Interview with Johanna Gustafsson

1. Tell me a little about yourself. How long have you been active as a comic artist and what have you been up to?

I have been drawing and making comics since I was little, but it was in high school that I started getting into comics more seriously and discovered alternative comics. Last year I graduated from the comic art school (Serieskolan) in Malmö and my graphic novel for children called “Stora Björn och Lilla Björn” (“Big Bear and Little Bear”) was published by Ordbilder Media. I have also been freelancing, published comic strips and participated in a couple of fanzines and exhibitions.

 

2. Why did you want to participate in this project?

I like adult comics, but until learning about Swedish Comic Sin I had never thought about the possibility of making one myself. Then I read the previous anthologies and got inspired to make my own erotic comic and be a part of the project! I want to try out all different kinds of comic genres, and I thought making an erotic one could be a really fun challenge. I also think Swedish Comic Sin is a great concept, and the anthology can be a good introduction if you’re interested in reading erotic comics.

3. Have you drawn any erotic comics or incorporated sex in your stories before?

I like making comics about people and everyday life so you’d think I’d portrayed sex before, but I haven’t.

4. What has been the most difficult and challenging thing about this project?

It was challenging to draw cunnilingus in an angle that actually shows the vulva and drawing two people kissing without it looking like they’re just smashing their faces together. It was also a bit of a challenge to write in English since my comics usually are in Swedish, and to portray two people having sex and being intimate and trying to capture a spontaneous, natural mood - I didn’t want it to seem “scripted”.

5. What has been the most fun part?

Drawing lips and naked bodies, writing the script, reading the other comics in the anthology, and just getting to be a part of a really great anthology.

6. What are you up to now and where are you heading? Any plans?


I have applied for the second year at the comic art school in Malmö and am currently keeping my fingers crossed and living in Karlshamn where I work in the municipality with concept designing and developing information-brochures. I am also an active member of the comic collectives “Dotterbolaget” and “Ritualen”, and those may be good to keep an eye on if you want to see some of my upcoming works!

Interview with Sara Berntsson

1. Tell me a little about yourself. How long have you been active as a comic artist and what have you been up to?

I studied comics at Högskolan i Gävle from 2005-2008, since then I’ve made fanzines and participated in anthologies sporadically.

2. Why did you want to participate in this project?

Mostly because it’s a great deal of fun, but I also think Swedish Comic Sin has come to fill an important role in showcasing a spectrum view of sex, sexuality and gender, and it has been a great experience for me to not only produce, but to learn as well.

  3. Have you drawn any erotic comics or incorporated sex in your stories before?

Yup, I’ve participated in Swedish Comic Sin twice before (#2 and #3) and have also made a comic for the Freya anthology, which incorporates sex while not being a erotic comic.

4. What has been the most difficult and challenging thing about this project?

With each comic I’ve made, I’ve noticed that the protective layers of humor and irony gets more peeled off. I wouldn’t say that my latest comic is particularly serious or anything, it does contain a bit of humor, but compared to my earlier works it’s not as much of a joke anymore. It does make me feel more vulnerable, but I also think my comics are better for it.

5. What has been the most fun part?

Deciding to do something and then actually pulling through. It can feel easy when deciding the idea to think of something out of your comfort zone, but when it’s time to draw everything out in detail, suddenly I can feel a bit shy again. If I wasn’t participating in a project like this I might’ve bailed out earlier, but knowing we’re all making this anthology together I’m being held accountable until the comic is done, and I get great feedback along the way.

6. What are you up to now and where are you heading? Any plans?

I’m getting more and more interested in erotic comics, both as a producer and consumer, and I’ve started applying for other anthology projects within the erotica genre as well. It seems my tourism of the erotica genre has lead to me making a permanent stay.

Interview with Sandra Bergström

1. Tell me a little about yourself. How long have you been active as a comic artist and what have you been up to?

I'm a somewhat shy happy-go-lucky little thing and have been doing comics since 2010, I think? Been working on a webcomic for about a year now.

2. Why did you want to participate in this project?

To see if I could make it, and I did, guess who's proud of herself?

3. Have you drawn any erotic comics or incorporated sex in your stories before?

Yes! It's fun! Hard but fun. And not so much but still it's there.

4. What has been the most difficult and challenging thing about this project?

The deadlines! Oh wow, i had forgot how hard it is with deadlines.

5. What has been the most fun part?

Drawing all the flowers and the other artist creations

6. What are you up to now and where are you heading? Any plans?

Right now I'm working on a shorter comic and after that I have no idea what the future holds for me. But we shall see!