Robert en Bertrand ("Robert and Bertrand") is a Flemish comic strip series set during the 19th century, in the Low Countries and France. The comic series was created by cartoonist Willy Vandersteen, known for the Suske en Wiske (Spike and Suzy) series.

Vandersteen drew inspiration from the main characters in a 19th-century play written by Benjamin Antier and Fréderick Lémaître and from the novels of the same name by Koen Ravestein.

Setting

The main characters are two vagrants, but later evolve into useful crooks. They are often chased by a cop/detective ("Number 17") who tries to charge them with vagrancy. Other characters include Joeki and Evelyne. During their wanderings, the sympathetic vagrants always help anyone who needs them, even the occasional Number 17 when needed for safety.

The series, which did not shy away from fantasy and a humorous note, remained realistic and socially critical. During the late 1980s, early 1990s, with illustrator Ronald van Riet and scriptwriter Marck Meul, Robert and Bertrand were back in their country of origin: France, with drawings in an Art Nouveau style. New characters made their appearance.

Anachronisms Although Robert and Bertrand's stories are mainly set in the 19th century, no specific period is mentioned. Thus, the album Secret Document may involve the duo in the Franco-German War of 1870–1871, and the later album The Hell of Solferino in the Battle of Solferino in 1859. The album The Icarii refers to the first aeroplanes, making this story set in the early 20th century.

Although the historical events in the stories are fairly correctly depicted - as mentioned, the Battle of Solferino - elements do pop up that do not belong in the chosen era. For instance, cars appear in the aforementioned albums when they did not yet exist.

Other anachronisms aim for a humorous effect - a cameo by a young Eddy Merckx or the reference to the book Bartje, which "has yet to be written".

Publication history Willy Vandersteen produced sixty-five albums from 1972. Vandersteen also wrote the screenplay and pencil drawings for the 66th story. From 1985 Vandersteen concentrated more on "De Geuzen", and illustrator Ron Van Riet took over the series, with scripts by Marck Meul (with the exception of album 72 and 74 by author Jacques Bakker). The drawing style became less caricatural and semi-realistic.

The series was pre-published in De Standaard from 30 November 1972 to 6 July 1992, publishing an average of four albums a year. The small but enthusiastic fan base could not stop the series being discontinued in 1993. Zilvertand was the last album. 47 titles were translated in French.

From 2021, the stories were bundled in a series of omnibus editions, released in Belgium and the Netherlands

Albums Source:

1. Mysterie op Rozendael, 1973 2. Het opgejaagde weeskind, 1973 3. De nabjar van Poenjab, 1974 4. De levende brug, 1974 5. De rode herberg, 1974 6. Het zwarte land, 1974 7. De toverlantaarn, 1974 8. De weerwolf, 1975 9. Het zilveren raadsel, 1975 10. De kwade hand, 1975 11. De groene draak, 1975 12. Zwarte Mie de orgeldraaister, 1975 13. Geheim document, 1976 14. De spookhond, 1975 15. De stakingbreker, 1976 16. Het geheim van Flodderzee, 1976 17. Avontuur in Moldavië, 1976 18. De rode kaproen, 1977 19. De duistere machten, 1977 20. Jacht op de sperwer, 1977 21. De ramp van Corvilain, 1977 22. Spoken in het Zwin, 1977 23. Het spookhuis, 1978 24. De gouden kinkhoorn, 1978 25. Vreemde bezoekers, 1978 26. De zwarte kat, 1978 27. De laatste bokkerijder, 1979 28. Het duel, 1979 29. De wolvenhoeve, 1979 30. De verdwenen fotografe, 1979 31. De schat van de tempeliers, 1980 32. De elfenjager, 1980 33. De geheime sekte, 1980 34. Het wrekende vuur, 1980 35. De hel van Solferino, 1980 36. Het raadsel Zarata, 1980 37. De geheimen van de Mont Blanc, 1980 38. De Titanen, 1980 39. Fantoom op spoor zeven, 1981 40. De vliegende Hollander, 1981 41. De dochters van de zon, 1981 42. De demon van Paracelse, 1981 43. Het stervende huis, 1981 44. De witte wolf, 1982 45. Drama in de Orient-Express, 1982 46. De helderziende, 1982 47. De ijzeren helm, 1982 48. Als de raven sterven, 1982 49. De gouden hand, 1983 50. De wraak van Zabor, 1983 51. Verschijningen, 1983 52. De eenhoorn, 1983 53. Het grote raadsel 1, 1983 54. Het grote raadsel II, 1983 55. Vlucht naar Rochamps, 1984 56. Het spiegelbeeld, 1984 57. De vloek van Hyavar, 1984 58. De magische handen, 1984 59. Gevaarlijke mummies, 1984 60. De Doodsbode, 1984 61. Offers voor Drosera 1, 1985 62. Offers voor Drosera 2, 1985 63. De Vondeling, 1985 64. Paniek in Saltshire, 1985 65. De Hotelrat, 1985 66. De Vleermuis, 1985 67. Jacht op nr 17, 1985 68. De Apache, 1985 69. Madame Sarah, 1986 70. De hel van Montparnasse, 1986 71. Het Spiegelgenootschap, 1986 72. De Friese Elfstedentocht, 1986 73. De komeet en het beest, 1987 74. Een toren voor Parijs, 1987 75. Vogelvrij, 1987 76. Leonardo, 1987 77. Tranen voor een clown, 1987 78. De Icarii, 1988 79. Mannen van ijzer, 1988 80. De drie neuzen, 1988 81. De Witte ruiters, 1988 82. De scharlaken dood, 1989 83. De klauw van de mol, 1989 84. De plaggenstekers, 1989 85. Palingoproer, 1989 86. Het laaiend vuur, 1990 87. Leer om leer , 1990 88. Het Congocontract, 1990 89. De terugkeer van Leonardo, 1991 90. De val van de Feniks, 1991 91. De monsterman, 1991 92. Prins Joeki, 1991 93. De gouden poort, 1992 94. Het holle huis, 1992 95. Het wolvejong, 1992 96. De tinnen soldaatjes, 1992 97. Ster nummer 17, 1993 98. Zilvertand, 1993

See also • Ligne claire

• Belgian comics

• Franco-Belgian comics

References