Coming to America

Okay, you've read about us and you've seen the promo video, but when will the actual invading take place? And what are we supposed to invade?
Well, we'll start by invading New York City during the MoCCA arts festival April 10th-11th (or actually the evening before), and then stay a couple of days in NYC doing interviews and buying vintage candy packages (Simon), frolicking in the spring sun (Kolbeinn) and stalking Central Park with his four year old daughter in search of Stuart Little (Mats).

Friday April 16th we land in Chicago for release party #2 and signings at Chicago Comics and Entertainment Expo. See the complete schedule below!


NEW YORK

FRIDAY, APRIL 9TH, 8:00PM PARTY at ROCKETSHIP COMICS
-- 208 Smith Street, Brooklyn, New York, Phone: 718-797-1348
-- Come meet and party with Mats Jonsson (HEY PRINCESS), Simon Gärdenfors (THE 120 DAYS OF SIMON), Kolbeinn Karlsson (THE TROLL KING), Niklas Asker (SECOND THOUGHTS), Fredrik Strömberg (SWEDISH COMICS HISTORY), Johannes Klenell (Editor of NORTHERN LIGHTS), and NORTHERN LIGHTS contributors Sofia Olsson, Sara Granér, Benjamin Stengard, Asa Grennvall, and Emelie Ostergren; as well as Chris Staros, Brett Warnock, and Leigh Walton of the Top Shelf crew. Food and cash bar will be provided by the Clover Club private room (attached to Rocketship).

SATURDAY & SUNDAY, APRIL 10TH-11TH, MoCCA ARTS FESTIVAL
@ THE 69TH REGIMENT ARMORY
-- 68 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York (Between 25th & 26th)
-- Hang out with us at the Top Shelf tables where the whole gang will be signing books all weekend.
-- Also appearing: Nate Powell, James Kochalka, & Alex Robinson!

CHICAGO

SATURDAY, APRIL 17TH, 8:00PM PARTY at the renowned DOUBLE DOOR
-- 1572 North Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago, Phone: 773-489-3160
-- Tickets on sale @ www.doubledoor.com, $10/$8 with C2E2 pass, Doors @ 8 p.m. Show @ 9 p.m.
-- Come meet and party with Mats Jonsson (HEY PRINCESS), Simon Gärdenfors (THE 120 DAYS OF SIMON), Kolbeinn Karlsson (THE TROLL KING), and Chris Staros (TOP SHELF), as Top Shelf co-sponsors the official C2E2 After Party with the Nerd City crew. It'll be a music and event-filled night, featuring sets by DJ Ghengis Won, Major Taylor, burlesque troupe The Flaming Dames, and headlining band The Jai Alai Savant (fresh off their recent show with Ted Leo and the Pharmacists). Simon Gärdenfors -- a well-known Swedish rapper as well -- will also be featured in a special performance.

FRIDAY THRU SUNDAY, APRIL 16TH-18TH, C2E2
(CHICAGO COMIC AND ENTERTAINMENT EXPO)
-- McCormick Place, 2301 S. Lake Shore Drive, Downtown Chicago
-- Hang out with us at the Top Shelf, Nerd City, and Chicago Comics booths, where the Swedish crew will be signing books all weekend long.
-- Also appearing: Jeffrey Brown, with his new UNDELETED SCENES!

Erkki presents: The Swedish Invasion video commercial!

Our friend and - in some cases - neighbour Erkki of comic store Serieslussen kindly agreed to help out in the worldwide marketing our books. All you need to know about us, our beautiful books and the grim Nordic climate in a little more than two minutes!

Invader #3: Kolbeinn Karlsson

“The magical biology of The Troll King reads like a psychedelic Hans Christian Andersen, blended with the neo-traditional storytelling of Miyazaki and just a touch of black metal. These are hairy fairy tales for the Burning Man generation."
-- Jason Leivian, owner of Floating World Comics and comics editor of Arthur magazine

Kolbeinn Karlsson was born in 1982 and lives in Uppsala, Sweden. From 2006 to 2007 he was a student at Kvarnby School of Comic Arts in Malmö. During this time he self-published several mini-comics, which earned him a reputation as one of Sweden's most original cartoonists.

His work has been published internationally in several magazines and anthologies, including Galago (Sweden), C'est Bon (Sweden), Glömp (Finland), Strapazin (Switzerland) and Kush (Latvia). He recently adapted The Troll King into an animated short film. The Troll King is his first book.

In The Troll King, a dwarf falls into a river and is taken to a place beyond space and time. A carrot takes a bath and finds itself transforming. Two reclusive mountain men rejoice when their wish for children is granted, but their sons make a terrible discovery. And throughout all these tales, the spirit of the forest walks on…

Welcome to the surreal world of The Troll King, by Swedish visionary Kolbeinn Karlsson. It’s a fantastic journey into the wilderness lurking right outside your town, brought to you by comics’ cuddliest Viking.

Read the interview with Kolbeinn Karlsson at Avoid the Future.

Read the preview at CBR's Robot 6 blog.

Preorder the book at Top Shelf.

Preorder the book at Amazon.