Situated near Nieuwmarkt station in Amsterdam is a hidden gem for comic fans. Founded in 1968, Lambiek is the oldest comic shop in the world. And while it is well worth taking a trip to the Netherlands to see the brick-and-mortar location, the store offers another valuable resource for anyone interested in comic art: Comiclopedia. The site is Lambiek’s online archive of over 14,000 comic artists from around the world—including famous names like Stan Lee and Charles Schultz.
The digital library was launched by Lambiek’s founder Kees Kousemaker in 1999. Since then, the project has grown exponentially in the number of artists as well as in the organization of the content. If you visit the site, you will find that all of the information is arranged alphabetically; you simply find the surname of the artist and it will bring up a long page full of information and illustrations.
In addition to featuring the accomplishments of Marvel comic book writer Stan Lee and Peanuts comic strip creator Charles Schultz, the website includes other artists that are not as internationally renowned (outside of comic circles). Among them is French artist Jean Giraud—better known by his pseudonym Mœbius—who created expertly drawn science-fiction stories with elements of the surreal. Another major creator that you can find on the site is Albert Uderzo, who was the artist behind the Asterix comics written by René Goscinny. In addition, Comiclopedia also documents comic art made in their home country, like Tom Poes and Kapitein Rob.
Check out Comiclopedia’s website to see even more comic art.
Comiclopedia is an online archive of comic art.
It features the art of 14,000 artists, including Stan Lee, Charles Schultz, and Mœbius.
The website was founded by Lambiek—an Amsterdam-based comic shop that happens to be the oldest surviving store of comics.
Watch this video to learn more about the history of Lambiek and Comiclopedia:
Lambiek: Website
h/t: [Open Culture]
All images via Lambiek | Comiclopedia.
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