Jack Jacky & the Juniors
Encyclopedia
Jack Jacky & the Juniors (Jan Jans en de Kinderen) is a Dutch
comic strip by Jan Kruis
chronicling the events of an average family. In 1999 he handed over his creations to Studio Kruis.
. Putting names and faces to a previously unused title, Kruis modelled the female part of the family after his wife Els (Jacky) and his daughters Leonie (Karlijn; English name unknown) and Andrea (Catootje; English name unknown). Jack resembled a previously designed character. There were also a dog called Lotje (a male character with a feminine name) and a red cat who was initially referred to as Edgar Allan Poe
s (poes being the Dutch word for a female cat). Problem though was that Kruis also worked for rival magazine Margriet; thus his early efforts were credited to Andries.
JJJ started out as a traditional family with a Jack being a nine-to-five worker and Jacky a housewife serving dinner at six, but from gag 2 onwards it was clear that a change was gonna come. Inspired by a life-changing magazine-article (apparently taken from Libelle) Jacky decides to break out of her daily routine and become a social worker; however, she backs down when she sees the others cry (pets included).
A year later Jacky gives it another try and takes a job at a major international bank; in the succeeding gag it transpires that there's more money lost than made, with only 7 cents profit. Kruis' colleague Martin Lodewijk
and his James Bond
-spoof Agent 327
, are both given a cameo in the frame where Jacky leaves for the tube-station (Kruis was originally asked to draw the comic that would become Agent 327 but passed on the offer to Lodewijk). Jack and the Juniors can't cope with her daytime-absence and trick Jacky into resigning by staging a prank-call suggesting that the girl from across the road is around expressing an overwhelming interest in Jack.
Kruis makes regular Hitchock
-style appearances; in 1972 he features in gags 67 and 68 as a struggling artist embroiled in a war with the taxmen. Having lost all his possessions he's now forced to sell his treasured Mary Ginger (Dutch: Rooie Marietje) as well because he can no longer look after her. JJJ take the 21-year-old Austin MG over, which has since become another trademark (apart from a 1978 flirt with the Talbot Horizon).
Previously, in gag 37, Jack bought a cast-off from a candy manufacturer which appeared to be designed for a carnival parade, and therefore a cut-price item. The Juniors loved it, but Jacky was hugely embarrassed and threatened to "file for divorce" if Jack dared "to park that monster in front of (our) doorstep".
In gag 81, Catootje introduces her jocular classmate Joe (Dutch name: Jeroen) who rhymes almost anything with "Shit on your...". Catootje likes to refer to Joe as her fiance and insists that they're going to get married.
Health food is another recurring subject; in gag 18 Jacky fears that she's going fat and puts Jack in his tracksuit after confessing that he's getting overweight himself. Two gags later Jacky is given ten days to fit back in her best dress (she appears to have lost too much weight) because she's invited for a party at Jack's parent company Shelvron
. In 1973, in gag 125, Jacky launches the first of several attempts to turn the family to vegan and bio-organic food. Jack refuses to settle for two pieces of raddish and jogs his way to the chip stall to eat himself a stomachache. The doctor accuses Jacky of being ignorant.
Back in 1971, Lotje was the first pet to be given a solo-spot (gag 34). Edgar got his three year's later (gag 166); he appears to have never recovered from his castration and will later refer to himself as a "You-know cat" (Dutch: "Je-weet-wel kater"). Edgar already appeared to be a pacifist who refuses to kill mice (as previously seen in gag 62 when he retaliated against his derogatory nickname tea-cosy by staging a charade). However, his sudden loss of sex-power is compensated with the gift to philosophise
on the deepest of issues.
In gag 185 an ageing Siamese cat joined the pets; the women love her, but Edgar, Lotje and Jack view on her as an intruder. Still, the latter is chosen as the place to lay her head. Two gags later it is found out by coincidence that her name is Loeder, which closely translates as bitch. And a bitch she is; in gag 193 she has Edgar and Lotje framed for plundering the fridge. No food is their punishment. Early 1976 Edgar was punished again, but this time he only had himself to blame as the so-called vegetarian chose to steal 1,5 kilograms worth of cod for an eat-to-regret-exeperience (a punishment in itself).
Meanwhile Loedertje gave birth to six kittens (the results of her wild nights out) on Jack's side of the bed; finding herself unfit to be a mother she upped and left for almost a year. Edgar kindly stepped up as a foster-parent but six weeks down the line Jack decided to sell the lot. Much to Edgar's distaste (and Catootje's), Jack insisted that the newspaper-advert would state the kittens' non-existing fondness for cheap cat food. Catootje had the advert quickly amended to "they only like coffee-cake, liquorice, bills and wool".
Meanwhile Karlijn began dating boys, starting off with Mike; tall, handsome and black. Catootje, keen on the idea of becoming an aunt to black kids, took him to heart as a friendly ear while Joe dug him for his football-skills. Done with the exchange of deeper thoughts on life, Karlijn moved on to the martial-arts practising Ho-Wang.
In 1976 the family moved with from the big city
to the countryside
shortly after Joe did so. Catootje assumed that she'd get a pony upon arrival but faced a huge reality-check; slapped by an overexhausted Jacky for continuously nagging, and later told that costs didn't add up after the relocation. When Jack said that in his days he'd be "happy to settle for a handful of sweets and a box of crayons" for the December-festivities, Catootje accused him of being horsephobic. Thanks to the neighbour she'd finally got what she wanted. Catootje was happy to look after Fury (Kobus) but she was also confronted with his stubborn nature (her 1979 horse-track debut being the worst moment). Later, on the eve of losing his unpermittedly-built stable, Fury admitted his dislike of horseriding but added that he felt sorry for Catootje (should worst scenario come true).
Back in 1974 (gag 183) Karlijn had become a vegetarian; Catootje showed initial interest, but coming home for dinner after a waver-banning protest at the butcher she decided that she couldn't give up her meat-balls and pork chop. The teenage vegetarian that everyone remembers began in earnest late 1977, stating that she would only eat meat from well-treated animals (Fury for example) and attempting to spoil many a Christmas dinner by tackling subjects as world hunger and caged cattle. The others refuse to give in and while they have stuffed turkey, Karlijn sticks to plain rice or an apple.
They both stayed around at the same time; Hanna was in the final stage of her pregnancy and early 1981 she gave birth to a daughter whom she wanted to name Emmeline
Germaine
Hedy, after international key-figures in women's emancipation. Jack seemed to disregard her wishes by registring the baby as Sientje, after his grand-aunt; he then explained that she was a strong-minded woman to him because she always helped out those in need.
Grandad wasn't having any of that unmarried lesbian stuff and was quoted "In my days we used to call unmarried mothers fallen girls", but in 1986 he grew closer to Hanna when the pair looked after the farmhouse while JJJ went on holiday.
A year earlier, a special gag was published suggesting what the family will look like in 20 years time should they start growing older again; on the first day of the new millennium, a greying Jack and Jacky (now surrounded by bagpuss twins and Lotje's grandson) welcome the Juniors and their offspring. Karlijn has trained to be a nurse on the Netherlands Antilles
and returned with her husband William; they have a son and a newborn daughter. Catootje and Joe live together at the old farmhouse (which Joe restores while looking for a school teacher job) raising twins who appear to be naughtier versions of their former selves.
Karlijn's son would've been called Harold; this name was given to the boy who made his debut in 1981 showing off his muscles and presents given to him by his divorcee father. Joe is not impressed and sees his biggest fear confirmed; Catootje breaks up their relationship. Trying to win her back he gets a punk make-over, much to his parents' dismay. Adding to this, Jack ironically suggested to get himself a mohawk, Jacky a green Number One-cut and re-christening the family to "Punk, Punky and the Punkettes". Catootje responded by saying "That's not such a bad idea". Joe soon grew out of his new image and even made up with Harold to the extent that Catootje found herself excluded from events deemed unsuitable for girls.
In 1988 Jacky's emigre mother Stien came over from the States
; she stayed for over a year and got very friendly with Grandad. Her American accent reminded Catootje of Dutch
-based UK
actor/dancer Barry Stevens.
Reading Karlijn's French history book Lotje started thinking that he's Napoleon and starts wearing a folded newspaper and addressing the cats as "humble folks". Interrupted by a 1990 Diego Maradona
-phase, this lasted for six years.
The birth of Gertje, who has since grown into a toddler, meant that Hanna and Sientje became surplus to requirements.
-made cartoon-series; two episodes were released on a now-deleted DVD.
In 2003 Jacky had another make-over. Jack was kindly surprised and almost believed that he took a strange woman to see his place
In 2005 JJJ were converted into a musical.
2006 saw the first in a row of theme-issues such as fashion, parenthood, holidays, puberty and horse-riding.
After years without a steady boyfriend, Karlijn is now dating Thomas. Her class-mate and best female friend Germaine (another name-resurrection after Harold) was the topic of conversation in album 33. In 2009 Karlijn was given a 5 page solo-series in the Dutch version of Jetix Girl
.
Since January 5, 2010 Edgar appears in his own series of triple-framers made for Metro-style newspaper Spits.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
comic strip by Jan Kruis
Jan Kruis
Jan Kruis is a Dutch comics artist.He began creating comics as a child. Later he worked for the Dutch comics pioneer Marten Toonder....
chronicling the events of an average family. In 1999 he handed over his creations to Studio Kruis.
1970s; early developments
In September 1970 Jan Kruis was approached by women's weekly magazine Libelle to draw a one-page comic strip to replace longtime fixture Bessie BunterBessie Bunter
Elizabeth Gertrude Bunter, better known as Bessie Bunter, is a fictional character created by Charles Hamilton, who also created her more famous brother Billy Bunter.-History:...
. Putting names and faces to a previously unused title, Kruis modelled the female part of the family after his wife Els (Jacky) and his daughters Leonie (Karlijn; English name unknown) and Andrea (Catootje; English name unknown). Jack resembled a previously designed character. There were also a dog called Lotje (a male character with a feminine name) and a red cat who was initially referred to as Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe was an American author, poet, editor and literary critic, considered part of the American Romantic Movement. Best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, Poe was one of the earliest American practitioners of the short story and is considered the inventor of the detective...
s (poes being the Dutch word for a female cat). Problem though was that Kruis also worked for rival magazine Margriet; thus his early efforts were credited to Andries.
JJJ started out as a traditional family with a Jack being a nine-to-five worker and Jacky a housewife serving dinner at six, but from gag 2 onwards it was clear that a change was gonna come. Inspired by a life-changing magazine-article (apparently taken from Libelle) Jacky decides to break out of her daily routine and become a social worker; however, she backs down when she sees the others cry (pets included).
A year later Jacky gives it another try and takes a job at a major international bank; in the succeeding gag it transpires that there's more money lost than made, with only 7 cents profit. Kruis' colleague Martin Lodewijk
Martin Lodewijk
Martinus Spyridon Johannes Lodewijk is a Dutch comics writer and cartoonist, and advertising adviser.Martin Lodewijk was born in Rotterdam. He dropped out of high school in 1957, and started drawing cartoons, notably of spacecraft and pirates...
and his James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
-spoof Agent 327
Agent 327
Agent 327 is a playful Dutch action/comedy comic series by artist Martin Lodewijk from 1966 onward, with a hiatus between 1983 and 2000. Featuring the eponymous Agent 327 as a James Bond/Maxwell Smart-like Dutch secret agent who fights for "Righteousness and World Peace", his looks are based on the...
, are both given a cameo in the frame where Jacky leaves for the tube-station (Kruis was originally asked to draw the comic that would become Agent 327 but passed on the offer to Lodewijk). Jack and the Juniors can't cope with her daytime-absence and trick Jacky into resigning by staging a prank-call suggesting that the girl from across the road is around expressing an overwhelming interest in Jack.
Kruis makes regular Hitchock
Alfred Hitchcock
Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE was a British film director and producer. He pioneered many techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres. After a successful career in British cinema in both silent films and early talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood...
-style appearances; in 1972 he features in gags 67 and 68 as a struggling artist embroiled in a war with the taxmen. Having lost all his possessions he's now forced to sell his treasured Mary Ginger (Dutch: Rooie Marietje) as well because he can no longer look after her. JJJ take the 21-year-old Austin MG over, which has since become another trademark (apart from a 1978 flirt with the Talbot Horizon).
Previously, in gag 37, Jack bought a cast-off from a candy manufacturer which appeared to be designed for a carnival parade, and therefore a cut-price item. The Juniors loved it, but Jacky was hugely embarrassed and threatened to "file for divorce" if Jack dared "to park that monster in front of (our) doorstep".
In gag 81, Catootje introduces her jocular classmate Joe (Dutch name: Jeroen) who rhymes almost anything with "Shit on your...". Catootje likes to refer to Joe as her fiance and insists that they're going to get married.
Health food is another recurring subject; in gag 18 Jacky fears that she's going fat and puts Jack in his tracksuit after confessing that he's getting overweight himself. Two gags later Jacky is given ten days to fit back in her best dress (she appears to have lost too much weight) because she's invited for a party at Jack's parent company Shelvron
Shell Oil Company
Shell Oil Company is the United States-based subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell, a multinational oil company of Anglo Dutch origins, which is amongst the largest oil companies in the world. Approximately 22,000 Shell employees are based in the U.S. The head office in the U.S. is in Houston, Texas...
. In 1973, in gag 125, Jacky launches the first of several attempts to turn the family to vegan and bio-organic food. Jack refuses to settle for two pieces of raddish and jogs his way to the chip stall to eat himself a stomachache. The doctor accuses Jacky of being ignorant.
Mid to late 1970s
Three years down the line, Kruis decides to freeze the characters' ages; Jack and Jacky are in their late 30s, Karlijn is 14 while Catootje and Joe are 10-year-olds (or 8-year-olds) for life.Back in 1971, Lotje was the first pet to be given a solo-spot (gag 34). Edgar got his three year's later (gag 166); he appears to have never recovered from his castration and will later refer to himself as a "You-know cat" (Dutch: "Je-weet-wel kater"). Edgar already appeared to be a pacifist who refuses to kill mice (as previously seen in gag 62 when he retaliated against his derogatory nickname tea-cosy by staging a charade). However, his sudden loss of sex-power is compensated with the gift to philosophise
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
on the deepest of issues.
In gag 185 an ageing Siamese cat joined the pets; the women love her, but Edgar, Lotje and Jack view on her as an intruder. Still, the latter is chosen as the place to lay her head. Two gags later it is found out by coincidence that her name is Loeder, which closely translates as bitch. And a bitch she is; in gag 193 she has Edgar and Lotje framed for plundering the fridge. No food is their punishment. Early 1976 Edgar was punished again, but this time he only had himself to blame as the so-called vegetarian chose to steal 1,5 kilograms worth of cod for an eat-to-regret-exeperience (a punishment in itself).
Meanwhile Loedertje gave birth to six kittens (the results of her wild nights out) on Jack's side of the bed; finding herself unfit to be a mother she upped and left for almost a year. Edgar kindly stepped up as a foster-parent but six weeks down the line Jack decided to sell the lot. Much to Edgar's distaste (and Catootje's), Jack insisted that the newspaper-advert would state the kittens' non-existing fondness for cheap cat food. Catootje had the advert quickly amended to "they only like coffee-cake, liquorice, bills and wool".
Meanwhile Karlijn began dating boys, starting off with Mike; tall, handsome and black. Catootje, keen on the idea of becoming an aunt to black kids, took him to heart as a friendly ear while Joe dug him for his football-skills. Done with the exchange of deeper thoughts on life, Karlijn moved on to the martial-arts practising Ho-Wang.
In 1976 the family moved with from the big city
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
to the countryside
Drenthe
Drenthe is a province of the Netherlands, located in the north-east of the country. The capital city is Assen. It is bordered by Overijssel to the south, Friesland to the west, Groningen to the north, and Germany to the east.-History:Drenthe, unlike many other parts of the Netherlands, has been a...
shortly after Joe did so. Catootje assumed that she'd get a pony upon arrival but faced a huge reality-check; slapped by an overexhausted Jacky for continuously nagging, and later told that costs didn't add up after the relocation. When Jack said that in his days he'd be "happy to settle for a handful of sweets and a box of crayons" for the December-festivities, Catootje accused him of being horsephobic. Thanks to the neighbour she'd finally got what she wanted. Catootje was happy to look after Fury (Kobus) but she was also confronted with his stubborn nature (her 1979 horse-track debut being the worst moment). Later, on the eve of losing his unpermittedly-built stable, Fury admitted his dislike of horseriding but added that he felt sorry for Catootje (should worst scenario come true).
Back in 1974 (gag 183) Karlijn had become a vegetarian; Catootje showed initial interest, but coming home for dinner after a waver-banning protest at the butcher she decided that she couldn't give up her meat-balls and pork chop. The teenage vegetarian that everyone remembers began in earnest late 1977, stating that she would only eat meat from well-treated animals (Fury for example) and attempting to spoil many a Christmas dinner by tackling subjects as world hunger and caged cattle. The others refuse to give in and while they have stuffed turkey, Karlijn sticks to plain rice or an apple.
1980s
In 1980 two new characters were introduced; Jack's Conservative-minded Dad Gerrit and Jacky's lesbian feminist cousin Hanna.They both stayed around at the same time; Hanna was in the final stage of her pregnancy and early 1981 she gave birth to a daughter whom she wanted to name Emmeline
Emmeline Pankhurst
Emmeline Pankhurst was a British political activist and leader of the British suffragette movement which helped women win the right to vote...
Germaine
Germaine Greer
Germaine Greer is an Australian writer, academic, journalist and scholar of early modern English literature, widely regarded as one of the most significant feminist voices of the later 20th century....
Hedy, after international key-figures in women's emancipation. Jack seemed to disregard her wishes by registring the baby as Sientje, after his grand-aunt; he then explained that she was a strong-minded woman to him because she always helped out those in need.
Grandad wasn't having any of that unmarried lesbian stuff and was quoted "In my days we used to call unmarried mothers fallen girls", but in 1986 he grew closer to Hanna when the pair looked after the farmhouse while JJJ went on holiday.
A year earlier, a special gag was published suggesting what the family will look like in 20 years time should they start growing older again; on the first day of the new millennium, a greying Jack and Jacky (now surrounded by bagpuss twins and Lotje's grandson) welcome the Juniors and their offspring. Karlijn has trained to be a nurse on the Netherlands Antilles
Netherlands Antilles
The Netherlands Antilles , also referred to informally as the Dutch Antilles, was an autonomous Caribbean country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, consisting of two groups of islands in the Lesser Antilles: Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao , in Leeward Antilles just off the Venezuelan coast; and Sint...
and returned with her husband William; they have a son and a newborn daughter. Catootje and Joe live together at the old farmhouse (which Joe restores while looking for a school teacher job) raising twins who appear to be naughtier versions of their former selves.
Karlijn's son would've been called Harold; this name was given to the boy who made his debut in 1981 showing off his muscles and presents given to him by his divorcee father. Joe is not impressed and sees his biggest fear confirmed; Catootje breaks up their relationship. Trying to win her back he gets a punk make-over, much to his parents' dismay. Adding to this, Jack ironically suggested to get himself a mohawk, Jacky a green Number One-cut and re-christening the family to "Punk, Punky and the Punkettes". Catootje responded by saying "That's not such a bad idea". Joe soon grew out of his new image and even made up with Harold to the extent that Catootje found herself excluded from events deemed unsuitable for girls.
In 1988 Jacky's emigre mother Stien came over from the States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
; she stayed for over a year and got very friendly with Grandad. Her American accent reminded Catootje of Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
-based UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
actor/dancer Barry Stevens.
Reading Karlijn's French history book Lotje started thinking that he's Napoleon and starts wearing a folded newspaper and addressing the cats as "humble folks". Interrupted by a 1990 Diego Maradona
Diego Maradona
Diego Armando Maradona is a retired Argentine football player and widely regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time. Over the course of his professional club career Maradona played for Argentinos Juniors, Boca Juniors, Barcelona, Napoli, Sevilla and Newell's Old Boys, setting...
-phase, this lasted for six years.
1990s
The decade that belongs to Jacky; she developed a passing crush on her piano-teacher (Jean-Pierre, ten years her junior) and entered 1994 by forming a political party (the women's rights-themed VM '94) after losing her job at the fashion boutique. With this career-move the time was finally right to say goodbye to the bowler-cut after a mere 25 years. Jacky also managed to give birth to a son, Gertje. This was belatedly documented in 1999 for an anti-smoking advert. Grandad came to see his new namesake, but Jack insisted that he took the ever-present cigar out of his mouth. "It's your grandchild's future we're talking about".The birth of Gertje, who has since grown into a toddler, meant that Hanna and Sientje became surplus to requirements.
2000s
In 2002 JJJ were converted into a PolishPoland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
-made cartoon-series; two episodes were released on a now-deleted DVD.
In 2003 Jacky had another make-over. Jack was kindly surprised and almost believed that he took a strange woman to see his place
In 2005 JJJ were converted into a musical.
2006 saw the first in a row of theme-issues such as fashion, parenthood, holidays, puberty and horse-riding.
After years without a steady boyfriend, Karlijn is now dating Thomas. Her class-mate and best female friend Germaine (another name-resurrection after Harold) was the topic of conversation in album 33. In 2009 Karlijn was given a 5 page solo-series in the Dutch version of Jetix Girl
Jetix (Netherlands)
Jetix was a children's television programming brand owned by Disney-ABC Television Group broadcast in the Netherlands. It was previously known as Fox Kids. This version of the channel was also available in Belgium on Telenet and TV Vlaanderen and Belgacom TV...
.
Since January 5, 2010 Edgar appears in his own series of triple-framers made for Metro-style newspaper Spits.