Cartoonist
Finnish cartoonist born in Helsinki, Finland, on August 2, 1903. Asmo Alho might well be the most prolific cartoonist who ever worked in Finland. His gag cartoons and comic strips were published by many large magazines, and he also did some political cartooning. He was active until his death, and his works are still being published regularly.
After finishing school in 1923, Alho went to work for Otava, the big publishing company, doing layouts and artwork. He mainly designed the covers and layouts of the books and magazines published by his company, and to further his knowledge he traveled to Denmark and Germany in 1929. He later worked on the newspaper Uusi Suomi, and until 1969 for the large magazine publishing concern Yhtyneet Kuvalehdet, where he became head of the art department.
Alho illustrated a widely used alphabet book and produced several of the most beloved children’s books in Finland, some in collaboration with the noted poet and ethnographer Martti Haavio (among them Porsas Urhea and Little Red Riding Hood). Starting in 1933, he also drew some of the longest-running comics (with academician Mika Waltari writing verse for Kieku and Kaiku).
Alho’s cartoons were regularly published in Joulukärpänen, Pippuri, Radiokuuntelija, Kotiliesi and Suomen Kuvalehti. He also did advertising work and was president of the Union of Graphic Illustrators. He wrote two books, Tutustumme Helsinkiin (“Getting to Know Helsinki”) and Helsinki Ennen Meitä (“Helsinki Before Us”).
After retirement Alho sometimes taught seminars for young cartoonists. The man behind the work remained largely unknown to the general public, however. The Finnish Comics Society awarded him its highest honor, the Puupäähat, just before his death in Helsinki in 1975.
