Le Lombard

Le Lombard is a Belgian comic-book publishing brand whose origins are closely tied to the creation of Tintin magazine in 1946. It was established by Raymond Leblanc and business partners as Les Éditions du Lombard, with the initial objective of producing an illustrated publication for young readers. The founders identified Tintin, the already established character created by Hergé, as the ideal central figure for the project. André Sinave approached Hergé, who at the time had limited publishing options because of legal proceedings connected to his wartime work for Le Soir. After consulting Edgar Pierre Jacobs, Hergé agreed to participate. The first issue of Tintin magazine appeared on 26 September 1946, the same date on which the publishing company was established. The launch was simultaneously supported by a Dutch-language edition titled Kuifje, using the Dutch name for Tintin. The initial print run reportedly consisted of 40,000 French-language copies and 20,000 Dutch-language copies. This bilingual launch gave Le Lombard a distinctive position in Belgium's linguistically divided publishing environment and connected the company from its beginning with a readership extending beyond a single language community. Over time, Le Lombard developed from a publisher associated with one flagship magazine into a broader comics house. Its catalogue has included serialized and album-format European comics, including works created by different combinations of writers and artists. The company has also published titles connected with established franchises and has participated in the international circulation of European comics. Among the works identified in reference material are Crusade, written by Jean Dufaux and illustrated by Philippe Xavier, and Angry Birds Stella. A major corporate turning point came in 1986, when Le Lombard was acquired by Média-Participations. The acquisition placed it alongside other major European comics publishers, including Dargaud and Dupuis, within the same wider group. Despite common ownership, the publishing entities retained editorial independence. This structure allowed Le Lombard to operate as a recognizable editorial imprint while benefiting from association with a larger publishing organization. The company adopted the shorter public name Le Lombard in 1989, after having been known as Les Éditions du Lombard. In more recent years, the publisher has continued to release approximately one hundred titles annually according to the cited reference material. Its activities have also extended into digital and international collaboration. In 2015, Le Lombard joined twelve other European comics publishing organizations in creating Europe Comics, a digital initiative supported by the European Commission's Creative Europe programme. The initiative reflected the industry's effort to make European comics more accessible across language and national markets. Le Lombard's identity therefore combines Belgian publishing history, Franco-Belgian comics traditions, multilingual distribution, and participation in a larger European media group. Its historical significance rests particularly on the early Tintin magazine venture, while its contemporary role is that of an active comics publisher operating with editorial autonomy inside Média-Participations.

Le Lombard was created in Belgium on 26 September 1946 by Raymond Leblanc and partners. The company's original name was Les Éditions du Lombard, and its first major undertaking was the launch of Tintin magazine. The founders wanted to establish an illustrated youth publication and considered Tintin an appropriate central character because the figure was already well known. André Sinave approached Hergé, Tintin's creator, to discuss the project. Hergé had been working for Le Soir during the Second World War and was facing prosecution related to collaboration allegations, leaving him without a publisher at that point. Following discussions with his friend and collaborator Edgar Pierre Jacobs, Hergé agreed to the proposal. Tintin magazine's first issue was published on the company's founding date. A French-language edition was accompanied by a Dutch-language edition called Kuifje. The reported initial print run was 40,000 copies in French and 20,000 in Dutch. This simultaneous bilingual launch was important to the publisher's Belgian identity and gave the magazine reach across the country's principal language communities from the outset. Le Lombard subsequently expanded beyond the initial magazine project and became a publisher of European comics in multiple formats. Its catalogue has included comic series and albums by numerous writers and artists, as well as selected licensed or franchise-related works. The reference material identifies Crusade, by writer Jean Dufaux and artist Philippe Xavier, and Angry Birds Stella among titles published by the company. Le Lombard's output has also circulated internationally through translations and licensing arrangements, including the English publication of Crusade by Cinebook. In 1986, Média-Participations acquired Le Lombard. The transaction brought the company into the same corporate group as Dargaud and Dupuis, two other prominent comics publishers. Le Lombard did not disappear as an editorial identity: the companies in the group continued to operate with editorial independence. The name Le Lombard became the standard public name after 1989, replacing the longer Les Éditions du Lombard designation. The publisher remains active and, according to the cited reference, releases around one hundred titles per year. Its modern development has included participation in cross-border digital publishing. In 2015, Le Lombard joined twelve other European comics publishing actors to create Europe Comics. The initiative was co-funded through the European Commission's Creative Europe programme and was intended to support digital access to European comics across linguistic and national boundaries. Le Lombard's history is consequently marked by three connected phases: its foundation through Tintin magazine, its development into a wider European comics catalogue, and its integration into Média-Participations while preserving a distinct editorial operation. The company represents an important Belgian publishing imprint, but its work and partnerships extend across the broader European comics market.

• 2015

  Europe Comics is created

  [1]Le Lombarden.wikipedia.org

  Le Lombard joins twelve other European comics publishing organizations in establishing Europe Comics, a digital initiative supported by the European Commission's Creative Europe programme.

• 1989

  The public name becomes Le Lombard

  [1]Le Lombarden.wikipedia.org

  The publisher moves away from the longer Les Éditions du Lombard name and is known publicly as Le Lombard.

• 1986

  Média-Participations acquires Le Lombard

  [1]Le Lombarden.wikipedia.org

  Le Lombard becomes part of Média-Participations alongside Dargaud and Dupuis, while retaining editorial independence.

• 1946

  Le Lombard is established and Tintin magazine launches

  [1]Le Lombarden.wikipedia.org

  Raymond Leblanc and partners establish Les Éditions du Lombard. The first issue of Tintin magazine is published on 26 September, with a simultaneous Dutch-language edition titled Kuifje.

A Belgian and European comics publisher with roots in the 1946 launch of Tintin magazine, combining a historically important Franco-Belgian comics identity with a broad catalogue and membership in the Média-Participations publishing group.

• Comic magazine · 1946

  Tintin magazine

  Tintin magazine was Le Lombard's foundational publishing project. Launched on 26 September 1946, it was built around Hergé's established Tintin character and positioned as an illustrated youth magazine. The launch included both French and Dutch editions, the latter titled Kuifje, giving the publication an explicitly bilingual Belgian distribution model.

• Dutch-language comic magazine · 1946

  Kuifje

  Kuifje was the Dutch-language edition launched alongside the French Tintin magazine in 1946. The title uses the Dutch name for Tintin and illustrates Le Lombard's early effort to address both major language communities in Belgium.

• Comic series · 2010

  Crusade

  Crusade is a European comic series written by Jean Dufaux and illustrated by Philippe Xavier. Le Lombard published the title in 2010, and the work was subsequently published in Britain by Cinebook, demonstrating the international licensing and translation pathway used for selected Le Lombard comics.

• Licensed franchise comic · 2010

  Angry Birds Stella

  Angry Birds Stella is a franchise-related title listed among Le Lombard's books published in 2010. It represents the publisher's participation in comics connected with an established entertainment property in addition to its traditional European-created catalogue.

• 2015Europe Comics

  Europe · International digital comics markets

  Le Lombard joined twelve other European comics publishing actors to create Europe Comics, a digital initiative intended to support the cross-border availability of European comics. The project received co-funding through the European Commission's Creative Europe programme.

  Outcome. Established a collaborative digital publishing initiative for European comics.

  Source

• 2015

  Participate in collaborative digital distributionStrategy

  Background

  European comics publishers were pursuing greater digital and cross-border reach across fragmented language markets.

  Action taken

  Le Lombard joined twelve other publishing actors in creating Europe Comics with support from the Creative Europe programme.

  Aftermath

  The initiative provided a collective platform for promoting and distributing European comics digitally across national and linguistic borders.

  Source

• 1986

  Join Média-ParticipationsM&A

  Background

  Le Lombard was operating as an established Belgian comics publisher when Média-Participations acquired it.

  Action taken

  The company was integrated into the Média-Participations group alongside Dargaud and Dupuis, while its editorial independence was maintained.

  Aftermath

  Le Lombard continued as a distinct publishing imprint within a larger European comics and media group.

  Source

• 1946

  Launch a bilingual Tintin magazineProduct launch

  Background

  The founders wanted to create an illustrated youth magazine and selected the established Tintin character as its central publishing opportunity. Belgium's French- and Dutch-language readerships shaped the launch plan.

  Action taken

  Le Lombard launched Tintin magazine in French and simultaneously issued the Dutch-language edition Kuifje.

  Aftermath

  The launch established the company's identity and gave it an early presence across Belgium's two principal language markets.

  Source

1. 1Le Lombarden.wikipedia.org