Customer Reviews

Moomin: The Complete Tove Jansson Comic Strip - Book Three (Bk. 3)

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Imagine if a bottle was adrift for over 50 years in the ocean and finally found way to the shores of North America. Inside you would find the works of Tove Jansson's comic strip Moomin for the first time. Untainted by time, the strip has found new life in North America because of Montreal's premiere graphic book publisher Drawn and Quarterly. This the third in a series that is finding new fans from all over and garnishing awards while it circulates province and state every day. It's amazing how work like this has gone under the radar for so many years. The character Moomin has enjoyed great recognition as far as Japan and all around the world, but is mute in both Canada and United States. This is slowly being remedied thanks to Chris Oliveros of Drawn and Quarterly and his staff of diligent connoisseurs of both new and older talent gathered under one roof. Moomin and other graphic novels by this company is making a dent in book sales all over the world. A true pleasure trip of an idea in the way books are created and the big publishers have taken notice and copied this winning formula.


Moomin: The Complete Tove Jansson Comic Strip - Book One
Moomin: The Complete Tove Jansson Comic Strip - Book Two
Moomin 4 Disc Collector's Set 1

The humor is offbeat, and warmly accepting of each character's quirks and personality flaws. The graphics are wonderful midcentury Scandinavian, so non commercial yet original, unique, and recognizable. The author is undiscovered in the United States, proof that the market is rigged, and Borders does not sell good stuff but only stuff it wants to sell.

My eleven year old daughter and I enjoy the intriguingly weird logic of Jansson's world. There's something so sweet and true about Moomintroll's reactions to the other characters and the situations in the comic strip.

I read the Moomin books when I was young and I hoped that my children would find them as enchanting and engaging, as I did. My children are now 5, 7 & 9 and their fascination and love for the Moomin characters and stories has far exceeded my expectations. Although, the comic strips were written for an adult audience my children have enjoyed them on their own level. My 5 year old just loves looking at the pictures and will happily listen to the stories time and time again. He has taken the books into show and tell at school several times. I can't recommend this comic book highly enough. Do yourself and your children a favour and let them explore the magical world of Moomin.