Belgium is famous for chocolate, beer, brussels sprouts, mussels and waffles but did you know it is also famous for its comic strips?

The Belgian Comic Strip Centre in Brussels was initially the Wauquez Warehouse, an industrial building designed by Victor Horta, Belgium’s master of Art Nouveau. It looks more like a turn-of-the-century apartment building than a warehouse – especially with all the beautiful Art Nouveau detailing.Detail of one of the Art Nouveau ceilings that let light into the building.Another Horta-designed Art Nouveau ceiling in the Comic Museum.
In the 1980s the building was redeveloped as a Comic Strip Museum under the auspices of one of Belgium’s best-known cartoonists, Herge of TinTin fame.It starts with the history of cartoons.An ‘Où est Adolf?’ cartoon, probably inspiration for the ‘Where is Waldo’ cartoons.Thinking aloud, the creation of a comic strip. Character development. I used to do a lot of cartoons myself and making up a character and then keeping them consistent at all angles is challenging.
I see I could do with some work on my action figures – this spectacular landing is from Herge of Tintin fame. A view from an upper floor. Funhouse mirrors are great for my typical warped selfies. Portion of the a museum exhibit under construction. If you haven’t had enough comics by the end of this museum there is also a walking tour of 39 large cartoon murals around Brussels.
More on Belgium (and Brussels).