The Brussels Comic Strip Festival 2015
This year Brussels hosts the sixth Comic Strip Festival!
The Brussels Comic Strip Festival has been celebrating comics of all kinds in Brussels since 2009. Last year, more than 100,000 visitorshave been welcomed: young or old, amateur or specialist, there is something for everyone among the many activities on offer.
For the 2015 edition, Brussels will experience a colourful weekend from 4 to 6 September with its now-famous Comic Strip Festival: the Parc de Bruxelles will be hosting comic museums, dozens of exhibitions, book shops, comic sellers, conferences, workshops and hundreds of authors signings!
The Brussels Comic Strip Festival also includes a night-time show at the Parc de Bruxelles, the Balloon's Day Parade, the journal Tintin Rally, comic strip exhibitions and activities throughout the city.
Finally, it should be noted that this year, the Brussels Comic Strip Festival will play host to a greatly expanded international programme. Just like the multiculturalism in Brussels, the stands under the tents and the outdoor activities will be conducted in various languages. French, Dutch and English will of course be widely present, but also Spanish, Italian, Finnish or even Korean will be heard. As to help the visitor to quickly identify the language in which an event will take place, a free programme of the Brussels Comic Strip Festival, mentioning all languages of all events, will be distributed in the tents.
Practical Information
Brussels Comic Strip Festival
Date: From 4 to 6 September 2015
Place: Parc de Bruxelles/Warandepark and in the city
Price: Free
An initiative by the Brussels-Capital Region with the support of the City of Brussels and the COCOF (College of the French Community Commission)coordinated by visit.brussels.
Content
1.Comic Strip Festival – in the tents
2.The «extra’s» of the Comic Strip Festival
3.Comic Strip Night
4.Journal Tintin Rally
5.The Balloon’s Day Parade
6.Comic Strips in Brussels
7.Practical Information
8.Press Information
1.Comic Strip Festival – in the tents
A whole bunch of activities under the Brussels Comic Strip Festival big top
The heart of the Brussels Comic Strip Festival will be under the big top in Parc de Bruxelles/Warandepark. Many activity booths, workshops, exhibitions, comic book signings, conferences, and much more will welcome young and old alike from 4 - 6 September 2015.
Double the size of last year’s festival, the Comic Strip Festival’s tents are big enough to house something for everyone. Specialised booksellers will bring together offerings from publishers great and small, giving fans the chance to unearth the ultimate gem to cap off their collections. For people keen to meet fellow comic book lovers and make new discoveries, the exhibitions, signings, activities, workshops, and conferences will make the Brussels Comic Strip Festival even more of a must-see event.
Booksignings
More than a hundred authors will be bustling around under the Comic Strip Festival’s big top to autograph their comic books and share their latest work.
Soon the full list of authors who will be attending the Brussels Comic Strip Festival on (“Programme” – “Booksigning”)
Conferences (FR – NL – EN)
For two years now, the Comic Strip Festival has showcased the aesthetic, historical and societal aspects of the 9th art by means of various conferences and round tables in its marquees. This year, the Comic Strip Festival is proposing a two-pronged programme of conferences covering history and travel, so that everyone can discover something new about this art form.
The first cycle involves « The Comics Strip around the world ». Thanks to the presence of a brand new international pavilion, the world of comic strips will invite the public on a journey around the world through debates, round tables and presentations led by representatives of various foreign delegations.
The theme of the second cycle is « The Comics Strips reviews history ». At this time of commemorating our Belgian and European history, various authors and speakers will retrace the lives of great historical figures honored by the 9th art.
Simultaneous translation.
Friday 4 September
4PM - Lela Geislerova and her latest work
Lela Geislerová is a costume designer but she mainly specialises in book and magazine illustration. She has also created several movie posters. During her conference, the artist recounts her career as a designer and illustrator and presents her latest work from Eva Prchalova's book "Cestasv. Vít-ahem".
Lela Geislerova - 30’
5PM - Meander – 20 years of graphic books in Prague
During the presentation, Meander Publishing house would like to present book production with the stress of the particular famous Czech artists and graphic designers who co-operate with. Meander Publishing house was founded in 1995 by Ivana Pechackova and during the 20 years of existence has published many unique artistic books which are outstanding in the worldwide context of children literature.
Maison d’édition Meander - 30’
6PM - Comic strip history: between historical fact and fiction
Larger-than-life figures, wars, major discoveries... History is an inexhaustible source of tales that comic strips have drawn on from the very beginning. Fiction mixes with history along a fuzzy line between (re)creation and historical accuracy. Noël Simsolo, Christophe Regnault, Bruno Falba, Didier Alcante, and Cédric Illand debate these various ways of depicting history in comic strip form under the guidance of Daniel Couvreur.
Bruno Falba, Cédric Illand , Christophe Regnault , Noël Simsolo, Didier Swysen, and Daniel Couvreur - 60’
Saturday 5 September
11:30AM - Comic strip crowdfunding: when readers become publishers
Crowdfunding, a new form of financing, allows comic book authors to publish their works with the assistance of their readers. It gives their work extraordinary visibility thanks to joint promotion with their hundreds of online publishers. But how does it work exactly? How can any reader become the patron of a new genre? Demonstration and explanation with Sandawe.com and Patrick Pinchart.
Patrick Pinchart - 60’
1PM - From reality to myth, who were the real soldiers of Waterloo?
The Battle of Waterloo raged 200 years ago, bringing an end to the Empire's terrible wars and revolutions. Twenty years of war that have since become the stuff of legend, into which the men and armies of that time have marched and taken their rightful place. But who were these soldiers of the Napoleonic Wars really? This is what Patrice Courcelle attempts to pluck from obscurity and bring back to life.
Patrice Courcelle - 60’
3:15PM - What's so different about Eastern European comics?
The communist regimes that came into power in most Eastern European countries after World War II held comics in low estime and were rather suspicious of this art form. Still, in all of these countries, some types or genres of comics were able to survive. The roundtable discusses the specific forms that flourished in each country and examine how the opening of the political and cultural borders has affected comics in the last quarter of century.
Mari Laaniste, Maria et Ileana Surducan, Marzena Sowa et Antal Bayer - 45’
5:30PM - The subtle subversity of PriitPärn’s „In Reverse“
The presentation focuses on a book named “Tagurpidi” (“In Reverse”), by Estonian artist and animator PriitPärn, first published in 1980. It is one of the most popular and artistically noteworthy works ever produced in the comics medium in Estonia. The conference highlights the ways in which this playful, bright-colored children’s book was, in fact, quite subversive within the context of its original publication in Soviet Estonia.
Mari Laaniste - 30’
Sunday 6 September
1PM - The World War I correspondance of FerencMolnár adapted in comics
On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the begining of World War I, the Hungarian Cultural Institute of Warsaw decided to create a travelling exhibition based on the journals of famous novelist and playwright FerencMolnár, who acted as a war correspondent at that time. Each of the eleven short comics develops an excerpt of Molnár’s writing. The presentation provides some insight in the creative process of translating the text into mainly visual elements.
Antal Bayer - 30’
2PM - Napoleon Bonaparte: a good man and man of peace
Napoleon is blamed from the conflicts that engulfed Europe for more than twenty years. Except he never intended to declare any war... However, none of the world's old monarchies would accept the new ideas: "Liberty, Equality, Brotherhood". Napoleon Bonaparte, defender of freedom, had to be destroyed. Pascal Davoz, author and script-writer, revisits the life of the most famous figure in French history.
Pascal Davoz - 60’
3:30PM - Comic strip renaissance in Havana
"Laboratorio" or "Comic strip laboratory of Havana" is a comeback experience for Cuban comic strips which began in 2008. Experienced authors and total novices engage in comic strip practise without limits. Duchy Man-Valdera, Cubaine, and Etienne Schréder, from Brussels, are among the players in this adventurous project, which they recount via a short film shot where the action took place.
Duchy Man-Valdera- 60’
Exhibitors
A number of bookshops, publishers, digital publishers and comic strip sellers have already signed up for this fourth edition of the Comic Strip Festival: sales of new and used comic books, specific marketing, networking with young authors, etc. There will be plenty to delight collectors, experienced bargain hunters, and comic book fans looking for something new!
Bookshops:
- Amazonie BD
- Forbidden Zone
- Het B-Gevaar
- Little Nemo
- Ribambelle
- The Skull
Publishers
- 9e Art ASBL
- Ballon Media
- BDMUSIC – Confliktarts
- Casterman
- Dargaud
- Dupuis
- Editions Joker
- Glénat
- Kana
- Le Lombard
- Panini Comics
- Paquet Editions
- Standaard Uiitgeverij
- Strip2000
- StripGilde
- Urban Comics
Digital publishers, Independent publishers and authors:
- 180° éditions
- Atelier 24
- Bandes Gribouillées
- Banque Dessinée
- BD Must
- Coustoon
- CRIABD asbl
- Dragon Planète
- Editions Bande à Part
- Editions P'tit Louis
- Espace Formations
- Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles – Promotion des lettres
- Fenice BD Edition
- François Plisson
- Jean Guichon Editeur
- Les éditions du singe
- Macadam Valley (Ben Dessy)
- Michel D'Agostini
- Sandawe
- SKAD
- TokTok Mag
- YIL Edition
Comic strip sellers (sale of new and used comic strips and comic strip-themed items and collections)
- Aarsinoe
- BD Stocks
- Comix SPRL
- Delvaux Vincent
- Horizon BD
- Jean-Pierre Braun
- Le BD PATHE
- Maillé Etienne
- Ronald Vanden Branden
- Stefanix
- Vincent Van Hee
- Yaka BD
Workshops and Entertainment
The Brussels Comic Strip Festival is cooking up a feast of surprises for eyes, minds, and taste buds.
Belgotaku (FR)
Since 2009, the Belgotaku community has been a place for fans of manga, video games, music and Asian culture to meet and share their passion. Belgotaku will be at the Comic Strip Festival to bring this remarkable universe to everyone. The visitors will take part of a giant treasure hunt, discover the particular traits of Belgian artists influenced by the manga world, or get acquainted with manga by taking part in a design workshop.
Cosplay Competition
With the participation of the Be Cosplay group in the Comic Strip Festival, some characters straight out of a manga will walk around under the big top. Dressed in handmade costumes, they will share their passion for this famous Japanese comic style.
“DESSINE MOI UNE IMPRO” – a performance by the Ligued’Impro(FR – NL)
This performance by the Ligued’Improvisationbelgeprofessionnelle is an invitation on a journey into the imagination. A world in which spectators of any age can interact with the story created before their eyes.
Amusing and poetic, this performance combines the talent of the illustrator with that of improvising comedians from the Ligued’Impro. The pencils bring the sets and the characters to life, so the actors become one with the drawing.
ESA Saint-Luc – Digital Arts Section (FR – EN)
Digital Arts students from the ESA St Luc in Brussels will be presenting their projects: from interactive animated worlds to designs for video games and online projects, the students look forward to introducing visitors to their rich and varied graphic worlds.
‘Fédération Wallonie Bruxelles – Bande Dessinée’(FR)
In Wallonia and Brussels the attention of public services with regard to comic strips was initially focused on teaching. In the early 2000s, support from cultural agencies expanded with emphasis being placed on independent production. The Wallonia-Brussels Federation offered scholarships to young authors, cartoonists, or script-writers, assistance in publishing "creative" comic strip works, help in translating significant and important works from French-speaking Belgium, and aid for the republication of heritage works.
The Comic Strip Festival is a chance for the public to discover a selection of books that have benefited from government support at the stages of development and publication. Although they are widely diverse, each title is characterised by originality, graphical talent, ambition, and a sense of innovation.
The Wallonia-Brussels Federation's display is organised in cooperation with "CrypteTonique," a Brussels magazine dedicated to narrative and graphic art published by the bookstore-gallery of the same name.
Kids Zone
Kids Zone offers fun and creative activities for children on the Manga theme: colouring workshops, a manga makeover areawirth costumes and special haircut in a Manga style, DIY comic workshops, and even bouncy castles for younger children.
Practical Information
Kids Zone
Date: Saturday 5 September and Sunday 6 September
Schedule:Saturday from 11 AM to 8 PM and Sunday from 11 AM to 6 PM
Place: Parc de Bruxelles/Warandepark
Price: Free
Macadam Valley & Friends (FR – EN)
Macadam Valley, alias Ben Dessy, gives us the chance to get to grips with the techniques of drawing, cutting and narrating, so that we can create our own cartoon! Ben Dessy is 28, and he studied comics at the Erg. Winner of the Golden Blog Award in 2012 for his comic strip blog he is now the author of “Macadam Valley – le début de la fin” (literally, Macadam Valley, the beginning of the end) and of “Hors d'Oeuvre”, released by publisher Même Pas Mal.
Practical Information
Macadam Valley & Friends
Date and schedule:
Friday 4: Comics workshops from 4pm to 6pm
Saturday 5 : Comics workshops from 10:30am to 12:30am, 1:30pm to 3:30pm and 4pm to 6pm
Sunday 6 : Comics workshops from 10:30am to 12:30am, 1:30pm to 3:30pm and 4pm to 6pm
Macadam Valley’s Website:
Mmmmh! Cooking workshops(FR – NL – EN)
Cooking workshops are coming to the festival with various free comic-strip-themed cooking workshops over the whole weekend: cupcake, cakes, whoopies and more!
Practical Information
Mmmmh!Cooking workshops
Dates:Saturday 5 September and Sunday 6 September
Schedule:
10:30AM: ‘Sweet shortcrust pastry’ workshop
12 AM – ‘Sablé biscuit’ workshop
1:30PM – ‘Financier cake’ workshop
3PM – ‘Cupcake’ workshop
4:30 PM – ‘Whoopies’ workshop
Place: Parc de Bruxelles/Warandepark
Price: Free
Booking:Registration from 17 August on places limited – Registration is also possible on the day itself at Mmmmh!. Each entry is valid for one child and one adult.
For more information about Mmmmh! Cooking workshops:
Sandawe (FR)
Sandawe’sdistinguishing feature is that it only publishes comic strips that have been carefully selected and funded by Internet users.The participatory platform is a means to open up publishing outside the box.The stand also provides unpublished young authors with the opportunity to present their project related to comic strips (seriography, figurine, DVD, essay, etc).The Sandawe designers will provide a critical review and tips to help the young authors on their journey to get published.
There will be a "Comic Strip Festival" contest to win a complete set of Sandawe publishing albums as well as a number of exclusive collectors' items by answering three simple questions.
In the end, Sandawe also provides everyone with a portrait in the midst of comic strip characters.
The zineZone (FR)
The new discovery space dedicated to independent and boutique publishing. A reading room and bookstore, authors will stop in throughout the weekend to talk about their work and sign their latest albums.
Exhibitions
Thanks to the cooperation of specialised galleries, Brussels area museums, and publishing houses, a number of free exhibitions will pop up under the big top. These vital partners are also bringing the renowned exhibitions and retrospectives of their author. It’s a chance to discover unexpected gems or original drawings!
9th Art Gallery and Jeu de Bulles Gallery (FR – NL)
9th Art Gallery looks at the universe of Blake and Mortimer with various original plates by E.P.Jacobs, preparatory drawings by the artist, sketches and other documents. The Jeu de Bulles gallery will be exhibiting the monumental statue 'Lambrique et le Chat', from the Bob & Bobette album 'La Dame en Noir' by Willy Vandersteen, who is known as the 'Flemish Hergé'.
The two galleries will use their presence to give a nod to Hergé and Tintin magazine collaborators through these two major authors. A real treat for collectors as well as amateurs wishing to discover the world of comic collecting. This ensemble will also delight kids with retro toys like puzzles and figurines.
and
51st Fanwars Garrison (FR – NL – EN)
The FanWars Garrison is a Belgian costuming association on Star Wars’ theme. It is an integral part of the 501st Legion, worldwide organization comprised of and operate by Star Wars fans and considered as Lucasfilm’s preferred Imperial costuming group.
The 501st FanWars Garrison will plunge the public into the Star Wars universe with its original sets, its models, its costumes and its Imperial activity. The dark side will invade whoever will dare to sit down on the Emperor Palpatine’s throne.
Bruxelles-Paris Gallery (FR – NL – EN)
For the release of the 3rd and final volume of this "Ars Magna" triptych (Editions Glénat), the Bruxelles-Paris Gallery is delighted to welcome cartoonist Milan Jovanovic and script-writer Didier Alcante to the Comic Strip Festival.