{mosimage}COMICS Milla Paloniemi has won the first ever Sarjakuva Finlandia, the ‘comics version’ of the prestigious Finlandia Prize. The creator of the popular Kiroileva siili (‘The swearing hedgehog’) comic was announced as the winner of the prize at the Tampere Kuplii comics festival, which took place in Tampere during the weekend.
Praise
The Sarjakuva Finlandia, worth 5,000 euro, is awarded to the maker(s) of a praise-worthy comic album. Dancer/choreographer Jorma Uotinen had the honour of choosing the receiver of the first ever Sarjakuva Finlandia. He praised the swearing hedgehog as a ‘lovely creature, visually shady’ and said that there was nothing dull, nothing ‘petit bourgiois’ about it. He added that Milla Paloniemi has courage and intellect and that she dares to take a risk.
{mosimage}Criticism
Other comic makers and comic lovers were less enthusiastic about Uotinen’s choice. Some of the criticism heard was that the comic was nothing original and light entertainment.
Kiroileva siili started out as an internet comic. After it gained huge popularity, the hedgehog has appeared in the awarded comic album, as a newspaper comic, on cellphone backgrounds, T-shirts, mouse pads and even on a bankcard.
Paloniemi’s acceptance speech on Sunday was projected on a screen in comic form.
When asked what she will do with the 5,000 euro prize money, she replied: ‘Pay off loans. Boring. I’m saving for the time when nobody likes the hedgehog and me anymore.’
The comic album about the politically incorrect hedgehog has so far sold over 50,000 copies.
Kiroileva siili (in Finnish)
Sarjakuva Finlandia (in Finnish)
Tampere Kuplii comics festival (in Finnish)