'Tim en Tom Erven Een Kasteel'.
Armand ("Mon") Van Meulenbroeck was a Belgian comic artist and animator, who signed his work with "AVM". In the late 1940s, he worked for Bob De Moor at the Artec-Studio's, where he assisted on the steady production of comic strips for Flemish newspapers and magazines. He is believed to be the artist of the 'Tim en Tom' (1949-1951) feature.
Life and career
Born in 1924 in Antwerp, Van Meulenbroeck studied at the local Academy of Fine Arts, together with Bob De Moor and Marcel Colbrant. All three began their careers working on animated films during World War II, being employed by studios like Animated Cartoons and subsequently AFIM, both founded by Ray Goossens, Jules Luyckx and Henri Winkeler. They worked on productions like 'Hoe Pimmeke ter Wereld Kwam' and 'Smidje Smee', but when the studio chiefs refused to move their activities to the UFA studios in Germany, AFIM was dissolved. All staff under eighteen, including Van Meulenbroeck and his friends, were forced to work in the Erla factories in Mortsel near Antwerp, where Messerschmitt Bf 109 aircrafts were built and maintained for the Luftwaffe. After the war, Van Meulenbroeck continued to work on animated films for the advertising agency Van Dam K.H. in Antwerp.
Around 1947-1948, Van Meulenbroeck joined the De Moor's Artec-Studio's, run by Bob De Moor and his brother-in-law John van Looveren to produce comic strips for Flemish magazines and newspapers. Van Meulenbroeck was mainly involved in finishing De Moor's sketches, but also drew a couple of gag strips by himself, signing with "AVM". Mon Van Meulenbroeck is most likely the artist behind the adventure series 'Tim en Tom' (1949-1951), which ran in both Kleine Zondagsvriend and 't Kapoentje. Two stories are known, namely 'Tim en Tom Erven Een Kasteel' and 'Tim en Tom Contra Mr. X'. Between 1958 and 1960, they were also serialized in the local West Flemish newspaper Het Wekelijks Nieuws. François Cassiers (who later formed the comedy duo The Woodpeckers with his brother Jef) possibly also contributed to these productions.
Comic strip for Artec-Studio's, signed "AVM".