Among the books being launched are a new volume of the adventures of Lucky Luke, a new selection of Calvin and Hobbes strips by Bill Watterson, a Hungarian translation of the American Scott McCloud's 3,000-year history of comics and Frank Miller's classic graphic novel 300, timed to coincide with the film adaptation of the work.
In addition to the book launches, there will be film screenings, comic book signings and presentations.
Andor Bánsági will speak about the thousand-year-old Japanese drawing style Manga in the morning and Hungarian Manga artists will hold a roundtable discussion in the afternoon. The popularity of the genre in Hungary is evidenced by the fact that even Athenaeum, one of Hungary's most respected publishing houses, has started to print Manga.
Creator of the popular Budapest series Balázs Gróf will sign his comic books at the Nyitott Könyvműhely publishing house stand in the afternoon, as will Aleksandar Zograf, a Serbian whose works touch on the politics of the Balkans. Director Ákos Barnóczky will hold a discussion with critic Péter Birkás about the relationship of cinema and comics.
Cartoons and films based on comics will be screened in one of the event rooms and the Képes publishing house will present the first issue of a much-awaited magazine Buborékhámozó (Bubble Peeler).
The Alfabéta Award will be granted to the best Hungarian comics artists of last year.
Author: Roland Borsos
