Cartoon Cars

The first cartoon strips were published in American newspapers in the late 19th century.  Now popular the world over, there is even a museum that celebrates their history, The Brussels Comic Strip Museum.  Vehicles of all descriptions have featured strongly for decades, and model cars from some of these cartoon series have been produced by companies such as Altaya and Atlas.  Featured below are cars from just four series of “Les Bandes Dessinées”.

BLAKE ET MORTIMER                                                                                                                                                                    This Belgian comic series was created by Edgar P. Jacobs.  It was first published in 1946 and describes the adventures of MI5 agent Captain Francis Blake and his associate, Philip Mortimer, a leading British scientist.

1938 Ford Cabriolet V8 from "L'Enigme de l'Atlantide"
1948 Buick Cabriolet from "Le Secret de L'Espadon"
1949 Austin Atlantic from "Le Mystere de la Grande Pyramide"
1949 Lincoln Cosmopolitan from "Le Mystere de la Grande Pyramide"
1950 Nash Ambassador from "L'Affaire Francis Blake"
1954 Pontiac Chieftain from "L'Etrange Rendez-Vous"

MICHEL VAILLANT                                                                                                                                                                          Michel Vaillant is a French comic series created in 1957 by Jean Graton.  The stories involve racing driver Michel Vaillant who competes in a variety of different events for the Vaillante Racing Team, which was founded by his father Henri in 1939.

1939 Vaillante Sport (Le Mans)
1961 Vaillante (Le Mans)
c1960's Panamericana
c1970's Mistral GT
1994 Leader (Le Mans)
2003 F1

SPIROU ET FANTASIO                                                                                                                                                                 Spirou et Fantasio first appeared in 1938 and is a Franco-Belgian comic series.  The two main characters are Spirou (the Walloon word for “squirrel”) who was originally a hotel bell-boy, and his friend Fantasio who is a reporter.

1912 De Dion Bouton from "Le Gorille A Bonne Mine"
1913 Renault AG from "Il y a Un Sorcier a Champignac"
1925 Citroen 5hp from "Spirou et les Heritiers"
1953 Studebaker Starliner from "Le Dictateur et le Champignon"
1955 Chrysler Windsor de Luxe from "Le Nid des Marsupilamis"
1955 Turbot-Rhino 1 from "La Corne de Rhinoceros"

TINTIN                                                                                                                                                                                               “Les Aventures de Tintin” were a series of cartoon books created by Belgian Georges Remi, whose pen name was Hergé.  They were first published in 1929 and feature a reporter called Tintin and his dog Snowy.  Other main characters include Captain Haddock, Professor Calculus and the detectives Thomson and Thomson.  Famous the world over, the books have now sold over 200 million copies and have been adapted for radio, TV, theatre and film.                                                                                                                                                         

1910 Ford Model T from "Tintin au Congo"
1929 Checker Taxi from "Tintin en Amerique"
1929 Rosengart from "L'Oreille Cassee"
1930's Lincoln Torpedo from "Les Cigares du Pharaon"
1930's Berline of Mitsuhirato from "Le Lotus Bleu"
1930's Bolide from " Les Cigares du Pharaon"
1930's Amilcar CGS from "Tintin au Pays des Soviets"
1931 Chrysler Six from "Le Lotus Bleu"
1934 LaSalle from "Le Sceptre d'Ottokar"
1935 Graham Six from "Tintin en Amerique"
1936 Ford V8 Cabriolet from "L'Oreille Cassee"
1937 Ford V8 Taxi from "Les 7 Boules de Cristal"
1937 Ford V-8 from "Le Sceptre d'Ottokar"
1938 Tatra 57B from "Le Crabe aux Pinces d'Or"
1936 Ford Breakdown Truck from "Le Crabe aux Pinces D'Or"
1938 Lincoln Zephyr from "Les 7 Boules de Cristal"
1938 Packard 12 Coupe from "Le Sceptre d'Ottokar"
1938 Cadillac Fleetwood from "Tintin au Tibet"
1943 Willys Jeep MB from "Tintin au Pays de L'Or Noir"
1946 Willys Jeep from "Objectif Lune"
1948 Morris Six from "Tintin au Pays de L'Or Noir"
1949 Buick Roadmaster from "Tintin au Pays de L'Or Noir"
1949 Dodge Coronet Special from "Objectif Lune"
1949 Ford Custom from "Objectif Lune"
1950's Willys Jeep Overland from "L'Affaire Tournesol"
1950's Voiture Bordure from "L'Affaire Tournesol"
1962 Ford Zephyr Six Mk III from "L'Ile Noire"