Willy Linthout is born in Eksaarde near Lokeren, Belgium in 1953. He was a comics collector when he met Flemish comedian Urbanus. They decided to create a comic strip based on the character Urbanus, Urbanus.
The first album appeared in 1983, and it soon became of the most popular Flemish comic strips.
So far, 135 albums have appeared. Linthout also collaborates on the popular Kiekeboe comic strip of Merho, and has created together with Luc Cromheecke the series Roboboy.
2007: nominated for the Stripschapprijs Album of the Year (Dutch, literary) for The Year of the Elephant part 1 2008: nominated for the Prix Saint-Michel for best Dutch language comic 2009: Bronzen Adhemar for The Year of the Elephant 2010: nominated for the Eisner for Best United States. Edition of International Material and Best Writer/Artist-Nonfiction 2010: nominated for the Award for Best Dutch Language Youth Comic at the Stripschapprizes for Roboboy 6 2010: nominated for the Award for Best Dutch Language Comic at the Prix Saint-Michel for The Year of the Elephant.
