Comics / Comics News

Top Shelf Announces a Swedish Invasion

By The Editor
January 29, 2010 - 13:57

WELCOME TO THE TOP SHELF SWEDISH INVASION!

Välkommen!

Okay, so our mastery of the Swedish language stops there. But we've got to say how excited we are to welcome you to THE SWEDISH INVASION, our overall title for a whole host of amazing Swedish stuff coming to you from Top Shelf this spring.

By April, we'll have seven whole books showcasing the best of this hotbed of comics talent, including four full-length graphic novels, two incredible anthologies, and one full-color reference book by one of Sweden's top comic scholars! It's a veritable smörgåsbord of comics!

At New York's MoCCA Festival and Chicago's new C2E2 Convention, we'll bring along a whole host of the Swedish cartoonists who created these awesome books, and throw, not one, but two (!) killer parties to welcome them to the States in style. We hope you can join us in the celebration.

The comics scene in Sweden is a real treasure trove that has gone virtually unnoticed in our part of the world... but now we'll all have a chance to get to know these creators and fall in love with their books. Take a look at the information below, and let the invasion begin!

Chris, Brett, Rob and Leigh
Top Shelf Productions

HERE'S WHERE THE PARTIES WILL BE!

www.topshelfcomix.com/swedish-invasion

NEW YORK

FRIDAY, APRIL 9TH, 8:00PM PARTY at ROCKETSHIP COMICS
-- 208 Smith Street, Brooklyn, New York, Phone: 718-797-1348

Come meet and party with Mats Jonsson (HEY PRINCESS), Simon Gardenfors (THE 120 DAYS OF SIMON), Kolbeinn Karlsson (THE TROLL KING), Niklas Asker (SECOND THOUGHTS), Fredrik Strömberg (SWEDISH COMICS HISTORY), Johannes Klenell (Editor of NORTHERN LIGHTS), and NORTHERN LIGHTS contributors Sofia Olsson, Sara Granér, Benjamin Stengard, Asa Grennvall, and Emelie Ostergren; as well as Chris Staros, Brett Warnock, and Leigh Walton of the Top Shelf crew. Food and cash bar will be provided by the Clover Club private room (attached to Rocketship).

SATURDAY & SUNDAY, APRIL 10TH-11TH, MoCCA ARTS FESTIVAL
@ THE 69TH REGIMENT ARMORY
-- 68 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York (Between 25th & 26th)

Hang out with us at the Top Shelf tables where the whole gang will be signing books all weekend. Also appearing: Nate Powell, James Kochalka, & Alex Robinson!

CHICAGO

SATURDAY, APRIL 17TH, 8:00PM PARTY at the renowned DOUBLE DOOR
-- 1572 North Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago, Phone: 773-489-3160
-- Tickets on sale @ www.doubledoor.com, $10/$8 with C2E2 pass,
Doors @ 8 p.m. Show @ 9 p.m.

Come meet and party with Mats Jonsson (HEY PRINCESS), Simon Gardenfors (THE 120 DAYS OF SIMON), Kolbeinn Karlsson (THE TROLL KING), and Chris Staros (TOP SHELF), as Top Shelf co-sponsors the official C2E2 After Party with the Nerd City crew. It'll be a music and event-filled night, featuring sets by DJ Ghengis Won, Major Taylor, burlesque troupe The Flaming Dames, and headlining band The Jai Alai Savant (fresh off their recent show with Ted Leo and the Pharmacists). Simon Gardenfors -- a well-known Swedish rapper as well -- will also be featured in a special performance.

FRIDAY THRU SUNDAY, APRIL 16TH-18TH, C2E2
(CHICAGO COMIC AND ENTERTAINMENT EXPO)
-- McCormick Place, 2301 S. Lake Shore Drive, Downtown Chicago

Hang out with us at the Top Shelf, Nerd City, and Chicago Comics booths, where the Swedish crew will be signing books all weekend long.  Also appearing: Jeffrey Brown, with his new UNDELETED SCENES!

PREORDER THE SWEDISH INVASION BOOKS IN THE CURRENT DIAMOND PREVIEWS!

The current Diamond Previews catalog has all SEVEN of the Swedish Invasion titles -- 5 all-new, plus 2 classics -- available for pre-ordering right now. SEVEN all-too-human stories, finally available to an English-speaking audience. To see covers, descriptions, and sample pages for all of them just click here (or read below):

www.topshelfcomix.com/swedish-invasion

HEY PRINCESS by Mats Jonsson
-- A 472-Page Graphic Novel
-- $14.95 (US), ISBN 978-1-60309-051-3
www.topshelfcomix.com/swedish-invasion

HEY PRINCESS is a story of moving to the big city, and being young, insecure and desperate to be as hip as everyone else. When the graphic novel was first published in Sweden, the book received praise among both critics and readers for its incisive and entertaining account of indie pop-listening young people in the mid-1990s. HEY PRINCESS takes its place in the proud tradition of self-deprecating, confessional, sex-obsessed and guilt-ridden autobiographical comics, but stakes out a unique identity by virtue of its Nordic setting and biting social criticism.

THE 120 DAYS OF SIMON by Simon Gardenfors
-- A 416-Page Graphic Novel
-- $14.95 (US), ISBN 978-1-60309-050-6
www.topshelfcomix.com/swedish-invasion

THE 120 DAYS OF SIMON began when Swedish cartoonist/rapper Simon Gärdenfors left his home to spend four months on the road. The rules were simple: During the 120 days he wasn't allowed to return to his home, or to spend more than two nights at the same place. Otherwise, anything could happen...and it did. The result was an epic adventure across Sweden as Simon slept on strangers' couches, visited an ostrich farm, ate a psychedelic cactus, practiced free love, received death threats, was beaten up by teenagers, got adopted by a motorcycle gang, drank obscene amounts of alcohol, and sacrificed his underpants to the Nordic god Brage.

And that's just for starters! ... When this graphic novel was originally released in Sweden, it created a bit of a scandal. One journalist wrote that she felt like beating Simon up, while others called it a masterpiece.

THE TROLL KING by Kolbeinn Karlsson
-- A 160-Page Full-Color Graphic Novel
-- $14.95 (US), ISBN 978-1-60309-061-2
www.topshelfcomix.com/swedish-invasion

A dwarf falls into a river and is taken to a place beyond space and time. A carrot takes a bath and finds itself transforming. Two reclusive mountain men rejoice when their wish for children is granted, but their sons make a terrible discovery. And throughout all these tales, the spirit of the forest walks on… Welcome to the surreal world of THE TROLL KING, by Swedish visionary Kolbeinn Karlsson. It's a fantastic journey into the wilderness lurking right outside your town, brought to you by comics' cuddliest Viking.

FROM THE SHADOW OF THE NORTHERN LIGHTS (VOL 2)
Edited by Johannes Klenell
-- A Full-Color 200-Page Anthology
-- $14.95 (US), ISBN 978-1-60309-064-3
www.topshelfcomix.com/swedish-invasion

The exploding evolution of the Swedish comics scene demands a second volume of the NORTHERN LIGHTS anthology. Never before has this much talent been brewing so close to the arctic circle, and both the media and readers of the world are starting to take notice. This volume gathers the work of Marcus Ivarsson, Sofia Olsson, Sara Granér, Kobeinn Karlsson, Anneli Furmark and many, many more; with a cover by Nanna Johansson. Pick up this anthology and check out this emerging and amazing Swedish comics scene. Co-published by Galago and Top Shelf.

SWEDISH COMICS HISTORY by Fredrik Strömberg
-- A 124-Page Full-Color History Book
-- $19.95 (US), ISBN 978-91-85161-77-5
www.topshelfcomix.com/swedish-invasion

Swedish comics are just now about to make it big abroad, but they have a long and intricate history -- a history that goes back to (at least) the end of the 18th Century. This book chronicles the history of comics in Sweden, presenting major trends and creators, showing everything from ancient picture stories etched in stone by the Vikings to the vibrant and diverse comics culture of the 21st century. The book is in full color and includes numerous full-page comics, with translations into English. Get the basics right for the new, up-and-coming comics country. Published by The Swedish Comics Association and distributed by Top Shelf.

RE-OFFERING TWO SWEDISH CLASSICS:

SECOND THOUGHTS by Niklas Asker
-- An 88-Page Graphic Novel
-- $9.95 (US), ISBN 978-1-60309-037-7
www.topshelfcomix.com/swedish-invasion

Jess is a writer living in London. Andrew is a photographer on his way to New York. They do not fall in love -- not exactly -- but their brief encounter in Stansted Airport will impact both of their lives more than they can imagine. In SECOND THOUGHTS, the clean, emotional ink-work of Swedish newcomer Niklas Asker guides two characters through modern city life and love, as they struggle separately yet somehow together. Past and present, reality and fiction overlap in this sweet, haunting, and ultimately inspiring graphic novel.

FROM THE SHADOW OF THE NORTHERN LIGHTS (VOL 1)
Edited by Johannes Klenell
-- A 200-Page Anthology
-- $19.95 (US), ISBN 978-1-60309-011-7
www.topshelfcomix.com/swedish-invasion

Originally inspired by the counterculture work of Robert Crumb, the comical aspect of MAD and the storytelling of the master director Ingmar Bergman, the Swedish magazine Galago began as a publication of political satire during the late 70s. In the three decades since, it has grown to become the flagship of the Swedish alternative comics scene. The anthology, FROM THE SHADOW OF THE NORTHERN LIGHTS, gathers some of the finest comic artists that Galago and Sweden have to offer, including contributions from David Liljemark, Marcus Ivarsson, Mats Jonsson, Knut Larsson, Kolbeinn Karlsson, Liv Strömquist, & Loka Kanarp.

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12