Considered a legend in the comics world, Yvan Delporte was a writer often credited with helping to usher in the Golden Age of Franco-Belgian comics. Best known for his work on Smurfs, Delporte also served as Editor-In-Chief for the comics magazine Spirou, helping to create the memorable comics character Gaston Lagaffe. Peyo created The Smurfs in his comic strip Johan And Peeweet. Peyo wrote over 8 extremely popular titles in Europe throughout his storied career. In 2008 the country of Belgium celebrated what would have been his 80th birthday by issuing a 5 Euro coin featuring his creation, The Smurfs.