Willy Linthout

Linthout had the idea of creating a comic strip whose main character would be based on the comedian Urbanus.

[2] Through publisher Jef Meert, a meeting at Urbanus' house was arranged.

[1] The first album, which appeared in 1983, sold 50,000 copies right away,[1] and Urbanus became one of the most popular Flemish comic strips.

[3] Linthout also collaborates on the popular Kiekeboe comic strip of Merho, and has created together with Luc Cromheecke the series Roboboy.

In 2007, after the suicide of his son,[4] he wrote and drew the graphic novel Jaren van de Olifant (Years of the Elephant), which was nominated for a number of international awards and won the Bronzen Adhemar, the most important Flemish comics award.