Americas

Mexico

Culture

The Conque comics convention took place in Querétaro between the 5th and 7th May, with Stan Lee and Sergio Aragonés leading a list of guest artists that also included the Mexicans Bachan, Tony Sandoval, Edgar Clément, Bernardo Fernández “Bef”, Jis y Trino, and Luis Fernando, among many others. An estimated 20,000 people attended the event. Link (07/05/2017, Spanish, FGG)

Eva Cabrera and Claudia Aguirre (Kim&Kim, Black Mask Studios) and Mauricio Caballero (Helm) were nominated for the Eisner Awards 2017. Link. (23/04/2017, Spanish, FGG).

The documentary ‘Materiales para resistir la realidad’, which tells the story of legendary Mexican comics magazine El Gallito Inglés, was screened as part of the 2nd International Forum on Film and Comics (CINECOM) on the 27th and 28th  in Mexico City. Link (Spanish, FGG)

Comikaze featured an article on the history of legendary magazine El Gallito Inglés (aka Gallito Comics) on the 25th anniversary of its first issue. Link (FGG, Spanish, 5/5/17)

Bernardo Fernández Bef’s new graphic novel, El instante amarillo (Océano Historias Gráficas), a reissue of Juanele’s comic Banquete Familiar (Editorial Resistencia), and Tony Sandoval’s Entre Brujas y Vientos (Editorial Resistencia) were among the new publications presented at the Conque comics convention in Querétaro. Link. (08/05/2017, English, FGG)

Augusto Mora’s new documentary/graphic novel Grito de Victoria will be published by La Cifra Editorial. Mora’s new comic La Caída, is about the encounter between a vigilante and a migrant in the Mexico-US border. Presentations of both works are planned for June. Link (Spanish, FGG)

An exhibit on the 15th anniversary of Cintia Bolio’s Puras Evas held at the Museo de la Mujer will conclude next month. Link. (23/04/2017, Spanish, FGG).

Cuautla, a historic digital comic created by students and faculty at the Universidad de Artes digitales de Guadalajara was presented at Casa de Morelos museum in Cuautla, Morelos. Link (05/05/2017, Spanish, FGG)

Revista Marvin invited participation in the comics contest Viñetas por Mis Calles Vol. 2, co-sponsored by Transcómic and the Goethe Intitute. Four winners will have their comics translated into German and exhibited in Berlin, Germany. Link (05/05/2017, Spanish, FGG)

United States

Culture

The exhibition “Pulp Art: Out of the Gutter and on the Wall”, runs until the 8th July at the Carnegie Center for Art and History, in New Albany. Link (English, WG)

The 2017 Eisner Awards nominations have been announced, including nominees for the Best Academic/Scholarly Work category. Link (English, WG)

Research

Noah Berlatsky’s article, which discusses the problems with fair use in Comics Studies, has been published in The Chronicle of Higher Education. Link (10/05/2017, English, WG)

The University Press of Mississippi now offers a paperback edition of Asian Comics, by John A. Lent. Link (English, WG)

The guest speakers have been announced for ICAF 2017, which takes place at the University of Washington between the 2nd and 4th November. Link (English, WG)

Europe

Austria

Research

A conference on comics, comic film adaptations and religion took place in Graz from the 25th until the 27th May. Link (11/05/2017, MdlI, German)

Belgium

Culture

Jidéhem, Belgian BD artist and writer, has died aged 81. As well as his own series, Ginger, Sophie, he also collaborated with Franquin on Spirou & Fantasio and Gaston Lagaffe. Link (02/05/2017, French, LT)

Research

A conference titled ‘Tintin au XXIe siècle: territoires et temporalités’ took place in Louvain-la-Neuve between the 17th and 20th May 2017. Link (15//05/2017, French, BC)

France

Research

The francophone comics studies network, ‘La Brèche’, held its constituent assembly on the 15th May 2017 and will open its membership in September. The association strives to foster the development of French-language comics scholarship. Link (19/05/2017, French, BC)

Germany

Culture

A Denis Kitchen exhibition is shown in Munich until the 1st July. Link (12/05/2017, German, MdlI)

This year’s DoKomi festival is taking place in Düsseldorf on the 3rd and 4th June; guests include Satoshi Shiki. Link (18/05/2017, German, MdlI)

Research

A lecture by Björn Hammel on webcomics has been recorded, edited and broadcast on the radio, and made available as a podcast. Link (18/05/2017, German, MdlI)

The German Society for Comics Studies has published an overview of German, Swedish and Swiss university classes on comics in this summer semester. Link (22/05/2017, German, MdlI)

There is going to be a panel on comics at this year’s DGAVL conference in Bochum from the 6th – 9th June. Link (22/05/2017, German, MdlI)

Portugal

Culture

From the 26th May until the 11th June, the XIII Festival Internacional de Banda Desenhada de Beja (13rd International Comics festival of Beja) will take place. The festival is composed mainly of national and international exhibitions, sketched concerts, book shop, book launches, conferences, and workshops. Link (Portuguese, RR)

Until 10th June, the Portuguese Comic author Xavier Almeida is holding an exhibition of Spray Works in Galeria Sol in Oporto. Link (Portuguese, RR)

Spain

Culture

The Free Comic Day was celebrated on the 13th May. 50000 comics were distributed. Link (10/05/2017, Spanish, EdRC)

Seven Eisner nominations to Spanish authors, including best anthology (Spanish Fever: Stories by the New Spanish Cartoonists), best American edition of a foreign work (Wrinkles, by Paco Roca) and best digital comic (Universe!, by Albert Monteys). Link (03/05/2017, Spanish, EdRC)

There is still no agreement to move forward in the creation of the Museum of Illustration, Comics and Art in Badalona (Catalonia). Link (09/05/2017, Spanish)

Research

Cuadernos de Comic, a free on-line academic journal, has launched its annual crowdfunding campaign. Link (15/05/2017, EdRC, Spanish)

UK

Jobs

There is a job listing for a Course Leader on the BA (Hons) Comic and Concept Art course at Leeds College of Art. Link (English, WG)

Research

The call for papers for Comics Forum 2017 is online now. This year’s conference will focus on the theme of space, and will take place in Leeds on the 21st and 22nd of September. Link (English, WG)

Details (including the conference programme and registration) are now available for The Eighth International Graphic Novel and Comics Conference. The conference will take place between 26th and 30th June at the University of Dundee and the University of Glasgow. Link (English, WG)

Comics and Critique: Invigorating Critical Study of the Medium, is a one day symposium featuring a range of comics scholars, taking place at St Mary’s University on the 3rd July. Link (English, WG)

Frame:Works, a one day symposium featuring a mix of comics practitioners and professionals, will take place on the 16th June in Central St Martins, London. Link (English, WG)

Details (including the conference programme and registration) are now available for the Comics and Nations Conference, which takes place between the 13th and 14th July, at Bangor University. Link (English, WG)

There is a call for papers for an edited collection entitled, Drawing the Past: Comics and the Historical Imagination. Abstract proposals are due by the 15th July. Link (16/05/2017, English, WG)

Comics and Critique: Invigorating Critical Study of the Medium, will be held on the 3rd July at St Mary’s University in Twickenham. Link (20/05/2017, English, ST)

There is a call for abstracts for the edited volume, Child-Animal Relationships in Comics: Historical and Transcultural Perspectives edited by the University Press of Liège. Abstracts are due by the 31st August 2017. Link (English, ST)

There is a call for abstracts for the edited volume, Bodies/Borders in Jewish Women’s Comics. Abstracts are due by the 30th June 2017. Link (English, ST)

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News Editor: Simon Turner (comicsforumnews@hotmail.co.uk)

Correspondents: Enrique del Rey Cabero (EdRC, Spain), Felipe Gomez Gutierrez (FGG, Mexico), Benoît Crucifix (BC, Belgium and France), William Grady (WG, UK and United States), Martin de la Iglesia (MdlI, Austria and Germany), Renata Rafaela (RR, Protugal), Lise Tannahill (LT, Belgium), and Simon Turner (ST, UK)

Click here for News Review correspondent biographies.

Click here to see the News Review archive.

Suggestions for articles to be included in the News Review can be sent to Simon Turner at the email address above.

Americas

Mexico

Culture

Augusto Mora was awarded the Memorial 68 prize in the comics category by the Centro Cultural Universitario de Tlatelolco for his new book En busca de una voz. In this book, Mora uses the graphics employed by the student movement to tell its story and talk about the violent repression it suffered in 1968. Link (Spanish, FGG)

After a 15-year hiatus, Kaliman, the best-selling superhero comics published between the 1960s and the early 2000s, are being relaunched with stories featuring present-day Mexican problems and situations. An exhibit featuring 70 Kaliman pieces opened at the Museo de la Ciudad in Querétaro, and will continue until mid-July. Link (23/04/2017, Spanish, FGG)

“El pelón“, a comic by Octavio Jiménez on an iconic and nomadic barrio character who is followed by stray dogs, competes with trash recyclers, and about whose origin nobody knows, was published in Marvin magazine. Link (24/04/2014, Spanish, FGG)

Augusto Mora, Chubasco, Rafael de Loera, and Rubén Lara illustrated regional legends live at the Serafín Hotel in Querétaro in an event organized by the Conque. Link (23/04/2017, Spanish, FGG)

Education

Cintia Bolio, Jimena Sanchez, Augusto Mora, Frik, Edu Molina, Juanele, and Luis Fernando lead a comics workshop at the Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City on the 16th April. Link (Spanish, FGG)

Karine Bernadou lead a workshop organized by the French Embassy in Mexico City. Link (French, FGG)

Obituaries

Ramon Valdiosera, former director of the comics magazine Pepín, died at age 98.His death was considered the closing event of the Golden Age of Mexican comics. Link (Spanish, FGG)

Research

The Literature Department at Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City hosted its First graphic narratives international conference: “Memory and oblivion in Comics, Manga and Roman Graphique,” on the 5th and 6th April. Keynote addresses were given by Drs. José Manuel de Amo, Laurence Grove, and Paul Gravett, and there were presentations by guest artists Luis Fernando, Axur Eneas, Alejandra Gámez, Alejandra Espino, and Augusto Mora, among others. Link (Spanish, FGG)

Lucha Castro, Josefina Larragoiti, and Adam Shapiro gave a talk on Front Line Defenders and the book La Lucha. La historia de Lucha Castro y los Derechos Humanos en México as part of the 1st Graphic Novel Colloquium at Universidad Iberoamericana. Link (Spanish, FGG)

Papers on diverse examples and aspects of Mexican comics, including analyses on political cartoons, Hermelinda Linda, feminine and feminist characters and comics, and on representations of drug trafficking and the war on drugs were presented at the Congreso Internacional de Historia de las Mujeres en Latinoamérica in Bogotá, Colombia and at the Latin American Studies Association congress in Lima, Perú. Link (Spanish, FGG).

United States

Research

There is a call for papers for Mechademia 2017: Science Fictions conference, which takes place at Minneapolis College of Art and Design between the 22nd and 24th September. Abstract submissions are due by the 1st September. Link (English, WG)

Osvaldo Oyola interviews comics scholar Dr Leah Misemer. Link (English, WG)

Reading Lessons in Seeing: Mirrors, Masks, and Mazes in the Autobiographical Graphic Novel, by Michael A. Chaney, has been published through the University Press of Mississippi. Link (English, WG)

Retcon Game: Retroactive Continuity and the Hyperlinking of America, by Andrew J. Friedenthal, has been published through the University Press of Mississippi. Link (English, WG)

The Lent Comic Art Classification System, by John A. Lent and Mike Rhode, has been published through Lulu Press. Link (English, WG)

The Secret Origins of Comics Studies, edited by Matthew Smith and Randy Duncan, has been published through Routledge. Link (English, WG)

The deadline for proposals for the Northeast Popular/American Culture Association Conference is the 1st June. The conference will take place at the University of Massachusetts on the 27th and 28th October. Link (English, WG)

There is a call for papers for the edited collection The Ages of the Flash. Abstracts between 100-500 words should be submitted by the 15th June. Link (13/04/2017, English, WG)

The University of Oregon website reports on the feature of comics scholar Ben Saunders in the History Channel’s documentary, Superheroes Decoded. Link (English, WG)

Europe

France

Business

Égo Comme X, the independent BD publisher best known for their autobiographical publications, is closing for financial reasons. Link (10/04/2017, French, LT)

Culture

The title of the next Astérix album has been revealed: Asterix and the Race Through Italy. Link (12/04/2017, English, LT)

Germany

Culture

The festival, 1. Erfurter Comic und Mangapark, is taking place on the 6th and 7th May; guests include Martina Peters and Inga Steinmetz. Link (22/04/2017, German, MdlI)

The exhibition on Héctor Germán Oesterheld’s El Eternauta is now being shown in Munich until the 14th July. Link (26/04/2017, German, MdlI)

The exhibition of the latest Max-und-Moritz-Preis winners is travelling on to Schwarzenbach where it will be shown from the 13th May until the 22nd October. Link (30/04/2017, German, MdlI)

Research

The annual conference of D.O.N.A.L.D. took place in Hamburg. Link (03/04/2014, German, MdlI)

Macht der Musik by Christian Bachmann, a book on music in comics, has been published. Link (05/04/2017, German, MdlI)

This year’s conference of the German Society for Comics Studies (ComFor) is going to take place in Bonn from the 1st until the 3rd December. Link (06/04/2017, German, MdlI)

The proceedings of the symposium, Science Meets Comics (Berlin 2015), have been published. Link (24/04/2017, German/English, MdlI)

Portugal

Culture

On the 6th May the Clube Português de Banda Desenhada will host the second half of a lecture by Domingos Isabelinho about Raúl Correia’s book, A Lei da Selva [The Jungle Law]. The first half of the Lecture took place on the 22nd April. Entrance is free. Link (07/04/2017, Portuguese, RR)

Spain

Culture

An exhibition  of La ciudad en viñetas, by Roberto Massó, can be seen at Centro Centro (Madrid) until the 2nd July. Link (07/04/2017, Spanish, EdRC)

The prizes of the 35th edition of the Barcelona International Comic Fair have been announced. Best Spanish work: Jamás tendré 20 años (Jaime Martín). Best foreign work: The Vision (Gabriel Hernández Walta and Tom King). Great Prize: Josep María Martín Saurí. Link (01/04/2016, Spanish, EdRC)

Industry

Tebeosfera has published its annual report about the Spanish comics industry. Link (01/04/2017, Spanish, EdRC)

Penguin Random House has bought Spanish comics publishing house Ediciones B. Link (06/04/2017, Spanish, EdRC)

Research

The exhibition, ¿Qué es una biblioteca para ti? (What is a library for you?), the vision of 20 graphic humourists about libraries, may be visited until the 28th May at the National Library in Madrid. Link (17/04/2017, Spanish, EdRC)

Switzerland

Culture

A Hannes Nüsseler exhibition is shown in Basel until the 20th May. Link (06/04/2017, German, MdlI)

UK

Culture

The Inking Woman, the new exhibition at the Cartoon Museum (London), will run from the 26th April until the 23rd July. Link (English, WG)

Bradford Literature Festival Comic Con will take place at the University of Bradford. Link (English, WG)

Research

The Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures in Norwich is hosting a workshop discussing legal issues related to international manga consumption on the 19th May. Attendance is free but booking is essential. Link (29/04/2017, English, ST)

Obituary

The BBC reports that comics artist Leo Baxendale has passed away. Link (27/04/2017, English, WG)

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News Editor: Simon Turner (comicsforumnews@hotmail.co.uk)

Correspondents: Enrique del Rey Cabero (EdRC, Spain), Felipe Gomez Gutierrez (FGG, Mexico), William Grady (WG, UK and United States), Martin de la Iglesia (MdlI, Germany and Switzerland), Renatta Rafella (RR, Portugal), Lise Tannahill (LT, France) and Simon Turner (ST, UK)

Click here for News Review correspondent biographies.

Click here to see the News Review archive.

Suggestions for articles to be included in the News Review can be sent to Simon Turner at the email address above.