The Forbidden Planet International Blog Log

Schmurgen’s Uncompromising Comic!

by Schmurgen Jonerhaffs

Self Published

Schmurgen Jonerhaffs is a very uncompromising artist from Norway recently moved to these shores who just happens to keep his face covered with a wrestler’s mask. He’s fallen in with the London comics crowd and seems to be rather influenced by them in his work. I swear I can see elements of Francesca Cassavetti, Oliver Lambden, David Baillie and more in this first collection of his strips.

Either that or, like some have already commented, he may be one or all of these artists. But I’m sure that’s not true, and Schmurgen’s already pointed out that he’s definitely not Shane Azzopardee.

(Schmurgen in typically uncompromising style, although it is a rather familiar style I think.)

But whatever styles Schmurgen has “appropriated”, it’s all rather nicely done, this series of semi-autobiographical style comics. It’s somewhat inconsistent in style, almost as if many hands have contributed to this collection. But some of the artwork is as good as anything Baillie, Cassavetti et al have ever managed and there’s even one lovely page where he seems to be channelling some rather old gag cartoonists, even if the subject matter is slightly more scatalogical than they may have gotten away with back then…

(Something rather lovely and old fashioned looking in an typically uncompromising style from Schmurgen’s Uncompromising Comic!)

There are a couple of guest appearances inside, with Rob Jackson contributing a strip and the lovely David Baillie cropping up in the comic a couple of times as Schmurgen’s foil. Most of the strips have a decidedly toilet based humour style, but what the hell, fart gags can be funny sometimes and you’ll have a good smile on your face through most of Schmurgen’s rather uncompromising first collection of strips.

Schmurgen has his own blog for your perusal (uncompromising of course) and there’s even an interview over on the Modern Monstrosity with our uncompromising Norwegien cartoonist. Pick up your copy of Schurgen’s comic from conventions – his work is often on the tables of his various friends. You may even be able to pick up copies of his mini comics; “How To Make Uncompromising Comics” and “How To Run An Uncompromising Comic Convention” as well.

Richard Bruton. (And I can categorically state that I am not Schurgen. But can others say the same?)