'Dirkjan'. Translation: "Wouters, take off that bonnet!" - "This "bonnet" represents the holy faith in Viznaq. There's freedom of religion here, isn't it?" - "A sacrifice ceremony: anything should be allowed, nowadays."
Mark Retera was born in 1964 in Eindhoven and studied at the Catholic University of Nijmegen. He started his career in 1985 in the small-press magazine Lekker Prakken with the series 'Aksieburo Ket', which ran until 1989. He started his most famous comic, 'DirkJan', in student magazines like Iris, before it was published in the comic magazine Sjosji and eventually several newspapers and Veronica Magazine. His character, the nerdy DirkJan, lives in a world that is filled with strange creatures. His short gags guaranteed wacky, unexpected punchlines. His clear, simple graphic style aids the humorous effect.
Because of an increasing workload, Retera formed the Mark Retera Ensemble to work on the strip between 2003 and 2006, which included Remco Polman, Wilfred Ottenheijm and Mark Schilders.
'Dirkjan'. Translation: "Good news, lord. I just invented the clown." - "Clown: what's that?" - "Somebody who takes care of entertainment." - "Taking care of entertainment, he does."
Retera names Gary Larson as one of his big influences. Apart from his 'DirkJan' series, he has drawn many caricatures for magazine Panorama, and also cooperates on the VARA television series 'Cafe de Wereld', which is features in shows like VARA Laat and De Wereld Draait Door. Mark is a member of Studio Iris in Nijmegen and the related band, Studio Iris Huisband (a.k.a. The Sexfuckers). In 2001, Mark Retera won the prestigious Dirk Wiarda Prize for his series 'DirkJan'. On 23-24 October 2004, during the Stripdagen in Alphen aan de Rijn, he was awarded the Stripschapprijs.
'Dirkjan'.
On November 22, 2001, an exposition of the work of Mark Retera opened in Galerie Lambiek.
On 22 February 2020, two 'DirkJan' cartoons caused controversy among Christian readers of the magazine AD for depicting God.
In 2020, Mark Retera joined 75 Dutch & Flemish comic artists to make a graphic contribution to the free collective comic book ‘Striphelden versus Corona’ (Oogachtend, Uitgeverij L, 2020). The book is intended to support comics stores who had to close their doors for two months during the lockdown at the height of the COVID-19 virus pandemic.
Mark Retera was an influence on Mars Gremmen, Marnix Rueb and Ben Westervoorde. Dirkjan also has regular cameos in Hanco Kolk and Peter de Wit's gag comic 'S1ngle'. Typically, the cast members have an annual office party, but Dirkjan is always seen in the background, being refused entrance for superficial reasons.
'Dirkjan'.