So my world comics category is a bit lacking in some areas. As much as my Filipino Comics post remains a good entrance point to my website, other countries have some great stories to tell but there’s barely anything to say about them.
I was thinking of making a list of different countries’ comics on one post on Gutternaut… but SEO would just get in the way of that. Liable to change sure but it’ll be nice to have something to start on.
This one goes out to all of the other countries who visited my website. (Even if it was a VPN)
Romanian Comics
Romania’s comic history is sparse to say the least. This crossroad country of Central and Eastern Europe actually has a list of its best local comics. Most of which are adaptations of fairy tales or historical events. One subreddit agrees with the list that "Harap Alb Continuă" is the best out of all of them even if it is just a strip. But then again Prince Valiant is still around today; so who am I to complain? I mean this strip’s got a Fandom website (in Romanian).
Tragically unlike Prince Valiant it didn’t get a new life because it’s publisher went out of business. Same applies to one of HAC’s competitors Tinerețe fără bătrânețe. So glad I don’t need to try and pronounce this.
But that’s not even the worse part, even translations of popular titles like Marvel superheroes and the Walking Dead didn’t last.
Who’s to blame for this? We can start with the Soviet propaganda that obscured what came before. What came after barely had any traction, with most publishers focusing on kid stuff with big international audiences. That’s right people, Spongebob and Asterix are bigger than the MCU! Unless you count teenagers and manga.
Despite all of that, more recent comic publications like Vacanța lui Nor have original titles. Even if they share space with licenses like Smile and Amulet. But hey, there’s nothing wrong with moderate cross-pollination.
Besides not all of the Romanian comic scene are the child friendly stuff. There’s plenty of horror titles like the work of Geroge Dragan.
As for anything in another language like English. You might have to get creative and look for Zbeng & Zbântui in unlikely places. Because I think this is the only one I could find.
There are also efforts to support local talents. Like the online magazine RevistaCOMICS that promotes these creators. As well as Romania’s main comic publisher GRAFIC that educates the public to make them comic fans easier.
Does any of this prove my theory of comics needing a healthy economy and free speech? Well Romania does have an increase in economic opportunity. And its Freedom of Speech is pretty high right now, more than a couple of Eastern European countries even. But comic-cons and foundations of an industry? Can’t find anything.
Bolivian Historietas
Special mention to Edwina Popescu and Georgina Phillips of the Bolivian Express.
Bolivian comics like many others started as political satire. One of the most famous was the Cascabel magazine. And then the military took over in 1971, any form of free speech (especially satire) was banned.
Twenty years later, the dictatorships would end and imports from other countries like the US and Japan came in. Spurred on by these comics, Bolivian creators tried to make their own. But the only one people talk about is Super Cholita. Enough for people to make short cartoons in tribute. I guess combining superheroes with the simpler detail art from manga and local traditions hit a sweet spot.
For reference Super Cholita is pretty much their version of Superman in his earliest days. She’s a domestic worker with a lot of intelligence, especially when it comes to how political matters affect her community and the rest of Bolivia. Of course, even in-story she sounds like a dissatisfied mother-in-law.
But maybe that’s because she’s meant to channel Bolivian youth. Don’t worry that doesn’t just mean being whiny. Much like Superman inspiration Gladiator and the Man of Steel himself, Super Cholita can’t work miracles to push Bolivia forward. Having superpowers can’t do much other than be a form of self-expression. Plus she loves the little things like potato cakes… a little too much. Enough to steal from a stall when no one’s looking, justifying herself by saying the economic situation affects everyone.
That economic standpoint pretty much fits into the Bolivian Comic scene as a whole. There isn’t a lot of ways to publish other than self-publishing and that can get expensive, especially without digital formats. Nevermind how messy distribution is without efficient circulation. Sometimes Comic Cons and other events are the only way for artists to network and sell to their biggest audience. Otherwise libraries help get around that for more casual readers and artists who don’t have a lot of money.
Or go the entire digital route as most blog posts about Bolivian comics are the web variety. Especially with the growing popularity of webtoons. Enough for people to organize opportunities to grow like Creative Residences.
Spanish Comics
Next to impossible to find because my computer can’t tell the difference between comic books in Spanish from comics from Spain. The most I could initially do was my old Amigo Comics post.
The only thing worth repeating is that they started in middle ages themed magazines. Then it’s just blah-blah dictatorships, then comes blah-blah greater bureaucracy.
These days Spain’s trying to improve the working conditions as well as making comics look more serious as a field of study. It seems to have worked to a degree with radio stations having some space to talk comics. Stuff like the Spanish classics: comedy duos like Mortadelo y Filemon, historical adventurers like El Capitan Trueno, parodies like Super Lopez, and youth adventures with the likes of Cuto. Yes, radio is still a thing in the US and other countries too.
But policies could be better for comics to be more mainstream. What with all of the accessory costs like copyright and advertisement becoming too expensive as a result. That’s the main reason you don’t see many things come out of the Iberian peninsula including those classics. A shame considering the effort to show the obscure things like Azucen y Florita.
Irish Comics
No, being lumped with British Comics doesn’t count. Especially since some of them are written in Gaelic. But so far none of those from a number of the independent publishers like Rogue Comics. As well as Irish Comics Dot IE. Because when your world is shaken by a pandemic, you gotta at least make yourself distinct. Can’t live in 2000AD’s shadow forever you know.
New Zealand Comics
Not much to be said. There’s an archive going back as far as the 90s back by a library. But not much of a push to nurture local talent.
Finland’s Sarjakuva
There’s more than just Moomins, but that’s the most popular title.
Apparently it all started in the 1850s with unsolicited fan-fiction. But the first local comic book didn’t appear until 1911 with Professori Itikaisen tutkimusretki before that went into a magazine. Then there came Pekka Puupää which became an icon to the point of the main character’s hat becoming a comics award. Probably because he connects with readers who come up short in everyday life and come up with exaggerated solutions to simple problems.
Surprisingly there’s no mention of censorship anywhere in these comics. That’s all despite the presence of the Soviets. I’d like to think it was the co-op publishers and foreign distributors. But that’s wishful thinking; I couldn’t find anything else. Although there was an apparent lack of interest in comics until the 1960s. That’s despite Pekka Puupää and the Moomins lasting well after that.
As early as the 70s, comics were considered something to be studied. Not that there weren’t regulations for underground magazines to work around. These would apparently help readers think for themselves in ways other than a status quo. That’s what a thesis says anyway.
But it would take a longer time for institutions to take comics more seriously. Enter the Finish Comics Society, acting as both an advertisement board and a library. With the collection supported by donations, there are no systemic takeovers. Those are for the publishers to deal with.
To this day, quality comics and graphic novels are released at a steady annual rate. That’s all alongside translated comics.
Dutch Comics
Started with Penny Prints, some kind of early gossip drawings. Thanks to a Constitution, freedom of speech is all but assured even satire. That included using comics from other countries’ newspapers. So you know, people push for local talent to take their place. But the only one people talk about from the 1920s is a Bulletje end Bonestaak. Most of the comics were for the dreamy, fairytale look.
But then censorship rears its ugly head, in the form of Nazi Germany. But with American comics occupied, new titles like Dick Bos featuring a PI who uses his wits and Jiujitsu come in. Enough to get parents to get up-and-arms about this character being a bad influence. Somebody didn’t take the time to see how self-defense is used in the stories then. At least you don’t have anyone confusing him of being a pedophile like in Seduction of the Innocent.
I guess it’s good that the softer Toonder Studios would appear to even out the atmosphere. It’s where a lot of talented artists would go to create whimsy.
If that’s too safe for readers, some adventures like Kapitein Rob give people a little more in thrills. That’s pretty much what the 60s was all about, giving appreciation to comics as an art form.
It looked like Dutch Comics would be successful well into the 90s. Even as magazines go out of fashion, newspapers still offer opportunities before graphic novels come in. But even this gets comics into the niche product label. It wouldn’t be any surprise if webcomics gain a presence in the Netherlands at any time. The economy can support that with the right business sense.
Danish Tegneserie
Denmark’s comics are a bit harder to nail down.
But a number of people from the Danish Culture blog agree the origins are the same. You know newspaper satirical cartoons and strips. As well as children’s literature.
But that might be because Seduction of the Innocent reached Denmark! A democratic-socialist education minister even made a proposal for someone to spend a year in prison if material was too “offensive”. Not even the American stuff was safe because the journalist who brought this to everyone’s attention attacked Tintin as an insane fantasy. But parents could still buy this stuff for their kids. It’s just that the reputation made it hard.
So yeah, comics had to be toned down. But that didn’t stop that minister’s committee from making biased studies. Even Norway got in on the action in 1956 to fight comics. Not that anybody paid much attention. A few library lecturers pointed out just how stupid these claims against them are. It wasn’t until 1989 that the officials admitted they were wrong.
From what little I can find, comics for the most part were underground in the 80s. You know fanzines and trying to sell through as many stores that can tolerate the medium. But Carlsen Comics was an exception since it came from Germany, selling translated versions of popular comics. Got better in the 90s when it started selling manga.
By the 2000s, creators and publishers started to become more ambitious. Fahrenheit went from being a translator of popular series to publishing Danish made comics. One of which was the Halfdan Pisket trilogy, a heart-wrenching look at a refugee adjusting to life in Denmark. In fact most Danish works are published here, according to its founder. Of course there are other publishers like Carlsen Comics’ catalogue buyer Cobolt. As well as a few others like Forlaens and Gyldendal.
Today, there are comic stores in places like the capital Copenhagen. Plus there are blogs and artists who get local attention. Not to mention libraries are willing to help each other out in circulation. Yeah there are plenty of cons for different comic types too. But I’m not sure how many are around the country or just in Copenhagen.
Most of what’s considered Danish mainstream appears to be adventure and historical fiction with the publisher Eudor. Meanwhile Comic Factory’s content seems to be speculative fiction especially when it comes to epic sci-fi like The Shadow Ark and Kijara. Of course, I can’t forget Fahrenheit with its more experimental titles like Homunculus. These are just among several publishers available for foreign rights.
I’m not sure what the status for webcomics and other online/digital formats is but they can’t be too hard to find.
Serbian Stripovi
Okay this is on my main website since it was more than I thought it would be. I just wanted to leave a link to my first Stripovi publisher Brale Studios.
Peruvian Historietas
Peru doesn’t have much documented. But the things that are show that it started with the familiar newspaper cartoons and strips. Then came the magazines, a few storytelling masters that no one outside the country has heard of. The 70s bring in the alternative scene especially in left-wing ideologies. Don’t cringe, Peru’s military government could get overbearing. Besides some leftists under people like Sendero Luminoso were more of a lesser evil anyway.
Besides it’s not like comics caught onto every age group. The ones aimed at kids pretty much typecast comics like they usually do. Because what do you think when see pictures of guinea pigs? Especially when some 90 Peruvians can’t read? You might blame Alberto Fujimori’s administration or a lot of Peru getting privatized by power companies for causing inflation.
Thankfully the 2000s were a time for change including a new president. But enough about political parallels, the only things we need to know is that Peruvian comics faced an uphill battle.
A lot of magazines were forgotten, save for Carboncito. For twelve years it brought together local creatives with licensed foreign media. Frankly there were a few other magazines for horror, superheroes, and manga. A few notable titles come out of these like Los Zombies también lloran/The Zombies Also Cry. This satirical horror reflected the have-not’s abuse by the have’s. Another publisher called MED Comics went to newsstands to debut La Chola Power. It started a trend where a number of publishers tried to make their own superheroes. Often under MED or K-Comics’ label.
The efforts were enough for comics to get recognition outside of Peru’s capital, Lima. Thanks to the internet this is easier than ever. Today there are a few people making comics for entertainment as well as raising awareness. A lot of Peruvians see comics as a cost-effective means of communication. Wonder if webcomics are on the agenda?
Norsk Tegneserie
Not a lot to mention in terms of history but plenty to talk about. Like for over 100 years, annual Christmas comics are a Nordic tradition. It started with magazines for the working class Norse before moving to comics with the US’s Katzenjammer Kids. In reaction came the Vangsgutane to be more aspirational to a Norse. For that matter, it seems the Christmas annuals helped keep comics going, allowing for more original titles and reintroductions to older prints.
These days, whenever you hear about Norwegian comics, the most common name is Nemi. The strip started in the 90s as a tribute to Norway’s Metal music subculture. But like most long-running strips it goes into social commentary with the deadpan-humor of the title character elevating her opinions. Among the other parts of her life that connects with people.
Another is the Pondus series. It’s the first Norwegian comic to get its own magazine, following the titular soccer fanatic. Sure he’s a little too into the sport, to the point of injuring people. But he gets through life’s worries with help from his friends and loved ones.
One familiar Norsk name in any country is Jason, famous for his neutrality faced anthros. Stuff like Hey… Wait! and The Left Gang Bank.
To this day Norwegian comics are published regularly thanks to publisher Egmont and a few others. Some look a bit like manga such as the Ragnarok fantasy series. In fact there are a lot of Norwegian urban fantasy comics. Although it wouldn’t surprise me if there are more on the digital side. Papercutz also got the license for such a Tegneseries called The Inventor.
Colombian Historietas
They exist, just not very well talked about. The earliest thing I could find is something called Tirofijo va a Malaga y otras selecciones from 1994. Meaning there were at least strips for a time. Today there’s Aluna Studios who have released some stuff in English like the Lemuria urban fantasy series. Although they also publish novels (web and illustrated). Otherwise all Colombian Comics can be found on this website.
Algerian Comics
Algeria is a very recent addition to countries with comics. Heck, there isn’t a lot of promotion for illustrators or graphic storytellers in general. Apparently it all started in the 50s’ colonial press with Ismael Aït Djafer with the usual satirical cartooning despite constraints. But the “Fathers” of Algerian comics are a number of people like a (late) Mohamed Aram with the strip Nâar, une sirène à Sidi Ferruch in 1967, Ahmed Haroun (not to be confused with some war criminals), and Slim (no Shady) who founded magazines. Not to mention a festival to encourage creativity since the late 1980s since strips were getting collected into albums. At least until a civil war got in the way of that for all of the 90s and most of the 2000s.
That’s partly because of a need for freedom of speech. There was not a lot of it during the civil war and the twenty-year president would keep a lid on free speech. Things are only slightly better with Tebboune in charge, having imprisoned a cartoonist for drawing a caricature of him. Relax, he was let go early.
Most comics that took up Algeria’s time was manga anyway. The art and stories inspire creatives to take up the pen for themselves. The “DZ-Manga” like La Revolution and Victory Road prove to be major hits, becoming a subject of study.
Since the introduction of the FIBDA festival, local talent grows with workshops. Now more Algerian publishers share space with others on their side of the African continent. But things could always be better especially with distribution and getting new readers. Plus since paper is expensive, some other methods are welcome. Once freedom of speech and surveillance has been relaxed of course.
Turk cizgi roman
Turkish comics have been around since 1963 with magazines like Karaoğlan. Most series have mostly been short-lived including a shared universe taking place on a purple sky planet. But the latest things have been graphic novels with experimental storytelling like Kana Diz Kana.
Austrian Comics
Austria seems to follow similar trends to other comics. Started in the 1920s or 30s with comic strips and magazines. The kid stuff had Donald Duck and Felix the Cat comics, while a socialist tabloid featured Tobias Seicherl, a satire on Hitler sympathizers. Pretty sure Nazis censored content like that during WWII. Hence why after the war, Zwerg Bumsti signified a happier time with rhymes and a TV puppet show. Plus it got a competitor with Columbus, a comedy with a Raven that became a supporting character in his own title.
After many more commentary strips like MOFF. and The Life of Jesus, things got a bit more serious. I mean a stage production called Guide to Sexual Dissatisfaction got an adaptation. Then there comes Austria’s most famous comic: Austrian Superheroes. This award-winning comic has a lot of heart and soul in a wild story, capturing fans attention everywhere in Austria. Hopefully there’s always more.
Pakistani Comics
Pakistan has made more comic recent breakthroughs compared to other countries. Like many of their counterparts, Pakistani comics started in social/political newspaper cartooning. It started all the way back in the 1940s. Nothing directly related to WWII, just the country going through the motions for its independence from Great Britain. Including losing Bangladesh in the process of becoming an Islamic republic. But it had economic growth as well. Hence why the 2010s became the decade for comic publishers.
One of which made a small appearance in the US called CFx. Its mission was to deradicalize Islam’s reputation. But speaking to an artist who used to work there, it was a family run place with a lot of creative differences. All of the drama caused the artist to quit her job. Besides, their app was decommissioned and the company hasn’t had any activity since the pandemic. It seems to exist in-name-only at this point.
Fortunately there are others to help pick up the slack.
Take for example AzCorp Entertainment, same mission statement as CFx but goes the extra mile as a social enterprise that’s still running. And before anyone brings up any “Woke” arguments, these people actually use their award-winning projects to help fund social programs compared to companies who only pay it lip service. Plus the awards that its Team Muhafiz won add to the entertainment value.
Of course, I shouldn’t neglect the (arguably) first Pakistani comics publisher, Kachee Goliyan. This publisher focuses on adapting Urdu literature like Umro Ayar. They were smart enough to field test their products through Facebook. Gotta get an audience to get government backing to distribute them through their schools.
Some of them don’t even need a cause; Pakistan Man started off for fun and got a huge following on social media. Doesn’t mean that it can’t lead to a cause; the same publisher made a Pakistan Girl with the motto: Promoting Women’s Empowerment.
There’s always room for more comics with Comic Cons helping with the medium’s reach. Even better some people were able to show off their artistic talents. Comic stores start popping up too, showcasing stuff like Raat and Basila & The Street Club. These as well as PaakLegion create characters with grounded stakes in order to live their best lives. As well as exploring other avenues like Webtoons.
Nepali Comics
The most I could find in this category are Instagram commentaries and webtoons. The less resources used make them way more practical to develop and distribute, especially for international audiences. But physical stuff still helps for the inside of a country, even if it isn’t feasible right now.
Bangladeshi Comics
Only got one source called Dhaka Comics. This Bangladesh publisher has been around since 2013. Surprisingly though, they still go for international audiences… that speak English. But if they exist I haven’t found them. Might be because of the top menu’s interface.
Dominican Comics
So far the most vocal supporters are on this website. Most of the comics meanwhile are on Instagram and Webtoon.
Croatian Comics
This former half of Yugoslavia has its own history of comics. Aside from what was shared with Serbia, you’ve got your standard pieces. Stuff like political cartoons showing off the Adriatic Sea or newspaper strips getting albums. As well as Bonelli fumetti like Zagor, a title that remains popular to this day. Around the 80s, fanzines appear amidst Yugoslavia’s political/economic crisis.
As Serbia begins to break off from its former territories, these alternative comics gave Croatian artists a chance to express themselves amid the turbulence. Because with the Yugoslav Empire finished, Croatia needed a new identity, hence why these underground comix are still celebrated and given tribute. At least two anthology magazines Komikaze and Strop continue this creative spirit. The latter of which is a special order from the editor and part-time creator’s Facebook account. So they’re trying to become more relevant than the stagnant publishers banking on nostalgia.
Part 2
So I ran out of room here! I’ll be doing a followup in another post. Funny how comics pop up where you least expect.