Tante Sidonia
| Tante Sidonia | |
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| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Standaard Uitgeverij (Belgium) |
| First appearance |
Suske en Wiske: Rikki en Wiske in Chocowakije (1945). |
| Created by | Willy Vandersteen |
Tante Sidonia is a Flemish comics character from the Belgian comics series Suske en Wiske. In the franchise she is the aunt of Wiske and the adoptive aunt of Suske, of whom she both takes care.
In the original Flemish publications her name was Sidonie, while the translations in the Netherlands named her Sidonia. After the series changed to Algemeen Beschaafd Nederlands in 1964 the character was changed to her definitive name Sidonia. She even announces this to the readers at the start of the album "De Nerveuze Nerviërs" ("The Nervous Nervii") (1964). In English translations of the series, she has been called Aunt Agatha, Aunt Sidonia, and Aunt Sybil.
Tante Sidonia is Suske and Wiske's guardian. Willy Vandersteen created her because, according to him, "a real mother would never allow her children to go on adventure like Suske and Wiske do". Despite that Sidonia still protects and defends them at all cost.
Sidonia is an older, bespectacled woman who is thin and tall. She has a large chin, big nose, a huge quiff and big feet. Because of her unattractive physical features she is frequently mocked by other characters, especially Lambik. One of the most frequently uttered insults are comparisons between her and a coat stand. One of the running gags is that she often throws her shoe against the back of Lambik's head after he insulted her. Understandably, Sidonia feels very insecure about her appearance. During trips she often takes large trunks full with beauty measures along with her. In "De Jolige Joffer" ("The Jolly Joffer" (1986) she changes her face with a magical spell to become more attractive. In "Het Babbelende Bad" ("The Talking Bath") (2008) she visits a plastic surgeon.
Sidonia is a spinster. She often tries to seduce other men, especially Lambik whom she secretly loves. In "De Lachende Wolf" ("The Laughing Wolf") (1952) she says she wouldn't go to Canada if Lambik asked her hand in marriage, a plea he ignores. In "Sjeik el Rojenbiet" ("Sheik Rojenbiet") (1963) Lambik imitates Ramon Novarro and tells Sidonia "I love you", which she takes seriously until he tells her he was only joking. In "De Poenschepper" ("The Money Shoveler") (1963) it is revealed that she built a secret shrine for Lambik, who has been missing for several months. While her love for Lambik remains unrequited - as stipulated in Vandersteen's testament - her search for a partner has sometimes been fruitful, but either the men turn out to be villains or her love for Suske, Wiske and her friends gets the upper hand.
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