Petri Hiltunen
Encyclopedia
Petri Hiltunen is a Finnish
cartoonist
and illustrator
. Hiltunen has produced work in a variety of genres, but is most notable for his fantasy
and horror work. He has won the prestigious Puupäähattu award in 2002, which is regarded as the highest honour for Finnish comic artists. He is also a well known figure in Finnish science fiction fandom
and a regular panelist and guest of honour at conventions, such as Finncon
.
His own comic albums include the horror/fantasy tale Laulu yön lapsista ("Song of the children of the night") and a comic version of Macbeth
. The fantasy world of Jaconia, created for his Praedor comics, has been adapted into a role-playing game of the same name. His work has also been featured in the science fiction
magazine Tähtivaeltaja
, the Finnish Conan
magazine and twice in the war comics magazine Korkeajännitys: a western
story and one story set in the Finnish War
. His drawing style is quite detailed, particularly with his characters, and features heavy lines.
Hiltunen is best known in the Finnish popular consciousness from his much lighter, humorous newspaper comic strip Väinämöisen paluu ("The Return of Väinämöinen
"), published in many major newspapers and as comic books. In it, the Eternal Sage of Kalevala
ends his self-imposed exile to find that he might have been gone for too long. He must try to adjust to modern Finland (e.g. finding out that these newfangled "potato
es" are now considered a traditional food) as modern Finland must try to adjust to him (e.g. a group of neo-nazis
coming to greet him and introducing themselves as indigenous Finns; they are nonplussed when he starts apologizing and it turns out he thought they were Sami
.) As the culture shock
gradually faded, the strip became a more character-based comedy but eventually faded in turn.
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
cartoonist
Cartoonist
A cartoonist is a person who specializes in drawing cartoons. This work is usually humorous, mainly created for entertainment, political commentary or advertising...
and illustrator
Illustrator
An Illustrator is a narrative artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text...
. Hiltunen has produced work in a variety of genres, but is most notable for his fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
and horror work. He has won the prestigious Puupäähattu award in 2002, which is regarded as the highest honour for Finnish comic artists. He is also a well known figure in Finnish science fiction fandom
Science fiction fandom
Science fiction fandom or SF fandom is a community or "fandom" of people actively interested in science fiction and fantasy and in contact with one another based upon that interest...
and a regular panelist and guest of honour at conventions, such as Finncon
Finncon
Finncon is the largest science fiction convention in Finland and, with up to 15,000 participants, one of the largest SF conventions in Europe. Finncon is unique among SF conventions because it has no participation/membership fee, and is funded primarily on various cultural grants as well as income...
.
His own comic albums include the horror/fantasy tale Laulu yön lapsista ("Song of the children of the night") and a comic version of Macbeth
Macbeth
The Tragedy of Macbeth is a play by William Shakespeare about a regicide and its aftermath. It is Shakespeare's shortest tragedy and is believed to have been written sometime between 1603 and 1607...
. The fantasy world of Jaconia, created for his Praedor comics, has been adapted into a role-playing game of the same name. His work has also been featured in the science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
magazine Tähtivaeltaja
Tähtivaeltaja
Tähtivaeltaja is a Finnish quarterly science fiction magazine published by Helsingin science fiction seura ry. Toni Jerrman has been the editor of the magazine throughout its twenty-year history...
, the Finnish Conan
Conan the Barbarian
Conan the Barbarian is a fictional sword and sorcery hero that originated in pulp fiction magazines and has since been adapted to books, comics, several films , television programs, video games, roleplaying games and other media...
magazine and twice in the war comics magazine Korkeajännitys: a western
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
story and one story set in the Finnish War
Finnish War
The Finnish War was fought between Sweden and the Russian Empire from February 1808 to September 1809. As a result of the war, the eastern third of Sweden was established as the autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland within the Russian Empire...
. His drawing style is quite detailed, particularly with his characters, and features heavy lines.
Hiltunen is best known in the Finnish popular consciousness from his much lighter, humorous newspaper comic strip Väinämöisen paluu ("The Return of Väinämöinen
Väinämöinen
Väinämöinen is the central character in the Finnish folklore and the main character in the national epic Kalevala. His name comes from the Finnish word väinämö, meaning minstrel. Originally a Finnish god, he was described as an old and wise man, and he possessed a potent, magical...
"), published in many major newspapers and as comic books. In it, the Eternal Sage of Kalevala
Kalevala
The Kalevala is a 19th century work of epic poetry compiled by Elias Lönnrot from Finnish and Karelian oral folklore and mythology.It is regarded as the national epic of Finland and is one of the most significant works of Finnish literature...
ends his self-imposed exile to find that he might have been gone for too long. He must try to adjust to modern Finland (e.g. finding out that these newfangled "potato
Potato
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
es" are now considered a traditional food) as modern Finland must try to adjust to him (e.g. a group of neo-nazis
Neo-Nazism
Neo-Nazism consists of post-World War II social or political movements seeking to revive Nazism or some variant thereof.The term neo-Nazism can also refer to the ideology of these movements....
coming to greet him and introducing themselves as indigenous Finns; they are nonplussed when he starts apologizing and it turns out he thought they were Sami
Sami people
The Sami people, also spelled Sámi, or Saami, are the arctic indigenous people inhabiting Sápmi, which today encompasses parts of far northern Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Kola Peninsula of Russia, and the border area between south and middle Sweden and Norway. The Sámi are Europe’s northernmost...
.) As the culture shock
Culture shock
Culture shock is the anxiety, feelings of frustration, alienation and anger that may occur when a person is emplaced in a new culture.One of the most common causes of culture shock involves individuals in a foreign country. Culture shock can be described as consisting of one or more distinct phases...
gradually faded, the strip became a more character-based comedy but eventually faded in turn.