91:an (Eng: 91) is a popular Swedish comic strip, created in 1932 with the title En beväringsmans upplevelser och äventyr ("A military man's experiences and adventures"). This name soon changed to 91:an Karlsson, by Rudolf Petersson. It is now published in its own bi-weekly comic book, 91:an, and also as a single strip in the popular weekly women's magazine Året Runt.

91:an
91:an cover, Christmas, 2005, drawn by Gert Lozell. Illustrated are Mandel Karlsson (in the blue uniform), Colonel Hector Gyllenskalp (the thin officer), Adéle Charlotte Gyllenskalp (his wife), Major Hampus Morgonkröök (the fat officer), and the Colonel's grandson.
Author(s)Rudolf Petersson
Current status/scheduleCurrent weekly strip
Launch date1932; 92 years ago (1932)
Genre(s)Military humor, satire
Preceded byEn beväringsmans upplevelser och äventyr

The principal character in the strip is Mandel Karlsson, a young man (aged perhaps 20 or 21) doing conscript military service in the Swedish Army, based at the fictional Klackamo Regiment. His number is "91", thus he is widely known in Sweden as "91:an Karlsson", although in the comic strip itself he is almost always referred to as Mandel (Eng: Almond, a very unusual first name), or simply 91:an.

Several of the officers are based on real people Rudolf Petersson met during his national service at the I 16 regiment in Halmstad, Halland between 1916 and 1918. The premises of Klackamo Regiment, and the small town hosting it, Klackamo, are assumed to also be loosely based on the real regiment I 16, plus a quaint depiction of small-town and rural Sweden loosely based on places in Halland.

Originally all the characters wore the blue uniform with brass buttons (possibly a late 19th-century model), but when it was replaced by a more modern uniform in 1939 the new uniform was applied to all characters but 91:an, who kept the outdated version. Since then the uniform of the Swedish army has been changed in 1959 and 1990, but has not resulted in any changes in the uniforms used in the comic strip.

91:an cartoonists

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Principal cartoon characters in the strip

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Conscripts

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  • 91:an Karlsson: Mandel Karlsson (principal character)
  • 87:an Axelsson: Lars Fjodor Axelsson (the sidekick) (now has his own comic book of republished 91:an strips)
  • 52:an Johansson
  • 55:an "Bamsefar"
  • 57:an Kvist
  • 63:an Gustavsson
  • 64:an
  • 68:an Andersson
  • 72:an Pettersson
  • 89:an Olofsson
  • 106:an Anderberg
  • 110:an Jyckenberg
  • Rosmarie Nilsson

Officers

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Klackamo Regiment

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Others

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  • General Rufus Bäävenhielm
  • General Fredrik Bäävenhielm (no longer in the strip)
  • General Jävelberg
  • General Knakenplast
  • General Herved Pölsen
  • Överste Klaage

Civilians

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  • Elvira Olsson, occasionally named "Johansson", Kapten Berån's maid, and Mandel Karlsson's (and often Lars Fjodor Axelsson's and Rickard Revär's) love interest
  • Jenny Andersson, occasionally named "Jonsson", Elvira's cousin, has worked in the Regimental office
  • Bottina Axelsson, 87:an's mother, regularly works as a cleaner at the Regimental offices
  • Monika Beatrix Berån (Kapten Berån's wife)
  • Platina von Blomsterlöök, mother-in-law of Colonel Hector Gyllenskalp
  • Doris von Bäävenhielm, wife of Rufus Bäävenhielm
  • Tilda Fransson, Mandel's first girlfriend
  • Kommunalråd Bertram Fjälkespjut, local councillor
  • Harry Gnuthagen, Editor of the Klackamoposten, local newspaper
  • Fröken (miss) Grandin, Colonel Hector Gyllenskalp's secretary
  • Husmor Greta Gustavsson, the Regimental matron
  • Adéle Charlotte Gyllenskalp, wife of Colonel Hector Gyllenskalp
  • Johan Karlsson, Mandel's father
  • Mandolina Karlsson, Mandel's mother
  • Janne Tosesson, TV-reporter for "Uppdrag Förvanskning"
  • "Gamle Mäster", works in the Regimental stores
  • Hulda, Elvira's aunt
  • Ulrika "Ulle", the Canteen girl
  • Toftaligan, a local band of petty criminals, drives a hot-rod
  • Tomteligan, another local band of criminals, slightly more dangerous than Toftaligan

Films based on the comic strip

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See also

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Note: links are in the Swedish language.