Wim Bosman

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Wim Bosman is a well-known South African Cartoonist. He started his long-running comic strip "Louis die Laeveld-Leeu"  in 1974. It has been published in numerous Afrikaans Newspapers across South Africa. It has also been published in English as "Louis the Lowveld Lion". These humorous strips feature animals in the Lowveld bush and Kalahari desert. The main characters are: Louis the Lion, Baboon, Warthog, Vulture and Rooster.

His comic strips were first published in book form as "Louis die Laeveldleeu" by Human & Rousseau in 1981.

Here is a sample strip in English:
The next book of reprints was: "Louis, die Laeveld-leeu en vriende" (Van der Walt, 1989). 

 In 1998 "100 van die Beste uit Louis die Laeveld Leeu & Bure" was printed to celebrate the  centenary of the Kruger National Park:
  This was followed by: "Louis, die Laeveld-leeu & trawante" (LAPA, 2001):
    Next volume is "Louis, die Laeveld-leeu en die skobbejakke" (Protea Boekhuis, 2009):

His comic strip "Bosveldbure" (Bushveld Neighbours) started in 1985 and was published regularly in Rapport Newspaper. Here is a sample strip:
His comic strip "Kekkel en Kloek" started publication in Sarie Magazine in 1991. This strip features two chickens on a farm. Some of these strips were released in book form (Human & Rousseau, 1996). Here are two sample strips:
 
He has illustrated children's books: "Kom ons Loer vir die Son" (Laeveld Drukkers, 1980) and "Sleepsurp van Addo" (Juventus, 1988) which was also published in English as "Dragtrunk of Addo (Juventus, 1988):

Supercomix Superman 20

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South African Comic Books is One Year Old!

Blog Post 100 today ... Thanks to everyone who has contributed in the last 12 months ... to have made this blog such a success!

I am currently working on pre-1990 material ... with post-1990 to follow. Lots more to come ...

This is Supercomix Superman 20 from 1981 - It reprints the cover and story from DC Comics' Superman 319.

Cover and DC Comics' Original Cover of Superman 319 from January 1978:
 Splash Page and House Ad for Kid Colt:
 See Also:
Supercomix Superman

Supercomix Captain America 6

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This is Supercomix Captain America 6 - published by Republican Press in 1981 - It reprints the Classic Stan Lee - Jack Kirby tale: "Lest We Forget!" from Marvel Comics' Captain America 112 (1969). Here is the cover and Marvel Comics' Original cover: Sample Art Page and The Fifth Dimension Poster:
  Puzzles Page and ad for Living and Learning Magazine:
 House ad for Wit Tier:See Also:
Supercomix The Invincible Iron Man, Fantastic Four and Captain America

Supercomix The Incredible Hulk 3 (First Series 1976)

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Thanks to Gary Kuyper for these great scans of Supercomix The Incredible Hulk 3 (First Series 1976). This issue has a special place in his collection - as his name is featured on the Competition Prize Winner Page.

Here is the cover and Marvel Comics' Original Cover of The Incredible Hulk 117 from July 1969:
 Competition Prize Winners Page:
See Also:
Supercomix The Incredible Hulk

J.H. Rabe

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J.H. Rabe was one of the pioneers of the Afrikaans Comic Strip.

He produced some of the earliest comic strips to appear in the Afrikaans press.
His First Comic Strip was "Jan Rap" which was published in Die Brandwag in 1937-1938.

Sample Strip:
 His next Comic Strip for Die Brandwag was "Ontwikkeling", which presented a pictorial account of developments in the fields of aviation, architecture, etc.

In 1947 Rabe produced the Comic Strip "Daan Donsies en Hendrik Horrelpoot"  for the weekly Jeugland. It features two farmers in the bushveld and is reminiscent of Honiball's "Oom Kaspaas".
Unie-Boekhandel also published some of these strips in book form in 1947. Some of these strips also appeared in Die Jongspan.


Sample Strip:Jeugland Number 1 cover from 12 March 1947:
Die Jongspan cover from 29 March 1946:

Chronology of South African Comic Books - 1920s to 1940s

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In 1924 Henry Winder drew "Duggie, Lemmie & Hi-Ti", which was probably South Africa's first Comic Strip for children. It appeared in the Rand Daily Mail for 3 years and featured animal characters (a rabbit, a lemur and a crow). His next strip was "Pippin, Twinkle and Budge" in 1928 (a dog, a cat and a grey mole) for the same newspaper.
In 1927 Edward Ridley drew "Piet, Jock and Auntie - or The Veldies on Tour", which was also an early Comic Strip for children, for The Outspan. The strip appeared weekly from 1927 to 1941 on the children's page.

In 1934 Jacobus Esterhuysen drew "April en Jannewarie" for Die Volksblad for 5 years. In 1937 he drew a second strip called "Twak" about the adventures of his pet dog. 

Here is a sample strip from April en Jannewarie:
In 1935 Alfred Hayes drew "Young Folk"  for The Cape Review.

In 1937 Eben Leibbrandt drew "Troue Vriende" and "Sonkie en Sampie" for Die Brandwag. In 1948 he drew "Krato die Oermens" for Die Brandwag. 


Here is a sample strip from Troue Vriende:
In 1938 David Marais drew "The Ace" for Sunday Express.


In 1938 Joseph Montgomery drew "Spic & Span" for Rand Daily Mail.

In 1938 Manuel Santana drew "Koos the Cop" for Sunday Express.
 

In 1940 Albert Humble drew "Trompie", about the antics of a little black dog,  for Die Suiderstem. Also in 1940 he drew "Krulbol-hulle" for Die Kleinspan section of Die Huisgenoot. 


Here is a sample strip from Trompie:

In 1941 H. Marriott-Burton drew "At the children's Outspan" , featuring the characters "Nutty the monkey, Humpty the tortoise, Aunt Hilda the hippo and Uncle Wattie the warthog" for The Outspan until 1950.
Here is a panel from one of his strips:
Here are covers of The Outspan Weekly Newspaper from 1942, 1945 and 1948:
 In 1937 J.H. Rabe started producing the first comic strips to appear in the Afrikaans Press: "Jan Rap" (1937), "Ontwikkeling" (1938) and "Daan Donsies en Hendrik Horrelpoot" (1947).
For further information see:J.H. Rabe

In 1939 T.O. Honiball produced "Oom Kaspaas", later "Jakkals en Wolf" (1942) and "Adoons-Hulle" (1948).
2 Sample Strips of Jakkals en Wolf from Die Jongspan:
For further information see:Honiball

In 1941 Victor Clapham drew "Grompot" - the gunner with a grouse - for Sunday Times. 


in 1940 Bob Connolly drew "Stella the Steno" for Rand Daily Mail for 5 years. Appearing in Die Jongspan during the 1930s was a comic strip called "Knapsak and Klonkie", by A.P. Du Toit. In 1939 he published a children's comic book called "Ons Vriendjie" - probably the first of its kind in South Africa. He produced 3 books of his strips, published by Nasionale Boekhandel:Knapsak en Klonkie op die maan (1942)Die Klawervier (1946)Knapsak en Klonkie in die land van die Tassieblaar (1950)
In 1941-1943 Monty Wilson produced "The Adventures of Intambo and Mafuta" and "Humorous Native Studies". 
 For further information see: Monty Wilson

In 1945 Victor Ivanoff drew "Kalie die Kuiken" and "Jors voer die Oorlog" for Die Brandwag. 



In 1947 David Macgregor drew "Bobbie and Betty" for English and Afrikaans Newspapers for 2 years.

In 1947 Wolf Von Loeben drew "Oom Piet Vertel" for Jeugland. 

In 1948 Gerald Norton drew "Stukkies & Stan" for Mining News. 

Here is a sample strip from Stukkies & Stan:
In 1948 Ivor van Rensburg drew "The Adventures of Prince Thala" for Bantu World.



In 1948 Roland Wentzel drew "Boetie en Adoons" for Volksbylaag.


Here is a sample strip of Boetie en Adoons:
Thanks Mahdi at  Readers Den for this section on the availability of Foreign Comics in South Africa during this period:
From what I gather, US comics were initially importedin the early 1940s (one of my oldest customers, now passed on, recalled buyinga very early Superman off the shelf) but by late 1940s/early 1950s theseimports had vanished, except for Humour Comics and Classics Illustrated. I suspect this was related to the Horror Comics scare and the publication ofWertheim's "Seduction of the Innocent". 

The Entertainments (Censorship) Act of this period in South Africa's history would have made it more difficult to import Foreign Comic Books. 
If anyone reading this has further information on this period, this would be most valuable .

Classic Afrikaans Comic Strips

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Thanks to Koos Papenfus for this great selection of Afrikaans Comic Strips (some original, some translated).

Die Arend (originally Buck Rogers by Nowlan & Calkins - these strips from 1959 were illustrated by George Tuska) from Keur 15/01/1960:
Asterix die Gladiator (originally Asterix the Gladiator by Goscinny & Uderzo) from Huisgenoot 10/10/1975:
Basie en Lammie (originally Hi and Lois by Mort Walker and Dik Browne) from Rapport 05/08/1979:
Ben de Waal (originally Judd Saxon by Ken Bald and Jerry Brondfield) from Keur 15/01/1960:
Blits Gordon (originally Flash Gordon by Alex Raymond - these strips from 1975 were illustrated by Dan Barry) from Huisgenoot 10/10/1975:

Blondie (originally Blondie by Chic Young) from Vaderland 1940:
Briek Breekman (originally Brick Bradford by Paul Norris) from Huisgenoot 04/03/1960:
Doris die Ontdekker (In Midde-Afrika) (originally Max, L'Explorateur by Guy Herzog) from Huisgenoot 11/03/1957:
Ferdinand (originally Ferd'nand by Henning Dahl Mikkelsen) from Huisgenoot 11/03/1957:
 Fritz Bender - original Afrikaans Strip - by Johan van Niekerk from Huisgenoot 24/05/1968:
Geheime Agent Corrigan (originally Secret Agent Corrigan by Al Williamson and Archie Goodwin) from Landbou Weekblad 07/03/1972:
Hagar die Verskriklike (originally Hagar the Horrible by Dik Browne) from Huisgenoot 10/10/1975:
Hennie (originall Henry by Carl Anderson) from Vaderland 1940:
Kommandant Kees - original Afrikaans Strip - by J.A. Rio-Neuhof and Johann Roos from Brandwag 15/03/1976:
Koot Kock (?translated) from Patrys 03/1963:

Die Avonture van Kuifie - Die Tempel van die Son (originally Tintin: Prisoners of the Sun by Herge) from Rapport 05/08/1979:

Dr Len Roux (originally Dr. Kildare by Ken Bald) from Ster 03/07/1970:



Die Lospers van Bakleivlei ?original/translated (?The Katzenjammer Kids translation ?inspired by this comic strip) - from Landbou Weekblad 28/01/1975:
Slang van die Soutpanne - original Afrikaans Strip - by Pienaar Smit and Johan van Niekerk (some of these strips were also published in book form by Nasionale Boekhandel in 1966) from Landbou Weekblad 07/03/1972:
Tarzan (originally by Edgar Rice Burroughs) from Rapport 05/08/1979:
Die Van der Merwes - original Afrikaans Strip by Paul Lessing from Brandwag 19/03/1975:
Walter die Wonderman (originally Mandrake the Magician by Lee Falk and Phil Davis) from Huisgenoot 11/03/1957:
Wat Maak Oom Kalie Daar - unsure origin - from Vaderland 1940:
See Also:
Andy Capp in Afrikaans
Ben, Babsie en Familie
Jan Rap, Daan Donsies en Hendrik Horrelpoot
Louis die Laeveld-Leeu, Bosveldbure, Kekkel en Kloek
Oom Kaspaas, Jakkals en Wolf, Adoons-Hulle
Ou Maaik
Die Skim
Superman in Afrikaans