Carl Van De Walle 1. The Cowgirls Against Marxist Poetry
Steve Marreyt & Jonas Synnave
book launch
16/10/2026
19:30-21:00
‘The Cowgirls Against Marxist Poetry’ is the first adventure of the brand-new comic book hero Carl Van De Walle. Authors Jonas Synnave and Steve Marreyt task a young druid with handling plumbing and writing chores. However, this proves to be merely a half-hearted premise for a psychedelic journey deep into the soul. In a disjointed narrative that touches upon popular social themes like class and gender identity, the anti-heroes constantly trip over their own feet while seeking to satisfy their physical and spiritual desires.
In 'Carl Van De Walle', Synnave and Marreyt explore the relationship between ballpoint pen drawings and poetry. Although a shared fondness for Nero, Urbanus and Jommeke serves as a guiding thread, their comic pushes the boundaries of a medium that has largely shifted its literary ambitions toward the graphic novel. Yet, they do not shy away from comic book clichés—or corny jokes.
Steve Marreyt (1983) is a poet, musician, and language teacher at the arts-focused secondary school in Bruges. He is currently active in the bands Luster, Strövels and ‘s Lands Welvaren, as well as performing solo as Edgar Wappenhalter. His writing has appeared in publications such as Rekto:Verso, Zacht Lawijd, Kluger Hans, The Avant-Guardian, Poëziekrant and nY. He releases zines and cassettes on an irregular basis through his own micro-publishing house, Edities Marreyt. After releasing several limited-edition DIY collections with labels such as Ediçoes CN and Marktcorruptie, his official debut 'Onwelvaart' was published by Poëziecentrum in 2025.
Jonas Synnave Apers (1990) is an artist and engineer. Installations featuring electronics, inflatable films, and silicone sealant puncture the anatomical promises of technology. Unified sausage-production, a mud bath and the local exhibition project ‘Fête de l’éléphant,’ on the other hand, place a strong emphasis on social dynamics. His drawings concerning entanglement and inadequate affection are occasionally published or used as commercial material.