Youth Philately

Youth Philately in Belgium

On 29 January 2007 a stamp was released on the theme Youth Philately in Belgium. The postage stamp features comic figure Alix, which was created by the French artist Jacques Martin in 1948.

Adventure

Alix's adventures began in 53 BC and took him to every part of the Roman Empire, from Gaul to China and Africa to Mesopotamia. During his travels he has ended up embroiled in the most tragic intrigues, found him self in the middle of violent wars and uncovered some shady conspiracies.
Alix was born a Gallic slave, but was adopted by a Roman at an early age and thus became a citizen of Rome. The recurring theme in the stories is Alix's pride in his Roman citizenship. He is not Gallic at all any more; in fact he rejects his roots, illustrating the power and influence of Rome in every echelon of society at the time.

Well researched

Alix's adventures are extremely well researched, making them the ideal way to learn about Classical Antiquity. The albums contain gorgeously crafted drawings and the stories are set in a very realistic historical context. You could be tricked into thinking that Alix is a comic strip for grownups, but children are attracted by the stories, not least due to the character Enak, the young friend who accompanies Alix on many of his adventures.
The postage stamp issue highlighting this interesting character is a fitting tribute to a hero who has guided us through the Roman Empire over the course of 25 comic books.

Stamp in detail

Date of issue: 29 January 2007
Drawing. Jacques Martin
Stamp design: MVTM
Stamp size: 40.20 mm x 27.66 mm
Number of plates: 4

More information

Marc Sleen Comic stamp issue

Stampilou