{{other uses|Le Chat (disambiguation)}} {{Infobox comics character | character_name = Le Chat | image = Le Chat-comics series.png | imagesize = | caption = Main character with the series logo | alt = Publicity shot of Le Chat, resting on a bureau; drawn by Philippe Geluck. | publisher = Casterman (Belgium) | debut = ''Le Soir'' (March 22, 1983) | creators = Philippe Geluck | full_name = | alliances = | supports = | converted = y }}
'''''Le Chat''''' (''Le Cat'' in English-language editions<ref>[https://lechat.com/en/homepage/ Le Chat], official website of Philippe Geluck.</ref>) is a Belgian comic strip, created by Philippe Geluck. Foremost published daily in the newspaper ''Le Soir'' from March 22, 1983, until March 23, 2013,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hln.be/hln/nl/948/Kunst-Literatuur/article/detail/1564937/2013/01/19/De-Kat-verdwijnt-na-dertig-jaar-uit-Waalse-kranten.dhtml|title='De Kat' verdwijnt na dertig jaar uit Waalse kranten|website=Hln.be|accessdate=21 December 2017}}</ref> it is since issued directly as complete albums.
Right from the start, it quickly became one of the bestselling Franco-Belgian comics series and the mascot of ''Le Soir''. While virtually an icon in Francophone Belgium, he is far less well known in Flanders.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lambiek.net/artists/g/geluck_philippe.htm|title = Philippe Geluck}}</ref>
==Concept== ''Le Chat'' is an adult, human-sized obese, anthropomorphic cat who typically wears a suit. He always has the same physical expression. He often comes up with elaborate reasonings which lead to hilariously absurd conclusions e.g. by taking metaphors literally or by adding increasingly unlikely ''what-ifs'' to ordinary situations.
One page in length, it appeared weekly in the "Victor" supplement of Belgian newspaper ''Le Soir''. For Le Chat's 20th anniversary in 2003, Le Soir allowed Geluck to illustrate that day's entire newspaper. An exhibition of Le Chat's history (and that of his creator), "Le Chat s'expose", was first held at the Autoworld Motor Museum in Brussels in Spring 2004, and has since toured Europe. In March–October 2006 it appeared at Les Champs Libres in Rennes.
==In popular culture== [[File:Stripmuur de Kat.jpg|thumb|right|The Brussels' Comic Book Route mural dedicated to ''Le Chat''.]] As part of the Brussels' Comic Book Route a wall in the Zuidlaan/Boulevard du Midi in Brussels was dedicated to "Le Chat"<ref>{{cite web |url=http://jawwalchat.com/ |title=شات دردشة جوال, جوال شبكة فلسطين الاولى |website=jawwalchat.com |access-date=12 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081228084120/http://jawwalchat.com/ |archive-date=28 December 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> in August 1993.
On October 11, 2008, Le Chat received his own market place in Hotton in the Belgian province Luxembourg. A statue of him, sculpted by François Deboucq, was placed in the center, depicting him holding an umbrella which rains water down from inside.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hotton.be/commune/autres-services/citoyennete/une-place-du-chat-a-hotton|title=Une Place du Chat à Hotton — Commune de Hotton|website=Hotton.be|accessdate=21 December 2017}}</ref>
In 2015, "Le Chat" received his own museum.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws.francais/magazine/1.2382131|title=Le Chat de Geluck aura son musée à Bruxelles|website=Deredactie.be|date=3 July 2015|accessdate=21 December 2017}}</ref>
== Bibliography == # ''Le Chat'', 2001 # ''Le Retour du Chat'', 2001 # ''La Vengeance du Chat'', 2002 # ''Le Quatrième Chat'', 2002 # ''Le Chat au Congo'', 2003 # ''Ma langue au Chat'', 2004 # ''Le Chat à Malibu'', 2005 # ''Le Chat 1999,9999'', 1999 # ''L'Avenir du Chat'', 1999 # ''Le Chat est content'', 2000 # ''L'Affaire le Chat'', 2001 (Available in English as "The Cat's travels" in 2010) # ''Et vous, chat va?'', 2003 # ''Le Chat a encore frappé'', 2005 # ''La Marque du Chat'', 2007 # ''Une Vie de Chat'', 2008 # ''Le Chat, Acte XVI'', 2010 # ''Le Meilleur du Chat'', 1994 (Available in English as "God save the Cat" in 2008) # ''L'Excellent du Chat'', 1996 # ''Le Succulent du Chat'', 1999 # ''Entrechats'', 1999 # ''Le Top du Chat'', 2009 # ''La Rumba du Chat'', 2019 # ''Le Chat est parmi nous'', 2020 # ''Le Chat déambule'', 2021
==Sources== * {{cite book |language=French|last= Gaumer|first = Patrick|chapter =Chat (Le)|title = Dictionnaire mondial de la BD|publisher= Éditions Larousse|year=2010|place=Paris|isbn=978-2035843319}} {{Portal|Comics|Belgium|1980s}} {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.geluck.com Philippe Geluck's website]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chat, Le}} Category:Belgian comic strips Category:Bandes dessinées Category:Belgian comics characters Category:Fictional cats Category:Anthropomorphic cats Category:Comics about anthropomorphic cats Category:Comics about talking animals Category:1983 comics debuts Category:2013 comics endings Category:Comics characters introduced in 1983 Category:Mascots introduced in 1983 Category:Gag cartoon comics Category:Gag-a-day comics Category:Belgian satire Category:Belgian political satire Category:Satirical comics Category:Belgian mascots Category:Magazine mascots Category:Male characters in comics Category:Male characters in advertising
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