When it comes to passing away, most people have eerily similar ideas about life after death, suggesting there could be more to it than religion, fear, or simply an inability to imagine that it doesn’t exist in this world or realm. A comic artist named Jorgen Van Santen from Oslo, Norway explores this particular theme in his comic web series called “Death and the Maiden.”
The artist’s work delves into the daily life (or should we say the afterlife?) of a girl who has passed away, and who must accompany her in the realm outside our own is none other than the Grim Reaper himself as they travel. Adventures short web series started in 2017 on Tapas and has been ongoing ever since with a huge fanbase on both Instagram and the comics website.
If you want to watch part 1 of this series, be sure to click here!
More info: Instagram | tapas.io
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Just like last time, when given the opportunity, Bored Panda reached out to Jorgen to find out a little more about him and his work. First, we asked the cartoonist if he had any important influences in his life that might have helped him develop and refine his style.
“Absolutely. Number one is Bill Watterson, the creator of Calvin and Hobbes. This is, in my opinion, the best comic strip ever made. Number two is Jean-Richard Geurts, better known under his pseudonym Janry. He’s probably more known for Spirou & Fantasio (1984-1998) and Le Petit Spirou. I’ve always admired the way he combines detailed precision in, for example, backgrounds, buildings, and cars, with a very dynamic, “cartoonish” style. I never tire of it. to study his work. Number three must be Fernando De Felipe. His characters and creatures are the perfect mix of fun and fear.”
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As we mentioned before, creative work can sometimes cause a lot of burnout, so we also asked the artist how they dealt with that.
“Yes! I’m a communication concept developer and sometimes it’s just too much work to constantly think of new ideas. So unfortunately I have to focus on ideas for work, as being a comic book artist, in my case, doesn’t pay. any bill.”
We also asked Jorgen how people reacted to his work.
“I would say that I almost only get positive feedback from readers, which never ceases to amaze me, since Death and the Maiden is such a quirky and narrow comic, in my opinion. I got a lot of negative feedback on “Seven New Deadly Sins”» and “Bat Out Of Wuhan,” but those guys seem to have moved on.”
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