Invented by Spanish booksellers in the 1920′s, the World Book Day coincides with the date of the death of Miguel de Cervantes, author of Don Quixote, as well as the Catalan tradition of celebrating Saint George’s Day on 23 April by men giving roses to the ladies of their hearts. Since 1925, the tradition was updated: in return for the rose, the woman gave a book. (Falco and Mayann are therefore wearing costumes from Catalonia.)

Since 1995, UNESCO celebrates the World Book and Copyright Day on this date. Confused Brits claim that it is also the anniversary of the birth and death of William Shakespeare, but forget that the staunchly anti-papist Elizabethans did not adopt the Gregorian calendar until much later. Thus, Shakespeare died 10 days after Cervantes, although both died on 23 April!

Don Quixote has been considered the first modern novel; it introduced many previously unknown or sparsely used storytelling techniques. The anti-hero also shows character development, contrary to many of his idols in earlier chivalric romances – Don Quixote makes a pessimistic inner journey from enchantment to disillusion. (Let’s hope that Falco’s and Mayann’s journey will be a happier one.)

My name is: Ainur
I live in: Lund, but very soon in Helsinki

I have been to SPX Stockholm (# of times): Three times? Yeah, I guess so. Dissertation work causes amnesia… But I clearly remember living on a hotel boat twice, and staying with Horst Schröder once… Hey, I didn’t expect the Spanish Inquisition!

At this year’s SPX I will: Join the Swedish Comics Association jury for the big beauty competition for self-published comics on Sunday. I also look forward to seeing old friends, making new ones, fangirling celebrities etc, although I have been too busy with other things to actually check all events…
It would be great to go to one or two of the many release parties around Stockholm this time. Usually I’m too exhausted (after sitting on my butt and selling comics the whole day) but maybe, just maybe this time… (It’s the wrong time of the month, too D:)

Three fanzines I’m looking forward to: Anima by Stef Gaines, Agnosis by Li Österberg, and Tunguska by Tinet Elmgren.

My best discovery on SPX: The works of Olivia Skjöld. (Inspelningen, ett märkligt album med fascinerande dialog om stumfilmsstjärnan Al Jolson och underhållningsindustrins barndom, går att beställa på Dreamboat Music.)

My best memory from SPX: When Goldenbird 3-4 won an award for the prettiest fanzine cover last year! Honour and glory (and Fanzineindex 2001)! And no, I wasn’t in the jury at that time.

Apparently, the theme this year is “adventure and history in comics” (I thought it was sex). Cool! Right up my alley. (Though I don’t mind sex either.)

Others who have also replied: Micke Sol, Stef Gaines, Tinet Elmgren, Staffan på Staffars Serier

Orcs are probably my favourite fantasy creatures. Since I’m not a gamer as such, but more of an academic scholar, I see things in them that many hardcore gamers or fans of particular fantasy authors do not see. For example, myself…

Tolkien’s Orcs were the minions of Evil, and it’s easy to fall in the opposite trap and “redeem” them as misunderstood noble savages. I would like to avoid that, but who knows? You can read some of my really old Orc comics online.

Orcs fascinate me for pretty much the same reasons as all stereotypical images of “the Other” or “the Enemy”. We are all somebody’s Other. As a child of emigrants and multiple immigrant myself, I have grown up with a sense of doubt towards those images every time they are presented as fact as well as fiction. Here is an inspirational cartoon from the 1910′s, depicting the two major linguistic groups of Finland from the point of view of the smaller one. As you can see, the threatening majority (the Finnish-speaker) is dressed like a peasant and looks more “Eastern” (cheekbones, slanted eyes, brushy hair – note also the full lips and broad nose, visual cues for “un-European”), pretty Orcish in spite of his blond hair (the ears!), while the small and desperately waving Finland-Swede has parted his hair neatly and wears a civilized western jacket.

Click to view larger.

But for Falco… Even before the war, a decent cassock would cost 65 Fr., and his meager scholarship has certainly not been updated to catch up with the rising costs of living. No wonder he needs a part-time job or two. (Those kid gloves and that silk cincture… not exactly standard equipment for a simple deacon!)

Observe, too, how expensive the ladies’ shoes are in comparison. The worth of their undergarments must remain a mystery, but I would guess that Mayann wears the skimpiest and most expensive ones…

Inspired by this front page of Le Petit Journal, July 4th, 1920.