Aventyren i Kargmark
Aventyren i kargmark is a long ongoing federal adventure comic strip, first published daily in comic strips included in the newspaper "The Imerian post" was the comic quickly given high praise and it was also soon published in other federal and realm specific newspapers. While it continues it's daily newspaper format is it also published in it's own right as a freestanding comic book that regularly competes with Imerman for the spot of top comic by sales.
Being first published in 1952 have the series had a very impressive 71 year run and has been noteworthy for having it's characters age and grow up in real time on the pages. As a result have most of the original cast died off and the original cast ranges from children, grand children, and even great grandchildren of the original cast or newly introduced characters.
The story revolves around a young federal colony in the fictional colonial territory named "Kargmark" or "harsh land" and while the entirety of the territory is used for the story does it revolve around the valley named "Langbartadal" or "Faraway valley" where the old patriarch Nils Erikssen put up his claim for land. Stories often involves the family and descendants of Nils dealing with the dangers of colonial life such as fearsome animals, bandits and hostile powers trying to challenge the federal colonial control over the region but one of the most common friends as well as enemies are the natives that are both depicted as villains but also have their fare share of heroes amongst them serving depending on the characters either as honourable antagonists, blatant irredeemable villains, or even heroes and anti heroes.
Furthermore are the lives of the peoples in Kargland often made worse by the remnants of a great underground serpent civilisation that has since then died out but the vile mark these people left on the mark remains still and the colonists and natives must always be on the alert from either forgotten horrors emerging from the ground or the degenerate descendants of this great people emerging to reclaim the surface.
Originally penned by the author Ekwald Görenssen did it continue to be written by his son Fridolf auf Ekenskag and utlimately have Fridolf's daughter Frida auf Ekenskag taken over writing.
Characters
Nils Erikssen
The original main character of the comic, often described as a hard man and an excellent shot. While often at the forefront of adventures did he eventually take over a more passive advisory role for the clan as he aged and has since passed away due to fighting off a giant bear that threatened his grandchild Bjorn when he was but a wee lad as it was felt that he was getting too old and he should earn a warrior's death rather than one of age.
Frida Fridasdottir I
The wife of Nils and always a loving mother to the whole clan. Was the first character to die as she passed from old age two years prior to her husband.
Frank Nilssen
The original more adventurer character that often clashed with his father however as time passed did Frank become more and more mellowed and later on took up the same role as his father had, he also died in a raid by natives defending their farmland. As the oldest son of the partirach was he the logical leader for the group but he also clashed at times with his brother Belbjorn as he married the native daughter of a chief was Belbjorn technically socially above Frank which caused some conflict about the leadership even if Belbjorn often fell in line.
Ulla Hildasdottir
Originally an antagonist and daughter of the neighbour Sverker Haraldssen that the clan often clashed with, the Sons of Serker was also antagonistic and often fought duels against the main characters. However due to raids and deepening relationships between the two farmsteads have the Sverkerlings developed into firm allies even if some incidents still occur. Ulla with Shi'gortih is the oldest characters in the show and the two old matriarchs are often described as running the farmstead's womanly duties jointly.
Belbjorn Nilssen
Originally a woodsman and outdoorsman did Belbjorn often ride away in the search of adventure and wild game to support the farmstead. This made him the most unruly member of the group but also cause him the most friendly relations with the natives. He eventually married Shi'gortih the daughter of a native mountain clan that often shows up as recurring characters. He died in the same raid that killed his brother and the two were found after the raid still lying back to back and holding one another's hands showing that while they had their conflicts did the two brothers ultimately love one another.
Shi'gortih
Shi'gortih is a native and the daughter of a wild clan in the montains around Langbartadal, she was an early introduction as a teenager that often traveled as a sidekick and companion to Belbjorn and quickly developed a onesided romance with him. He originally did not feel the same way for her and a lot of comedy from the duo came from her attempts to win his affections but they ultimately ended up together. As a non scanderan is she depicted with very pale skin, brown eyes and dark brown hair with a very noticeable heavy brow.
Frida Fridasdottir II
Daughter of Frida, most stories of her depicts her as a very kind hearted and helpful woman, stories with her in focus was often romantic in nature as she tried to woo Harald Goranssen but also his brother Karl Goranssen. Karl died in a counterraid against hostile natives and she ultimately married Harald.
Knut Frankssen
Knut took over from his father Frank Nilssen as the main young character that served as the main character and served as that for many years, famous for his eyepatch where one of the serpent people had struck him with a spear early in his life. However as his father died did he take over as the patriarch of the family. His relationship with his cousin Erik is somewhat strained though as the control of the clan is often debated as Erik is technically of higher blood but the two continues their relationship similar to their father's with noticable love and at the end of the day are the two cousins quick to unite.
Sigrund Sarasdottir
Originally another antagonistic character that served as a representative of the Imerian tax office that often overlooked the family's finances looking for ways to figure out if they misreported their income. However despite a chilly behaviour did she ultimately warm up after having being fired for her corrupt practices. She was despite her actions offered lodging at the Nilsling farmstead and ended up in a romance with Knut and the two utlimately got married.
Erik Belbjornssen
Erik Belbjornssen is the son of Belbjorn and Shi'gortih and often described as a half blood between native and Scanderan and can move between both groups equally easily which cause some discomfort amongst both groups. He is fierce, independent and quick to anger. However due to growing to middle age is he not as often out on the longer rangings and have left that to his son. Despite that is he still a mighty huntsman and stern forester that keep the farm supplied with pelts and food. He is married to Tura, the daughter of a rich merchant that he often had to escort as she had various duties around the colonial territory and the two fell in love and had the twins Ulla and Belbjorn.
Tura Sarasdottir
Tura Sarasdottir was first introduced as a very wealthy daughter of a merchant family that often hired Erik as her personal guide despite their constantly clashing personalities. However despite that have she had a civilised influence on him and driven him more into the Scanderan part of his lineage. She has however since her introduction lost all her money and she married Erik and moved in with him.
Frida Fridasdottir III
Frida III follows in the fotsteps of her mother and grandmother and were in most of her youth involved in an ever complicated love triangle between her and the two otherwise very good friends Harald Goranssen and Holger Fredrikssen, both being low ranking non commissioned officers at the local colonial hussar regiment. Her story mostly involved her interaction with the "1st Kargmarkens koloniala hussar regimentet" or "1st Kargmark colonial Hussar regiment". However Holger heronically died fighting off a great beast of the underearth that got out and was honoured as a hero, while Frida and Harald both settled down and raised a family.
Harald Goranssen
Harald Goranssen is the husband of Frida Fridasdottir III and the pair lives not in the farm but in his own land a bit down the road. However he is often over to help and visit the family. A retired Hussar is he one of the few members of the family with a formal military service.
Bjorn Olofssen
Bjorn Olofssen was always a polite young man, he was at a young age sent off to serve the local noble house as a footman in an agreement between Frank Nilssen and the nobleman Harald auf Kargfalt from the reputable auf Kargfalt household that often shows up as supportive characters. He served with distinction and a lot of his stories and adventures involved a lot of high court intrigue. However due to a lack of interests in his stories were adventures with him cancelled and he returned home with a bastard child. This child was heavily implied to be the child of his love interest the daughter of Harald auf Kargfalt; Erika auf Kargfalt whith whom he had a courtly love relation going on. However due to how big a scandal that would cause as the two people were from vastly different social circles have this never been outright stated.
In general was this change often looked upon quite unfavourably by reader and Bjorn have instead featured more promenently in stories since then, often dealing with social issues like the disgrace that comes with being an unmarried man with a child in the federation. Despite that however have he continued his relationship with Erika and the two often meet though such meetings are very seldom the focus of stories due to the social stigma related to the implication of the parentage of Bjorns child.
Frank Knutssen
Frank is the current main character and has taken up the role as the youngest dutiful son that while at times quarelling with his father is the man at home that protects the household, still a young teen is he noted as a sharpshooter and skilled with both lasso, blade, and lance.
Ulla Turasdottir and Belbjorn Erikssen
Belbjorn and Ulla are twins and the children of Erik Belbjornssen and Tura Sarasdottir, both have inherited their father's love for journeying and they are often out on adventures togeather where Ulla often deals with a new love of the week that she tries to win to her brothers annoynace. Belbjorn and Frank are often known to clash as the two second cousins have inherited their father's friendly rivalry.
Frida Fridasdottir IV
Frida Fridasdottir IV is the daughter of Frida Fridasdottir III and is currently the main lead in the more romantic drama stories, she is currently engaged in a courtly love drama with Holger Ekssen, the nephew of her mother's love interest Holger Fredrikssen that the young lad was named after. However despite that is she also courted by the musterious Sydvinlander nobleman Serker auf Octalchiberg.
Karl Oakting
Karl Oakting is a bastard and often deals with the stigma of such a life, he is the son of Bjorn and is implied to be the son of the noblewoman Erika auf Kargfalt, making him technically the most senior of the youngest generation in blood were it not for his bastard status. He is often leaning more towards books but is often dragged along on the adventures of Frank and Belbjorn and is often featured as a supporting henchman in stories involving either man.
Rhee Eun-Ji
Originally introduced as a one off antagonist/comic relief character was Eun-Ji made in a story featuring Frida Fridasdottir IV back in the costal capital of the colony rather than in the outback farmstead, however she was quickly moved into the proper stories. The reasons for this might be as cynical as just wanting to appeal to a Malgravean audience as the comic started to sell well there. Originally was she however depicted as more of a Malgravean caricature being depicted as half the size of most other characters and often just adding the word "Mal" to things she owned like her "Malomobile" instead of automobile. However this was very quickly toned down in later appearances where she seemingly grew between episodes to more accurately reflect the average Malgravean and just not play up Imerian stereotypes.
She was often depicted as originating in the Malgravean colonial empire and she is often depicted as a burntout university dropout even if she only claims to be on a sabbatical and just travels the federation to "find herself". However despite this as someone with a such high education is she often one of the more educated members of the cast even if she lacks some of the more down to earth wisdom of her Imerian comrades. She moved into the valley and very often helps around as a mechanic or just scientific advisor whenever that is needed but also serves as a comedic relief. Most of her humour though tends to revolve around her being forced to do various farm chores to terrific results and her trauma over her school days that she often describes as downright hell. She is often depicted as the sidekick of Frank Knutssen and at times a rival for Frida in various social stories even if that has dropped as a romance storyline has been hinted at between her and Frank.
Antagonists
While there have been numerous antagonists both big and small that has come and gone over the year none hold as much power as the pale serpent Agrogath the vile, an evil spirit of the land that was worshiped as part of the native pantheon of the now degenerate serpent people that once held dominion. He is depicted as a large snake with white skin and pale blue eyes, however one of which has been burned out of his socket by Nils Erikssen at the start of the series, he also wears a large beard and is draped in jewelry and fine silks. He has sworn vengance at all the loyal servants of the high king but also personally to stirke down the line of the Star crowned but also the descendants of Nils Erikssen. He is mostly a scheming indivdual that tends to prefer to cause his own servants to do his bidding but has at times gotten involved himself.
Plot
The plot of the stories are very formulaic and can be divided into three different kinds of stories, either Frank and his descendants find issues near their household that needs to be dealt with, or Belbjron and his descendants are out on adventures either hunting or just surveying the new land when they stumble into some conflict or another. The third kind of stories are romance stories involving one of the Frida Fridasdottir's that always gets into some romance issue where not danger is the main concern but often social standing is at dire risk. As a good example can three stories be running at the same time and they often interact with one another which has kept readers comming back and the varied stories have appealed to both boys and girls over the years which have kept the comic loved by the federal subjects that read it.
Themes
The stories are often stories of self sufficiency, self reliance, duty to country and family, but also crosses themes such as Imerian high culture, colonialism. However the comic has also been known to even risk censur as it has been known to tackle social issues as well and gotten into hot water with royal authorities more than once over various political issues. Once even resulting in duels or threats of duels by fans and members of the censor board and the royal internal affairs advisory's cricle of education that also deals with propaganda and censoring when the authorities tried to make the authors tone down a certain storyline critical of export of slaves from the federation abroad.
Reception abroad
After Imeriata Digitised covered the comic series in a MalTube video, a steady increase in sales was noted in Malgrave. Aventyren i Kargmark has since received praise for it's varied storylines and rich backstories, with generational characters and a rich involvement of the surrounding region.
While popular across Malgrave, a survey commissioned by the Royal Malgravean Times established that Aventyren i Kargmark was slightly more popular in the overseas territories which was seen as a sign of overseas residents resonating with the overall story arcs of the comic series more compared to mainlanders.
In 2020 it was reported that TVN were working on securing the rights for a televised version of the comic series, however, this was put on hold due to the unrest in the Research Colony.
