European Comics
Beyond Tintin
15 legendary European comic series you should know — from Belgian classics to Italian masterworks and French sci-fi epics.
1910
Massagran
Josep Maria Folch i Torres
One of the earliest European comic strips — the adventures of a mischievous Catalan boy. A pioneering work of the genre published in the magazine En Patufet.
Catalonia / Spain
1938
Spirou and Fantasio
Rob-Vel (later Franquin)
One of Belgium's longest-running comics — a hotel bellboy and his friend on globe-spanning adventures.
Belgium
1946
Lucky Luke
Morris
The man who shoots faster than his own shadow. A witty Western parody set in the American frontier.
Belgium
1946
Blake and Mortimer
Edgar P. Jacobs
A British intelligence officer and physicist team up against the villainous Colonel Olrik in Cold War-era espionage thrillers.
Belgium
1957
Gaston Lagaffe
André Franquin
The catastrophic office slacker who never gets anything done — a beloved comedy of workplace chaos.
Belgium
1958
The Smurfs
Peyo
A village of small blue creatures living in mushroom houses in a magical forest. Known globally through animated adaptations.
Belgium
1959
Astérix
René Goscinny & Albert Uderzo
A village of indomitable Gauls resists Roman occupation with the help of a magic potion. One of the best-selling comics series in history.
France
1962
Iznogoud
René Goscinny & Jean Tabary
The scheming Grand Vizier whose only ambition is to become Caliph instead of the Caliph — a sharp political satire.
France
1963
Blueberry
Jean-Michel Charlier & Jean Giraud (Moebius)
A gritty and realistic Western featuring US Army Lieutenant Mike Blueberry in the post-Civil War frontier.
France
1967
Valerian and Laureline
Pierre Christin & Jean-Claude Mézières
A visionary science fiction series following two time-travelling spatio-temporal agents. Inspired the film The Fifth Element.
France
1967
Corto Maltese
Hugo Pratt
The wandering sailor-adventurer of the early 20th century — a masterpiece of European graphic literature.
Italy
1977
Thorgal
Jean Van Hamme & Grzegorz Rosiński
A Viking hero of extraterrestrial origin navigates myth, magic, and mortal conflict across Northern seas.
Belgium/Poland
1980
The Incal
Alejandro Jodorowsky & Moebius
A visionary sci-fi epic following a bumbling private detective across a dystopian universe. Widely considered a masterpiece.
France
1984
XIII
Jean Van Hamme & William Vance
An amnesiac man with a mysterious tattoo uncovers a conspiracy at the heart of the American presidency.
Belgium
1986
Dylan Dog
Tiziano Sclavi
A London-based investigator of nightmare phenomena — Italy's most popular comic character.
Italy
1990
Largo Winch
Jean Van Hamme & Philippe Francq
A billionaire orphan inherits a global empire and must navigate corporate espionage and political intrigue.
Belgium