Estonia.
Estonia
1905
Estonian comics history starts with Karl August Hindrey, the writer and cartoonist regarded as the founder of Estonian comics, who published rhymed picture books such as Piripilli-Liisu (1906) and founded the satirical paper Sädemed.
In the Soviet period the humour magazine Pikker and the children's magazine Täheke were the main outlets, and Olimar Kallas's Kiviküla comic books, begun with 3 lugu in 1979, became classics. After independence, newspaper strips such as Pesakond, Kosmosemutid and Mürakarud took over, and since the 2010s graphic novels by Joonas Sildre and others have raised the medium's profile.
35
25
1905
1990s
Artists from Estonia in the archive.
Comics from Estonia in the archive.
Sädemed, the earliest comic from Estonia in the archive.
The decade when the most new comics from Estonia began.
koomiks
Estonia in 4 chapters
A short history you can leaf through. Click a page, use the arrow keys, or press Turn the page to read on.
Estonia.
4 chapters
1905
to 1940
Chapter 01
Hindrey and the satirical papers
Karl August Hindrey, Estonia's first cartoonist with an art school training, founded the Postimees satirical paper Sädemed (published 1905 to 1934) and later the paper Kratt. His rhymed picture books Piripilli-Liisu and Seene Mikk (1906), Lõhkiläinud Kolumats (1918) and Jaunart-Jauram (1921) are counted as the beginning of Estonian comics. Romulus Tiitus edited Sädemed from 1927 and published the children's comics book Toslem lastele in 1938.
1943
to 1991
Chapter 02
Pikker, Täheke and Kiviküla
The humour magazine Pikker, founded in 1943 and a standalone magazine from 1957, and the children's magazine Täheke, launched in 1960, were the main outlets of a period when Olimar Kallas, Edgar Valter, Hugo Hiibus and Evald Piho formed the leading group of Estonian cartoonists. Kallas drew picture series such as Kerapoiss ja Kuubipoiss for Täheke and began his Kiviküla comic books with 3 lugu in 1979, while Teet Kuusmaa's Pontu ja Priidu ran in the children's paper Säde from 1973.
1991
to 2009
Chapter 03
Newspaper strips
After independence, Estonian papers carried home-grown daily strips: Asko Künnap's Kosmoserotid and Alar Pikkorainen's Kosmosemutid (from 1994) in Eesti Ekspress, Madis Ots's Pesakond in Post from 1994, and Urmas Nemvalts's Mürakarud in Postimees from 1998. Kallas's last long story, Ootamatu pärandus, ran in Sõnumileht in 1996 and 1997, and the anthology Narratiivsus piltides gathered the author comics of the 2000s.
2010
to today
Chapter 04
Graphic novels
Joonas Sildre co-founded the Estonian Comics Society in 2013 and published the graphic novels Kahe heli vahel (2018), about the composer Arvo Pärt, and Värviline mägi (2023), about the painter Konrad Mägi. In 2026 the graphic novel Ära oota midagi by Indrek Koff and Olena London won the A. H. Tammsaare literary prize.
The comics to know
- Piripilli-Liisu1906 · graphic novelKarl August Hindrey. Rhymed picture book by the writer counted as the founder of Estonian comics.
- Sädemed1905 · comics magazineKarl August Hindrey (founder). Satirical paper of Postimees, published in Tartu until 1934.
- Pikker1943 · comics magazineJaan Jensen (founder). Humour and satire magazine that employed most Soviet-era Estonian cartoonists.
- 3 lugu1979 · graphic novelOlimar Kallas. First of the Kiviküla comic books.
- Pesakond1994 · comic stripMadis Ots. Absurd strip begun in the paper Post; later in Õhtuleht, Sõnumileht and other papers.
- Kosmosemutid (Suburban Hags)1994Alar Pikkorainen. Long-running strip in Eesti Ekspress.
- Mürakarud1998 · comic stripUrmas Nemvalts. Daily strip in Postimees.
- Kahe heli vahel2018 · graphic novelJoonas Sildre. Graphic novel about Arvo Pärt; also published in German in 2021.
The people to know
- Karl August HindreyWriter and cartoonist considered the founder of Estonian comics; founded Sädemed and Kratt.
- Romulus Tiitus1906 to 1982Caricaturist and editor of Sädemed; author of the comics book Toslem lastele (1938).
- Olimar Kallas1929 to 2006Cartoonist and creator of the Kiviküla comic books.
- Edgar ValterCartoonist and illustrator, classmate and colleague of Olimar Kallas.
- Hugo Hiibus1929 to 2019Caricaturist; art editor of Pikker from 1957 to 1959.
- Madis OtsBorn 1977Creator of the strip Pesakond.
- Urmas NemvaltsBorn 1968Postimees cartoonist and creator of Mürakarud.
- Joonas SildreBorn 1980Graphic novelist and co-founder of the Estonian Comics Society.
More artists from Estonia
All 35 artists- Teet Kuusmaa1931 to 2004 · caricaturist
- Indrek KoffBorn 1975 · writer
- Anti VeermaaBorn 1968 · caricaturist
- Jaanus Nessler1965 to 2022 · caricaturist
- Tarmo TuuleBorn 1974 · writer
- Evald Piho1923 to 1974 · caricaturist
- Roman Ohlau1925 to 2011 · caricaturist
- Edvin AedmaBorn 1983 · cartoonist
- Hendrik Saar1893 to 1944 · cartoonist
- Hillar MetsBorn 1954 · cartoonist
- Veiko VihuriBorn 1968 · cartoonist
- Leo LättiBorn 1957 · cartoonist
More comics from Estonia
All 25 comics- Suburban Hags1994 · comic
- Täheke1960 · comics magazine
- Jokkker1995 · comics magazine
- Ära oota midagigraphic novel
- Kogu lugu2006 · graphic novel
- Kerapoiss ja Kuubipoisscomic strip
- Andres ja Pearuwebcomic
- Seene Mikk1906 · graphic novel
- Värviline mägi2023 · graphic novel
- Jaunart-Jauram1921 · graphic novel
- Proovisõit1981 · graphic novel
- Seiklus Sekontias sundmaandumisega Pelikanisaarel1986 · graphic novel