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