Bored Panda reached out to Pieter De Poortere to hear the story behind his iconic character Dickie and what keeps him going after all these years. The artist revealed that "Boerke" (Dickie) means “little farmer” in Dutch. "I grew up in the countryside, so that’s where the original inspiration came from. Over time, though, Dickie has evolved far beyond that setting—you can now find him in almost any situation: in space, as a historical figure, a businessman, and more. But one thing remains constant—he’s always the loser."
Dickie is a pantomime comic with no dialogue, so we were curious about the challenges this style presents. "It definitely requires more creativity, since I have to tell everything without words," the artist shared. "For readers, it can also be a bit of a challenge—you really have to pay attention to catch the joke. But that’s part of the fun."
Dickie has been around for over 20 years, so we asked Pieter how he stays inspired and motivated after spending so long with the same character. He told us, "Bad things keep happening—just look at the world today. As long as there’s hardship, there will always be a place for losers like Dickie."
Pieter explained that Dickie’s dark humor is his way of processing the world around him. "When something worries me or I find something deeply troubling, I turn it into a comic. I try to make people laugh—but also, sometimes, to make them think."
