Issues

For whatever reason issue 49 felt hard to do. Issue 50 now much easier and fun. Listening to Zappa for the second week and not at all bored. Yesterday at home I listened to Francesco Zappa for a couple of times and isn't it just great!

Final

Finished the (4 now) final Suomaa strip. Previously I estimated that there'd be 150 pages left of the story. Probably. Might be for the better that the strip ends. Some material coming up that might insult someone. Will I then conclude the story some day? Too early to say. There are other projects that I probably feel more drawn into. Time will tell, I guess.

Just

Just this: 2.5 pages done of issue 50.

Different

During the years I've come up with several ways to use scraperboard. And I love the material, much to discover. Somehow I still feel I would like to try something different for the next book. Pretty sure it wouldn't be digital, though.
Don't really know... I would like to continue drawing in the same manner that I've been doing, exploring.

Understand

I don't understand digital drawing.

Want

Want to
1. Finnish Läskimooses
2. Finnish notes
3. (Maybe) finnish Suomaa
4. Finnish the book after Läskimooses
5. Make it real good
6. Finnish 3 or 4 smaller books
7. Something
8. Something
9. Something

Week

Done with the week. Got started on issue 50. Yes, really! Mostly writing and some sketches. Also started to feel issue 49 needs an additional page so started that too. Pretty much ruins the lay out but what can u do? Oh, we will see. Now 4 some vacuuming and then onwards 2 the weekend. C u on monday.

50/50

Now that I'm starting issue 50... When this thing will be finished I've put something like 9, 9 and half years to it. Couldn't it have been 500 pages instead of  the 1300 or 1400 pages that it looks like now? And all along I've had doubts and I still have. Sure, I'm going to edit it but not in any major way. Or that is the plan. Anyways. 50/50 chance of it being worth it all.

Stop

I cannot stop the decline of art education, but I will try.

I think

Finished what I think is chapter 44 of Suomaan kansan muinaisusko. Moving along to 45. Which is the penultimate chapter. For now.

Preliminary

Eventually I will pose for these and take some raunchy photos that I will use as reference. These are just preliminary sketches to find out what I'm looking for.

Bible

It's not called the GOOD BOOK for nothing.

Years

Holmenkollen took something like 2 years to finish. Kekkonen took 4 years to finish. Silvia Regina took 5 or 6 years to finish. Läskimooses will take 9 or 9 and half to finish.
I would prefer the next book to be something I can finish in 3 to 4 years. Because this isn't quite human.

Plans

Making plans for the next book. I have a list of possible things I want to include in it. By estimate 200 pages of material and so far

No sign of a plot.

Five

Five issues left to do.

Mostly writing/lettering

From left to right: sketch for a tribute strip, script for Suomaa 44, Suomaa 44

High point

My favorite from the Suomaa run so far is the lament of Ämmä above. Many things planned, but might never come to be since the strip is cancelled. Shit happens but I take it lightly.

Let u know

I'll let u know when I do something half decent.

Ambitious

I have ambitious plans for my next project. Probably too ambitious for any normal publisher. So might turn to self publishing. Thinking of print runs of maximum 50 copies. Thinking of print runs of zero.
Don't necessarily feel that I would like my books to be read. Definitely not today.

Estimate

This is the latest Suomaa. The paper I have making this strip is changing format and dropping the strip. It's an ongoing story and I estimate that there's still 100 pages left to do to sort of conclude the story. But for now there are five chapters and that's it.
This will leave me more time for Läskimooses, though, so maybe it's good. The stories of Uro and Kale, Kellervo and her daughters Suruna and Nolona, Jusse the dreamer, Cinza-women, Uhlu and most impirtantly the mysterious hunter will apparently have to wait.

Think

I think I have 9 or 10 pages finished of issue 49. Been a bit sluggish, like some momentum missing. Well I have this flu or what it is and neck ache. Every panel finished is a panel less remaining. But these Mars stories will need something extra... a new groove. Do I still have faith in Läskimooses? Haha 8 years! Will be 10 before it's all finished.

Read

Read parts of one past issue. If I am to edit this thing, there are going to be things to do. No idea how much. Bigger part of the changes would be in the text. Maybe 90 per cent. Or 97. Some changes in wording. An occasional larger re-writing. I would say nothing major. Another thing is how much I will correct the rhythm which would mean adding panels/pages. Not to mention the notes that I have now divided into two: Suomaa and then all the other notes. The other notes, will they belong to the work in such way that they need to be within it? Suomaa will be a separate book (books). These kind of things and I'm working on 49.

Now

Classes going in full steam. Saturday saw something that'll be pretty great in year or 2. Läskimooses 49 is on the move. Three pages finished. Was a bit hard to start and the humidity still going on is making drawing harder than I'd prefer. Scraperboard will be destroyed in no time at all. Sometimes like this.

Classes

Classes starting and maybe this semester too many. Feel a bit exhausted. Also I would like to have more time with the students, for the moment the courses are quite thight with . Not enough room to breath. It has been slowly getting worse. When I started the maximum student count was 12, now it's 16. Just too many to manage. Hoping this will drop in the future. The people deciding these things...I don't know who they are but pretty sure they never were on my class.

Plan

Finish the book. Edit and correct. Add notes (150 pgs). Start a new project.

Keep

Keep those Läskimooses issues in a safe place since I'd say that chances there's be a collection some day are slim. In Finnish that is. A French collection pretty sure. An English collection maybe. But chances of a Finnish collection are at 15 per cent. Some issues are already close to be sold out so that's it. That's going to be it.
I left Otava in 2005 after they ruined my Kekkonen book. After that I've been with Kreegah bundolo, easily the best choice for me. And Läskimooses wouldn't have happened without Hans Nissen. Same goes for Kova länsi and India-book. Silvia Regina would've been a mess if I had done it with any other publisher.
Good times.
But Läskimooses in a book form... unlikely. 1500 pages with the notes. That would mean 3 to 4 volumes with separate volume/s for the notes. Sure, send me the euros and it will be done. As it is, I can't see it happening. I will move on in 2021. Already planning the new book. And I will edit the Läskimooses material for my French publisher. Fix some things that need to be fixed. Remains to be seen.

Although

Although starting my next book for real is still 2 or 3 away I'm already collecting material. The structure seems to be based on rather loose chapters. I have clear concepts for 5 or 6 but there's no plot in sight. I really like the concepts though, will be fun to do. Still I might need a plot eventually, and characters. There are all these possibilities... With Läskimooses the plot was pretty clear from the beginning but with this one it seems to be about something else. I might be forced to drop some of my ideas to make this work. Time will tell.

Wrapping

Wrapping up the week. Finished six panels today. Suomaa episode 41 will be done on monday. Quiet day at the gallery, probably because the heavy rain in the morning. Got my shoes and socks dripping wet.

Considering doing a poster for issue 48 or 49 next because of the surprise grant I got. Partly suspecting it was a mistake/dream. 

Latest Suomaa

This is episode 39! You can see them all at kirkkojakaupunki.fi

Just search for Suomaa or Hagelberg

Nuff said

6

Now 6 issues left and I'm planning the book I will do after this one. Six means somewhere 2020 I would be done, closer to Christmas. But the notes and the editing. The book should be out in edited form in French at least. Finnish I'm not so sure. It is costly business. It would be easier to edit the book first for a Finnish version, though. Well...
Not necessary to make any decisions for the moment.
The next 4 issues are Kalevala based. Started reading it to bring it all back. Peculiar thing is that we didn't have so much Kalevala in the school although the book is pretty brilliant. I was also a fan of Rauta-aika tv series when it came out. I'm not sure how it has stood the test of time. Should also rewatch the soviet/finnish Sampo. That one I saw in school. Really cool movie. I wouldn't mind a new Kalevala tv-series. Should start really abstract. Actually I think it should be done bit like Twin Peaks 3.  Plot isn't everything.

Next

Next book in planning stage. Already I've discussed it with several people. In that sense quite different from Läskimooses which started unexpected like cancer. The new project requires some reading and interviews although I'm not going towards any historical accuracy. Other things interest me with this one.
Last night was the night of arts and I stayed at the gallery until 21. Hans came from Hämeenlinna but sales were low. Several people visited the show and I was especially delighted to see some of my former  students there. Time moves on. Managed to finish issue 48 yesterday which pretty much means only 6 issues left. I haven't really considered quitting this book at any stage but it starts to feel long and heavy. I often think of the mistakes I would like to correct. They aren't that many. Most of the mistakes need to stay. The whole thing was built on mistakes.

Know

At this stage it's maybe too late but I would really like to know what it was all about. I mean there are spots in the story that I really think stand their ground and all. I was rereading some issues and it wasn't unpleasent. BUT
What is special about the project? What are the strongest points? What is the direction I should ...maybe...push? Hard to say? I mean, I think there is something in the poor man's Gustave Dore type of drawings. Yes, maybe. And the writing, it isn't all that bad. BUT
Is there something really special in this thing? Or have I wasted the 8 years.
It would be really really helpful to know.

Luck

With any luck this is the last exhibition I'll do or participate in.

One

One of these days I'll do something half decent.

First

First day back to work. Mostly I spent the day drawing panels. Did some writing (and reading) too. Issue 48 being pulled together. There are some spots that I'd prefer to be better written so I might have to get back to those. Interesting issue to do. Several elements to play around with. This will be either 42 pages or 48. More info soon.

August etc.

Next wednesday it's back to work. Issue 48 was left unfinished in June and I will try to conclude it the next couple of weeks. The Song of Läskimooses exhibition is on at the Cable Factory and I will be working at the gallery on weekdays. On 15th is the night of arts and I will be there slightly longer. Come and say hi if you're in the city. Suomaa strip will require more chapters end of August and I will try to deliver. Plan is also to do a surprise poster, but we'll see... Here some pics of the exhibition:

Editing

I edited the 52nd issue of Kuti. I put the issue together with the works of my former students. Good part of the stories were created within some of my classes. This fact made the editing easier than it otherwise would've been. I had a clear idea of the stories that were going to be in the issue. Without this prior knowledge (and the work done during the classes) the thing would've been much more difficult. The structure of the issue and the order of the stories was clear to me from the very beginning. I knew how I wanted to start the issue and how to end it. Susanna Kesänen's excelleng fragments played a big role in the overall choreography. The one/two pagers placed between longer pieces gave the issue a rhythm and meaning. They tied the separate pieces together.
I will probably not do this kind of editing thing very soon, but if I did, I would probably want to work close with the artists in a similar way that I do with my students. Now I feel a bit sorry that I haven't kept track of all the pieces done during my classes from 1998 to this day. Some real gems there. Some of them publushed somewhere later but not all. Hannerikna Moisseinen for example had a beautiful pictureless horse story in my class at Theatrw Academy years back. And then there was this one woman who did a color study with color pencils of the complete Lucky Luke book Tender foot. Memories...

Strangely

Strangely I have drawn most of the pictures for issue 48. Now what remains is the writing.

Latest Suomaa

This might go any possible way

Tohtori Matti Hagelberg
Laulu Läskimooseksesta

3.8.-8.9.2019 
MUU Kaapeli

Näyttelyn avajaiset perjantaina 2.8.2019 klo 17-19. Tervetuloa!

Elokuussa 2019 Läskimooses-sarjakuvalehti siirtää toimintansa kuukaudeksi MUU Kaapeliin Kaapelitehtaalle. Tohtori Matti Hagelberg työskentelee näyttelytilassa viitenä päivänä viikossa 7.8.19 alkaen. Näyttelyvierailla on mahdollisuus seurata tohtori Hagelbergin vuonna 2012 aloitetun 1500-sivuisen sarjakuvateoksen numeron 48 valmistumista. 

Näyttelytilan seiniä koristavat elegantteihin tammikehyksiin kehystetyt originaalisivut, jotka tarjoavat vierailijoille poikkileikkauksen Läskimooseksen seitsemänvuotisesta tarinasta. Originaalisivujen rinnalle on näyttelyyn valittu mukaan kaikkein viehättävimmät esimerkit lehden monipuolisesta takakansitaiteesta. Läskimooseksen laajempia teemoja avaa kaksi useampisivuista sarjaa, joissa kaaos kohtaa järjestyksen ja alkukantainen voima teknologian.

Näyttelyn yhteydessä julkistetaan mm.:

Tohtori Hagelbergin B.E.M. -sarjan numero 22, Ex-mark 00 - Läskimooses-lehden sivutuotteina syntyneitä loppuunkäytettyjä ja kuivuneita Textmark-kyniä on koottu tyylinmukaiseen hienostuneeseen pahvilaatikkoon, jota on mahdollisuus ostaa näyttelytilasta. Teoksen editio on 200 kappaletta ja jokainen pahvilaatikko sisältää aitoustodistuksen.

Uusimpien mittaustulosten mukaan piirretyn Marsin kartta - Kartta on painettu offsetilla kolmivärisenä ja jokainen kartta on signeerattu ja numeroitu. Kartan editio on 200 kappaletta.

Läskimooses numero 47 - Julkistetaan näyttelytilassa Taiteiden yönä 15.8. Lehden päätoimittaja Hans Nissen saapuu paikalle viihdyttämään yleisöä ja esittelemään tohtori Matti Hagelbergin muuta tuotantoa.

"Expansive and expandable, Läskimooses is part retro-neurotic science fiction, part Outsider creation myth, part Finnish national origin, part oddball Gospel, part long-lost cosmogony, part alien encyclopaedia, part never-ending pulpy saga, part man-versus-ape pithecophobia, part cultish evolutionary theory. And ultimately, like none of them at all. And like nothing else yet seen in the medium."
Paul Gravett, Artreview

"Twin Peaks on Läskimooseksen rinnalla kevyttä kamaa. Läskimooses on todellinen nykysarjakuvan koelaboratorio."
Olli Kangassalo, Kulttuuricocktail

Lisää tohtori Matti Hagelbergista ja Läskimooseksesta YLE Areenassa (linkki: https://areena.yle.fi/1-4114476 )

Läskimooses-lehden voi tilata kotiinsa osoitteesta kreegah.net

Kiitos: 
Taiteen edistämiskeskus 
Kreegah bundolo

Tiedustelut:
Matti Hagelberg, mattihagelberg(a)gmail.com, +358 40 703 84 07
MUU, muugalleria(a)muu.fi, +358 (0)9 625 972

Passing

Kind of dislike the idea of an exhibition. Still I'm doing it. At least then it's done. All and all don't feel I want to show anything. Not looking for new readers or new publishers. I'm only in it for the money.  It's something to make time more easy passing. And I have to finish it since I started it.

Books

Books I have to read
1. Old testament. Going at 2nd book of Samuel
2. Remembrance of things past. Going at book five
3. DfW oblivion
4. Pynchon V
5. Pynchon Mason and Dixon

Sometimes

Sometimes a week just goes by. Issue 48 proceeds but slow. Have been feeling lazy and at loss with rhythm. Now a week ahead away from studio. Will try to kick the text forwards. Summer always so sticky.

If

Issue 48 would be finished if it only had the covers.

2 many

Takes 2 years 2 finish this. And after? Well this is the problem, I have 2 many ideas. And I want to do them all! This latest one... maybe I should find someone to do it.

End

Will be starting issue 48 next week. Now the end is really starting. With 49 the story will move to Mars for 4 issues. 53 and 54 will conclude the story. End is near.

48 Käsittätehty pyramidi
49 Kauniin neidin kilvoitus
50 Lempinkäisen sotiinlähtö
51 Sampon varastus
52 Murjaanien kuningas
53 Idiootin kertoma tarina
54 Thendis

I'll just leave this here

Was hoping for the subtitles but didn't happen. https://areena.yle.fi/1-4114476

Anyways here it is.

Idiot

I'm an idiot having started this thing that I now can't stop for so many reasons. A book with like 100 readers that will take 10 years to conclude. Somewhat badly drawn and badly written. And I dread the moment I will have to edit/rewrite the couple of places that are so "off" that I need to correct. Although it was supposed to include the MISTAKES. 7 issues to go and then still about 100 pages of "notes". See you in 2022 if I'm lucky.
It's not too late to subscribe if this "experiment" interests you.

Show

My show THE SONG OF LÄSKIMOOSES opens August 2nd in Cable Factory Helsinki. What I know so far:
-issue 47 comes out
-poster, the map of Mars is printed
-a special box thingie B.E.M 22 comes out

Those at least. And I'm going to be working in the gallery almost every day. On 15th of August something special.

The show closes after the Helsinki comics festival, so if you're around...

Work

Past 2 weeks I've been pushing forward Suomaa strip. Have 34 episodes now finished. Not getting much feedback, so I don't really know whether anyone is reading. But like I've said before, all feedback is toxic, so better like this.
This week I've managed to finish 4 to 5 panels in a day which is pretty good. This might ofcourse change in a minute, but so far so good. Plan is to stock material enough to last until end of August. Now I've done July. Two more to go and I can again switch to Läskimooses. Currently thinking if I should do a set of the "notes" for Läskimooses before the story ends instead of doing them all after it is concluded. I have 4 pages for issue 46 that I would feel like doing. But there are at least 4 more pages of notes for that issue lined up so I don't really know. Will know more in August. But hey, the main story, depending of what you view as the main story, it is either concluded or 3 issues short of being concluded. This is real, it is happening.

Latest from Suomaa

Pretty good

Got a pretty good idea what an art (comics) student needs and it's not computers
Or pads
Or vr
...

Occasionally

Occasionally in the middle of work I find myself asking "can I write this" or "can I draw this", will it offend someone? Each time I get this notion I see it as an answer  "now you must."

Notes

Thinking of the so called notes. Realized they will take a year to do. Approximately a year. Need to list them. Some cool stuff coming along.

46

Soon going to printer. Went through all the boxes of original pages. Really hard to look at some of those. Something has happened. More detail at least. Not saying that I'm satisfied with the current style or the level of writing/drawing, but something has at least happened while working on this project. And now I have year and a half left to go, not counting the notes.

Secrets

Läskimooses was meant to be about secrets. And I think it has.
Some of the secrets I mean to keep from even my publisher for until it's time to draw them. These are:
-the one about Adorno Naulastus
-the one about Agner Mang
-the one about the scar Kalevi has on his forehead (like Tarzan, you know)
-the one about the ice breaker and what is going on around it

I'm probably keeping some secrets from myself too. Those are the nicest secrets.

Issue 47

Issue 47 is now more or less finished. Cover needs to be done. On tuesday then since monday I have classes. Also the special project B.E.M. 22 moved onwards. Issue 46 soon cleaned up.
Now the problem is: I don't know which colors the following 3 issues should be... or maybe I do. Anyways issues 49, 50, 51 and 52 I have a pretty clear idea.

I don't wanna talk about my work.

Today

Made some espresso. Drank a cup. Put Rheingold on. Started washing the windows. Washed 4 windows. Had a shower. Went to the studio. Worked for some time. Listened to the Smiths. Finished when 10 panels left of the issue. Had lunch at Namaskaar. Went to see cap Marvel. Returned home. Put Walkure on. Played playstation. Read DFW's Oblivion. Katja came home. Went out to get pizza's. Had a beer while waiting. So far so good.

Working on

-the last 2 pages of issue 47 (and the covers)
-scripts for the Suomaa 34 to 36
-plans for the exhibition in August
-issue 47 B (secret)
-b.e.m. #22... for the exhibition (secret)
-editing Kuti 52
-last classes this spring
-script of issue 48

5, 7, 2...

5 pages remaining of issue 47. Then 7 issues remaining. 2 years maybe less. End of 2020 most likely.
Really having problems connecting. No problem really, just don't feel like seeing anyone or belonging to any group larger than family. Only new people I want to meet are the students.

THE ANCIENT RELIGION OF SUOMAA PEOPLE. Part 2

Those who have studied the birth of the world more than others, say that it was born from emptiness.

And that it waslike an empty and blind bubble and it was surrounded by light all around.

But on the surface of the emptiness, objects were moving like objects move on a blind eyeball. And the greatest of those objects was Ohto.

And when Ohto moved alone in the darkness, it was hit by another object and when that object hit Ohto, a spark was struck.

And that spark lit up the heavenly lights and the flow of time began and the space became visible.

And the first age of space is said to be the age of the Sempiternals, as it was then that the Sempiternals awoke from their slumber.

And they had slept all through the age of emptiness, but now they were awake and now they traveled in space.

Next: Age of the Sempiternals 

A LONG TIME AGO: In the Kuiper belt there was a giant planet called Giganius where giants dwelled.

BUT NOW: There are hundreds of dwarf planets where dwarfs live.

What was it that destroyed Giganius?

Betsy

 My faithful Betsy

Latest Suomaa

Maybe translation some day...

Window

Yesterday was pretty useless. Wound up working on a single panel and at the end of the day cutting it out of the page. Happens occasionally.
In general I have little love for my stuff. Having to look at it makes me feel uncomfortable. But there's this window when I'm not at all critical. Usually during the actual work. I sort of manage to skip all the things I dislike. But when it's over it's over. After sometime I'm again able to look at the thing and maybe even value in it. Most of the time I'm just not satisfied.

Will

Will I miss Läskimooses when it's gone sometime next year?

-yes
-no
-maybe
-who says it'll ever be over?

So

So, Läskimooses is moving along nicely. At the same time I try to proceed with the exhibition I have in August. Plan is to have the pieces framed next month. I don't even know why I have the exhibition. Just happened. Not really my thing. Too much attention to things that are in no way interesting. But there are plans for a couple of special things that might turn out nice. Posters and such. And trying to find a place to make a box for one special thing. This has turned out surprisingly hard. And I would just much rather push issue 47 forwards.

Sense of humor

I don't have enough sense of humor to ever participate to Sarjakuvafinlandia competition.

Routine

Tomorrow I have mostly routine things to do: Drawing panels and lines for lettering, maybe start lettering issue 47. Should also letter two Suomaa strips and proof read the two finished pages. This means tomorrow should be a rather relaxing although slightly tedious day. Listening to some Finnish opera and maybe T-model Ford or Captain Beefheart and drawing straight lines. Lettering requires more attention but is still pretty straight forward. Plan is to keep issue 47 in 16 pages. Same plan as in 45 and 46 haha!
Later in the evening I'll have a critique at Aalto open university. Enjoy those, jolly good fun. The group is good too. Several of the people first time working with nib and ink and they're doing real good.

THE ANCIENT RELIGION OF THE SUOMAA PEOPLE. Part 1

1.From behind a pine tree peeks a hunter of Suomaa.

2.For a long time he’s been looking for his prey, made his offerings to the lord of the forest, roamed the lands and toured the backwoods.

3.Now he asks for a deer for himself, the meat for him to eat and the skins for him to sell.

4.Carefully he approaches his prey, careful not to reveal himself by stepping on a branch or a twig that the adversarial spirits might have placed on the hunter’s trail.

5.This hunter is experienced, he knows the signs, knows the omens, knows the ways of the forest and it’s magic.

6.Finally he makes sure that no air spirit castles are in the way of his arrow or no mannor of the Hiisi are where his prey would fall.

7.Pakka Pokka Plaka

Then he sets the arrow on the string and speaks the kill words.

8.One wonders whence came the woodsman here and what kind of world he lives in, what forces rule over his life?


Next: The birth of the world

Hard

Last 3 or 4 Suomaa strips have been somehow really hard, but now it seems to be getting easier. Couple of scripts ahead that I'm really looking forwards to do. In a story like this there are certain things you have to write in order to build up things towards something. Sometimes you have to do stuff that doesn't feel all that interesting. And you try to make it work. And then there is stuff that is rewarding in itself. Like these two episodes on pieninkäiset. Two or three, don't quite know yet. And soon I will get to one of my favorite parts of the story: first appearance of Lempinkäinen.

Sketching Suomaa

Simple

Although starting my next book is still at least three years ahead I'm well under way planning it. And what started as pretty simple story taking place in turn of the century Africa has now twisted into something much more complex. And it'll keep on evolving.

Been reading Tarzan books to my son. Pretty good entertainment. And ofcourse there's colonialism and racism but what I find intiguing is the sense of real. How is this created when the story is anything but? Well I have pretty good idea. Still it's somehow magical. Creating a world.

Newspaper comics

But not the way they are today. Really love the Flash Gordons and Prince Valiants and Gasoline Alleys. Bring them back! There is plenty of talent around it's just a question of money and not even that - a question of vision. Wouldn't it be great to have a real comics supplement once more!

...

Soon changing again to Läskimooses. Issue 47  is about to be started. 47... that's something. 

But still 2 or one and half pages of Suomaa strip before that. Soon though.

Goals

-to finish Läskimooses (2 yrs)
-to finish the notes of Läskimooses (1yr)
-to start and finish the book after Läskimooses (5 to 6 yrs)
-to finish the book started in 2011 and left unfinished (6 months)

-to make my publisher rich (might take a while)

Luck

With any luck I won't be seen at any comics/art/literature related function. For oh so many reasons.

Suomaa

Always tricky to move from Läskimooses to the strip. Although they are parts of the same story there are differences in the approach. For one I'm not sure who is the narrator in Suomaa strip. In Läskimooses the narrator was more or less the main thing in the story. Anyways, now I'm back to Suomaa and working on part 32 and it's going, let's say, as it should. Plan is to finish 5 and then get back to Läskimooses, which is beckoning for me. Issue 46 is going to be another turning point in the story and there's going to be ACTION. nuff said.

Plans

I have a plan for a book. I think it's a good plan. Real excited whenever I think of it. Meanwhile I have 2 years to go with Läskimooses, not counting the "notes" and editing. I have this nasty feeling that time is running out. And I still have things to do. Things I want to do real well, as good as I'm able.
But this plan... it combines several themes I have felt strongly about for years. I really really would like to do it. For real.

Case

Case you're interested: all pages drawn in 46. Texts missing here and there. Trouble with cover. 1095 pages drawn.

Been

Been working on issue 46 since January. Had to have some breaks in order to keep up with the Suomaa strip. Now a week more. More or less. 2 pages not done, Some adjustments with texts and pics, cover and backcover and that's it. Or almost. More on this later. In many ways issue 46 is a culmination. After this issue it really is downhill. Oh, there are twists and turns, but for instance issues 49 to 52 are Mars/Kalevala stories. Yes we'll get back to Kalevi and his friend in 53 and 54 and the final shock is in 54...shocks. You'll see when we get there. Less than 2 years now.

39

Had a fever of 39 C for 2 days. Now slowly recovering. Meanwhile the recent "discussions" within the Finnish so-called scene have escaleted to such idiocy that I want no part of any of it. Tomorrow I will get back to work. And from now on interviews and such are not part of the work.

Evolve

I love the very early stages of a book when you start with a concept and then it starts to evolve into something completely different. And then it's still somehow the same book but now hidden inside of something stranger.

Planning ahead