Allen: Tell me something about yourself.

Miha: I'm 34 year old freelancer from Finland. My name is what it is because my mother was studying Russian when she was expecting me. I got no Russian blood in family, it's all Finnish. I live alone near Helsinki in a small town, behind a protected swamp.

Allen: What schools did you attend, and companies you worked for?

Miha: I dropped out of high school (or escaped) to work in the game industry in 1994. Lot of people then were hijacked into industry straight out from the school. Young workers were handy, as they had no idea about working time regulations.
I worked on Housemarque, then I moved to UK to work at Probe which was acquired by Acclaim. That place was crazy. Then I worked at several other companies before working again at Housemarque, and then later at Sulake.

Allen: What were some of the first comic books you ever read? How easy was it for you to find comics in Finland?

Miha: It was very easy, people were very active on translating and publishing the best foreign comics. My earliest comics that I read in seventies (as a small child) were translations of classic Creepy/Eerie comics and Vampirella. They exploded my brain. Then I also read tons of Franco-Belgian comics, such as Spirou, Gaston Lagaffe, Tintin, Asterix, Valerian and Lucky Luke. Many of the classic European comics are still not widely available in US, I think.

Allen: How did you get involved in the comic book industry?

Miha: I simply walked in, and kept sitting on the floor until everyone just had to get used to my foul stench.

Allen: Tell me about comic book called The Far End Chronicles (including setting.) Also, when and where was story first published?

Miha: It is set on an alien world, and its story mostly follows the journey of a mechanical girl, called Lili. I managed to sell it to a Finnish magazine called "Koululainen"; where it was first published in 2005, and which is a monthly magazine for school kids. I tried to offer it to comic book publishers first, but they treated it as if it were some kind of leper. Some kids hated it equally much in the start, but now they've begun to really like it so maybe it won't get cancelled just yet!

Allen: What do you feel is reading age group for this story?

Miha: I don't like thinking about demographic groups when writing a story, because that will stifle your creativity, but I was hoping to make a children's story, that adults could also read without having to feel that their intelligence is insulted. For some bizarre reason, the most vocal fans for The Far End Chronicles in Finland are hairy old comic geeks!

Allen: Who are some of the characters in The Far End Chronicles?

Miha: We are first introduced to Basil Jodorowsky and Elvin Klein, who are two scientists from Victorian London. Together they build up Lili, who is a mechanical girl with more free will than they originally bargained for. Also we got furry dragons, living skeletons and depressed ruler who are trying to stop her wife's ghost from entering her next life. By the way- Elvin, Basil and Lili have their own pages at facebook. I could tell you a story how Alejandro Jodorowsky's son contacted Basil and Lili there, but maybe that's off topic.

Allen: I think that would be very interesting story. Please tell me about contact.

Miha: Names are difficult for me. I came up with "Basil Jodorowsky" because I am a HUUGE fan of Alejandro Jodorowsky, who is a renowned cult film maker from Chile. He directed fantastic art films such as El Topo and Holy mountain, and he also attempted to make Dune with Dan O' Bannon and H.R.Giger. He wrote many great comics, such as Incal with Moebius which by the way is truly amazing comic.

So anyway, I had put Basil into facebook together with Lili and Elvin, because I thought it was a good laugh, and all suddenly Lili and Basil get friend request from Adan Jodorowsky, who is Alejandro's son! He thought they were his relatives. I was frightened and humbled by this whole incident, and it made me think twice before adding my characters into facebook again. Anyway, I'm relieved that Adan wasn't offended when I told him what this all was about, but as an aftereffect Lili had a whole bunch of friend requests from several Chilean men..

Allen: How did Basil Jodorowsky and Dr. Elvin Klein get to other dimension? What are some of differences of other dimension?

Miha: Actually not really a dimension, just a faraway place of the universe. They invented a steam-powered gateway whose functionality was so improbable, that it slinged them into extremely improbable time and place, however for a [SPOILER] limited time period only. [/SPOILER]. The explanation is not meant to be scientific, but to stimulate the imagination of the reader.

Allen: How do Basil and Elvin age compared to on Earth?

Miha: They don't actually age at all, but to explain it is a spoiler. Read only if you have to. [SPOILER] As it turns out, they only spend a fraction of a second away from the earth, but to Far End, this second is more than three hundred years. For this reason, they don't age at all in the world of Far End. [/SPOILER]

Allen: Tell me more about Lili. I am really curious about her character, personality, intelligence level.

Miha: Lili is mechanical, but built in the world of Far End. As story begins, she is only a few days old and has an intelligence of a 5-year old. However, her character develops very quickly in the second part, and she even grows a little bit. She was created in order to secure a fund for their makers. As even in another world, Basil and Elvin cannot escape their character. In the second part of the story, Lili is repelled by this fact and she runs away. Her personality grows as her hardships grow more severe. Eventually [SPOILER] she will receive a second, adult body, and she can change between the two at will. [/SPOILER]

Allen: How did the concept for The Far End Chronicles develop in your mind? Can you please give any back story as to origin of story?

Miha: The Far End Chronicles is a comic which I based on my video game concept which I was never able to sell. Game publishers absolutely hated it, as they only wanted racing/gangsta/fps-games. To make something colourful and happy was blasphemy for them. In the end I am happy that it never went through, because it is much easier to keep your creative freedom when no one is interested on what you are doing. Far End was inspired by Neverending story (film), Battle Angel Alita (manga), Space Harrier (old video game), Amelie (film), Metropolis (anime) and City of lost children (film). Everyone thinks it is inspired by Miyazaki's Spirited Away, which is a great film, but I only saw it after I already finished first sketches.

Allen: Were there ever issues of The Far End Chronicles published in book form? If so, when were they put into stores to sell?

Miha: I will self-publish it next year in Finland as a book. For English language edition I've got no plans at the moment as I've got no money, and I've grown tired of dealing with traditional book publishers (not Dakuwaka, they are nice)

Allen: Tell me about all the things you have to do to make The Far End Chronicles. Are you only person creating this comic book?

Miha: Yes I am the only one, who is mad enough. For the first one, I had to make production designs, script, I made a huge 3D model of the entire city which I printed as a blueprints to the originals, then I had to do sketching, inking, scanning, coloring, lettering, translation, all the while I was working full-time on game industry. It nearly ruined my health but it was worth it, I think.

For the sequel, I revised my methods and techniques dramatically; I threw out the 3D models and detailed script, I drew only from my notes, and used water colours in coloring which has paid off greatly. For my next book I will revise my methods again. I will probably move even further away from using computers.

Allen: Tell me about some of your other published comic book stories.

Miha: I got "Snatchers from Alpha Centauri", which is humoristic sci-fi/fantasy action, peppered with some hard core sci-fi elements. I tell about four role-playing teenagers, who are mistakenly thought as real warriors by hangover-suffering space aliens, who then abduct them to fight on their entertainment shows.

It is very heavily inspired from Iain M. Banks culture books and John M. Harrison's novel "Light". It won 5th place in Finnish fantasy comic competition, and I planned it as a series, if Far End gets cancelled. I self-published it in Finland and also translated it into English. It is available in comicspace. I will continue the story in book called "Big trouble in Alpha Centauri"; when Far End is finished, or when I get some money, the script (or notes you may say) is already written.

Allen: Are your books self published? How did you do inking?

Miha: Yes, they are. I found that self-publishing is not as hard as you might think, as long as you can put out the money and the effort to sell them. Selling your own stuff in comic cons is actually great experience, I recommend it. I inked first Far End with art pen which was meant for lettering, and that was a mistake. Now I use manga G nib for inking and I love it. For mechanical/straight lines I use rot ring.

Allen: How many languages are The Far Land Chronicles translated?

Miha: Finnish, English and French. The French version was, and is being painstakingly translated by a French comic book artist called Mathieu Stoldick , with almost zero pay. I hope I can get publisher from France so I can properly pay the poor man.

Allen: How did idea come to have your stories downloadable at WOWIO?

Miha: Mike Penny from Dakuwaka saw my comics on comicspace, and contacted me, and I thank him for it.

Allen: What has been response to having issues at WOWIO?

Miha: All the Finns hated me almost immediately, ha ha. Not really, but I got lots of congratulations and some snarky comments ("see you at the Cadillac store").. ha ha

Allen: Can you please give link to your comics at WOWIO?

Miha: Sure, here's Far End vol.1: http://www.wowio.com/users/searchresults.asp?nGroupId=404

Allen: Do you ever sell any of your art for comic books?

Miha: I haven’t put any for sale, because I don't think that anyone would be interested to buy.

Allen: What comic book conventions will you be attending or have attended?

Miha: Only Finnish comic conventions. Last one in Helsinki was fun, I grew a beard, wore a spacesuit and nostromo cap. I've no money to attend US comic cons. I'm not even sure what else I could do at US comic con, except than look stupid.

Allen: What are some people that you would really like to meet in comic book community?

Miha: Well.. I wonder if I should be embarrassed now, because I don't know any one I would like to meet really. I love and admire George Herriman, Walt Kelly and Wallace Wood, but they're dead so I'm not sure if I like to meet them.. I guess I should meet Mike Penny some day though, as he's my publisher. Maybe I'll make him cup of tea or decorate his Christmas tree or something.

Allen: How can someone contact you?

Miha: via my hotmail address that’s in my home page, miha_rinne@hotmail.com

Allen: What is your website address?

Miha: Most important page besides wowio link is my comicspace page where you can read Far End Vol.2 and Snatchers: http://www.comicspace.com/miha_rinne. My homepage has mostly my old videogame art, and some low-quality sketchbook works: http://www.miharinne.1g.fi/

Allen: What are your hobbies and recreational activities?

Miha: I collect original arcade games from 80's and play them, read books and watch movies. I also got blue belt from Hapkido, but sadly I've had no time to practice since I began making comics full-time.

Allen: Tell me about your work in video game industry. How did work help you when decided to create comic book stories?

Miha: I have worked on Alien Incident, Transworld Snowboarding, and on Sulake I worked on now-deceased Virtual Magic Kingdom (vmk.com). I've also worked on many cancelled projects. Now I work as a freelancer. My work was actually a major hindrance, as it drained nearly all my strength and I was deathly tired when working on comics during evenings and weekends. Also, the work methods and thinking style of game industry DO NOT translate very well on making comics so I had to start from beginning and make all the classic mistakes.

Allen: Tell me about Virtual Magic Kingdom.

Miha: It was MMOG that was commissioned from Disney Online to Sulake. They sent me beautiful drawings of different NPC characters, and I ruined them by turning them into stiff and lifeless 3D models, ha ha. I also hid Donald Duck to walk behind the window, because the idiots at Disney online refused to include any classic characters as "they were not popular enough". I didn't tell anyone until it was too late. We also hid all kinds of sinister inside jokes there, as a revenge against our producers (such as animated text on the train LCD display: "Preparing to destroy Disneyland!", complete with flashing missile images.. no one ever noticed)

Allen: If you can have 6 dinner guests, 3 fictional and 3 real-life from any time period, who would those 6 people be and why? You would have help with universal translator and Q to Go catering service.

Miha: Funny question... although I could name few people that could perhaps make a great dinner table company, my answer would be vanity since I don't invite strangers to my house. But I would make an exception with Nicholas Gurewitch who did Perry Bible Fellowship. I'd like to invite him to play with my vintage space legos. So if he by some chance reads this, I hope he contacts me. I got all the best sets from 1978 to 1983. We could build an empire!

Allen: If you could go into any time machine, what year would you stop at and tell me why.

Miha: I would probably go to 1973 to see Hawkwind playing live and to watch Stacia dancing naked on the stage!

Allen: What TV shows, movies, cartoons do you like?

Miha: I like new Galactica, Deadwood, Lost and Carnival. There was old British sci-fi series called "Sapphire and Steel" which I love. There are too many cartoons and movies to mention, but 2001, Ran, Cabinet of Dr.Caligari, Rocky Horror Picture show, Robocop, Millennium Actress, Spirited Away and Secret Of Nimh pop to mind at first.

Allen: What do you like most about living in Finland?

Miha: It's mostly peaceful and quiet, especially in winter when it's so cold and dark that everyone stays inside!

Allen: What novels do you enjoy to read?

Miha: Mostly sci-fi, I read anything from Iain M. Banks and Haruki Murakami. I also like Frank Herbert, Stanislaw Lem and Philip K. Dick and many others. Lies of Locke Lamora was great book.

Allen: What comic books do you read now?

Miha: I'm currently reading old MAD comics and old Creepy comics, they are very inspiring. None of the new ones just right now I'm afraid.

Allen: What gives you your creative energy?

Miha: Obsession and a wish to escape from everyday reality. And lots of sleep.

Allen: This ends the interview, any encouraging words to others that have not tried your stories? Perhaps some words of wisdom?

Miha: I don't know if I got anything wise to say. I began making comics seriously when I found out that no one is publishing anything I would like to read myself. But that doesn't mean my stuff is any better! I don't know about sharing wisdom because what works for me may not work for you, but I guess that doing your own thing in your own way can't be bad!

Thanks