. We do know that ghosts exist ''(“Spoken in Huis”)'', vampires ''(“Het Witte Bloed”, “De Kus van Mona”, “De Babyvampier”,…)'', strange prehistoric monsters ''(“Met De Franse Slag”)'', aliens ''("De Trawanten Van Spih")'' and occasionally some physically impossible gags occur. But most of the time everything is set in a realistic atmosphere. Fanny and Charlotte are not [[Conveniently an Orphan]] or adopted, but Marcel and Charlotte’s real children. The early albums are still a bit naïve and childish like a traditional comic strip, but gradually the series started [[Growing the Beard]] and became [[Darker and Edgier]]. Many of the early one-dimensional characters became more complex. Story lines touched more adult and often risqué subject matter like prostitution, drugs, transsexuality, religious cults, racism, homosexuality, … The sly erotic jokes also became more prominent and explicit in later stories. Today ''“De Kiekeboes”'' is mostly an adult strip, though it still manages to keep its stories amusing and interesting for children as well.

At first sight ''“De Kiekeboes”'' is your typical Flemish family strip in the tradition of ''Suske en Wiske, [[Jommeke]]'' and ''[[Nero]]''. All stories center around the family Kiekeboe: father Marcel, mother Charlotte, teenage daughter Fanny and school boy Konstantinopel. However, the series have a more realistic every day life setting avoiding many of the typical comic book strip clichés: no [[World's Strongest Man]], no [[Absent-Minded Professor]], no [[Talking Animal]] and fantasy elements are kept to a minimum. We do know that ghosts exist ''(“Spoken in Huis”)'', vampires ''(“Het Witte Bloed”, “De Kus van Mona”, “De Babyvampier”,…)'', strange prehistoric monsters ''(“Met De Franse Slag”)'', aliens ''("De Trawanten Van Spih")'' and occasionally some physically impossible gags occur. But most of the time everything is set in a realistic atmosphere. Fanny and Charlotte are not [[Conveniently an Orphan]] or adopted, but Marcel and Charlotte’s real children. The early albums are still a bit naïve and childish like a traditional comic strip, but gradually the series started [[Growing the Beard]] and became [[Darker and Edgier]]. Many of the early one-dimensional characters became more complex. Story lines touched more adult and often risqué subject matter like prostitution, drugs, transsexuality, religious cults, racism, homosexuality, … The sly erotic jokes also became more prominent and explicit in later stories. Today ''“De Kiekeboes”'' is mostly an adult strip, though it still manages to keep its stories amusing and interesting for children as well.

The main characters are:

Line 32:

One of ''“De Kiekeboes”'' most notorious trademarks are the puns and word play jokes, usually hidden in album titles, background gags, throwaway jokes and characters’ names.

----

=== This trope provides examples of: ===

* [[Added Alliterative Appeal]]: ''“De duivelse driehoek”, “De zwarte zonnekoning”, “Kies Kiekeboe”, “De pili-pili pillen”, “De fez van Fes”, “Een koud kunstje”, “Vrolijke, vrolijke vrienden”''

Line 76:

Line 75:

* [[Darker and Edgier]]: The later, more definitive ''“De Kiekeboes”'' albums are far more adult and risqué than the first twentysomething albums.

* [[Defector From Commie Land]]: In ''“De één zijn dood”'' a recognizable spoof of a Cold War Eastern European country is shown.

* [[Does This Remind You of Anything]]?: Used regularly.

* [[Does This Remind You of Anything?]]?: Used regularly.

* [[Don't Explain the Joke]]:

** Some of the early albums did this regularly.

Line 115:

Line 114:

** Kiekeboe too in ''"Black-Out"''.

* [[Hypocritical Humour]]: Many characters strongly defend a certain opinion, only to do the exact opposite later.

* [[I Ate What]]? In ''“Een zakje chips”'' Kiekeboe accidentally eats a bag of crisps full with computer chips. (In Dutch the word ''“chips”'' is used both for crisps and computer chips.)

* [[I Ate What?]]? In ''“Een zakje chips”'' Kiekeboe accidentally eats a bag of crisps full with computer chips. (In Dutch the word ''“chips”'' is used both for crisps and computer chips.)

* [[Idea Bulb]]: In ''“Album 26”'' the characters walk around in a darkened room, until Fanny gets the idea to use the idea bulb to lighten the room.

* [[Incredibly Lame Pun]]: Inevitable in the [[Hurricane of Puns]] that this series is...

Line 137:

Line 136:

* [[Old Shame]]: Merho doesn’t like some of his earliest albums which followed a more traditional comic book structure, including fantasy stuff, unnecessarily exposure of jokes and plot points and too bland and childish jokes.

* [[Overly Long Name]]: Mr. Osnoprodavonoblikavitch in the album ''"Hotel O"'' who's never been able to remember his own surname. He shortens it to the letter ''"o"'', despite other people miraculously remembering it without any mistakes.

* [[Painted Tunnel Real Train]]: Just the painted tunnel part. In ''“Het Witte Bloed”'' Kiekeboe escapes from prison by drawing a large circle on the wall and simply walk through it, something he saw in a movie by [[Mack Sennett]]. In ''"Prettige Feestdagen"'' he tries the trick again, but fails.

* [[Painted Tunnel, Real Train]]: Just the painted tunnel part. In ''“Het Witte Bloed”'' Kiekeboe escapes from prison by drawing a large circle on the wall and simply walk through it, something he saw in a movie by [[Mack Sennett]]. In ''"Prettige Feestdagen"'' he tries the trick again, but fails.

* [[Parental Bonus]]: This is a comic strip that adults can enjoy on different levels.

* [[People Jars]]: Comic book characters are put in jars in the album ''“Kiekebanus”''.

Line 150:

Line 149:

* [[Punny Stuff]]

* [[Puppet Permutation]]: Subverted. De Kiekeboes and villain Balthazar were originally based on puppets in Merho's brother Walter's puppet show. Merho decided to use them as his main cast.

* [[Real Life Writes the Plot]]: Merho is frequently inspired by real life newspaper articles or events, [[Ripped ~~From~~ the Headlines]].

* [[Real Life Writes the Plot]]: Merho is frequently inspired by real life newspaper articles or events, [[Ripped from the Headlines]].

** Dictator Bibi Pralin Gaga was inspired by [[Idi Amin]]

** President Bod in ''“Heil Bod”'' is a spoof of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

Line 189:

Line 188:

* [[Vampire Fiction]]: Vampires are frequently reappearing characters in the series.

* [[Villainous Crossdresser]]: Timotheus Triangl underwent a sex change in ''“Zeg Het Met Bloemen”'' and since then he is a woman.

* [[What Do You Mean ~~Its~~ Not for Kids]]? Though marketed as- and popular with- a children's comic strip, a lot of stuff is not specifically intended or understandable for children.

* [[What Do You Mean It's Not for Kids?]]? Though marketed as- and popular with- a children's comic strip, a lot of stuff is not specifically intended or understandable for children.

* [[Why Do You Keep Changing Jobs]]? Fanny, who doesn't go to school anymore, but does work various plot relevant jobs from now to then.

* [[Why Do You Keep Changing Jobs?]]? Fanny, who doesn't go to school anymore, but does work various plot relevant jobs from now to then.

* [[Write Who You Know]]:

** Merho sometimes added inside jokes in his stories, usually about his friends and colleagues.