The programme for the 40th Helsinki Comics Festival and the second Kids’ Comics Fest, to be held at the Cable Factory in 2025, has been released! This year’s festival themes are darkness and Greek comics.
The special anniversary programme has been complemented by amazing guest artists and experts, as well as fun surprises—more details below! The full programme can be read here.
In honor of the 100th anniversary of the Pekka Puupää comic, Vesa Kataisto will give a lecture on comics and the history of the Puupäähattu Award, which has been awarded annually by the Finnish Comics Society since 1972. Additionally, Ulla Donner, recently awarded the Puupäähattu Award, will be interviewed, and attentive festival-goers might spot several Puupäähattu-awarded artists at the event.
In the panel “Comic of My Life,” that follows the well-known television format, comics artist and former chairperson of the Finnish Comics Society H-P Ontto-Panula, comics expert Juhani Tolvanen, artistic director of the festival Athanasía Aarniosuo, official festival photographer Henry Söderlund, and the 2023 festival artist Kimmo Lust, who received the Sarjakuva-Finlandia Award in 2023, will present their favorite comics.
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of Asema Kustannus, there will be a dedicated panel featuring their comic artists Ville Ranta (Puupäähattu Award 2009), Mika Lietzen, and Mari Ahokoivu (Puupäähattu Award 2023). The festival will also host interviews with Hanna Kukko as well as Zine Fest’s special guests Maaria Laurinen, Jere “Ruakku” Poikela, and Evangelos Androutsopoulos.
Film director Dome Karukoski will moderate a panel on film storyboards and comics, featuring comics artists Anssi Rauhala, Kivi Larmola (Puupäähattu Award 1991), and Maria Björklund. The Finnish Comics Society’s education coordinator Kalle Keinonen will host a panel discussing the future of comics education, with industry professionals Matti Hagelberg (Puupäähattu Award 1997), Tessa Astre, Mikko Jylhä, and Sami Aho. There will also be a panel dedicated to discussing the future of comics archiving.
In “The Immortal Phantom” panel moderated by Vesa Kataisto, comics artist Petri Hiltunen (Puupäähattu Award 2002), translator Sirpa Alkunen, and comics editor and designer Petri Aarnio will discuss the iconic character. Onni Mustonen will give a lecture on the golden age of American comics.
Festival-goers will also have many opportunities to actively participate! Rimma Erkko will lead a horror comics workshop, Mögart co will host a collage workshop, and Nina Mutik will run a comics workshop for queer people. Attendees can also participate in a croquis drawing session. Those interested can have their portrait taken by Henry Söderlund with the theme “Dark Room.” Pii Anttonen will host a playful comics contest, and Apila Pepita and Ahma Hokkanen will set up a pop-up tattoo studio at the Cable Factory. Comics creators can also bring their portfolios for review by professionals from publishers such as Conundrum, Hecate Press, Lystring Förlaget, and Nordic Manga.
Welcome to enjoy comics on a dark September weekend at the Cable Factory! There will be activities and discussions suitable for all ages; the Kids’ Comics Fest programme has also been published, with more information to follow in August.
Contact information and interview requests
Ella Tahkolahti
producer
+35844 366 36 06
info@sarjakuvafestivaalit.fi
Athanasía Aarniosuo
artistic director
+35840 126 45 78
athanasia.aarniosuo@sarjakuvaseura.fi