Karel's sad life starts in 1981. Being horribly disfigured, he is locked away in a reinforced concrete basement, which he can only leave occasionally to perform hideous acts in a freakshow. To make his life a little happier, he's given some crayons, paper and a chemistry playset, which explains Karel's affinity with drawing cartoons and chemistry. After eighteen years, Karel manages to escape thanks to a novel plastic explosive, made with the ingredients of his chemistry playset. He successfully studies chemistry at Ghent University, where he works now as an assistant. Since the death of his old friend Eddie the cockroach, Karel has no friends left and decides to spend his spare time on drawing cartoons...