It’s one thing for comic strips to become a book, or a book to inspire a comic series. But it’s quite another to transform such a creation into a real, fully-fledged metal band, releasing its album under the supervision of Century Media. To explore how Belzebubs came to life, we spoke with the Finnish comic artist JP Ahonen.

When and why did you start the Belzebubs comic series?

Belzebubs began as a form of self-therapy. In 2014–2015, I was burned out and struggling with depression, yet I kept working, even as I often felt like tossing my drawing table out the window. My mind was stuck on irrelevant details, and as a perfectionist, it was hard to shake off the pressure.

I decided to fight fire with fire and draw myself out of the slump, joining the Inktober challenge. Instead of honing my inking skills, I used it as an excuse to improvise freely and post my drawings online immediately. The first sketch featured two black metal dudes commenting on a logo on a shirt (the “dried vomit” joke), and I enjoyed it so much that I loosely themed the challenge around black metal and occultism.

The characters had been lingering in my mind since my graphic novel Perkeros. Although I didn’t complete Inktober, the ideas evolved. By summer 2016, I had inked around 40 strip concepts and began publishing them weekly online. Initially, it was just for myself, but I was amazed as more and more readers joined the “band wagon” each week.

Why did you choose a black metal band as the theme?

It began as a whim, but metal has been a part of my life since I was 13, and I’ve always been drawn to occult and satanic themes. So it felt natural for the story to take this direction.

Should the comic focus on the band or Sløth’s family?

Both. The band is Sløth’s life’s work, but the stories of Hubbath and Obesyx are equally important.

You have other works, such as comics about students, journalists, and the metal band Perkeros. Do you always release your series as books?

Most of my works have been compiled as books, but not all. I’ve been doing comics professionally for 16 years, so there’s a lot in my back catalogue. Villimpi Pohjola, about students, is a Sunday strip published since 2003 and collected into five volumes. Puskaradio was a political satire, and Perkeros is my only full-length graphic novel, revolving around a progressive metal band. I’ve also tried short-lived series and buried other graphic novel ideas. Making a living with comics is difficult, so I’ve supplemented with freelance illustration for ad agencies, publishers, and textbooks.

Belzebubs and Perkeros are available in multiple languages, unlike many of your Finnish works. Are these metal band comics more popular?

Yes, foreign publishers haven’t taken much interest in Villimpi Pohjola, perhaps because the compilation style feels very Finnish. I might start translating it on Webtoon eventually.

Did you expect Belzebubs to become so successful?

Never.

Who and when came up with the idea to turn Belzebubs into a real metal band?

Belzebubs was my first online strip, and from the start, I imagined experimenting with sound, animation, and new storytelling methods. I initially planned 20-second clips as mock music videos, but time constraints stalled the idea.

Then a musician friend approached me with the same vision. We bounced ideas for a while, and soon realized there was real potential. We assembled a core group, produced proper demos, sent them to Century Media, and now here we are.

Belzebubs had been a long time in the making. I had dreamed of combining metal and comics in past projects like Perkeros, but it never worked out. By the time Belzebubs came along, I was burned out and ready to end my comics career, focusing solely on freelance illustration. This project demanded immense work and sacrifice from everyone involved, but it was truly a labor of love.

Some call Belzebubs the “Gorillaz of black metal.” What do you think about it?

Comparisons are natural, but I see Belzebubs as its own entity. We focus on our vision without linking ourselves to Dethklok, Gorillaz, or anyone else.

Can fans expect more Belzebubs books?

Yes, once there’s enough material, I’ll start working on a second compilation.