The thirteen miraculous event for the largest comics celebration in Athens took place on the 21st, 22nd and 23 of April, in the all too established venues of the Hellenic American Union and the French Institute of Greece in Athens, while transforming the nearby streets into an outdoor colorful venue.
This year, the Comicdom Con Athens International cast of special guests consisted of important artists and creators from all around the globe, such as British writer Simon Spurrier, Eisner award candidate and continuator of THE SANDMAN UNIVERSE. New Zealander Roger Langride, another Eisner award candidate, as well as the recent creator behind our favorite MUPPET SHOW and POPEYE, was also present. French Artist Nicola de Grecy, creator of the Eisner candidate award series SALVATORE among others, together with Nicolas Wouters (Belgium) and Dimitris Mastoros, the parents of EXARCHEIA:THE BITTER ORANGE honored us with their presence.
Special mention is due for our noticeable female presences in this event, such as multi-awarded Israelian Rutu Modan, creator of EXIT WOUNDS and PROPERTY, Turkish freelance artists, Sumeyye Kesgin, who has worked both in turkish comics, as well as companies such as TOP COW(RISE OF THE MAGI, SEPTEMBER MOURNING) and IMAGE(ELSEWHERE), as well as distinguished British illustrator Emma Prince (CRY HAVOC, SAVAGE TOWN, ANGELIC, at IMAGE and MOTHERLANDS at VERTIGO). Michele Sandjofski joined us from Lebanon, where she teaches at the Lebanon Academy of Fine arts and has participated in many expositions around Europe and the Angouleme Festival. Final mention goes to German artist Anna Haifisch, published in Europe, America and Canada, co-founder of Comics and Graphics Festival “The Millionaires’ Club” and creator of THE ARTIST for Vice.com, who shared with us her artistic experiences.
The following powerful quartet consisted of this year’s exhibitions: The international exhibition “ADVENTURES IN MOOMINVALLEY” hosted the beloved white trolls created by Tove Jansson’s imagination. Through the exposition of unpublished original comics of the “MOOMIN IN THE WILD WEST” story, we get to meet or remember the humanitarian aspect and optimism this work offers us. In “THE 4th WALL” exposition, 15 Greek comic creators break the 4th wall and the borders between imagination and reality. In our “DRINK & DRAW EXPERIENCE” exhibition, works of 15 Greek artists are displayed, created under intoxicating conditions, during the sketching event organized by Comicdom, with joy, imagination and alcohol. Last but not least, in our “SPOTLIGHT STAVROS KIOUTSIOUKIS” exhibition, this year’s honorary artist gathered some of his best works into a small but very representative display.
Four exceptional projections were also part of the festival’s schedule, 2 french animation movies, the old school and Oscar candidate 2011 for best animated feature “A CAT IN PARIS” and psychedelic “LA PLANETE SAUVAGE” which in 1974 won the jury award in the Cannes Festival, a documentary “CHRIS CLAREMONT’S X-MEN (THE 2017 EXTENDED VERSION) which dwells into the work of the most important and iconic writer of Marvel’s mutants, as well as the new, after 2 years, episode of the show “CINEλΘΕΤΕ” of Dionysios Atzarakis and Thomas Zampras.
The Festival’s schedules also included panels, on topics related to both the greek and international comic scene, such as political correctness and comic journalism, as well as workshops from our international guests and selected Greek creators, sketch events devoted to the 80 years since the birth of Moebius and the first issue of Action Comics, a children’s program, our yearly group-friendly trivia knowledge game, the Comicdom Cosplay Contest and the Greek Comics Award Ceremony: the awards for the best Greek comics creator of last year, given by an Academy of professionals, consisted, among others, by creators, publishers and journalist experts in the field.
Comicdom CON Athens 2018 was organized by Comicdom Press, the Hellenic American Union and the French Institute of Greece.
- Date: April 21, 22 & 23
- International Guests: Simon Spurrier, Roger Langridge, Nicolas de Crecy, Nicolas Wouters, Rutu Modan, Sumeyye Kesgin, Emma Price, Μichele Sandjofski, Αnna Haifisch
- Stavros Kioutsioukis illustrated this year’s poster.