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Fredrik Strömberg

Author, journalist, PhD, curator and professor – working with comics

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These photos are free to use, in conjunction with an interview. Photographer: Janus Langhorn.

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fredrik_stromberg

fredrik_stromberg
Mailbag: @joannarubindranger does it again! After Mailbag: @joannarubindranger does it again! After the success of the graphic novel Ihågkom oss till liv, she has already the next one out, and again, it’s gorgeous and seems incredibly interesting. Dolda judiska liv (Hidden Jewish Lives) feels like a direct continuation of Rubin Dranger’s last book, as it again builds on her research into Jewish lives in Sweden, although now they are not Rubin Dranger’s family and relatives but Jews that have chosen to hide their Jewishnes in their everyday lives. Really looking forward to read this one!
Mailbag: I constantly get albums, graphic novels a Mailbag: I constantly get albums, graphic novels and/or manga collections sent to me for review and few things gets me as excited as a new album in the Marcinelle style. This is the latest album in the official Spirou et Fantasio series, and a continuation of the previous volume that announced the death of the main character …. We’ll, I do love the retro/Yves Chaland inspired style of Schwartz, but the story by Abitan and Guerrive doesn’t really deliver for me. It’s ok, but feels a bit contrived/condensed, combined with far too much fan service in the form of references to the long history of Spirou et Fantasio. Feels like we need a hard reboot of this series …
What with book release in Brazil and comics confer What with book release in Brazil and comics conference in Malmö and so on, I quite forgot that I had a review/essay in @svenskadagbladet about the latest book Pythian pratar by the one and only @leifstromquist. https://www.svd.se/a/nymLEm/recension-pythian-pratar-av-liv-stromquist Sorry, but it’s in Swedish, and it seems, behind a paywall … Anyway, chances are you’ll get a translation of the book into your language of choice in a not so distant future, as Strömquist is by far THE most translated and read Swedish comics artist of the 21st century.
Second day of the comics conference in Malmö, wit Second day of the comics conference in Malmö, with more incredibly interesting talks on comics from several very different angles. I gave a talk about my own initial research into how the Tintin comics were repurposed for publishing in Swedish weekly magazines in the 20th century. I also hosted a tour of @seriearkivet, together with archivist Thomas Storn, showing of some of our most treasured possessions. Happy with how the conference turned out, but now I’m really, really tired and will sleep for a week or so …
The first day of the comics symposium in Malmö is The first day of the comics symposium in Malmö is over and it’s been great. Love the energy, the passion and the knowledge collected into one room. Now, beer!
Today is the day before the big symposium, and com Today is the day before the big symposium, and comics researchers are arriving in Malmö in droves :) A Finish delegation made it to @seriearkivet (The Comics Archive) for a pre-conférence tour before we close for the day.
The next two days, we’re hosting a major comics The next two days, we’re hosting a major comics symposium here in Malmö, titled “Drawing Connections: Comics as Art and Inquiry”. The symposium is organized by @oskar_aspman and @gunnarkrantz from Malmö University, together with us at the @seriearkivet (The Comics Archive). There will be some incredibly interesting lectures, by some incredibly interesting researchers, which I’m really looking forward to, but also just to meet everyone and be able to talk about comics research for two whole days. The second day will be held at the Archive and will contain, among other things, a short report by me about my finds on the subject of publication of Les aventures de Tintin in Sweden, as well as a tour of the Archive by our archivist Thomas Storn, The whole program can be found here: https://comics.uni.mau.se/drawing-connections-comics-as-art-and-inquiry/
Today I’m back at the familiar grounds of @serie Today I’m back at the familiar grounds of @seriearkivet (The Comics Archive), where I’m continuing my research into how the @tintin comics were cut up, reorganized, redrawn and remade to fit into Swedish weekly magazines in the 20th century. The production material we have at the archive is all in pieces due to the glue having come undone after the decades. Tintin puzzles anyone?
Back in Sweden, where I’m spending the day at @l Back in Sweden, where I’m spending the day at @lundsstadsbibliotek (Lund University Library), where they keep a copy of everything ever published in Sweden. Today, I’m investigating how @lesaventuresdetintin (The Adventures of Tintin) was published in Swedish weekly magazines in the 20th century, and how the resizing, redrawing and refitting of the panels affected the visual storytelling.
Heading home after a very satisfying book launch i Heading home after a very satisfying book launch in Brazil. I’ve had so many interesting meetings, made many new friend and generally been so well taken care of by everyone that’s it’s all been a treat. I’d like to thank @patcordeiro at the Swedish embassy, @morgabaldissera at the book fair in Porto Alegre and the indefatigable @nogueiranatantiaas at @aspas_hq for planing everything and setting it up so that it all worked seamlessly. And also Lucio Luiz, for making the book in what to be honest was far too short of a time period. And especially, I’d like to thank all my handlers/fixers/translator in the different cities, i.e. @guilherme_s_braga, @natyfernandesz, @luisaarantes2 and @myalvim . Oh, and @lary__salenave__, who saved me at the airport in Campo Grande. You all went out of your way to make my stay highly enjoyable. Thank you! @swedeninbrazil
Another great meeting at the EIASPAS conference wa Another great meeting at the EIASPAS conference was the other keynote speaker, the impressive @luytensonia, who I of course knew of, but had never met. Well listening to her talk and realizing just how much of a pioneer she’s been in comics research, all the way back to the early 1970s, and all over the world, Sonia is my new hero. Sonia is seemingly completely fearless cosmopolitan, and a really funny person to hang out with. We became good friends in the few days I got to spend in Campo Grande, and we also made plans for future collaborative projects, which I do hope will become realities. @swedeninbrazil
So, my last night in Brazil, I held a keynote at t So, my last night in Brazil, I held a keynote at the EIASPAS conference, talking about feminism in Swedish comics. Even though I have a, by now really bad chest cold combined with asthma, it all went ok, probably mostly since I had a great translator (@myalvim), which meant that I got to rest my voice while she was relating the information in Portuguese. Anyway, the talk went over well, and there were a lot of interesting questions afterwards, showing that what I was afraid might be too an obscure a topic in Brazil, was really engaging the audience. Afterwards, a long cue formed for signings of my new book, even though I’ve been signing all the time here the last two days. I can now say officially, that this is the most I’ve ever signed on a book launch anywhere in the world. And the enthusiasm I’ve met over the book has been overwhelming. A big thank you to ASPAS for making this happen! @swedeninbrazil
I’ve had so many great meetings here in Brazil, I’ve had so many great meetings here in Brazil, but I wonder if this wasn’t the best. The author Nobu approached me at the comics conference, presenting me with his dissertation on Black people in Brazilian comics, which I love since I’m always looking for more information on this subject. But, he then went on to tell me that the whole project was inspired by my original book Black Images in the Comics from 2003, and produced said tome for me to sign. When I research a topic and write about it, it’s always based on my own curiosity, and a lack of established literature on said topic, but I also really hope that others will be inspired and add to the knowledge in new books and articles. In fact, that’s how I end the book, asking for continuations to my initial foray into this subject. There has, since the first edition of my book in English, been several books on Black culture in comics, Black comics artists and so on, but this was one of the first time someone actually acknowledged my book as an inspiration, and that really made my day. @swedeninbrazil
Ok, so this was a bit strange, but in a good way. Ok, so this was a bit strange, but in a good way. I was just honored by the city of Campo Grande for my “contributions to social development through comics”. Granted that IS one of the goals with a lot of my writings. but having it stated in an official, honorary document like this felt a bit … strange. Still, of course happy for the recognition. #swedeninbrazil
As one of the first events on my schedule in Campo As one of the first events on my schedule in Campo Grande, Brazil, was a visit to the inspiring projects of @ronilcoguerreiro, who seems to work tirelessly in order for bring comics and culture to the people of Campo Grande. He has started a Gibiteica (“gibi” being a word describing a comic book in Brazil), with an archive with comic books, reading rooms, classrooms for learning to make comics and so on. All really great, but he also works with ambulating libraries, on bikes and in a newly designed library car, gives away donated books and comics at bus stops and generally trying to give culture back to the people. I loved the whole ethos of this, and wish we had more of this in the world. Restored a bit in my faith in humanity in this otherwise rather bleak day. @swedeninbrazil
Just landed in Campo Grande, where the major comic Just landed in Campo Grande, where the major comics conferences FNPAS/EIASPAS is already under way, organized by the seemingly indefatigable @aspas_hq. I will give a lecture, hold the official release of my book, and much more. Really looking forward to all of this, even though I’ve still got a cold/cough/asthma that prohibits too much talking … #swedeninbrazil
Working on my plan for total domination of the con Working on my plan for total domination of the continent that is Brazil, I am today in the enormous city of Sāo Paulo giving a lecture at the Sāo Paulo university, the largest university in South America, and one that actually has an institution for comics research! Vice consul of the Swedish embassy in Sāo Paolo, Peter Johansson, gave the event some gravitas, introducing me to the audience. Professor Roberto Elisio dos Santos acted as translator, but as he is also a comics researcher, he added a lot to the lecture with his insights into the history of comics in Brazil. The turn out was smaller than yesterday, but very dedicated, and again I got some really interesting questions. Most also stayed behind for more discussions on comics and culture. This then turned into a pre-book launch, as the publisher had sent a box of my brand new Portuguese book to the event, which meant that I finally got to hold the new book. Did quite a lot of signings, which was fun. Oh, and one of the audience members gave me some great Brazilian Disney comics books as a present. When it turned out that he was Fernando Ventura, Brazilian author and artist of Disney comics, I knew I had to resort to my old trick of asking for an in-universe portrait. And of course I was turned into a Beagle Boy :) #swedeninbrazil
Today I had a strange experience … Natalia Ferna Today I had a strange experience … Natalia Fernandez, a Brazilian came to pick me up at the hotel and take me to the university in São Paolo where I was to give a lecture. It turns out she speaks Swedish fluently, which is nice, but still somewhat weird, travelling all across the globe to be met by someone who knows your own, rather obscure language. Anyway, when we got into the Uber, the music on the radio changed into “It must have been love”, by Roxette, a Swedish pop song from the 1980s … If it hadn’t been oppressively warm and humid, I might have been tricked into believing I was suddenly back home again.
Continuing my book tour across the vast expanses o Continuing my book tour across the vast expanses of Brazil with a lecture at Federal Institute of Rio Grande do Sul, with the excellent translator Guilherme Braga at my side. This turned out to be one of my favorite onstage experiences for quite some time. The room was packed, the students were very attentive, posing loads of intelligent, thoughtful questions, and afterwards there was a long queue of students and teachers wanting to chat, ask further questions, give me comics fanzines and generally thank me for the lecture. Oh, and I got the loudest round of applause I think I’ve ever had. Not quite sure what I was expecting, coming to Brazil, talking about Black representation in comics, but I gotta admit that it probably wasn’t this incredibly enthusiastic welcoming. Well, onwards. Now, heading to São Paolo for another lecture tomorrow. Let’s see how that works out. @swedeninbrazil
Ok, now this is what’s it’s all about. I was i Ok, now this is what’s it’s all about. I was invited by the seemingly indefatigable Brazilian comics publisher Lobo, for a party at his publishing house, and a more cozy, welcoming, and intellectual gathering I have seldom attended. Loved the atmosphere, the dedication to art, literature and publishing, but also to building a community. And yes, the fact that I was treated to an excellent, homemade hamburger and a constant influx of cold beers did help :) Oh and the number of cats that were just lazily walking around this publishing house/bookshop/pub also helped give it a unique ambience. Thank you to @lobo_quadrinhos and the people at @brasaeditora for the hospitality, and to everyone else for some really interesting discussions on everything from movies to gaming industry, to the impact of AI on people working in the cultural sector. An incredible night, and the very reason I travel. @swedeninbrazil
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