HOME | DD

Description
Some of my influences and inspirations.

1. Jonas Darnell (Herman Hedning) There is probably no kid (and young adult) in Sweden who hasn't had a Herman Hedning period at least once. The Comic has been running for 26 years with no signs of stopping. In many ways Darnell is the original Swedish Fantasy/Sci-Fi illustrator although he´s doing it in a humoristic and cartoonish way.

2. Karl Johnsson (Vei, Mara Från Ulthar, Zoraks Röda Blomma, Berättelser Från Engelfors, Utopi Magasin) Another Swedish Fantasy Comic Book Artist. The picture is taken from his Viking Fantasy Comic Vei, wich is running in Utopi Magasin (sort of a Swedish version of Heavy Metal and 2000ad). Recommended for people who like Lovecraft and Robert E Howard.

3. Simon Bisley (Sláine, Judge Dredd, 2000ad, Heavy Metal etc.) Sláine is my favorite 2000ad comic, but to be completely honest, unlike Judge Dredd, Sláine is not a Comic that i return to for the deep storyline or themes. Sláine is a Comic i return to for the amazing art of wich Bisley is the king. His style reminds me of a more tripped out version of old paintings from the National Romanticist era wich is perfectly fitting for a comic about old Celtic Warriors from the Antiquity/Dark Ages.

4. Angus Mcbride (Osprey Publishing) I could not decide if i was going to put "history" as an influence or not, until i remembered Angus Mcbride. The fact of the matter is that nobody could make history come alive quite like him. The picture is his interpretation of the Battle Of Svolder from one of the Osprey Viking books and it is absolutely magnificent. But Mcbride did more than just Historical paintings. His illustrations to The Lord Of The Rings are some of my favourites in all of Fantasy.

5. Charlie Christensen (Arne Anka, Röde Orm) Im not just into Fantasy and Sci-Fi, i like all sorts of Comics including Underground and Alternative Comics, but they have to have some sort of effort put into them. I dont like it when the artists intentionally make them look like shit, wich is common. Charlie Christensen's Arne Anka was most likely influenced by Rombert Crumb's Fritz The Cat and to this day it is one of my favorite Underground Comics ever, mostly thanks to Christensens art wich has a clear Disney influence.

6. Leandro Fernández (Marvel, Vertigo) Im not really into Superheroes but if i had to choose one Marvel and one DC artist it would be Fernández. I first discovered his work through Brian Wood's Northlanders: The Plauge Widow and i've been a fan ever since.

7. Peter Bergting (Legenden Om Morwhayle, The Portent, Gängkrig 145, Mutant Chronicles) Peter Bergting is objectively the best Comic Book Artist in Sweden. There are many whose work i enjoy more but when measuring skill and international success Bergting is pretty much the best.

8. Kentaro Miura (Berserk) The problem with Anime and Manga is that it's very formulaic. There is a tendency to follow the leader that you dont see in Comics from other countries nearly as often. Someone made a Pseudo-Philosophical series about Giant Robots? I must make a Pseudo-Philosophical series about Giant Robots! Someone made a series about Jailbait Schoolgirls doing whatever? I must make a series about Jailbait Schoolgirls doing whatever! Berserk is a shining exception to the rule. Not only does it go against common tropes in Manga it goes against common tropes in Heroic Fantasy as well. Of course even if one ignores the overarching themes of wether man has any free will of his own or if a lone Barbarian can really fight destiny with weapons alone, it is a magnificent Fantasy story wich i rank among Conan, Lord Of The Rings and Elric Of Melnibone as one of the best.

9. Lynn Okamoto (Elfen Lied) When i first saw Elfen Lied it was like someone had swept away my legs from under me. The story perfectly encapsuled all the anxieties and demons that i myself was grappling with at the time. The premise is as simple as it is heartbreaking: violence begets violence, hatred begets hatred and even if we break this vicious cycle we cannot escape the consequences of our own actions. In most other fiction a horrible childhood would spur our hero into becoming a Badass avenger and If there is any personal tragedies it would be handwaved away. Elfen Lied shows that situation as it would really unfold: If you breed Snakes you will get bit and if you gaze into the Abyss it will gaze back into you.

Description
Some of my influences and inspirations.

1. Jonas Darnell (Herman Hedning) There is probably no kid (and young adult) in Sweden who hasn't had a Herman Hedning period at least once. The Comic has been running for 26 years with no signs of stopping. In many ways Darnell is the original Swedish Fantasy/Sci-Fi illustrator although he´s doing it in a humoristic and cartoonish way.

2. Karl Johnsson (Vei, Mara Från Ulthar, Zoraks Röda Blomma, Berättelser Från Engelfors, Utopi Magasin) Another Swedish Fantasy Comic Book Artist. The picture is taken from his Viking Fantasy Comic Vei, wich is running in Utopi Magasin (sort of a Swedish version of Heavy Metal and 2000ad). Recommended for people who like Lovecraft and Robert E Howard.

3. Simon Bisley (Sláine, Judge Dredd, 2000ad, Heavy Metal etc.) Sláine is my favorite 2000ad comic, but to be completely honest, unlike Judge Dredd, Sláine is not a Comic that i return to for the deep storyline or themes. Sláine is a Comic i return to for the amazing art of wich Bisley is the king. His style reminds me of a more tripped out version of old paintings from the National Romanticist era wich is perfectly fitting for a comic about old Celtic Warriors from the Antiquity/Dark Ages.

4. Angus Mcbride (Osprey Publishing) I could not decide if i was going to put "history" as an influence or not, until i remembered Angus Mcbride. The fact of the matter is that nobody could make history come alive quite like him. The picture is his interpretation of the Battle Of Svolder from one of the Osprey Viking books and it is absolutely magnificent. But Mcbride did more than just Historical paintings. His illustrations to The Lord Of The Rings are some of my favourites in all of Fantasy.

5. Charlie Christensen (Arne Anka, Röde Orm) Im not just into Fantasy and Sci-Fi, i like all sorts of Comics including Underground and Alternative Comics, but they have to have some sort of effort put into them. I dont like it when the artists intentionally make them look like shit, wich is common. Charlie Christensen's Arne Anka was most likely influenced by Rombert Crumb's Fritz The Cat and to this day it is one of my favorite Underground Comics ever, mostly thanks to Christensens art wich has a clear Disney influence.

6. Leandro Fernández (Marvel, Vertigo) Im not really into Superheroes but if i had to choose one Marvel and one DC artist it would be Fernández. I first discovered his work through Brian Wood's Northlanders: The Plauge Widow and i've been a fan ever since.

7. Peter Bergting (Legenden Om Morwhayle, The Portent, Gängkrig 145, Mutant Chronicles) Peter Bergting is objectively the best Comic Book Artist in Sweden. There are many whose work i enjoy more but when measuring skill and international success Bergting is pretty much the best.

8. Kentaro Miura (Berserk) The problem with Anime and Manga is that it's very formulaic. There is a tendency to follow the leader that you dont see in Comics from other countries nearly as often. Someone made a Pseudo-Philosophical series about Giant Robots? I must make a Pseudo-Philosophical series about Giant Robots! Someone made a series about Jailbait Schoolgirls doing whatever? I must make a series about Jailbait Schoolgirls doing whatever! Berserk is a shining exception to the rule. Not only does it go against common tropes in Manga it goes against common tropes in Heroic Fantasy as well. Of course even if one ignores the overarching themes of wether man has any free will of his own or if a lone Barbarian can really fight destiny with weapons alone, it is a magnificent Fantasy story wich i rank among Conan, Lord Of The Rings and Elric Of Melnibone as one of the best.

9. Lynn Okamoto (Elfen Lied) When i first saw Elfen Lied it was like someone had swept away my legs from under me. The story perfectly encapsuled all the anxieties and demons that i myself was grappling with at the time. The premise is as simple as it is heartbreaking: violence begets violence, hatred begets hatred and even if we break this vicious cycle we cannot escape the consequences of our own actions. In most other fiction a horrible childhood would spur our hero into becoming a Badass avenger and If there is any personal tragedies it would be handwaved away. Elfen Lied shows that situation as it would really unfold: If you breed Snakes you will get bit and if you gaze into the Abyss it will gaze back into you.