Rob-Vel
Early Life
Robert Velter, better known by his pen name Rob-Vel, was born on February 9, 1909, in Paris, France. He was the son of a painter and decorator, which likely influenced his early interest in art.
Career
Rob-Vel began his career as a decorator for shop windows, but his passion for drawing led him to pursue a career in cartooning. He started working for the French newspaper "Le Matin" where he created several comic strips. However, his most famous creation, Spirou, came later when he was working for the Belgian publisher Dupuis.
Spirou
In 1938, Rob-Vel created the character Spirou for the Belgian comic book magazine "Le Journal de Spirou". Spirou, a young bellboy, quickly became popular among readers. Rob-Vel continued to draw Spirou until 1943, when he was replaced by Jijé due to the difficulties of the Second World War.
Later Life and Death
After leaving Spirou, Rob-Vel continued to work in the comic book industry, creating several other characters. However, none of them achieved the same level of success as Spirou. Rob-Vel died on April 27, 1991, in Saint-Malo, France.
Legacy
Rob-Vel's creation, Spirou, continues to be one of the most popular characters in Franco-Belgian comics. Several other artists and writers have continued the Spirou series, keeping Rob-Vel's legacy alive.