Lambiek

Lambiek is a Dutch comic book store and art gallery in Amsterdam, founded on November 8, 1968[1] by Kees Kousemaker (1942–2010). From 1968 to 2015 it was located in the Kerkstraat, but on November 1, 2015 they had to move to the Koningsstraat 27.[2]

The name "Lambiek" originated as a misspelling of the name of the comics character Lambik, from the popular Suske & Wiske comic book series created by Belgian artist Willy Vandersteen.[3] The logo of the shop is an image from the Suske en Wiske album Prinses Zagemeel (Princess Sawdust)[3]

History

Kees Kousemaker (1942-2010) was a comics expert from Holland. He was born in Steenbergen, Netherlands. He first arose to prominence when he opened Lambiek, the first comic shop in Europe,[4] in 1968. As a result of his exhibitions and attention to early creations of young comic artists such as Peter Pontiac and Joost Swarte, he established many collaborations and friendships with a lot of national and international artists. Kousemaker also published books about Dutch comic culture. Kousemaker died April 27, 2010.[5]

Website

History of the site

Although the lambiek.net is their main domain name, Lambiek started a website www.lambiek.com in 1994[4] when Kees started to store historical comic book info online. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s it kept its original blue design until after Kousemaker's death in 2010. From August 2012 on, his son Boris ordered a complete remake of the site, converting all existing information into databases.[6]

Webshop and exhibitions

The website features a webshop for comic books, eComics and original art,[7] as well as a news page with articles of interest to comics fans[8] and online art exhibitions. The store has held exhibitions of art by comic creators, including Robert Crumb, Daniel Clowes, Erik Kriek, André Franquin, Tanino Liberatore and Chris Ware. The shop and the informational website both have a strong focus on underground comics, graphic novels and autobiographical comics. The exhibitions can be profit or non-profit, depending on the subject of the exposition.[9]

Comiclopedia

The flagship of the site is the Comiclopedia, an illustrated compendium of over 13,000 international comic artists.[10] It features biographical information and illustrations, comic strip images, album covers, frame grabs, memorablia,... about each individual artist. All artists are alphabetized and can both be looked up by name or by their nationality. The emphasis is mostly on comics artists, though cartoonists, caricaturists, animators, illustrators and/or celebrities who once drew comics themselves are also listed. Visitors can mail suggestions for new names, additions or corrections.

History of comics

There is also a history of Dutch comics, mostly researched and written by Kees Kousemaker,[11][12] and one about the history of Bulgarian comics, researched and written by Vladimir Nedialkov, with additions by Stiliana Thepileva .[13][14] The site also features a historical overview of the comics magazines Spirou, Tintin, Pif gadget, Pilote and Wimmen's Comix.[15]

Lambiek also features separate articles about the Comics Code,[16] Frederic Wertham,[17] Disney comics artists around the world,[18] Rolf Kauka artists,[19] erotic comics,[20] newspaper comics,[21] underground comics[22] and webcomics.[23] There is also a column for thus unidentified comics where the site's owners ask visitors for help with identification of the anonymous artists or with providing more biographical info and/or illustrations about them.[24]

Awards

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Dutch Comics 1968 -1979".
  2. ↑ "Comicshop Lambiek moves from Kerkstraat 132 to Koningsstraat 27". Lambiek Comic Shop.
  3. 1 2 "Willy Vandersteen". lambiek.net. 1 January 1970.
  4. 1 2 "About the store - Lambiek Comic Shop".
  5. ↑ "Kees Kousemaker". lambiek.net. 1 January 1970.
  6. ↑ "Lambiek's revamped website kicks off!". Lambiek Comic Shop.
  7. ↑ "Comic books for sale in Lambiek's webshop - Lambiek Comic Shop".
  8. ↑ "News overview".
  9. ↑ "Virtual exhibition Willem Vleeschouwer". Lambiek Comic Shop.
  10. ↑ "Comiclopedia - Illustrated artist compendium - Lambiek Comiclopedia". lambiek.net.
  11. ↑ "Lambiek Comic Shop".
  12. ↑ "Introduction".
  13. ↑ "Lambiek Comic Shop".
  14. ↑ "History of Bulgarian Comics".
  15. ↑ "Comic Magazines".
  16. ↑ "The Comics Code".
  17. ↑ "Dr. Fredric Wertham".
  18. ↑ "Disney comic artists in the Comiclopedia".
  19. ↑ "Kauka artists in the Comiclopedia".
  20. ↑ "Erotic Comics".
  21. ↑ "Early US Newspaper Comics".
  22. ↑ "Underground comix and the underground press".
  23. ↑ "Webcomics".
  24. ↑ "The Comiclopedia needs your help!".
  25. ↑ Koninginnedag 2006: Opnieuw zijn striphelden koninklijk onderscheiden
  26. ↑ Comic-con.org Awards

External links

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