Helmi & Co.

These comic figures help you around the house

Christoph Pirngruber will also have his vacuum-cleaning friends with him at the Austria Comic Con in Wels on May 25/26.(Bild: Einöder Horst)

They were THE eye-catchers in front of the media tent on Family Day at the Urfahranermarkt: Helmi, R2-D2, Pikachu, a NASA astronaut and even a Minion stood guard for the well-known TV wonder bike "Tom Turbo". Although the latter was a popular selfie hotspot, the figures around him were just as popular. 

Responsible for this: Christoph Pirngruber. Loyal "Krone" readers know the ingenious hobbyist, as years ago he built his dream car, the K.I.T.T. from the 80s cult series "Knight Rider", true to the original, just like the black van from "The A-Team" later on.

"My Kärcher became R2D2"
But what's the story behind Helmi, Pikachu and co. The Gallneukirchen native explains: "My Kärcher vacuum cleaner was always standing around in the garage, and at some point I thought I could make an R2-D2 (note: robot from "Star Wars") out of it." No sooner said than done: a salad bowl as a helmet, wooden arms, some paint - and he was ready. Suddenly, the ideas of what other comic figures could be realized began to flow. However, Christoph Pirngruber not only needed salad bowls, but also more vacuum cleaners: "I got them on 'willhaben'," laughs the creative hobbyist.