Outside the Lines: A History of Swedish Comics

The Swedish American Museum is featuring an exhibit on Swedish comics, entitled Outside the Lines: Comics From Sweden to Chicago. The exhibit will celebrate the colorful history of Swedish narrative art, cartooning, and graphic novels. It highlights the cross-pollination of artistic expression between the United States and Sweden including shared characters, magazines and movements, ranging from Mad Magazine and underground comics to Fantomen (The Phantom). A special point of interest will be a section on Wilson McCoy, the Chicago-area artist who drew The Phantom in the 1950s/1960s and his artistic influence on Swedish pop art. Complementing this history will be strips from Chicago comic artists speaking to a variety of social issues, from LGBTQ and feminist causes to immigration stories, showcasing the medium’s ability to reach diverse audiences and to provide a platform for marginalized voices.

A variety of programming related to narrative art, comics and graphic novels will round out the experience throughout the exhibit’s run.
Start with Art, Friday, April 27, 9 a.m. – noon
Family Night, Friday, April 27, 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.