Here and now

 Here and now.

Wouldn't mind seeing something FRESH in Finnish comics. 

One

 One of the best Läskimooses related ideas we had was to launch six miniseries comic books. We only managed to do one: Tappavat kädet by Leo Kuikka. The plan was that all the action in the comic books would take place in LÄSKIVERSE meaning that somehow the story/stories would be tied to the main story and each other. But not in any stable manner. After all the narrators in the main story can't really be trusted. It's hard or even impossible to say what is the TRUTH in their fictional world. And with a further twist each series was supposed to be in a different genre: romance, western, superhero, horror, crime... But when we didn't get the funding we eventually had to bury the plan. Many things happened, Hans got out of publishing, Hans got back in. Now I notice I'm starting to dig up this old idea. Back in the day I was planning to ask people like Suvi Ermilä and Essi Nieminen to join. They are still on my list. 

I have ideas, but you can't get far with ideas. At one stage I was thinking of starting a Suomaa comic book to conclude the Suomaa saga and have a side series done by someone else. Also a book series of pictureless comics has been planned. Yeah so, time will come when I apply for a funding for some of these projects. I'm serious, always serious.

Book out

 

When oh when

 When stories get better, pages add up

Will/wont

 I have some projects going. Doubt that I will finish any of them.

-Suomaa book done, disappointment. Book 2: Have 70 pgs good action pre-written. Probably not starting on these any day too soon

-part 2 to Tii petti. Mostly done, will conclude summer 2024. Asema wants to publish. We'll see. Minor disappointment.

-part 3 to Tii petti. Concept ready, could start writing summer 2025 or sooner

-Ateneum book 2, will have to be done since over 30 pgs done already. Disappointment most likely.

-Ateneum 3 and 4 planned to conclude the story. Liking the characters but uncertain if will go on.

-all the other projects that I mentioned before

 Thinking of the things that suck the joy out of making art. 

 It's too late anyways

 I dont care

Wish

 I have 2 books going. Like going for real. Meaning I have pgs I actually am working on and all that. And then there are the other books that are going in a different way. Like they are in the process. Meaning colors need to be done, or the ldy out, or the design. Wish I had an epiphany. Some sense of...direction. 

Looks very much

 Looks very much like 5 books coming out next year and going unnoticed haha. But besides these I have 3 that are very close of being finished, just have to finish them (not counting ateneum book two). But why bother. Even though there isn't much more than 1 months work, even hard work, it's quite discouraging working 4 a void. So, don't know. 

Concentrate

 I should concentrate on teaching, shouldn't I? Because there is at least some progress. 

Before retirement

1. Work on another opera

2. Write 4 film or tv

3. Finish 40 or so books

4. Ballet

5. Text adventure game

6. Have a book out in English

Change of plans maybe

 Left 2 rot. Maybe B.E.M.#28

Would mean:

Vajoava Ateneum, book one is #29 

Unnamed collection is #30

Nakupelle is #31

Vajoava Ateneum, book two is #32

B.E.M.böle is #33

Just saying

Or, who knows

Publishing

 Getting really close to the point where the only conceivable way of publishing is reading the stories out loud by the kitchen table to a select few. Like Ilya Kabakov used to do.

Little

 Very little progress this month. 

Row

Could I now get three good things in a row, instead of, well you know...

In theory

 I theory I could at this moment try to get my books translated. Some of them, somewhere. But my next book is moving along quite nice, writing it now every day, and my students are making good progress with their work. And I've had it with trying. Very much so. So I'm concentrating to the good stuff. 

50

 50 pages left to do of my Ateneum book part 2. Probably more, but yes 50.

Option

 There's the option of not to publish and it's tempting.

Disgusting

 Weekend will be disgusting

Faith

 

Was about to loose faith with this one for so many times. I think first ideas for this book date at least 5 years back. Above are the last (ha!) text corrections. Coloring will start end of September. The book in question is book one of Vajoava Ateneum. Story takes place in Ateneum years 1980 to 1982 when Taideteollinen Korkeakoulu was still within those walls. Four books planned, second I've already started. Book one should be out one year from now.

2024 will be a busy year. RVRIS FVTVRVM should be out January -24, Kekkonen2 maybe already -23, unnnamed collection of short stories Fall -23. And there are more that are on the brink of coming out so we'll see.

Old one

 

Well

 Oh well, two books out and Helsinki festival is drawing near. Looks like I will be around. Will do signings. 

Wrote

 I wrote a book. 4 some reason it was real hard to do. Had a break from it for 3 months. Now I'm like: "it actually works".

Vajoava Ateneum book 1 coming out2024

Suomaa

 

Last

 This would be a good time 4 last post ever.

Book

 https://www.asemakustannus.com/kauppa/tuote/matti-hagelberg-seitseman-vuotta-tii-petissa/

In Finnish. 

There's

 There's this one book. An US translation has been planned for 10 years soon and still: nothing, pretty much nothing. Imagine! AND before this book there was ANOTHER book that was actually translated to English 2019! BUT the publisher folded before it was published.  Imagine! THIS IS ALL GREAT FUN!

Although

 Although I'm supposed to be at the Helsinki comics festival, I'm not sure if I will.

Nothing for me there.

Stand

 Two books now at printer. Crossing my fingers. 

-Working on a small collection of short stories. Should be done or almost September. 2024

-Ateneum is now on a stand still, but I have some idea of the direction. 2024 possibly

-Ruris Futurum soon to be scanned. 2024

-Kekkonen2 scanned. Should be out before Christmas

-2 other books waiting to be scanned

-Ateneum 2 also on a stand still. Will continue when I've made some decisions.

Books

 I've made books. Most of them published in France, some in Sweden. Never had an agent, don't enjoy crowds, can't promote my own work. I have a professional translation of Silvia Regina in English laying around since the US publisher went under. Läskimooses English edition has been in works for 9 years. French edition coming in 2025. This is how it is. 

Sultan of Venus

Holmenkollen

Kekkonen

India rains on my parade

Silvia Regina

Hard west

The ancient religion of Suomaa people

7 years tii in bed

Ruris futurum

Läskimooses

All available from me

mattihagelberg(at)gmail.com

I lean

I lean on Mclean.

 

Vääksy

 https://www.facebook.com/731576054/posts/pfbid02zupawrSCZVzsnFtpwoZDLtJAc2iqsRKi9Skypk4nJxRVRzZxgd7g8c4M8Gtcmxdcl/

Exhibition at Vääksy

 https://asikkala.fi/katjan_ja_matin_etsivatoimisto/?_thumbnail_id=18158

Zero

 Zero interest

Something

 Something happened. 

Final or more or less touches

 

Drawn

 The new book is now drawn. It's the first of four. Supposed to be. Part of me really not certain about this one.

Proceeding

 

Just

 Just now I don't have the money, but I can make this list anyways:

Books 2 get:

1. Osamu Dazai, ei enää ihminen

2. Georges Perec, häviäminen

3. Nibelungin laulu

4. Popeye sundays

5. Vonnegut short stories

6. Masters, Spoon river antologia

7. Rose of Versailkes, any book

 I don't know if I want to do any of these books. 

Soon

 I will soon have drawn the first part of my Ateneum-book. Starting with part 2 in April. The first book might take 10 years or more to come out, though. I already have four books waiting in line to be published. It's mathematics. Not in my favor.

You

 You have absolutely no idea of what kind of book it's going to be.

Curious

 Are u getting curious?

Magic

 It's like magic. I just thought of 4 panels that are absolutely needed. Just when the book was almost done. It'll take a lil bit longer.

4

 Or 4 and half, 5? Less than 10. Less than 6! Pages left. The first album almost done. Will it be 4 color, not sure, that was the plan. Will it come out 2024? That is the plan, but first I need to get it scanned. From Wsoy? Maybe. What is it about? You'll find out.

Proof reading

 Proof reading the collection of short stories. This book might be bit of a surprise for my readers. Stories are not funny at all, nor are they meant to be. Some of them have been with me many years. It is a direction that I could've taken already 10 years ago, but then Läskimooses happened. I will continue on this track one way or another. Maybe do a small book during the summer. 

Questions?

 Any questions?

Sort of

 I sort of have a plan to draw a small (one panel/page) book during next summer, 150 pgs or so. If it's possible. But to publish it I would need cash. Or a publisher.

More or less sure that Suomaan kansan muinaisusko will come out in the Fall. Exciting since this is the first time I'm with a major publisher (wsoy). We all remember how things went wrong with Otava, don't we?

Likely that Seitsemän vuotta tii petissä will also come out this year. This is a bit stressful, since I would've needed a grant to pay for the scanning and so far I haven't gotten one. Still, I think this will be solved eventually.

Kekkonen2 and Nakupelle would come out this year too BUT for these I absolutely need a grant. Both supposed to be self-published.

And then this 150 pgr. If I actually manage to draw it, it could come out also in the Fall, but haha need the money for it. I actually have a name for it and all BUT it's such a cool name that I will only reveal it later. 

For 2024 I would like to get Vajoava Ateneum first book out. This one will go to wsoy, if they take it AND if nothing bad happens. 

Maaseudun tulevaisuus could be published basically anytime, but I need a publisher. Same goes for B.E.M.böle.

In May this year I will start with book 2 of Vajoava Ateneum. I have plans that might be too crazy for wsoy, but we'll see. It should come out in 2025 anyways.

Suomaa book 2. Hard one. I have the synopsis and all, but for the moment Ateneum comes first. Maybe if some magazine wants to publish it in chapters?

2025 onwards I will try to finish the Ateneum series. Probably will probably.

Inshallah

To do

 1. Additional pgs 3, maybe 4

 2. Actual pgs undone 3 (Estlander, Finnish comicbooks 80s)

3. Check finalized pgs

4. Finalize the 9 pger not finalized

Should be done in a month.

Cover and such only later.

This is the spot I get a bit impatient to see the book finished.