- Born
- Died
- Birth nameMarcel Neels
- Marc Sleen was born on December 30, 1922 in Gentbrugge, Belgium. He was a director and writer, known for Safari: Serengeti National Park (1976), Afrika op stelten (1977) and Safari met Marc Sleen (1968). He was married to Magdalena Paelinck and Catherine. He died on November 6, 2016 in Hoeilaart, Flanders, Belgium.
- SpousesMagdalena Paelinck(1945 - July 13, 2008) (her death)Catherine(? - November 6, 2016) (his death)
- In October 1947, Marc Sleen started a new series, The adventures of detective Van Zwam in the newspaper De Nieuwe Gids. In the first adventure Detective Van Zwam encounters a fool who thinks he is emperor Nero. After he regains his senses, they continue calling him Nero and slowly he became the star of the series. The name changes accordingly to The adventures of detective Van Zwam and Nero and after nine stories to The adventures of Nero and co. The series appeared for 55 years with a rhythm of two strips every day. This was typical for the Flemish comic tradition, as with Suske en Wiske (Spike and Suzy).
- Growing up, Sleen devoured books and was a fervent drawer.
- He was one of the few comics artists in Belgium who had a museum dedicated to his work.
- Sleen joined the daily De Standaard after the war becoming its chief draughtsman. He produces courtroom sketches, portraits and even maps.
- He studied drawing in Ghent. During the Second World War he was imprisoned by Nazi soldiers in Fort Breendonk because his brother worked for the resistance. He was tortured and put in the death cell, but saved by the fact that D-Day broke out and the officers took away all the prisoners to a different prison, where he could escape.
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