Perfect Perfection: A Riff on the Moomin Comics

As we go tumbling, head-first, into the delightful world of Tove and Lars Jansson’s Moomin comic strip, it’s perfectly permissible to question how we critique perfection in comic form. So, buckle up (or not, we’re not your mother) and let’s jabber on about Moomin, ambiguously known as ‘The Adventures of Moomin – Book One’, re-released by none other than Drawn and Quarterly.

Why we dub Moomin as perfect is not the same as saying it’s the greatest comic ever. Now, don’t get us wrong, a perfect comic is indeed a treat – it’s one untying the delicately crafted bow-tie of artistic integrity, one that fits perfectly within its own carefully crafted constraints. We can easily compare other works like Strontium Dog: Rage standing as a flawless action serial, Nancy by Bushmiller as a top-notch joke-cracker, and The Calculous Affair championing the perfect adventure story. We’re saying the Moomin strip is, in essence, the best version of itself, a package so complete it defies meddling.

A Symphony of Humor and Visual Fine-tuning

There’s nothing about Moomin that you’d want to change – not a conversational snippet, not a stroke of the pencil. Its charm lies in its humor, the delicately defined characters, and the pleasingly visual conception. It’s the kind of comic strip that, like Peanuts, leaves you not just satisfied, but smiling at how consuming simple character interactions can be.

When it comes to adventure, Moomin doesn’t do half measures. Characters merrily tumble alongside and sail through, in practically search of anything new, novel, or just outright bonkers. The adventures are mere catalysts or harebrained excuses for our quirky characters to interact in unusual ways, offering a fresh perspective into the very human nature of Moomin.

An Uncomfortable, Hilarious Tonal Shift

For those entrenched in the world of Moomin via the books or television shows, a leap to the strip version can be… jarring. The strip takes on a humorous tilt, emphasizing the characters’ negative traits like turning a magnifying glass on a schoolyard squabble. Moomintroll’s innocent infatuation with Snorkmaiden grows a monster head of jealousy, with him resorting to hilariously violent measures against any potential threat, while Sniff’s selfishness transitions into full-on conniving avarice.

The Moomin strip takes a tendency towards conservatism, not political mind you, but more in the preservationist sense. Any change is eagerly shunned, leaving no room for even a whisper of evolution. Yet, even with this adherence to the status quo, Moomin manages to be abundantly quirky and entertaining.

Into the Nitty-Gritty

While each Moomin story is an absolute blast, the organization and selection of stories in this collection left us a tad miffed. Drawn and Quarterly seem to be going for a highlight reel instead of a chronological approach. Kicking off with “Moomin on the Riviera” was an eyebrow-raising choice, but we’ll swallow that pill for now.

It’s true, however, that Moomin is a precious gem among comic strips. Be it in any order, format, or language, Moomin is Moomin. And in its self-contained, true-to-itself, humorous manner, Moomin is nothing less than perfection given form.