Autobiographical comic strip (2021).
Bob Op 't Land is a Deventer-based Dutch comic creator, who has published his autobiographical comic stories on Instagram and in his 'Plumbum' anthology series (2022- ). His comic strips and crowded, playful and absurd overview illustrations have appeared in magazines like Schokkend Nieuws, Zone 5300, Brul! and Spirou.
Early life and career
Bob Op 't Land was born in 1992 in the city of Zutphen. Since his childhood, he has been an avid fan of comics. Between 2011 and 2017, he studied Comic Design at the ArtEZ University of the Arts in Zwolle, where the comic creators Sam Peeters and Hanco Kolk were among his teachers. During this period, Op 't Land was also part of the editorial team for volumes #8 and #9 of Oogst (2013), the university's anthology magazine for new comic talent. Among his main artistic influences have been Bill Watterson, Noah Van Sciver, Craig Thompson, Akira Toriyama, Jack Kirby and Mattias Adolfsson.
After graduation, he spent several years creating little to no comics, attempting instead to work as an editorial illustrator. During this period, his artwork has appeared in De Optimist magazine and in newspapers like De Volkskrant and De Stentor. In 2019, he also designed the record sleeve for 'Ruins of Tomorrow', the first EP of the band Postmaster General.
First two issues of 'Plumbum' (2022, 2023).
Autobiographical comics
In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Bob Op 't Land started making autobiographical comics, which he published twice a week on Instagram. These served as an outlet to cope with frustration during the pandemic, while also rekindling his passion for comic creation. Even though the artist has also embraced other forms of pop culture, comics to him are "the most beautiful narrative medium on earth" because of their "unparalleled directness and intimacy". In an email to Lambiek, Op 't Land specified: "Unlike other mediums, a comic can feel like a direct connection between the creator and the reader. In novels, the story in the author's mind differs from what I imagine; films are massive collaborations; music can be abstract and distanced. But a (good) comic has the creator right there, on the page, exactly as it was drawn and written."
'24/7' (Plumbum #1, 2022).
This philosophy about the medium has resulted in a personal body of work, in which the artist shares semi-autobiographical stories with a laugh and a tear. Recurring themes in his work have been creativity, his own fears and neuroses and his experiences with Type 1 Diabetes, but also his love for Lego, movies, games, and "other nerdy delights". Op 't Land's early Instagram comics have led to his one-man anthology series, 'Plumbum', which he has self-published annually since 2022. Each volume contains serialized stories, one-page gags, short tales, and illustrations. In the first issue, he honestly tackled his unsuccessful attempts at a career in commercial art, while the second volume debuted his autobiographical 'Honingzoet' series dealing with his Type 1 Diabetes. In 2025, Oogachtend released 'De Allerbeste Baby Aller Tijden', Bob Op 't Land's first full-length graphic novel about the early months of parenthood.
'L'Oiseau, le Serpent et le Chat' (French-language comic from Métal Hurlant "Spécial Chats", 2024).
Magazine and commercial work
Besides his self-published autobiographical comics, Bob Op 't Land's comics and illustrations have appeared in a variety of magazines and newspapers. He has regularly contributed comic stories, gag strips and centerspread illustrations to the pop cultural magazines Schokkend Nieuws and Zone 5300, the Groningen-based comic anthology Gr'nn and the alternative children's magazine Brul!. In 2023, he contributed two game pages to the Belgian comic magazine Spirou, and in the following year, his story 'L'Oiseau, le Serpent et le Chat' appeared in a special cat-themed issue of Métal Hurlant magazine. In his spare time, he enjoys creating elaborate, improvised drawings in his sketchbooks with ink and watercolor.
Game spread for Spirou #4428 (2023), referencing the comic series 'Passe moi l'Ciel' by Stuf and Janry.
Graphic contributions
In 2019, Bob Op 't Land was one of thirty comic creators contributing to Stijn Schenk's anthology 'Wij Mannen' (2019), containing stories about masculinity. From 2020 to 2023, Bob Op 't Land was part of the editorial team of the comic collective KAF, alongside colleagues Ruben Gringhuis and Coen Vosveld. Together, they published several anthologies in collaboration with a rotating group of creators, for instance 'Black Hole' (2020), the 24 Hour Comic 'Cottonmouth Gulch' (2021) and 'KAF #1' (2022). In addition, his work has been featured in the 2022 'Nieuwe Garde' anthology with new Dutch comic talent, as well as Ger Apeldoorn's 'Pep NU' anthology (2024).
Part of a personal comic strip.
Exhibitions
In 2022, Op 't Land participated in the 'Voici mon Histoire' exhibition at the Quai des Bulles festival in St. Malo, France, alongside fellow Dutch creators Melanie Kranenburg, Sterric, Dido Drachman, Niek van Ooijen, Sam Peeters, B.Carrot, Erik de Graaf, Typex, Frenk Meeuwsen, Peter van Dongen and Aimée de Jongh. During this event, we created live drawings with visitors. In 2023, he attended the BD Boum festival in Blois, France, for 'Vous & Nous', an exhibition created over three days inspired by visitors' stories. Among the other participants were Nova de Hoo, Suze Scholten, Fijke Pelicaan, Melanie Kranenburg, and Niek van Ooijen. Both exhibitions were organized by the 9e Kunst comics platform for comics and its "Nieuwe Garde" initiative.
Improvised sketchbook drawing.
Recognition
In 2023, the first volume of 'Plumbum' was the runner-up for the Small Press Award, winning a 500 euros prize. During the 2023 edition of the Utrechtse MUS comic festival, Bob Op 't Land won the inaugural "Gouden MUS" award for best newcomer in Dutch comics. In the following year, he crafted the trophy for the second winner of this award, Nova de Hoo.
Panel from one of Op 't Land's autobiographical comics.