Hans G. Kresse

Hans George Kresse is one of the most important artists in Dutch comics. Even outside Holland, Kresse is considered one of the best realistic comic artists in the world. He is best known for the famous 'Eric de Noorman' series, but during his active years, Kresse published a considerable amount of other material. He began his career in the scouting magazine De Verkenner, for which he drew 'Tarzan van de Apen' (1938-1940) and 'Tom Texan' (1940).

Kresse joined the Toonder studios in 1944. There, he did some advertising work, as well as the animal comic 'Robby', that appeared in Trouw from 1945 to 1946. Kresse's personal style further developed with the albums 'De Gouden Dolk' and 'Per Atoomraket naar Mars', that appeared in 1946.

Also in 1946, he began the famous 'Eric de Noorman' series. This historical text comic began its run in the Flemisch newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws, and appeared in Holland in Tom Poes Weekblad from 1947. Kresse continued the comic until 1964, and during the strip's run, several oblong comic books appeared. However, Kresse revived his characters in the magazine Pep in the balloon strip 'Erwin, de Zoon van Erik de Noorman', in 1966.

In addition to 'Eric de Noorman', Kresse illustrated the series 'Xander' in Tom Poes Weekblad in 1947 and 1948, as well as the Indian book 'De Grote Otter'. Other creations for Tom Poes Weekblad include the Indian comic 'Matho Tonga' and the detective strip 'Kommer'. He also did numerous illustrations for the Donald Duck weekly, and drew the series 'Roland de Jonge Jager' in Olidin, as well as 'Pim en de Venusman'. He drew eight comic stories based on the television series 'Bonanza' in the magazine Revue from 1965 to 1966.

From 1964, Hans Kresse was a versatile collaborator of the magazine Pep. He illustrated several episodes of the Disney series 'Zorro' and 'Spin & Marty', and he created the Napoleon era detective 'Vidocq' (1965) and the magical historical series 'Alain d'Arcy' (1977). He also continued to do Indian comics, such as 'Minimic', 'Mangas Coloradas', and 'Wetamo'. In 1973, he began the so-called 'Indianenreeks' at Casterman, in which he painted the history of the native North American Indians. This series ran until 1982. Kresse then retired, due to failing eye-sight.