GERMANY
 Fascination
Comics
Frankfurt, Germany, Oct. 27, 2002 - Fascination
Comics that started as an experiment three years ago at the world´s
biggest book fair in Frankfurt, Germany, proved to be one of the
most successful and most frequented comics event of the year. There
were several discussions, slide-shows, exhibitions and events for
artists, publishers, booksellers and everyone with an interest in
the world of comics. One of the program highlights was the presence
of French artist Lewis Trondheim, who´s probably
mostly known for his Lapinot stories and his brilliant children's
comics, which was also the main-topic of his presenattion. Many
excerpts of his works and collaborations with other artists were
seen at a special side-show. The American Phil Yeh´s
project “Cartoonists Across America & TheWorld”
was the production of a mural with the involvement of children and
international comics artists. Eastern European comics got their
own show under the title “Comics from the other Europe”
and were explained during a slide show presentation by Igor
Prassel, a comic-expert from Ljubljana (Slovenia). To the
signing highlights of the Book Fair belonged MAD-legend Sergio
Aragonés, Isabel Kreitz (Mabuse),
Patrick Kunkel (Karl), Robert Labs
(Dragic Master), Sascha Nils Marx (Naglayas Herz),
Christina Plaka (Prussian Blue), Peter
Puck (Rudi) and the already named Lewis Trondheim. The
enormous interest and the great response towards Fascination Comic
made the experiment now a permanent part of the Frankfurt Book Fair.
For pictures and further information go to www.comic.de/buchmesse2002/index.html.
German cartoonist has show in Croatia
Osijek, Croatia, August 28, 2002 -
The Osijek Cartoon Gallery cafe Kino (9 Cvjetkova Street)
opened an exhibition titled "Minimalism," showcasing the
work of German cartoonist Frank Hoffmann. The recipient of
20 awards, Hoffmann lives in a small wine-growing village near Mainz.
The exhibition was opened by Ivan Vrkic, chairman of the board of
Glas Slavonije, Inc. Media Center and was given a ceremonial presentation
by the Tamburica-orchestra Baranjski Biseri from Knezevi
Vinogradi, under the direction of Vlado Dalmatin. In his opening
speech Vrkic said that the best tactics against nonsense is a cartoon.
He also proclaimed that every small place can be made into a small
center of the world by organizing international events that bring
global concerns, laughter, and reason to the nearest neighborhood.
The gallery's next exhibition will highlight the works of Petar
Pismestrovic.
 Family Meeting: The 10th International Comic-Salon in Erlangen
Erlangen, Germany, June 9, 2002 - In 1984, when "The International Comic-Salon Erlangen"
was organized and realized for the first time, only a few people thought
that this meeting of comic-makers would be the most continuous event of
its kind in Germany. Those days about 30 exhibitors--publishers, brokers,
and book shops--took part in the fair. Also many artists signed their albums
and books. A beginning was made and what hardly anybody in Germany would
have considered possible seemed to have come true: in (and through) Erlangen,
comics were finally accepted as a significant cultural artefact! This year's
anniversary fair was probably not a really spectacular one. But of course,
it presented very different numbers than in 1984: four times as many exhibitors;
more than 200 artists; a lot of exhibitions and events, giving about 20,000
visitors the chance to see everything relevant on the current comic-scene.
One highlight of the fair was the "Max and Moritz Award,"which
contained honours in different sections. The awards were given to:
- Best international comic-strip:
Liberty Meadow by Frank Cho (Salleck Publications)
- Best German comic-strip as cartoon serial: Abgründe (="precipice") by Martin
Perscheid (Lappan Verlag)
- Best German comic-artist:
Peter Puck
- Best German comic publication
self-production: Meisterwerke der Weltliteratur ("Masterworks
of World Literature") by various artists (Moga Mobo / Bostel Produktion)
- Best German comic publication
import: Lost Girl by Nabiel Kanan (Lost Comix)
- Best German comic publication
secondary literature: Reddition by Volker Hamann Hg.
(Edition Alfons)
- Best German comic publication for children: Doktor Dodo schreibt ein Buch ("Doctor Dodo Writes
a Book") by Ole Könnecke (Carlsen Verlag)
- Best German comic publication for youngsters: Wie im richtigen Leben Herzstolpern ("As
in Real Life Heartstumbling) by Carlos Trillo / Laura
Scarpa (Schwarzer Klecks)
- Best international scenerist:
Frank Giroud
- Special award for his life work:
José Antonio Munoz
- Special award of the jury:
Karl Manfred Fischer (leader of the fair-organization)
Mangas in Germany
Leipzig, Germany, March 24, 2002 - The Leipzig book fair showed once again that mangas constitute
"THE big thing" of comic-genres in Germany. As a precursur to
the fair, organizers, together with Carlsen publishers and a local comic-store,
had pulled together a manga drawing competion. The more than 1.600 entries
- thanks to the internet - from eight(!) countries constituted an overwhelming
response. Thre success of the competition as translated into potential new
releases, remains to be seen, particularly considering that fact that the
competition was exclusively for amateur-artists. Carlsen produced a trade
paperback containing the best pictures and stories, that were also presented
at an exhibition in a newly built comic-centre. The highlight of the event
was the presentation of awards on a hopelessly overcrowded stage.
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