Moomin comic strips

Moomin comic strips
Author(s)	Tove Jansson Lars Jansson
Current status/schedule	Ended
Launch date	1947
Syndicate(s)	Ny Tid (1947-1948) Evening News (1954-1975)
Publisher(s)	Associated Newspapers
Genre(s)	Humor, Satire

Moomin (Swedish: Mumin / Mumintrollen; Finnish: Muumipeikko) is a comic strip created by Tove Jansson, and followed up by her younger brother Lars Jansson, featuring their Moomin family of characters. The first comic strip, entitled Mumintrollet och jordens undergång (Moomintroll and The End of The World) was a short-lived project for the children's section of the Finland-Swedish leftist newspaper Ny Tid. It was written between 1947 and 1948, at the request of the editor, a friend of Jansson's, Atos Wirtanen. The series was published with two new strips weekly, and was mainly an adaptation of Comet in Moominland. The series has been reprinted in book form under the name Jorden går under (The World is Ending) by the newspaper.

The main series of Moomin comic strips were made directly for the British market: they were spread by the British Associated Newspapers comic strip syndicate and the original publisher was the Evening News newspaper. The series originally appeared in newspapers from 1954 to 1975. At its peak, Moomin appeared in over 40 countries and about 120 papers, with over 20 million readers daily, making it the most successful Finnish comic strip ever published. Tove and Lars Jansson received the Finnish Comic Strip Association's "Puupää-hattu" award in 1980.

In the 1990s, a comic book version of Moomin was produced in Scandinavia after Dennis Livson and Lars Jansson's Moomin animated series was shown on television. The Janssons had no involvement in these comic books. However, in the wake of the comic book's success, two new Moomin comic strips were launched under the artistic and content oversight of Lars and his daughter, Sophia Jansson-Zambra. Sophia now provides sole oversight for the strips. The original comic strip stories made by Tove Jansson and Lars Jansson has had adaptations including Moomin (1990) anime series and the 2014 animated film based on Moomin on the Riviera comic strip story.

History

The comic strip was born, when Charles Sutton, the leader of the Associated Newspapers syndicate contacted Tove Jansson. Jannson's first Moomin books Comet in Moominland (1946) and Finn Family Moomintroll (1948) had already been translated to English and had been successful in the United Kingdom. In a letter to Jansson in January 1952, Sutton asked if she was willing to transfer the Moomins to comic strip format:

"It has come to my mind, that your 'Moomin' family could make an interesting comic strip, which would not necessarily be aimed at children. It is obvious that the Moomin family appeals to children, but we think these wonderful creatures could be used in comic strip form to satirise our so-called civilised lifestyle."

At the time, Tove Jansson had already had experience in drawing Moomin comic strips. She had already published a long comic strip story Mumintrollet och jordens undergång in the Finland-Swedish Ny Tid newspaper in 1947, which was loosely based on her book Comet in Moominland. The comic strip attracted strong criticism from the left-wing readers of the newspaper, who thought the Moomins were too bourgeois, and the newspaper did not order any more comic strips from Jansson. After Sutton's offer, Jansson made a seven-year contract to draw Moomin comic strips in June 1952. Before the comic was published, Jansson developed the strip together with the comic press of Associated Newspapers, and particularly Charles Sutton guided the artist in great detail. For a time, the syndicate sought a separate writer for the strip, but in the end, the decision was that Jansson would both write and draw the strip herself.

The newspaper that would publish the Moomin comic strip ended up being Evening News, part of the Associated Newspapers syndicate, which was the largest afternoon newspaper at the time, with a circulation of 12 million. The comic strip Moomin was first published in the newspaper on 20 September 1954. Sutton had organised a very prominent advertisement campaign to support the start of the new comic strip. The strip was quickly sold to other countries, particularly the Nordic countries. In Finland, the strip started on 21 April 1955 in Ilta-Sanomat, the largest afternoon newspaper in the country. In the same year, the strip also started in the Swedish-language local newspapers Västra Nyland and Vasabladet, and in 1957 in Åbo Underrättelser. Most newspapers publishing the Moomin comic strip were European, but it was also published in more distant places. In North America, it was finally sold to the Canadian Toronto Daily Star, but in the United States, no newspaper worthy of note accepted it on its pages.

List of comic strip stories

The strip was divided into episodes, each with distinct titles and storylines.

Number	English name	Swedish name	Finnish name	Creator(s)	Year of appearance	Publication notes
0.	Moomintroll and the End of the World	Mumintrollet och jordens undergång	Muumipeikko ja maailmanloppu	Tove	July 2, 1948	Originally published in Ny Tid.
1.	Moomin and the Brigands	Mumintrollet	Muumipeikko	Tove	July 7, 1954	Originally published in The Evening News. Reprinted in Drawn & Quarterly's Moomin Vol.1 (2006) ISBN 9781894937801
2.	Moomin and Family Life	Muminfamiljen	Muumiperhe	Tove	January 19, 1955
3.	Moomin on the Riviera	Mumin på Rivieran Familjen lever högt	Muumiperhe Rivieralla	Tove	February 23, 1955
4.	Moomin's Desert Island	Den ensliga ön	Yksinäinen saari	Tove	March 16, 1955
5.	Moomin's Winter Follies	Den farliga vintern	Vaarallinen talvi	Tove	June 8, 1955	Originally published in London's The Evening News. Reprinted in D&Q's Moomin Vol.2 (2007) ISBN 9781897299197
6.	Moominmamma's Maid	Låtsaslek	Kuvitteluleikki	Tove	February 22, 1956
7.	Moomin Builds a House	Mumin bygger ett hus Att bygga ett hus	Talonrakennus	Tove	April 25, 1956
8.	Moomin Begins a New Life	Mumin börjar ett nytt liv Vi börjar ett nytt liv	Aloitamme uuden elämän	Tove	May 30, 1956
9.	Moomin Falls in Love	Mumin blir kär Mumintrollet blir förälskat	Muumipeikko rakastuu	Tove	July 18, 1956	Originally published in London's The Evening News. Reprinted in D&Q's Moomin Vol.3 (2008) ISBN 9781897299555
10.	Moomin Valley Turns Jungle	Mumindalen blir djungel Vi bor i en djungel	Viidakkoelämää	Tove	September 5, 1956
11.	Moomin and the Martians	Mumin och marsmänniskorna Mumintrollet och marsinnevånarna	Muumipeikko ja marsilaiset	Tove	February 27, 1957
12.	Moomin and the Sea	Mumin och havet Muminfamiljen och havet	Muumiperhe ja meri	Tove	March 13, 1957
13.	Club Life in Moomin Valley	Föreningsliv i Mumindalen Föreningsliv	Yhdistyselämää Muumilaaksossa	Tove	April 24, 1957
14.	Moomin Goes Wild West	Mumintrollet i vilda västern Mumin i Vilda Västern	Muumipeikko villissä lännessä	Tove/Lars	May 1, 1957	Originally published in London's The Evening News. Reprinted in D&Q's Moomin Vol.4 (2009) ISBN 9781897299784
15.	Snorkmaiden Goes Rococo	Snorkfröken i rokoko Snorkfröken i Rococo	Niiskuneiti rokokoossa	Tove/Lars	January 22, 1958
16.	Conscientious Moomin	Mumin och medborgarkänslan Mumin blir social	Muumipeikko ja velvollisuudentunto	Tove/Lars	February 12, 1958
17.	Moomin and the Comet	Mumin och kometen	Muumipeikko ja pyrstötähti	Tove/Lars	April 9, 1958
18.	Moomin and the Golden Tail	Mumin och den gyllene svansen Den gyllene svansen	Muumipeikko ja kultainen häntä	Tove	May 7, 1958
19.	Moomin Winter	Muminvinter	Muumitalvi	Tove/Lars	January 21, 1959	Originally published in London's The Evening News. Reprinted in D&Q's Moomin Vol.5 (2010)ISBN 9781897299944
20.	Moomin under Sail	Mumin till sjöss	Muumipeikko merillä	Tove/Lars	February 11, 1959
21.	Fuddler's Courtship	Klåttdjurets frieri	Hosulin kosinta	Tove/Lars	March 18, 1959
22.	Moomin's Lamp	Mumins lampa	Muumin lamppu	Lars	February 3, 1960	Originally published in London's The Evening News. Reprinted in D&Q's Moomin Vol. 6 (2011) ISBN 9781770460423
23.	Moomin and the Railway	Mumin och järnvägen	Muumipeikko ja rautatie	Lars	1960
24.	Moominpappa and the Spies	Muminpappa och spionerna	Muumipappa ja vakoojat	Lars	1960
25.	Moomin and the Circus	Mumin och cirkusen	Muumipeikko ja sirkus	Lars	1960
26.	Moomin the Colonist	Mumin Nybyggaren	Muumit uudisasukkaina	Lars	1961	Originally published in London's The Evening News. Reprinted in D&Q's Moomin Vol. 7 (2012) ISBN 9781770460621
27.	Moomin and the Scouts	Mumin och scouterna	Muumipeikko ja partiolaiset	Lars	1961
28.	Moomin and the Farm	Mumin brukar jorden	Muumipeikko maanviljelijänä	Lars	1961
29.	Moomin and the Goldfields	Mumin och guldgrävarna	Muumipeikko kullankaivajana	Lars	1961
30.	Moomin Family Robinson	Robinson Mumin	Robinson Muumi	Lars	1962	Originally published in London's The Evening News. Reprinted in D&Q's Moomin Vol. 8 (2013) ISBN 9781770461215
31.	Artists in Moomin Valley	Mumin och konsten	Muumipeikko ja taide	Lars	1962
32.	Sniff's Holiday Camp	Sniff's badort	Nipsun kylpylä	Lars	1962
33.	The Inspector's Nephew	Polismästarens brorson	Poliisimestarin veljenpoika	Lars	1962
34.	Damsel in Distress	Dam i dilemma	Neitonen ahdingossa	Lars	1963	Originally published in London's The Evening News. Reprinted in D&Q's Moomin Vol.9 (2014) ISBN 9781770461574
35.	Fuddler and Married Life	Knappar och äktenskap	Nappeja ja avioliittoja	Lars	1963
36.	Sniff's Sport Shop	Sniff's sportshop Sniffs sportaffär	Nipsun urheiluliike	Lars	1963
37.	Mymble's Diamond	Mymlans diamant	Mymmelin timantti	Lars	1963
38.	Moomin and the Vampire	Mumin och vampyren	Muumit ja vampyyri	Lars	1964	Originally published in London's The Evening News. Reprinted in D&Q's Moomin Vol.10 (August 2015) ISBN 9781770462021
39.	Moomin and the TV	Mumin och TV	Muumipeikko ja televisio	Lars	1964
40.	The Underdeveloped Moomins	De underutvecklade mumintrollen	Alikehittyneet muumit	Lars	1964
41.	Moomin and Aunt Jane	Mumin och moster	Muumipeikko ja täti	Lars	1964
42.	Moomin and the National Park	Mumin och naturparken	Muumit ja luonnonpuisto	Lars	1965	Originally published in London's The Evening News.
43.	Moomin and the Good Old Days	Mumin och den Gamla Goda Tiden Den gamla goda tiden	Muumipeikko ja vanhat hyvät ajat	Lars	1965
44.	Moomin's Pet	Hundliv i Mumindalen	Koiranelämää Muumilaaksossa	Lars	1965
45.	Moomin the Private Eye	Mumin detektiven	Muumisalapoliisi	Lars	1966
46.	Spring in Moomin Valley	Vårkänslor	Kevättunteita	Lars	1966
47.	Moomin Rescues a Princess	Mumin räddar en prinsessa	Muumipeikko pelastaa prinsessan	Lars	1966
48.	Moomin and Agent 008 ½	Mumin och agent 008½	Muumipeikko ja agentti 008 ½	Lars	1966
49.	Moomin Lives Dangerously	Mumin lever farligt	Muumipeikon vaarallinen elämä	Lars	1967
50.	Moomins in Torrellorca	Mumin på Torrelorca	Muumit Torrelorcalla	Lars	1967
51.	Snorkmaiden Crashes Society	Snorkfröken i societeten	Niiskuneiti seurapiireissä	Lars	1967
52.	Moomins in Ancient Greece	Redan de gamla grekerna	Jo muinaiset kreikkalaiset	Lars	1967
53.	Sniff Goes Good	Sniff blir god	Nipsu parantaa tapansa	Lars	1968	Originally published in several newspapers (but not London's The Evening News).
54.	Moomin the Journalist	Redaktör Mumin	Muumipeikko toimittajana	Lars	1968
55.	Moomin and the Orphans	Mumin och de föräldralösa	Muumipeikko ja orpolapset	Lars	1968
56.	Sir Moomin	Riddar Mumin	Ritarimuumi	Lars	1969
57.	Horsey Moomin	Mumin till häst	Muumipeikko ratsailla	Lars	1969
58.	Moomin and the Mermaid	Mumin och sjöjungfrun	Muumipeikko ja merenneito	Lars	1969
59.	Emancipated Moomins	Misans återkomst	Miskan paluu	Lars	1970
60.	Moomin and the Radicals	Mumin och Radikalerna	Muumipeikko ja radikaalit	Lars	1970
61.	Moomin Christmas	Mumin-Jul	Muumijoulu	Lars	1970
62.	Moomin in Ancient Egypt	Mumin i Egypten	Muumipeikko Egyptissä	Lars	1971
63.	Sniff Falls in Love	Sniff blir kär	Nipsu rakastuu	Lars	1971
64.	Moomin Engagement	Mumin förlovar sig	Muumipeikon kihlaus	Lars	1971
65.	Moomin and the Flying Dutchman	Mumin och den flygande Holländaren	Muumipeikko ja Lentävä hollantilainen	Lars	1972
66.	Snorkmaiden the Seer	Snorkfröken blir synsk	Niiskuneidistä tulee ennustaja	Lars	1972
67.	Moomin and the Beach	Mumin och badstranden	Muumipeikko ja uimaranta	Lars	1973
68.	Moomin Gets Rich	Mumin blir rik	Muumipeikko rikastuu	Lars	1973
69.	Moomin and the Guru	Mumin och Gurun	Muumipeikko ja guru	Lars	1973
70.	Moominpappa and Old Age	Muminpappan på ålderns brant	Muumipappa vanhuuden porteilla	Lars	1974
71.	Moomin in Battle	Batalj i Mumindalen	Taistelu Muumilaaksosta	Lars	1974
72.	Moomin in Neander Valley	Mumin i Neanderdalen	Muumipeikko Neanderthalissa	Lars	1974
73.	Moomin and the Ten Piggy Banks	Mumin och de tio sparbössorna	Muumipeikko ja kymmenen säästöporsasta	Lars	1975

Republication

The comic strips are currently being republished in a set of hardback books, in original publication order, by Canadian publisher Drawn & Quarterly. The first five volumes collect the Tove and Tove/Lars strips, and are titled Moomin: The Complete Tove Jansson Comic Strip. The sixth and subsequent volumes collects Lars' strips, and are titled Moomin: The Complete Lars Jansson Comic Strip.

Adaptations

The Moomin (1990) anime series featured several episodes, which are loose adaptations based on comic strip stories, while several characters from comic strips are featured in the anime series as well. The second season, known as sequel anime series Delightful Moomin Family: Adventure Diary (楽しいムーミン一家 冒険日記, Tanoshii Mūmin Ikka: Bōken Nikki) in Japan, has also several episodes based on the comic strip stories more rather than original novels made by Tove Jansson. Notably, few episodes featured time traveling with the time machine, that has accidentally created by Moominpapa. Both of seasons' episodes are directed by Hiroshi Saitô and Masayuki Kojima.

Animated film

Main article: Moomins on the Riviera

The 2014 traditional animated comedy film directed by Xavier Picard and produced by Hanna Hemilä, is based on the Moomin on the Riviera comic strip story and has been first released on 10 October 2014 in Finland to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Tove Jansson's birth. The film is heavily faithful to the original comic strip story, while it features some elements from other comic strip stories and adds several characters who didn't appear in the original story to the film such as Little My and Snufkin.