Belgian comics began more than a hundred years ago. Artists discovered that telling a story with pictures and speech bubbles was a brilliant way to entertain both children and grown-ups. The style they invented - detailed drawings, strong outlines, vivid colour - became known around the world as the 'clear line' style.
Tintin is perhaps the most famous Belgian comic character. Created by an artist called Herg茅 in 1929, Tintin is a young reporter who travels the world solving mysteries with his faithful dog Snowy. The books have been translated into more than 70 languages and sold hundreds of millions of copies.
The Smurfs were created by a Belgian artist named Peyo in 1958. These tiny blue creatures live in mushroom houses in the forest and speak a language where almost every verb can be replaced by the word 'smurf'. The Smurfs became a television cartoon and later a series of blockbuster films.
Brussels takes its comic heritage very seriously. The Belgian Comic Strip Centre, housed in a beautiful old building, tells the whole history of Belgian comics with original drawings and life-size characters. Outside on the streets, the 50-plus murals make wandering the city feel like reading a giant picture book.