Avengers in Time

Sunday, 31 May 2026

1961, Belgian Comics: De avonturen van Nero en Co, De Nerovingers

In 1961, a new album in the series De avonturen van Nero en Co (The Adventures of Nero and Co), entitled De Nerovingers, was published by Het Volk. The comic had originally been serialised in the newspaper between 9 September and 25 December 1960. The story was written and illustrated by the Belgian cartoonist Marc Sleen. Its main characters include Nero, Jan Spier, the original owner of the helmet, Madam Nero, Meneer Pheip, Petoetje, Petatje, Madam Pheip, Captain Tuizentfloot, Detective Van Zwam, Doctor Professor Markus Liberius, the Donkey of Saint Nicholas, Guust the seal, and Trees the cow.

De Nerovingers Cover

De Nerovingers
- black and white
- publisher: Het Volk
- never published in English
- drawings by Marc Sleen
- story by Marc Sleen

Nero and Jan Spier

Meneer Pheip and Madam Nero

The series De avonturen van Nero en Co (The Adventures of Nero and Co) ran from 1947 until 2002. Marc Sleen wrote and illustrated all the stories until 1992, when he hired Dirk Stallaert as his drawing assistant. Sleen holds the world record for the highest number of comic-book issues drawn by the same author. In 2002, Stallaert joined Studio Vandersteen, after which Marc Sleen decided to end the series permanently.

Madam Pheip, Petatje and Petoetje

Meneer Pheip, Detective Van Zwam, Nero and Madam Nero

The comic series was first published in the newspaper De Nieuwe Gids in 1947 under the title De avonturen van detective Van Zwam (The Adventures of Detective Van Zwam). After the first eight stories, Nero whose real name was Schoonpaard (changed to Heiremans in later reprints) became the central character.

the original owner of the helmet

Nero and Captain Tuizentfloot

In 1950, Marc Sleen left De Nieuwe Gids and joined the newspaper Het Volk. Initially, the comics were published in three instalments under the title De avonturen van Nero en zijn hoed (The Adventures of Nero and His Hat). From 1951 onwards, the series was published as De avonturen van Nero en Co (The Adventures of Nero and Co).

the Donkey of Saint Nicholas

Petatje, Petoetje, Guust the seal

Synopsis
Nero goes to eat a few portions of chips at Jan Spier’s place. Afterwards, Jan and Nero decide to go for a pint when, quite unexpectedly, a strange helmet is thrown out of a window...

Trees the cow, Nero, Madam Nero

Doctor Professor Markus Liberius is a caricature of the director and composer Marcel Oger

References

The title is a reference to the Merovingian dynasty (481–751).
De Kroet is a reference to Belgian politician Herman De Croo.
Reference to Article 6 of the Belgian Constitution: “Provincial subdivisions can only be established by law.”
Reference to the French singer Gilbert Bécaud.
Markus Liberius is a caricature of the director and composer Marcel Oger.
Reference to the German composer Richard Wagner.
Reference to John F. Kennedy, who at the time was the Democratic Party’s candidate in the US presidential election.
Reference to the American singer and actor Elvis Presley.
Reference to the city of Antwerp.