Bloeddorst – Underground Horror Comics

What is Bloeddorst?

Back in 2006 at a local comic-convention in Holland, Menno Kooistra toyed with the idea to bring horror back into comics. The Dutch comic-community got very excited and created the 96 pages fullcolour coffee-table-book Bloeddorst (Dutch meaning “Blood-Thirst”) from the ground up. It got critically acclaimed as a broad portfolio with the combination of acclaimed artists and fresh young, yet undiscovered talent and was successfully continued with an extensive tour throughout the nation, but the publisher didn’t want to continue the project after which it died slowly.

Now, Menno Kooistra (photo), Maarten Janssens and Nynke Landman, all three involved from day one, emptied their wallets wanting to reanimate Bloeddorst on the iPad as a magazine. It’s an exciting road ahead but certainly filled with buckets of blood!

Who are we?

Menno Kooistra
As creator of Bloeddorst Menno, comic-artist and all-around sociable guy, plays the part of billboard. He is the one to view Bloeddorst from a high angle, overseeing everyone is happy and motivated to face their demons. That’s pretty responsible stuff so his philosophy is to enlighten the mood by wanting to organize a big party. Well, it’s what he is asking for every other week anyway. Menno eats horror for breakfast and even has zombies hanging in his toilet. Menno is só horror, he even loves all the music by David Bowie. How about that. He likes beer too. Very much.

Maarten Janssens
Maarten, comic artist and animation designer, has been actively involved in Bloeddorst from day one. In movies, his favorite horror-sub-genre is the zombie-flick of which he likes ‘Dawn of the Dead’ the most. He also likes the ’04-remake for it’s ‘best horror-opening ever’ and for the fact the protagonist looks like Nynke. Within Bloeddorst Maarten handles the ‘business’-part from behind the curtains so he still finds time to create comics and stuff for the magazine as well. It’s why he is more of a rum-guy.

Nynke Landman
Nynke, graphic designer, is the technical conscience of the three and has a mission to make everything, and us, look good. She brings all the submissions by the artists Menno brings together, wipes all the unnecessary body-fluids off of it and creates cool-looking books out of them. And she gets them printed, because she likes to be near big machines and funky smelling ink. Nynke loves horror too. Her idea for a romantic evening for example was to go to ‘My Bloody Valentine 3D’ last year. She thought the movie was just ‘ok’, but that’s because she has seen as much horrormovies as Maarten, since they are a couple.

Mission statement

Menno: “Horror to the people!, is there money left for a good party?”
Maarten: “Horror to the People!, ehm, let’s first get us a magazine…”
Nynke: “Horror to the people!, not so hasty, it needs to be damn good too!”