The Complete Comic Strip Collection
By Tove Jansson and Lars Jansson,
volumes 1-10
Drawn & Quarterly
The comics were revived by Drawn & Quarterly in 2005 in these beautiful hardback editions of collected comics in black and white. Volumes 1-5 include comics by Tove Jansson and volumes 6-10 include comics by Lars Jansson.
Volume 1
Moomin and the Brigands, Moomin and Family Life, Moomin on the Riviera, Moomin’s Desert Island
Volume 2
Moomin’s Winter Follies, Moominmamma’s Maid, Moomin Builds a House, Moomin Begins a New Life
Moomin and the Railway, Moominpappa and the Spies, Moomin and the Circus
Volume 3
Moomin Falls in Love, Moominvalley Turns Jungle, Moomin and the Martians, Moomin and the Sea, Club Life in Moominvalley
Volume 4
Moomin goes Wild West, Snorkmaiden Goes Rococo, The Concientious Moomins, Moomin and the Comet, Moomin and the Golden Tail
Volume 5
Moomin Winter, Moomin Under Sail, Fuddler’s Courtship
Volume 7
Moomin and the Colonist, Moomin and the Scouts, Moomin and the Farm, Moomin and the Goldfields
Volume 8
Moomin Family Robinson, Artists in Moominvalley, Sniff’s Holiday Camp, The Inspector’s Nephew
Volume 9
Damsel in Distress, Fuddler and Married Life, Sniff’s Sport Shop, Mymble’s Diamond
Volume 10
Moomin and the Vampire, Moomin and the TV, The Underdeveloped Moomins, Moomin and Aunt Jane
Moomin Colour Comics
By Tove Jansson and Lars Jansson Drawn & Quarterly
16 fantastic comic adventures of the Moomins are available as single story, colour comic books, published by Drawn & Quarterly.
Moomin and the Brigands
56 pp. / strip #1
The iconic first Moomin comic strip by Tove Jansson is a thrilling introduction to the vibrant inhabitants of Moominvalley.
Moomin’s Winter Follies
48 pp. / strip #5
Moomin wakes up one morning to find the pond frozen over, and rather than hibernate, the family decides to brave the winter
Moomin and Family Life
40 pp. / strip #2
The heartwarming tale of Moomin’s reunion with his parents.
on the Riviera 48
/ strip #3
Moominpappa and Snorkmaiden, glamorized by the prospects of movie stars and gambling, insist the whole family take a trip down to the Riviera.
Moominmamma’s Maid
48 pp. / strip #6
With a maid to help around the house, will the Moomins become respectable?
Moomin Builds a House
48 pp. / strip #7
The debut appearance of everyone’s favourte pest, Little My!
Desert Island
48 pp. / strip #4
The Moomins picnic with their ancestors, a pair of pirates and, best of all, Mymble.
Moomin Begins a New Life
48 pp. / strip #8
A travelling prophet may hold the key to happiness, but do the Moomins really need it?
Moomin
pp.
Moomin’s
Moomin Falls in Love
48 pp. / strip #9
With Moominvalley underwater, will Moomin’s romantic tendencies get him into trouble?
Club Life in Moominvalley
40 pp. / strip #13
Moominmamma joins a club of robbers, but will her unshakeable moral code betray her?
Moominvalley Turns Jungle
48 pp. / strip #10
Moomins are forced to prove once and for all whether or not they’re related to hippopotamuses.
Moomin and the Comet
40 pp. / strip #17
How will the beloved residents of Moominvalley survive a comet?
Moomin and the Martians 40 pp. / strip #11
A flying saucher crashlands in Moominvalley and hijinks ensue.
Moomin and the Golden Tail
56 pp. / strip #18
Moomin’s tail gets its fifteen minutes of fame.
Moomin and the Sea 56 pp. / strip #12
The Moomin family moves to a remote island for the sake of art.
Moomin Winter 60 pp. / strip #19
Nothing goes according to plan when several unexpected guests show up mid-winter.
VILLE RANTA (b. 1978) is an internationally renowned graphic novelist and one of Finland’s best-known cartoonists. Ranta has authored several graphic novels and albums that have been translated into many languages, including Swedish, French and German. His expressive style and satirical, contemplative narrative are distinctive and have been awarded numerous times.
Ranta’s works are particularly well known in France, where he has received the National Order of Merit of the French State. In Finland, his many accolades include the Finnish State Prize, the Puupäähattu Award, and the Finlandia Prize in comics.
Wine Drinkers
(Viininjuojat)
WSOY / 2024 / 240 pp.
In his latest graphic novel, Ville Ranta, who was awarded Journalist of the Year 2023, returns to the early years of his career as an editor of a small cultural magazine.
The wild youth of a top comics artist!
A middle-aged wine drinker arrives in his old hometown and reunites with old drinking buddies, but time has not treated any of them kindly. The wine drinker is forced to ask himself a terrible question: does a person only become a worse, weaker, and uglier version of themselves with age?
Wine Drinkers is an autobiographical and self-ironic depiction of fiery friendship, youthful exploits, life’s bitter disappointments — and the delightful act of drinking wine.
2023 JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR WINNER!
“Ranta’s narrative is comically effortless and flows very smoothly.”
THE JURY OF THE COMICS
The King Loses His Head
(Kuningas menettää päänsä)
WSOY / 2018 / 184 pp. / Age 16+ / Colours: 4/4
A castle in decay, a mother on the verge of death, three superficial daughters and a demanding mistress. This is the daily life of a king who spends all his time ruling his kingdom, just as his ancestors have done for centuries. The only problem is, nothing seems to work anymore!
The castle is crumbling to a ruin and, without any servants to help him, the king himself must fix the leak in the ceiling. His court has been slowly diminishing for years: now it consists solely of members of his own family, and even they don’t know how to behave. It’s not long before the king becomes overwhelmed by the feeling that no one respects him, and, worst of all, he is unloved. All this, however, must not prevent him from freeing princesses from vengeful dragons and from seeking metaphysical answers to his existential problems.
The absurdity of power, the difficulty of desire, and the addiction to new technologies are all themes tackled with playfulness and Monty Pythonesque humour in this wonderful romp from the Finnish master of the graphic novel.
How I Conquered France
(Kuinka valloitin Ranskan)
WSOY / 2021 / 168 pp. / Age 16+ / Colours: 4/4
Ville is a young, ambitious comic book author who has just started a promising career, with a few books to his credit and a bit of notoriety in his home country. He only dreams of one thing: to see his work published in France, the promised land of comics, where happiness and success are within reach of any talented artist.
One day, Ville’s dream finally seems to come true: one of the most popular authors in France offers to collaborate with him on an album that will be published by a major French publisher. Success seems to be close at hand, and Ville rushes to Paris to seize the opportunity. But once there, things don’t go as he imagined, and Ville soon realizes that all that glitters isn’t gold.
Irony, humor, and a good dose of self-deprecation punctuate the pages of this strongly autobiographical tale. Ville Ranta depicts, with remarkable frankness, the adventures of an artist in the almost obsessive pursuit of success and fortune. Between the lines, Ranta doesn’t fail to evoke the difficult, and sometimes downright impossible, relationship between creativity and commercial success, while painting a vitriolic portrait of the world of publishing.
Like Publishing / 2024 / 144 pp.
Soul Weaver (Sielujen kutoja)
The Horse God
(Hevosjumala)
Like / 2022 / 166 pp.
When the descending evening surprises a group of young men on a skiing trip, they find shelter at a house in the countryside. Luckily, the family living there welcomes them to stay the night. As the men settle in at the cabin, they soon notice the strangeness about this family, about the place, that has them questioning if they can leave soon enough to get home for Christmas.
This mysterious horror comic blends striking illustrations with intriguing Nordic folklore. Tales of occultism intertwined with multi-layered narration deliver a spine-chilling story. Sometimes, what lies in the shadows should be left alone, for what is yearning to come out may be impossible to contain once invited out in the open.
H.P. Lovecraft meets Midsommar in a fantastic folk horror graphic novel by the talented comic book artist.
Kalevala - Sampo
(Kalevala - Sampo)
Like / 2020 / 142 pp.
The stunning comic adaptation of the Finnish national epic Kalevala continues.
Väinämöinen, Lemminkäinen and their companions set on a journey towards the North to steal Sampo, the magical object that brings fortune to its possessor. However, their arch-enemy Louhi, The Mistress of North, awaits them with her dark magical powers.
Kalevala
(Kalevala)
Like / 2019 / 298 pp.
A stunning comic adaptation of the Finnish national epic Kalevala, which inspired J.R.R. Tolkien to write Silmarillion and Lord of the Rings. The story tells the adventures and fates of wizard Väinämöinen, warrior Lemminkäinen, black-smith Ilmarinen and and several other larger-than-life characters looking for love, riches and magic in the far-away lands of the ancient North.
The world of Kalevala is lyrical, harsh and perfectly unique.
“Unequivocally
a masterpiece”
KAUPPALEHTI
“The Horse God is an impressively grim comic book. … The atmosphere is built very precisely, and it holds throughout the work. [The book] really succeeds as a work of horror.”
KIRJAVINKIT
is a prolific
and visual
Takalo often draws inspiration from her own experiences and real events. She is the winner of the Finlandia Prize in comics. Takalo has also received the prestigious Puupäähattu Award as a recognition of her work in comics, and her previous works have been published in several languages.
Memento Mori
(Memento Mori)
WSOY / 2020 / 232 pp.
’An autobiographical graphic novel about life, art, the search for happiness, and surviving a cerebral hemorrhage at the age of 38.’
In Memento Mori, Tiitu Takalo, one of the greatest graphic novelists from Finland, describes her sudden and unexpected cerebral hemorrhage and the long process of recovery. It is a dramatic story about a life turned upside down overnight: a ruptured cerebral aneurysm, the days spent in an intensive care unit, and the long road to recovery which leads the artist to reflect on her current and past life.
Far more than a story of survival, Memento Mori is a philosophical and psychological journey told with exceptional honesty and compassion. It is a sublime graphic novel from a master of the medium and, ultimately, a celebration of life.
“Takalo’s wrenching account lays bare the difficulties of surviving an imperfect life even when things go well. A bittersweet guide to happiness for readers captivated by personal journeys.”
LIBRARY JOURNAL
© Emilia Anundi
TIITU TAKALO (b. 1976)
comic artist, illustrator,
artist.
2024 EISNER AWARDS NOMINEE!
AVI HEIKKINEN (b. 1984) is an award-winning comics artist and a screenwriter. His graphic novel Aperture was nominated for the 2020 Finlandia Prize in comics for its clever concept and profound themes. Heikkinen is also an avid lover of cinema, whose goal is to capture that ‘movie magic’ in his comics.
“Quantum mechanics, cunning photo comics, and a likeable loser protagonist got hitched with Philip K. Dick and had a baby that was named Aperture.”
JOHANNA SINISALO, AUTHOR OF NOT BEFORE SUNDOWN
Freya & Eldi – Journey to Ejderha
(Freya & Eldi - Matka Ejderhaan)
WSOY / Spring 2025 / 128 pp. / Age: 9+
Freya & Eldi is the first in a fantasy adventure graphic novel series suitable for readers of all ages – everyone who enjoys richly woven tales of magic, friendship, and epic quests.
“Luoma manages to build tension well, but the best thing about the comic is its juicy characters and effective humour. (…) If you are looking for a book to lure your child into the world of comics, Romeo & Monsters is a perfect choice, I recommend it!”
TITTA LINDSTRÖM, KIRJAVINKI.FI
In a world where myths and magic intertwine, two young women embark on an epic journey of danger, destiny, and self-discovery. Freya, a fierce pirate captain with a mysterious past and even more mysterious crew, and Eldi, a young witch with untapped powers, are united by a broken compass rumoured to lead to the legendary island of Ejderha. The island is said to hold unimaginable riches, but to get to the treasure Freya and Eldi will have to uncover the mysteries of their pasts, navigate treacherous seas, and confront mythical creatures – including the formidable dragon guarding the treasure.
© Kieran Sheehan
/ WSOY
MARI LUOMA is an author, illustrator, and comic artist who lives in Hamburg, Germany.
Romeo and the Monsters
Written and illustrated by Mari Luoma
WSOY
When Romeo Addison turns 12, he will be sent to a private school in a large handsome mansion, as per his great-great-great-granduncle’s last will and testament. The first young man from the Addison family to graduate with honours from the school shall inherit all of the uncle’s sizeable property. But the manor is a strange place, where the teaching staff includes zombies, a ghost and a werewolf. Luckily, Romeo’s clever cousin Jillian also goes to the same school. Together, the cousins begin to unravel the wild secrets of the family estate…
Romeo and the Monsters is a spine-tingling, hair-raising blend of adventure and comedy.
Romeo and the Monsters
just a couple more turns and a floor, and
I hope it all goes well!
WSOY / 2021 / 74 pp. / Ages: 9+
/ 2023 / 74 pp. / Ages: 9+
WSOY / 2022 / 80 pp. / Ages: 9+
Romeo and the Monsters (Romeo ja hirviöt)
Romeo and the Monsters 2: The Passage of Secret Faces (Romeo ja hirviöt. Salaisten kasvojen käytävät)
Romeo and the Monsters 3: Mysteries of the Manor (Romeo ja hirviöt. Augustuksen arvoitus)
WSOY
story & illustration by Mari Luoma
is an il-
to tell stories through different kinds of styles.
loves telling stories through pictures and has worked as a freelance illustrator for over 20 years. Besides comics and children’s book illustrations, she likes to broaden her visual boundaries with photography and mural paintings.
The Girl and the Raven
(Tyttö ja korppi)
Hertta Kustannus / 2024 / 88 pp. / Ages: 9+
The Girl and the Raven is a thrilling adventure blending folklore and dystopia, steampunk and gothic. At its heart, it is a story of friendship and finding one’s own path.
Ellen’s spirit animal is a raven named Edgar, a true harbinger of doom who prefers to stay within the confines of their dilapidated home. But Ellen dreams of new places and adventures. If only she could gain wings in the New Day Update, she and Edgar could fly to the ends of the earth together.
Yet, Ellen is still without wings. So, she and Edgar embark on a journey in a hot air balloon made from an old bathtub, heading towards the Renovation Hub. Their voyage, however, is anything but straightforward. When their peculiar neighbour Poe joins them, behaving oddly, and mysterious figures loom in the distance, challenges arise.
© Anne Muhonen
ANNE MUHONEN (b. 1979)
lustrator who likes
Muhonen
Monstera Deliciosa 2: Ace Up
(Monstera deliciosa 2: Ässä hihassa)
Hertta Kustannus / 2024 / 64 pp.
Age: 7+
Alaska, Skippy and Moussa accompany Monster Master NeyNey as they head towards the annual peak event for the forest people, the Grand Court. They must return the snake’s court stone to its fierce owner BolinKolin, but this must be done stealthily.
Everything doesn’t go quite to plan and along the way, the companions encounter twisted riddles and unexpected mishaps - as well as an exciting card game with a snappy opponent.
Monstera Deliciosa 2: Ace Up is the sequel to Anne Muhonen’s Monstera Deliciosa 1: Finders Keepers.
Monstera Deliciosa 1: Finders Keepers
(Monstera deliciosa 1: Löytäjä saa pitää)
Hertta Kustannus / 2023 / 64 pp.
Age: 9+
When Alaska and her friends Skippy and Moussa find a peculiar stone and a small monstera plant outside, no one can guess where their discovery will lead them.
During the night, a strange creature suddenly appears in Alaska’s room, introducing itself as Monster Master NeyNey, the caretaker of monstera plants. When NeyNey notices the boys’ discovery of the stone, it becomes horrified: it is a judgement stone from the court of snakes. It has gone missing from its terrifying owner, and it must be returned immediately – before things go really wrong for everyone.
This all-ages comic combines the ordinary with the magical, inspiring readers to see their surroundings with fresh eyes.
“Kindness is the greatest strength in the children’s comic book.”
HÄMEEN SANOMAT NEWSPAPER
Forget-Me-Not
(Älä unohda minua)
Avain / 2021 / 70 pp. / Age: 9+
A beautiful tale about a florist who reluctantly takes a teenage intern to her flower shop. As they slowly get to know each other, they realise they may have more in common than they thought, and the florist has to confront her own past.
Hilla works in a flower shop. She enjoys her work amidst beautiful flowers and lets customers visit the flower shop like a library, sensing colors and scents. When her ex, who works as a school counselor, asks Hilla to take in Eero, one of his students, as an intern, she reluctantly agrees. It looks like Eero’s life is not going anywhere. He hangs out with the wrong crowd and his parents don’t seem to care. However, him and Hilla develop a warm and meaningful bond between them when they begin to realise that they are not that different after all.
With beautiful art and careful nuances, Anne Muhonen is able to highlight the characters’ vulnerabilities. Forget-Me-Not is a beautiful story about the importance of being seen and noticed. Everybody needs someone to trust.
“Muhonen not only applies the old but also creates something entirely new. Muhonen draws airily and uses a faded colour palette.”
HELSINGIN SANOMAT
Alcohol
(Alkoholi)
Asema / 2023 / 88 pp.
“It is also positive that the comic convinces the reader of the beauty of death metal, identifying with the story doesn’t really require any fan base. So once again a convincing performance by Lietzén, I recommend!”
KIRJAVINKIT.FI
A homeless couple spends their drunken days on the streets of a port city when an act of violence plunges them even deeper into the whirlpool of fate.
Alcohol is a melancholic tale of addiction and a struggle that vaguely resembles life on some foggy backstreets. It is a subtle tragedy that neither points fingers nor absolves the main characters of their responsibility.
Death Metal
(Death Metal)
Zum Teufel / 2024 / 88 pp.
A small town in Finland in the early 1990s. Far from the sunny shores of Florida, Laura, Sane, Sonja, and Markus form a metal band called The Suffering. The small town may not yet be ready for extreme metal, but the band’s desire to prove themselves is strong. The opportunity arises unexpectedly when the band gets the chance to record a demo tape in a real studio. However, this stroke of luck has a fatal downside.
Death Metal is a story about life, death, and brutal extreme metal.
MIKA LIETZEN (b. 1974) is a comics artist and illustrator from Turku, Finland.
EDITH HAMMAR (b. 1992) grew up in Helsinki, studied at the Royal Institute of Art in Stockholm, and now lives in Gothenburg. They have participated in numerous collective and solo art exhibitions, and three of their works are included in the collection at Moderna Museet, Stockholm. In 2022, Hammar was awarded the Stella Parland Prize for their art. Hammar’s interactive drama game Sexiga byxor received the award for the best digital audio project of the year at the Prix Europa festival. Portal is Hammar’s second graphic novel. Their debut, Homo Line, was shortlisted for the Finlandia Prize for Comics.
Portal (Portal)
Förlaget M / 2023 / 215 pp. / Colours: 1/1
’A beautifully melancholic tale where fantasy and reality, the past and the present, skillfully intertwine to weave a story of longing for a bygone era.’
When Elia goes ice skating, an antiquated Moskvich car appears. And then, it disappears in a puff of smoke, as if by magic. But the next evening, the car and its driver, Eki, return with an enticing 1950s vibe. When Elia neglects his friends’ movie night and karaoke, they become worried – is Elia slipping into depression again? Elia sinks deeper into the relationship with Eki, who truly seems to come straight from the past. It is as if Elia is disappearing into fantasies of a lawless and freer time.
In a timely, rebellious, and warmly depicted narrative, Edith Hammar portrays a love story that transcends the boundaries of time. Portal is a captivating journey where past and present collide, and where love knows no limits. It is a fable about longing – how it can grow at the expense of one’s real life and relationships, ultimately leading to the realization that the freedom one yearns for is created in the present, not the past.
PRISMA LITERATURE PRIZE – SERIES OF THE YEAR 2023!
“Hammar’s wild and slightly anarchistic approach is perfectly suited to this both sad and joyful story, which should appeal to many Swedish comic book readers.”
BERNUR
(b. 1983) is an animation director who has also made music videos and short films. Lily the Thief, which came out in 2016, is his first graphic novel, and Kukkonen was awarded the 2017 Finlandia Prize in comics for his work. This began an exciting trilogy, and the writer and illustrator was nominated again in 2020 for the second novel.
Lily the Thief: The Treasure of the Three Kings (Voro - Kolmen kuninkaan aarre)
Like Publishing / 280 pp. / Age: 9+
Brave and resourceful Lily dreams of proving her skills to the Guild of Thieves and being acknowledged as a master thief. By chance, she gets mixed up in a battle between ancient kings and forgotten gods. Lily must make a choice between risking the world as she knows it or trying to prevent the ruin. But isn’t saving the whole world from destruction asking a bit too much from a little thief?
Lily the Thief 2: The Legion of Brimstone
(Voro 2 - Tulikiven armeija)
Like Publishing / 339 pp. / Age: 9+
Lily the little thief is tasked with assembling the talisman of the Legion of Brimstone – a mythical and potentially dangerous item. But as war draws near, Lily soon learns that she isn’t the only one searching for the powerful talisman. The foolhardy thief and her master find themselves caught in another web of mysteries and adventure.
Lily the Thief 3: The Tomb of Gods
(Voro 3 - Jumalten hauta)
Like Publishing / 464 pp. / Age: 9+
The reckless thief Lily ends up in the centre of a power struggle among the gods, with the whole world at stake. Lily and her mentor Seamus are swept into a thrilling adventure as they attempt to defeat Ithiel, who has risen from the dead, and the invincible Legion of Brimstone. Earthly worries are left far behind, for the thief now dances with the gods.
firstsecondbooks.com
“A fun page-turner sure to steal readers’ attention.” KIRKUS
TheTimeMuseum byMatthewLoux ★“Fresh,fast,andfunny.” Kirkus,starredreview
TheCreepyCaseFilesofMargoMaloo “Smart,byDrewWeingspookymystery.” —Booklist Foiled byJaneYolenandMikeCavallaro “Anenchantingtale.” Kirkus StarScouts byMikeLawrence ★“Exciting,laugh-a-minute.”PublishersWeekly,starredreview
TheNamelessCity byFaithErinHicks “Breathtaking.” —NewYorkTimes
AstronautAcademy byDaveRoman “Involvedandcomplexcomedy.” —Booklist
“A fluent union of image, word, and story, where all the elements complement each other. This is a classic and rich fairy tale featuring a great antihero, and a coming-of-age story all in one package.”
RobotDreams bySaraVaron ★“Tender,funny,andwise.”PublishersWeekly,starredreview
GiantsBeware! byJorgeAguirreandRafaelRosado “Rollickingfunstory.” —NewYorkTimes
TheUnsinkableWalkerBean byAaronRenier ★“Rip-roaringadventure.” —Booklist,starredreview
THE JURY OF THE COMICS FINLANDIA PRIZE
BattlingBoy byPaulPope “Dazzling.” —NewYorkTimes
MightyJack byBenHatke ★ “Verymightyindeed.” Kirkus,starredreview
IntotheOutlands byRobertChristieandDeborahLang “Fullofaction,humor,andtwists.” —SchoolLibraryJournal
ZitatheSpacegirl “Adventurous,byBenHatkeexciting,funny, andmoving.” —ICV2
BeratheOne-HeadedTroll byEricOrchard ★“Gorgeous.” Children’sBulletinoftheCenterfor Books,starredreview
© Janne Kukkonen
JANNE KUKKONEN
Belzebubs
(Belzebubs)
Kumiorava / 2019 / 120 pp.
JP AHONEN is a Finnish comic book artist and illustrator, whose works have been published in 13 languages. He is best known for his black metal mockumentary Belzebubs, which has evolved from a humble self-therapy project into a cross-media beast, mixing webcomics, music and animation. Both the collected comic books and the 2019 released debut album Pantheon of the Nightside Gods received wide critical acclaim across the globe. JP is currently working on an animated series adaptation.
Juggling work and family can be... hell. Modern Family meets the Addams Family in this irresistible trve kvlt documentary that focuses on the everyday challenges all families have: raising the kids, getting your black metal band going, summoning demons, and well, you know how it is. JP Ahonen combines sweet everyday humour with a strange touch and a dash of Lovecraftian horror, which makes Belzebubs one hell of a read.
What began as a simple improvised therapy webcomic has now evolved into a huge cross-media concept combining music, animation and storytelling in general. The first Belzebubs book received rave reviews and has been published in 13 languages.
Belzebubs II: No Rest for the Wicked
(Belzebubs II: No Rest for the Wicked)
Kumiorava / 2023 / 144 pp.
Sløth is juggling his stay-at-home dad obligations with his lifelong dream of being a black metal icon. His breadwinner wife, Lucy, is fed up with her job and just one meltdown away from sacrificing her colleagues to Satan. Their teenage daughter, Lilith, is wielding the effects of her raging hormones on her boyfriend Sam—who also happens to be Sløth’s new drummer. And then there’s Leviathan, who appears to be the only one exhibiting some sort of societal normalcy in the family. Unfortunately, he’s only nine.
“Even if you’re not a black-metal-loving, corpse-paint-wearing kind of goth, this comic is still for you.”
SEQUENTIAL TART (10/10)
“This webcomic has become a cult sensation... it’s a silly, Addams Family-esque family comedy with a perfect cartoony style.”
BARNES & NOBLE (BEST OF THE MONTH)
In a matter of years, Belzebubs has become a global online phenomenon with over a ½ million fans, a virtual band and animated music videos. No Rest For the Wicked is the second collected edition of the beloved cult sensation, documenting the daily lives of your favourite black metal peeps.
“This collection of one-page webcomics weaves slice-of-life drama and mockumentary-style humor into a pentagram of laughs, relatable moments, and a love for black metal… As twisted as it is sidesplitting.”
PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY (STARRED REVIEW)
KALLE HAKKOLA (b. 1971) is a Finnish author who has also worked as a director of the Helsinki Comics Festival. Kalle has also worked widely in different fields of culture and art. He lives and works in Finland.
MARI AHOKOIVU (b. 1984) is a Finnish Illustrator and comic artist who loves to draw cute and scary things. She draws comics for adults and kids and has been published in Finland as well as abroad.
Sanni & Joonas: Cousin Hugo
(Sanni & Joonas: Hugo-serkku)
Kumiorava / 2019 / 72 pp. / Age: 6+
Five-year-old Sanni and seven-year-old Joonas are siblings on holiday in Spain. They spend their days in the sun together with their cousin Hugo. While Sanni plays football on the beach, Joonas and Hugo roam the streets of Barcelona and sneak into Park Güell, where they meet some famous people, go on an imaginary adventure, and discover a lost key to a treasure vault.
Sanni & Joonas is a children’s comic about sibling rivalry, and, ultimately, family and friendship. It is a warmhearted, diverse comic which celebrates the wonderful imagination of children and endless summer days.
Sanni & Joonas: On Holiday
(Sanni & Joonas: Matkalla)
Kumiorava / 2023 / 72 pp. / Age: 6+
The family’s long-awaited city vacation is threatened when Sanni catches a cold just before they are set to leave. While Sanni and Joonas’ mother tries to reschedule the hotel reservation, the children come up with a quick and eco-friendly way to travel.
In this imaginative journey, not even a runny nose can get in the way! This book addresses themes related to nature conservation, climate change, and biodiversity.
“Sanni and Joonas can be read just as much as a storybook for children or as a warm-hearted comic book. (...) A functional and stylish package.”
KULTTUURITOIMITUS
KUSTANNUSOSAKEYHTIÖ KUMIORAVA
KUMIORAVA
CHILDREN’S COMIC / JOHANNA WITICK
JOHANNA WITICK (b. 1982) is an artist, author and graphic designer from Helsinki. Witick has worked as a graphic designer since 2002 and become a prolific artist with her own unique style. Her love of art comes from her childhood when drawing became an important hobby, and this inspired her to create her own series of books with a quirky character, Ozzy the Squirrel. Witick’s inspiration for Ozzy comes from her childhood neighborhood with plenty of squirrels living and moving around nearby.
Stories from Squirrel Valley
Written and illustrated by Johanna Witick
Otava
A colourful and quirky graphic novel, Stories from Squirrel Valley introduces small readers to Ozzy, a curious squirrel, who is adopted by a cautious snail. What makes this series stand out is the sweet but not saccharine style and humour with little jokes reminding of The Simpsons for a suitably young age group and the world which expands beyond Squirrel Valley in the future books. The hilarious series encourages reading through the power of humour and quirky details.
Stories from Squirrel Valley: Ozzy and Chirp
(Oravalaakson tarinat: Ossi ja Titityy)
Otava / 2023 / 48 pp. / Age 6+
After finding an abandoned egg, Ozzy makes his way through Squirrel Valley to find a home for the egg, while meeting peculiar animals on the way. This is a delightful read with many meaningful questions about who you are and what you want to be, as well as ignoring all advice by carers and even a philosophical dilemma of whether a wolf should become a vegetarian.
“Johanna Witick’s text is insightful, and she has skilfully combined illustration and dialogue.”
LASTENKIRJAINSTITUUTTI
Stories from Squirrel Valley: World’s Biggest Pinecone
(Oravalaakson tarinat: Maailman suurin käpy)
Otava / 2024 / 48 pp. / Age 6+
Ozzy and Chirp’s tranquil life in rainbowy Squirrel Valley takes an unexpected turn when a surprise falls on their path: the world’s largest pinecone! Other squirrels are green with envy. From there begins a wild chase with no shortage of twists and turns. The pinecone must be protected!
Stories from Squirrel Valley: Stupendous Space Adventure
(Oravalaakson tarinat. Ällistyttävä avaruushurjastelu)
Otava / 2024 / 48 pp. / Age 6+
The nutty comic adventure continues in space - what bonkers life forms do Ozzy and Chirp find on their hot air balloon ride through wonderful galaxies? But how on earth will the duo get back to Squirrel Valley when the hot air balloon bursts in the middle of their escapade?
© Niclas
Mäkelä
CHILDREN’S COMIC / MARTIN WIDMARK & HELENA WILLIS
MARTIN WIDMARK (b. 1961) is a Swedish writer and teacher. He is considered one of the most prominent writers of children’s fiction today. LasseMajas Detektivbyrå, (The JerryMaya Detective Agency) has been translated into more than 35 languages. Widmark’s books are constantly on the best-seller lists, on the libraries’ most popular lists, and together with Helena Willis, he has been awarded the children’s own book award 11 times for the JerryMaya titles.
HELENA WILLIS (b. 1964) is a Swedish illustrator and author. Helena claims to have the best job in the world: ‘I play all day and every day’. Together with Martin Widmark, she has been creating the book series of JerryMaya Detective Agency since 2002.
JerryMaya Detective Agency Comics
Written by Martin Widmark, illustrated by Helena Willis Egmont
The comic magazine was launched by Egmont in Sweden in 2020, with six issues planned yearly. Rights & Brands sells all material for the artwork used in the magazine, activity book albums and omnibus releases. Each magazine contains two new stories.
Book rights sold to Poland, Norway, Finland Germany and Denmark to date.
JerryMaya Detective Agency Comic 2023 Omnibus edition
2023 / 174 pp. / Age: 6+
JerryMaya Detective Agency Comic 2022 Omnibus edition 2022 / 174 pp. / Age: 6+
JerryMaya Detective Agency Comic 2021 Omnibus edition 2021 / 170 pp. / Age: 6+
JerryMaya Detective Agency Activity Book
2022 / 24 pp. / Age: 6+
SAMLADE SERIER 1
SAMLADE
PATRIK NYSTRÖM (b. 1968) has written comic scripts for many years, for example for comic magazines like Moomin and Bamse. In his own books he combines his interests for inventions, history and adventure and telling exciting stories.
PER DEMERVALL (b. 1955) is one of Sweden’s most experienced comic and picture book creators and illustrators. He has also created illustrated versions and easy read versions of classic authors, such August Strinberg and H. G. Wells.
