Angoulême Festival International de la Bande Dessinee 2012
The Angoulême International Comics Festival took place last weekend and this was another fantastic year for the one of the world’s largest comics festivals, held annually in the beautiful French town of Angoulême.
Each year the Grand Prix de la Ville d’Angoulême is awarded to an influential cartoonist (a little like a lifetime achievement award), who is then made festival president for the following year. Last year’s winner and this year’s president was Art Spiegelman, the cartoonist behind Maus and RAW magazine. Spiegelman put on an unusually English-language-focussed festival, with appearances from world-renowned cartoonists such as Charles Burns, Joe Sacco and Eddie Campbell (Chris Ware was slated to attend but had to pull out at the last minute), each of whom took part in a series of fascinating talks and interviews held throughout the weekend.
Spiegelman himself was the real star of the show though, particularly during his nearly two-hour long interview with Hillary Chute, his co-editor on the recently released Maus companion MetaMaus, in which he gave an animated and fascinating account of his life and career and took a refreshingly no-nonsense attitude towards a number of inane questions from the audience (“I didn’t write this book to teach you about the %*@$ing holocaust!”).
As part of his role as president, Spiegelman was also instrumental in putting together the festival’s two major exhibitions. The first, a career retrospective covering everything from Spiegelman’s earliest childhood doodlings to his most recent New Yorker covers, is one of the most impressive comics exhibitions I have ever had the pleasure of seeing. Featuring an incredible quantity of original pages, notes, sketches and paraphernalia (including even the documentation of his parents’ admission to Aushwitz), the exhibition proves what a significant voice Spiegelman has been in the history of comics, and was an absolute treat for an admirer of his work such as myself.
The second exhibition, held at Angoulême’s Musée de la BD, saw Spiegelman raiding the museum’s extensive collection to present his personal history of comics. This was a similarly substantial and impressive affair, consisting of pieces ranging from nineteenth century books by Rodolphe Töpffer (considered by many to be the originator of the comic strip) to originals by George Herriman, Winsor McCay, Frank King and Charles Shultz, Basil Wolverton and Harvey Kurtzman Mad pages, an extensive selection of originals by RAW contributors and even a whole room of originals from Justin Green’s Binky Brown Meets the Holy Virgin Mary, the extremely candid confessional that almost single-handedly kicked off the comics autobiography movement. This really was a once in a lifetime exhibition to see and, when considered alongside Spiegelman’s career retrospective, really proves that Angoulême is one of the most important comics events in the world.
Aside from the star guests and outstanding exhibitions though, one of the most impressive and surprising things about the festival is the quantity and variety of people who attend. From eager school trips to families, fans and comics veterans, thousands of people descend on Angoulême each year, all for the pleasure of buying and reading comics. This was driven home particularly strongly when, as Spiegelman made his way through the Musée de la BD being interviewed for a French TV channel (an impressive enough thing in itself), he was practically mobbed by fans young and old, each desperate to snap a picture of the man on their iPhones. European comics culture really is light years ahead of the UK and US.
The mainstream presence this year was notably subdued compared to previous festivals, with virtually no manga stalls and very little in terms of new releases from the major publishers. The indie, alternative and small press tents were fantastically well stocked though, and there were a number of unofficial stalls too, including the particularly cool F.O.FF, which returned for a third year.
Angoulême really is not only one of the largest, but one of the most enjoyable, diverse and well-curated comics festivals in the world, and when it returns for its 40th anniversary next year I’ll certainly be going back!
COMICA FESTIVAL 2011
It’s that time of year again: Comica Festival is upon us! As usual, Paul Gravett has put together an outstanding line-up of events featuring some of the best comics talent from across the world, including Warren Ellis, Richard McGuire, Brecht Evans and many more. You can check out full listings for the event at the Comica website.
The Orbiting Pod will be interviewing Paul Gravett about Comica as well as his new book 1001 Comics You Must Read Before You Die in this week’s episode 47 of the podcast, so make sure to keep an ear out for that. We’ll also be covering the festival here on the blog and on the Orbiting Pod, so if you can’t make it to any of the events we’ll have all the coverage you need!
MIKE AND LAURA ALLRED SIGNING TODAY!
That’s right, the all-star duo behind Madman, X-Statix and iZombie, among many others, will be signing exclusively at Orbital Comics today from 5pm!
The Allreds have brought over a whole bunch of spectacular original artwork, including pages and covers from Madman, X-Statix, iZombie and much more, which will be for sale at the event. These really have to be seen to be believed, so don’t miss your opportunity to pick up some original artwork from the snappiest couple in comics!
Thanks to massive interest in the signing, we are going to be limiting the number of items customers can bring to get signed to 5 per person.
We’ll also be interviewing the couple for the Orbiting Pod podcast, so keep an eye out for that later next week!
THIS WEEK’S STAFF PICKS
The Unexpected #1
by various
Vertigo
Karl says: This was…unexpected! In all the bluster of the ‘new 52′ relaunch the Vertigo imprint has practically been sidelined; until now! From the gorgeous Rafael Grampa cover to the previews for the new Vertigo titles in the back, this felt like a recharged version of the ‘mature readers’ section of the DC universe. A wealth of talent invoke nine chilling tales worthy of the glory days of Warren Publishing, better even than the recent excellent Dark Horse Creepy anthologies. Sure, at $8 it’s expensive, but if they maintain this standard of workmanship, care and quality it’s totally worth it.
Legion of Monsters #1
by Dennis Hopeless and Juan Doe
Marvel
Taylor says: I hope in writing this review, that you’re already in possession of this week’s CBLDF Annual, which absolutely rocks (great creators, decent price, worthy cause). So, assuming you’ve already picked that up, I’m going to also hope you’;re familiar with Warren Ellis and Stuart Immogen’s N.E.X.T.W.A.V.E, which to my mind is their finest work in recent years, and whose arguably greatest character was Elsa Blodstone, Monster Hunter. Elsa is focused, sophisticated, fearless and every bit an English lady. Who kills monsters dead.
This comic sees her teaming up odd-couple style with the Legion of Monsters, refreshingly portrayed as well-intentioned bunglers, to track down the person or persons responsible for dissolving monster brains and turning them truly monstrous. Doe’s art is clean in layout and a hot kinietic mess within the panels, riffing on N.E.X.T.W.A.V.E, Butcher Baker, and Canete’s style, yet all Doe’s own. The writing is solid, the concept simple. I don’t like mosters, but I love this book.
Spongebob Comics #5
by Various
United Plankton Pictures
KIDS COMIC RECOMMENDATION OF THE WEEK - Bobbie says: The adventures continue in Bikini Bottom with this great collection of stories! Spongebob and Patrick head off on a road trip as truckers, much to the horror of Spongebob’s old driving instructor Mrs Puff and to the delight of Plankton who takes the opportunity to try and steal the secret ingredient to the krabby patty. A fun ‘choose your own path’ in Squidward’s Nightmare and another work of the art from Spongebob in the shape of krabby patty Mr. Krabs! The fun just does not stop!
THE LONG HALLOWEEN AT ORBITAL
This Halloween we have a spooktacular selection of weird and wonderful events lined up, so get your human-skin-bound diary ready! Witchin’!
HORRIFIC: CHARITY COMIC ART SALE & EXHIBITION
21th – 23rd OCTOBER
The Just 1 Page comics charity presents ‘Horrific’, a three day exhibition and art sale starting next Friday, including original artwork by Mike Carey and Charlie Adlard, signed prints by Tim Bradstreet (Hellblazer, Punisher, Blade, Unknown Soldier), Shaun of the Dead sculptures designed by Jesse Farrell and lots more. All art in the exhibition will be for sale and some additional items will be available to view via their Facebook and Flickr pages and all money raised will go to Macmillan Cancer Support.
On Sunday 23rd, when the main exhibition closes, Unwritten, Lucifer and X-Men Legacy scribe Mike Carey will be giving a public reading, starting at 3pm.
MAGICK EYE: A CELEBRATION OF HORROR COMICS
27th OCTOBER
Jason Atomic (Hail to the King exhibition) and Garry Leach (Marvelman) present a Halloween miscellany of monsters, as seen through the eyes of such incredible and varied artists as Jack Kirby, Alex Toth, Wally Wood, Bryan Talbot, Jason Atomic, Dave Hine, Shaky Kane, Rufus Dayglo, Garry Leach, Mark Stafford, Steve Pugh, Steve Parkhouse, Dougie Braithwaite, Ellen Rogers, Una Fricker, Liz Jordan, Ron Embelton, Jesus Belasco, Luis Bermejo, Jordi Bernet,Solano Lopez, Vlad Quigley, Espira, Dennis Franklin, Feroze Alam, Gothic Hangman, Madame Talbot, Dame Darcey, Lamour Supreme and Barry William Hale.
Make sure to come down to the launch party for the exhibition on October 27th at 8pm for zombie punch and Halloween cupcakes!
JOHN WATKISS’ “THE BLACK LIGHT SPOOKS MEET THE WALKING DEAD” TALK
28th OCTOBER
Commercial illustrator and concept art developer John Watkiss will be discussing his work for The Walking Dead TV show, the Sherlock Holmes movie, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, and many more big-budget movies.
He will also be demonstrating his spectacular Black Light Spooks: forget the rubber masks, plastic skeletons and cheesy blood and gore – the Black Light Spooks will present themselves as tortured phantom souls floating before you in black space, reaching out from the dark, pitiful yet menacing! Starts 7pm.
MIKE AND LAURA ALLRED SIGNING
29th OCTOBER
Orbital is very excited to announce that the fantabulous Mike and Laura Allred, the twisted minds behind Madman, X-Statix, iZombie and many more fantastical comics, will be signing and sketching exclusively at Orbital Comics on Saturday 29th of October!
Make sure you come down from 5pm to get your books scribbled on by the world’s snappiest comics couple, as this will be their only UK appearance!
BRETT EWINS & ALAN MCKENZIE SIGNING
30th OCTOBER
Brett Ewins, supreme cartoonist and the man behind Deadline will be signing and sketching to promote his new book The Art of Brett Ewins. Alan McKenzie, the book’s editor and Marvel UK alumnus, will also be in attendance
The pair will be signing from 2pm to 3pm.
HALLOWEEN COSTUME PARADE & COMPETITION
31st OCTOBER
It’s Halloween! Dress up as your favourite comic book character and come down to Orbital to be part of our costume parade and competition for your chance to win spectacular prizes! We will, of course, all be in costume too, so get your cameras ready!
If you don’t have a costume ready in time (or just don’t want to be seen in public dressed as the Sub-Mariner), our resident artiste Clair will be on hand with facepaints, ready to make you up as a skeleton, zombie, sparkly vampire or anything you like!