'Nina Omega'.
Emmanuel Zegeling is a graphic artist from Amsterdam. As Nile Zegg, he is active as a comic artist, for instance creating the 'Nina Omega' webcomic (2012-2018). In his Dr. Mokum persona, he has been hosting a series of informative YouTube videos about the city of Amsterdam and its history.
Early life
Emmanuel Zegeling was born in 1972 in Amsterdam. An avid fan of comics and drawing since his childhood, his plans to become a cartoonist were thwarted when several Art Academies rejected his application. Instead, he became a graphic designer, a profession in which he could still use some of the skills he acquired when making his own comics. Among his favorite comic creators have been Moebius, Luc Cromheecke, Kim Duchateau and Tome & Janry.
Graphic designer
Since the 1990s, Zegeling has been active as a graphic designer, first for McAfee and other companies, and later independently. Together with Daniël Tijl and Irene Flietstra, he has been running the design agency Engine Branding & Identity, where since 2009 Zegeling serves as art director. He has specialized in designing brand identities, logos, on- and offline stationery and corporate animations.
'Nina Omega'.
Cartoonist
On the side, Zegeling has been active as a cartoonist under the pseudonym Nile Zegg. In 2007, he began developing a webcomic about the sexy space explorer 'Nina Omega'. Between May 2012 and December 2018, the comic was serialized on an almost daily basis on Facebook, and was one of the first known webcomics designed specifically for this platform. In 2018-2019, Nile Zegg was one of the contestants in the Strip Battle organized by Stripglossy magazine, and made it to the final three, along with Dennis Spaans and Dimitri Jansma, with the latter eventually winning the contest.
Cartoon for Stripglossy, celebrating 25 years of John Reid, Bastiaan Geleijnse and Jean-Marc van Tol's 'Fokke en Sukke' cartoon series. The three creators are seen under a sign that reads "Talk? Pay!" Among the people in the crowd we recognize Marten Toonder's Tom Poes and Olivier B. Bommel, Peyo's Smurfs, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, far-right politician Geert Wilders, C-3PO and R2-D2 ('Star Wars'), U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un. In the back we also spot Mike Judge's Beavis & Butt-Head, Hanna-Barbera's Barney Rubble and Fred Flintstone, Jim Henson's Statler & Waldorf, Kim Duchateau's Esther Verkest, François Walthéry's Natacha, a woman in hijab, Pope Francis, Martin Lodewijk's Olga Lawina and Martin Lodewijk, a few Minions, children's TV hosts Bassie en Adriaan, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima and René Windig & Eddie de Jong's cats Fritz and Heinz.
Dr. Mokum
An "Amsterdammer" to the core, Zegeling has been active as a board member of the "Friends of the Vondelpark", an interest group for the city's popular urban park. Since 2021, he has been assuming the "Dr. Mokum" persona for a series of 'Vlamsterdam' vlogs to generate attention for the issues involving the Vondelpark. Characterized by his black suit, felt hat and walking cane, Dr. Mokum eventually expanded his subject matter to the entire city of Amsterdam. With a strong sense of irony and helpful infographics, Dr. Mokum has been posting YouTube videos that explore both the history and current affairs of the city, as well as its streets and neighborhoods.
Emmanuel Zegeling in his Dr. Mokum persona.