'Ted Start' (Olidin #17, 1961).
Ted Mathijsen, also known as Roberic, was a mid-20th century Dutch illustrator and advertising artist, known for his illustrations for Panorama and Donald Duck. During his short life, he only made one comic series, the adventure serial 'Ted Start' (1958-1963), published in the children's magazine Olidin.
Illustration career
Ted Mathijsen was born in 1927 in Rotterdam, where he also studied at the Academy of Fine Arts. In the early 1960s, Ted Mathijsen shared a studio in Haarlem with graphic designer and illustrator Piet Homburg, which they named "Pronto". Mostly active as an illustrator for books, magazines and advertisements, he made many illustrations for Panorama magazine of publishing house De Spaarnestad.
Piet Homburg and Ted Mathijsen in their Pronto studio, portrayed in Algemeen Dagblad of 19 April 1962.
For the same publisher, Mathijsen also illustrated the mid-1960s children's book series for schools, 'In De Lange Lindelaan' by Annemiek Böckling. Between 1960 and 1965, he illustrated several text serials for Donald Duck weekly, published by De Geïllustreerde Pers. These were mainly of British origin, including two stories of Enid Blyton's 'The Famous Five'. He at least illustrated one text story for the comic magazine Pep as well ('Thuis voor Kerstmis' by Carl Henry Rathjen in issue #52 of 1964).
Serial of 'The Famous Five', published in Donald Duck #49, 1960.
Ted Start
Mathijsen also worked as a commercial artist. In this capacity he was involved in Olidin, the children's magazine of the Shell Junior Club. It was produced by the advertising agency Van Maanen in commission of petrol company Shell. Mathijsen was present from the second volume with the realistically drawn balloon comic 'Ted Start' (1958-1963), starring a motorcycle policeman who becomes a race car driver. Mathijsen signed the comic with "Roberic", a contraction of the names of his sons (Robert and Eric). A regular feature in the magazine, 'Ted Start' ran for six serials until Olidin's demise in 1963. Other important contributors to Olidin were Emile Brumsteede, Wim Giesbers, Frits Godhelp, Friso Henstra, Niek Hiemstra, Hans G. Kresse, Jan Kruis, Joost Rietveld, Chris Roodbeen, Jan van der Voo, P. Visser, Dick Vlottes, Carol Voges, Joop Wiggers and Piet Wijn.
Death
Shortly after his 44th birthday, on 10 May 1971, Ted Mathijsen passed away suddenly in Amstelveen.
'Ted Start' (Olidin #17, 1962).