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

Week in review

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Things with a 1500 pg book

The things already written, that I forgot to have written and
The things unwritten that I'm not sure whether they are already written or not.
These things.
Not to be mixed.

Form

Thinking out the form of my next book, the book after L and notes to L. In many ways the favorite part of the process for me. I now have a pretty good idea of the beginning. Could start it any day. Any day after L is done. Book is called AGK in A.

Silvia Regina

Yes it seems this book is coming out in English. I don't want to jinx it but yes Lola Rogers is translating (at this very moment)and a LA based publisher is bringing it out. This book is probably the best that was done in my old style. Don't have a clue how it'll be read in the English speaking world.  Translation is something I feel strogly about. A good traslation is a work of art in itself. Looking forward to reading this.

Ordered

Ordered 5 boxes of Essdee scraperboard to get me through the next couple of years.

Instincts

If I had the liberty to follow my instincts to the fullest I would never give any interviews or in any way talk of my work to anyone.

Who will live who will die

In issue 46.

Synopsis

Wrote a quick synopsis for Suomaa strip parts 29 to 77. As usual there are spots I really can't wait to write and then the other spots that are more like built up to fortcoming events. And what's with my math! As I mentioned several times Läskimooses was supposed to be a 250 pg quickie and now it's going to be a 1500 behemoth. Same goes with Suomaa. I should have reached most of the main events in little over a year and now I'm still in the early stages of the story.