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SWALKER

SWALKER is my biggest passion project ever. I worked on it for 9 years, in which it took many forms and grew slowly. It would have been a novel, a comic, or a webcomic. But it never felt immersive enough for this story. It has now, after the long evolution, taken the form of an e-book, this book is a fictional logbook in a highly out-of-the-box experimental form. It contains text (in a font made out of my handwriting), rough sketches, illustrations and Polaroid pictures. All on found footage-style scanned diary pages, bringing the world of Swalker alive in a way that is as realistic as possible.

Swalker is set in a completely flooded Frisia (in the Netherlands) after a worst-case scenario climate disaster. It is 2100. The sea level has risen and the coastline of Europe shrunk. But then, decades later, Dutchmen who fled to Eastern Europe have spotted lights on satellite images, in the middle of the North Sea, where Frisia used to be. Are there really people living on the rooftops of remaining buildings? If so, their worlds must be saved before the autumn hurricanes wipe out the last remnants of the civilisation. They decide to organise a reconassaince flight over the area, but that goes horribly wrong...


Different factions rule the rooftops of the New North Sea. They war with each other but have one thing in common: they do not realise or care that their habitat is shrinking. The buildings they live on top of show signs or decaying and crumbling. Many have already collapsed. But still, they keep building higher and heavier on the vulnerable structures. For they have little living space. Instead of addressing this looming problem, they distract themselves with fighting, ideology, religion and drugs. The main characters have a hard time convincing them of anything. The stragglers, as the rooftop inhabitants are called, are like polar bears, who live on crumbling ice floes. All because of the actions of man. And now man is living their situation as an ultimate irony or piece of karma.

With its urgent thematic messages Swalker could perhaps be the most important work I will ever make. I even sent a copy to politicians (all part leaders of the Netherlands). Inspired by the comic artist Hermann, who did the same with his book about the Yugoslav war when it raged in the 90s.


With that it is also quite a personal story. It asks the question, how much influence can creativity have on saving the world, or let alone something smaller? And the positive and negative sides of an obsessive striving of such a project are being explored.


The title Swalker might sound a lot like Stalker. You might think of the film by Tarkovsky or the Ukrainian S.T.A.L.K.E.R. games. Well, the name is definitely a nod to them. But it was way more influenced by the METRO 2033 games, set in Russia after a nuclear war. My favourite work of art of all time. At first I was thinking about how cool it would be to explore my own land of Frisia in this same universe or after a different kind of nuclear disaster. But after a while I found out how that it would be most original and fascinating if not only one area but the entirety of the Netherlands were submerged. And how much more fitting it would be to have the climate crisis as the cause for this apocalypse. Because of the reality of it threatening our lands with flooding for real. That way it would not only be original, but also carry a very crucial warning. Just like my inspirations had of their own.


By the way, also check out my experimental smartphone-shaped (Dutch-language) pocket comic USO in the webshop. Which may or may not be a prequel...

USO
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Swalker is one of the first works in the post-apocalypse genre from the Netherlands. It was odd to me that there was so little. The genre has become very popular in recent years. Especially since the concept of an apocalypse suddenly came very close to everyone during the COVID-pandemic and the recent threads of war. Perhaps it is a way of processing all this? Nevertheless, this genre is a pretty much untapped well in Frisia and the Netherlands. Famous post-apocalyptic works of art are always set in Russia and America, but never here. Until now, that is.


I wanted to create a world that shows how it would be like if everything we take for granted in the west, were gone. Which might be especially good for a country that is infamous for complaining about the weather all the time, while having the mildest and safest weather in the world...

Here are some reviews of people that got to read it before release:


“Very interesting concept. I wish there would come more! If there was a really long novel about the world Skelte created, I would enjoy it so much. But the book is not too brief: It's amazing. Especially with the illustrations... It also touches topics that are common for the whole world, like ecology, but at the same time being deeply local. It's absolutely unique.”

-Siamion Juškievič

“I read Swalker and thought it was awesome! It's a great setting, and the design of the pages alone makes the post-apocalypse seem really alive. I really like it, but I like dystopian visions of the future in general.”

-Robert Kleih

Also my dream of making a live action trailer finally became a reality with Swalker. With the help of a group of talented friends, something that even far exceeded my expectations took form. Watch the end result here.

And that's not even all. Friends of mine are working on a soundtrack for Swalker! Parts of it can already be heard at the end of the trailer and some teasers that I posted on YouTube and social media. In other words, I'm expanding Swalker as much as I can. Not only because of the urgent subject matter. It is also the book that I am the most proud of and that was the most fun to make. Because I could put endless creativity in it. It was so cool to see all those famous Frisian landmarks, but with a twist!


Right now Swalker is an e-book. I aimed for a wide, international, reach because of the important subject matter and bigger language options. And also because the story, while local, can be understood, felt and enjoyed by audiences world wide.

The e-book version is available in Dutch, Frisian, English, and soon also Russian.

A print version is definitely on my radar.


Swalker has a Landing Page as well, with even more content: https://linktr.ee/SWALKER.Landingpage


For English interface, find Swalker on Amazon:

Get SWALKER on Amazon

Get SWALKER in the webshop

  • SWALKER (English edition)

    SWALKER (English edition)

    (For wanting to buy on a website in English: find SWALKER on Amazon.com: https://shorturl.at/WHydN) The greatest enemy of the lowlands was always the sea. In 2100, this enemy has definitively won. Still, on satellite photos of the former lowlands, something impossible can be seen: the lights of settlements. Do some stragglers truly still survive on the rooftops? This is the log of the man who explored the territory, the land of his ancestors. Writing, drawing, and photographing, he captured all that he has seen in a desperate attempt to save the stragglers. E-book of 130 pages full of lively illustrations and unique designs. The download link will be sent by mail (smash) as soon as possible after purchase. Review: “Very interesting concept. I wish there would come more! If there was a really long novel about the world Skelte created, I would enjoy it so much. But the book is not too brief: It's amazing. Especially with the illustrations... It's absolutely unique.” -Siamion Juškievič
    € 5,99
  • SWALKER (Fryske edysje)

    SWALKER (Fryske edysje)

    De grutste fijân fan 'e lege lannen wie altyd al de see. Yn 2100 hat dizze fijân definityf wûn. Dochs is der op satellytfoto's fan de eardere lege lannen wat ûnmoogliks te sjen: ljochtsjes fan delsettingen. Oerlibje der werklik noch achterbleaune minsken op 'e dakken? Dit is it lochboek fan de man dy't it gebiet ferkend hat, it lân fan syn foarfaars. Skriuwend, tekenjend en fotografearjend hat er alles wat er seach fêstlein. Yn in wanhopich besykjen om de achterbliuwers te rêden. E-book fan 130 siden fol yllustraasjes en unike ûntwerpen. De download link sil sgm per mail (smash) ferstjoerd wurde nei oankeap. Live Action Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjZuwfcUntk Review: “Very interesting concept. I wish there would come more! If there was a really long novel about the world Skelte created, I would enjoy it so much. But the book is not too brief: It's amazing. Especially with the illustrations... It's absolutely unique.” -Siamion Juškievič
    € 5,99
  • SWALKER (Nederlandse editie)

    SWALKER (Nederlandse editie)

    De grootste vijand van de lage landen was altijd al de zee. In 2100 heeft deze vijand definitief gezegevierd. Toch is er op satellietfoto’s van de voormalige lage landen iets onmogelijks te zien: lichtjes van nederzettingen. Overleven er werkelijk noch achtergebleven mensen op de daken? Dit is het logboek van de man die het gebied heeft verkend, het land van zijn voorvaderen. Al schrijvend, tekenend en fotograferend heeft hij alles wat hij zag vastgelegd. In een noodlottige poging de achterblijvers te redden. E-book van 130 pagina's vol illustraties en unieke ontwerpen. De download link zal zsm per mail (smash) verstuurd worden na aankoop. Live Action Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjZuwfcUntk Review: “Very interesting concept. I wish there would come more! If there was a really long novel about the world Skelte created, I would enjoy it so much. But the book is not too brief: It's amazing. Especially with the illustrations... It's absolutely unique.” -Siamion Juškievič
    € 5,99

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