Dag en Heidi, by Jeff Broeckx
'Dag en Heidi'.

A self-taught artist, Jeff Broeckx drew his first comic at age eleven. This was 'De Witte Hinde', and the text was written by his mother, Maria de Winter. He began to work at the Standaard Uitgeverij at age sixteen. While mainly illustrating school books, he rebuilt 'De Witte Hinde' in 1964 for the magazine Ohee. Together with his mother, he created the series 'Serge' in 1965 and 'Dag en Heidi', that ran from 1966 to 1984.

Bessy Natuurcommando, by Jeff Broeckx
Bessy - 'Het Geheim van Rainy Lake' (redrawn edition, 1992).

Broeckx joined the Vandersteen studios in 1969, where he worked fulltime on the 'Bessy' comic. He became head of the 'Bessy' production in 1970. From the early 1980s, he also inked the stories of 'Robert en Bertrand'.

Waterland, by Jeff Broeckx
Waterland - 'De Schuilplaats' (Suske & Wiske Familiestripboek 1996). 

In the magazine Zonneland, Broeckx created the series 'Sloeber', again scripted by his mother. Broeckx restyled the 'Bessy' comic in 1984, and started using more ecological themes. Of this new series, called 'Bessy Natuurcommando', appeared 23 albums with scripts by Marck Meul. He started the series 'Waterland' with scripts by Marc Legendre in Suske en Wiske Weekblad in 1994.

Gaston & Leo by Jeff Broeckx
'Gaston & Leo'

In 1984, Broeckx made a comic book based on the Flemish comedy duo 'Gaston & Leo', with help from Hugo Renaerts and Ronald Van Riet. From 1998 to 2002, he created the historical comic 'Verdwaald in het Verleden'. Jeff Broeckx has illustrated the books of 'Musti' since the death of Ray Goossens. Broeckx and his wife Ingrid van Dijck have made a comic about 'Jacot en Gnork', the mascots of the Lindenhoeve children's restaurants, in 2011.

On 20 February 2002 a junior spin-off of 'Suske en Wiske' was launched, 'Klein Suske en Wiske' (later renamed 'Junior Suske en Wiske' for the market in the Netherlands), featuring Suske and Wiske as five-year old toddlers. The gag comic was co-written and co-drawn by Broeckx. Paul Geerts made the preliminary sketches, but had otherwise nothing to do with the overall concept. Marc Legendre was the series' scriptwriter, until he was succeeded by Urbanus. In 2009 Pieter van Oudheusden wrote the stories until his death in 2013, after which Willem Ritstier took over the pen. Other people who've written stories for 'Junior Suske en Wiske' were Dirk Nielandt, Kris De Saeger, Anneke Scholtens and Peter van Gucht. From 2006 Broeckx was assisted by Dick Heins. 'Junior Suske en Wiske' followed a different continuity than the main 'Suske en Wiske' franchise, because in the original series Suske and Wiske only met each other when they were a little older. Tante Sidonia and Tobias the dog were cast in the spin-off, but after a while Sidonia was replaced by two different parental figures, Tom and Lies. New characters were created too, such as Witje the cat and two other children, Bert Bavet and Dotje the girl. 

'Junior Suske en Wiske' aims at children who are just learning to read. It was one of the final series to be launched in the weekly Suske en Wiske Weekblad. A book series was created too, written by Dirk Nielandt with illustrations by Broeckx. 'Junior Suske en Wiske' was translated in French as 'P'tits Bob et Bobette' and later again as 'Les Juniors Bob et Bobette'. In 2017 the comic series was also adapted into an animated TV series, created by Grid Animation and co-produced by Doghouse Films and the Flemish public broadcasting channel VRT. On 11 September 2010, 'Klein Suske en Wiske' was honoured with their own comic book mural in the Max Temmermanlaan 11 in Kalmthout. Broeckx made the design, while Paula Setz created the painting. 

In 2005 Broeckx made a graphic contribution to 'Suske en Wiske 60 Jaar!' (2005), which paid homage to Willy Vandersteen's 'Suske en Wiske'. He also paid tribute to Marc Sleen in 'Marc Sleen 80. De Enige Echte' (Standaard Uitgeverij, 2002) and 'Marc Sleen 90. Liber Amicorum' (Standaard Uitgeverij, 2012). Broeckx also drew a homage to Pom in the collective comic books 'Avontuur in de 21e Eeuw' (2010) - of which the profits went to the Kinderkankerfonds to support children with cancer - and 'Op Het Spoor van Pom' (2011). 

In 2008 Broeckx received the Stripvos for his entire career. He retired in 2018.

Sloeber, by Jef BroeckxSloeber, by Jef Broeckx
Album covers of 'Sloeber'.

Series and books by Jeff Broeckx you can order today:

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