Comics in Northern Finland’s magazines and newspapers 1909–1944

Abstract

The first comic published in Northern Finland was “Antti Lehkosen merkilliset elämänvaiheet,” created by K.A. Suvanto in 1909 and published by the Jätkä, worker’s humor magazine. The comic was a political satire. The inspiration for the publication came from the German-speaking world, where similar stories had traditions dating back to the 1840s. A European influence was the “Kuvakatsaus” (Picture Review) that started in December 1913 in the main publication of the Jätkä’s publishing house, newspaper Kansan Tahto. The comic review, which summarized the week’s key news, also had roots in the emerging world of newsreels. Their origin was in France, but quickly they were produced around the world, including in Finland. The picture review served as an incentive to renew the magazine’s subscription for the following year. In the 1930s, the same tactic was used by publications such as Raahen Seutu and Kainuun Sanomat, and in 1943 by Liitto.

American syndicates sold their comics through regional offices. During this period, no such offices were established in Finland, and sellers operating from Stockholm or Copenhagen did not seem interested in Northern Finland as a market area. The region largely relied on domestic operators, particularly the Tekijätoimisto. A Finnish syndicate that started in 1935 managed to sell comics by Poika Vesanto, Ami Hauhio, and Eeli Jaatinen to several publications in the North.

The Oulu-based Kaleva attempted its own comic production in the early 1930s. However, the local creators’ skills in comic-making were still developing, so achieving significant popularity among the audience was not realized. Some northern creators gained valuable insights into how to create illustrations that appealed to readers.

Before 1941, comics did not have a fixed place or regular spot in the newspapers published in Northern Finland. Readers’ interest was tested, but a permanent offering was not yet initiated.

The situation changed during the Continuation War. As stated directly in Pohjolan Työ in December 1943, comics had “become an increasingly inseparable part” of newspaper content. This was illustrated by the fact that in 1944, three out of four newspapers published in Oulu regularly featured comics at least once a week.

From Frank W. Geels’s multi-stage analysis model developed for traffic systems, two sub-points can be highlighted at the end of the first main phase: novelty receives support from politicians or authorities, and it successfully culturally and socially connects itself to positively regarded lifestyles and hobbies. Comics as part of newspapers cannot be considered a significant change in information dissemination (traffic), but these points of the analysis model seem to fit the interpretation of the breakthrough of comics during the Continuation War.

Since comics were offered to the press for publication as part of state-produced war propaganda, they had to receive approval from authorities and politicians leading the government, all the way up to the Prime Minister. Previously regarded as “trivial” or “a sin and a waste of time,” comics received endorsement from the country’s leadership. Additionally, the content of the comics encouraged all kinds of actions deemed good and sensible for the home front.

Among individual comics, Ami Hauhio’s commercially produced comic featuring the soldier-boy ethos, Ismo Lento, appears to have been received very positively. Ismo Lento offered a timely, relatable character that supported, at least indirectly, the country’s military ambitions.

It seems that in 1944, newspapers in Northern Finland began to publish comic strips more broadly, but the narrow offering did not allow for this. The situation improved in this regard in the following years.