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The Quest for Kalevala

"The Quest for Kalevala" is a 1999 Uncle Scrooge comic book story written and drawn by Don Rosa. The story was first published in the Danish Anders And & Co. #1999-48; the first American publication was in Uncle Scrooge #334, in October 2004.

The Quest for Kalevala is based on the Finnish national epic Kalevala, assembled and partly written by Elias Lönnrot in the 19th century. Rosa's inspiration for the story was a Finnish children's book called Koirien Kalevala ("The Canine Kalevala") by the Finnish cartoonist Mauri Kunnas, who was himself inspired by the original Kalevala.

Part of the story takes place in Helsinki, Finland, depicted in an accurate, realistic way as the city looked in the 1950s, though some buildings pictured weren't built until the 1960s.

Plot
While going through his trunk full of old mementos and souvenirs, Scrooge discovers a page that he remembers having originally torn from one of Lönnrot's notebooks when they met in Scotland in the late 19th century. His three grandnephews consult their Junior Woodchucks Guidebook and find out that the notes on the page are part of Lönnrot's notes for the Kalevala, revealing the location of the remains of the Sampo.

Upon hearing of this mythical machine that can produce grain, salt, and, most particularly, gold out of thin air, Scrooge sets out to find it. The Ducks travel to Helsinki, where the director of the Finnish Literature Society explains Lönnrot's notes to them and the location marked within.

The Ducks travel to the island of Mustasaari indicated in the notes, where they find Väinämöinen's legendary sword. Touching this sword awakens the spirit of Väinämöinen, which uses the body of whoever touched the sword as its locus of connection to the mortal world. He tells them what happened to the Sampo during the Kalevala times. Väinämöinen's magic brings Gyro Gearloose to the island and, imbued with Seppo Ilmarinen's spirit, he reassembles the Sampo.

However, the Sampo doesn't work because it's missing a part that was stolen by Louhi, now residing in the afterlife of Tuonela, the underworld. Scrooge and Donald go to Tuonela to retrieve the missing part. However, after they have left, Louhi becomes aware of the return of her ancient enemy and summons Magica De Spell to help her get the Sampo back.

Sailing back to continental Finland, Väinämöinen and the Ducks are able to fix the Sampo. Soon, the machine starts producing gold from thin air. However, Magica De Spell and Louhi attack their ship. In the ensuing battle, Louhi manages to steal Väinämöinen's famous kantele, which holds such great power that she loses interest in the Sampo. As the start of her new reign, Louhi summons the sea monster Iku-Turso and orders it to wreak havoc on Helsinki. Donald goes after Iku-Turso to stop it, with the monster and Louhi being confounded by the modern city. In the process, Donald gets the kantele back and is able to lure Iku-Turso back into the sea. Gyro Gearloose and Magica de Spell are also magically sent away (but their destinations are comically mixed up, Magica finding herself in Gyro's lab in Duckburg and he emerging from her magic shop on Vesuvius).

With Louhi defeated and his kantele returned, Väinämöinen makes the ship levitate. The Ducks are thrown off the ship, except for Scrooge who clings to the Sampo. Väinämöinen sees a kindred spirit in Scrooge, but asks if he is really ready to follow him beyond the Northern Lights and so forsake his "own Kalevala" (Yukon) where "a lost love still awaits you" (alluding to Scrooge's complicated relationship with Glittering Goldie). Scrooge finds that he cannot do that. Väinämöinen then lets Scrooge fall from the ship and congratulates him on having made the right choice, allowing him to keep the crank of the Sampo as a memento. Scrooge finds himself back on earth together with his nephews.

title: The Quest for Kalevala


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Fluffy (band)

Fluffy was an English punk rock band from London, active between 1994 and 1998. The band's most prominent line-up consisted of singer and guitarist Amanda Rootes, guitarist Bridget Jones, bassist Helen Storer, and drummer Angie Adams. The band recorded several singles, an EP, and a studio album, Black Eye, in 1996.

History
The band formed in 1994 after classmates Amanda Rootes and Angie Adams were inspired by a jazz-blues singer in one of Old Compton Street's gay cafes. They were attending college in London at the time, studying art and design. Guitarist Bridgette Jones did her A levels before joining and the band began rehearsing in Rootes' living room. Fluffy's original bassist was Pandora Ormsby-Gore, but she left the band to become an actress, changing her name to Pandora Colin. Shortly afterwards, Helen Storer left Kingston University to join and the band began recording.

Fluffy's first singles "Hypersonic" and "Husband" (both produced by Mal Campbell and Tony Wilson from Freaks of Desire) were released in 1995. The band frequently played shows in their early days at underground fetish balls and parties, such as at Torture Garden and Submission, and gained attention for their raucous shows, performing barefoot in slip dresses. "Young girls shouldn't be afraid to look feminine…" Rootes told Select. "So many girls are afraid to be girls. Apart from Courtney Love, who's really feminine and uses her sexuality and is a strong woman. I don't think women should dress like boys. That's what's great about PJ Harvey. She was boyish and now she's gone really glam. She looks amazing and she's become an icon: a real woman."

They were signed by Dave Stewart of Eurythmics to the publishing side of his label, Anxious Records. Stewart threw a party for the band's first single, "Hypersonic". Although Fluffy were initially signed to Parkway Records (owned by press agents Phill Savidge and John Best of Savidge and Best), it was not until A&R man Tom Zutaut signed them to a two-album deal with The Enclave/Hut/Virgin that Fluffy gained wider notoriety. The band appeared on the NME's yearly bratbus tour in 1996, along with The Bluetones, The Cardigans, and Heavy Stereo. The band's debut album Black Eye was released in 1996, and the band supported the Foo Fighters on tour. They were the opening act for the Sex Pistols reunion tour of Japan, as well as the Sex Pistols' first reunion show at Finsbury Park.

Fluffy were also the opening band during the European part of Marilyn Manson's 'Anti-Christ Superstar' tour, and toured the US with the Neurotic Outsiders. Their music video for "Black Eye" was shot in New Orleans by Floria Sigismondi, and the making of the video was documented by MTV. Their album Black Eye was produced by Bill Price, who also recorded Never Mind the Bollocks. The band was regularly featured in several magazines: Kerrang, Q, Select, NME, and Melody Maker. They also appeared on several UK television shows, including The Big Breakfast, Hotel Babylon, and Top of the Pops.

Fluffy finally split in 1998, when Rootes and Storer moved to Los Angeles, California. Rootes went on to form Harlow, who participated in the VH1 reality television show, Bands on the Run. Storer joined Jessicka's band Jack Off Jill in 2000 for their final performance, played in Fireball Ministry and also played bass in Duff McKagan's solo band, Loaded, and then formed Thee Heavenly Music Association with guitarist/producer Dave Hillis. She is a vocalist on the Twilight Singers album, She Loves You, with Mark Lanegan and Greg Dulli. Adams and Jones formed an all-female band called Darling. They live in London.

Albums

 * Black Eye (1996), The Enclave

EPs

 * 5 Live (1996), The Enclave

Singles

 * "Hypersonic" (1995), Parkway
 * "Husband" (1996), Parkway
 * "Husband" (1996), Tim Kerr Records
 * "Nothing" (1996), Virgin
 * "Husband" (1996), The Enclave
 * "Black Eye" promo (1996), The Enclave
 * "Scream" promo (1996), The Enclave
 * "Hypersonic" promo (1997), The Enclave
 * "I Wanna Be Your Lush" (1997), Virgin

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Fluffy (band)