Sixty -year -old Michiel van de Pol has been a strip maker for half his life. His work is pronounced funny, in which his natural narrative voice is particularly noticeable. Even more than his witty drawing style, which swings and is recognizable from thousands, is a breed narrator of the Pol. His timing is perfect.
His work can be serious if it has to and will continue to run completely if possible. So is his comic The sensitive men’s club Totally torn from the pot from 2020. Just look: if Harry’s wife Vera decides from now on to go through life naked and develops “an assertive basis for men”, Harry concludes The sensitive men’s club To ask for help. Their solutions are far -fetched, but especially the utmost chat stories of the men are to enjoy.
The jury calls his work “always at least good for a smile to a genuine smile”. According to the jury report, Van de Pol knows how to approach serious developments with a joke and convert it into a strong sample of high level. With that he tackles the medium strip completely authentically and inventively (…) and has developed this into a true art form. ”
Van de Pol broke through in 2006 by winning the comic struggle, a competition for comic talent organized by Het Parool and Comic House, which connected him to that newspaper for two years. He signed contributions for NRC.Next and Zone 5300, and published numerous comics in -house. His work is often autobiographical and completely honest. He shares doubts, fears and embarrassing situations with his audience, including those of his family. Van de Pol does that smart: he portrays himself one time as a hero, then comfortably as Schlemiel. His wife and daughters always get a little better off.
For his first graphic novel, Back to JohanIn 2011 he received the Willy Vandersteen prize for the best album of the year. His most recent book is How I made my fortune as a live cartoonistfrom 2022. In it, Van de Pol shows what it is like to illuminate things at company meetings as a cartoonist. He provides transparent processes, makes connections and draws quinks. He is honest about that so -called fortune: it provides income, from comics alone you cannot live.
Since 1974, the Stripschaprijs has been awarded annually by the comics, the Dutch Association of Interest Association for the Cartoon. Earlier the prize went to Aimée de Jongh, Typex, Barbara Stok, Peter van Dongen and Joost Swarte.