Pieter did this one in my book. Thank you.. And yes this got me hooked!
LOVE Boerke!
De Poortere's signature series 'Boerke' (literally: "Little Farmer", 2000- ) is a pantomime gag comic about a well-meaning, but extraordinarily naïve farmer. The drawings are reminiscent of those in a children's comic book, with simple round lines and bright colors. Gags usually start off innocently, but tend to end in very disturbing and cynical punchlines. Boerke is always the victim of cruel accidents or heartless people who exploit his naïvité, and he regularly ends up commiting suicide in the final panel. After first being published in Humo magazine, a first book collection appeared in 2001, which immediately won the Dutch Stripschapspenning award. The same year, De Poortere also created a female version of 'Boerke' named 'Hoerke' ("Little Whore", 2001- ), which ran as a spin-off. In 2011, Boerke starred in his first long adventure story, 'De Zoon Van', in which he appears to be the son of Adolf Hitler, a result of a fling with the maid. The story follows him as he is reunited with his father and is prepared to become the Führer's successor.
Other special installments in the series have been 'Boerke in Hollywood' (2010) and 'Prins Boerke' (2014), in which, respectively, Boerke and Hoerke star in several well-known movies and fairy tales. Together with students in 3D animation of the Haute École Albert Jacquard in Namur, De Poortere made a short animated film called 'Once Upon A Time' (2012). On the occasion of the character's 15th anniversary in 2014, the 'Boerke Bijbel' was released by publisher Blloan. It collected the first five albums in one huge volume with gold ink and a hardcover.
