Lepakkoluola* is a comics anthology produced by young** Finnish artists. Its themes are women in history and love between women. Our goal is to publish it at the Helsinki Comics Festival in September 2014. More info about the crowdfunding after the cut.

Women have often been underrepresented in historical fiction, but it doesn’t have to be that way! The 16 artists in this project will prove otherwise, through 15 stories, and the anthology also includes historical background articles.

Sample subjects are: Japan in the Edo period, the witch hunts, the Second World War, and the Harlem Renaissance (by yours truly). Important for Goldenbird lovers: My story, “Crazy Blues // Mieletön blues”, can be read independently, but features characters that are eerily similar to Mayann and Lou…

Participating creators: Ainur Elmgren, Eva Eskelinen, Leppu, Miukki Kekkonen, Anayte & Matti Delahay, Muura, Ella Kurki, Dawn Davis, Ered, Milla Sainio, Myrntai, multa, Joiuu, Hanna-Pirita Lehkonen, Raakel Hokkanen and Suspu Nousiainen.

The whole thing is organized by Team Pärvelö, an independent Finnish comics publisher and artist group active since 2008.

To finance the anthology’s production process and printing, we need YOUR help. You can participate through crowd funding – more details on the Mesenaatti website. For English-speakers: The anthology will be “subtitled”, that is, all the text in the comics will be in Finnish or English, and the pages will have translations along the bottom margin. Unfortunately the Mesenaatti website is mainly in Finnish, but you can read about the different perks in English and pay with Visa or Mastercard.

The minimum amount that we need is 1.500 Euro. If we don’t reach this level, we will have to return all the money ;_; But I’m sure we will be fine! And any extra money will be used for an art exhibition, bonus material and perhaps some reward for the participants?!

Thank you!
Ainur (on behalf of Team Pärvelö)

* “the bat cave”, from lepakko, bat, or a nickname for lesbian
** debatable, in my case…