Por a first attempt, it’s a masterstroke. The first edition of the Saint-Jean-d’Angély Comics Festival, which took place on Saturday November 9 in the Aliénor-d’Aquitaine room, was unanimous. “I would have been very disappointed if we had recorded less than 300 entries and happy with 500 entries,” confides Guillaume Bakeland, president of the “Les Heures Perdues de la bande bande” association which organized the event. With 936 entries in a single day, the trio of organizers (Guillaume Bakeland, Marie Sagot and Yann Salaün) are delighted. “We debriefed on Sunday morning by tidying up the room,” continues the president, “and we had only good feedback from the public, the bookseller and the authors. »
If Saturday morning was mainly marked by the presence of comic book enthusiasts and “Angériens coming out of the market”, the afternoon recorded the presence of the general public. On Saturday, attendance was at its best, but Friday evening at the Cinévals cinema was also a great success. The projection of “Cagliostro Castle” by the Japanese master Miyazaki and the interventions of the designer Gwendal Lemercier (guest of honor of the festival) and the illustrator Bernard Borderie attracted a good turnout. “The cinema recorded 51 admissions, it was the second busiest screening on Friday… behind the film “L’Amour ouf” by Gilles Lellouche,” adds Guillaume Bakeland.
Two days in 2025?
The drawings, in limited edition, have also found takers among aficionados of phylacteries (comic book bubbles). “But there are still some left to sell. » Among Saturday’s visitors, some deplored the only commercial aspect of the festival. “I would have liked to attend a round table,” regretted an Angère woman. “It’s very difficult to organize in this room,” replies the president of Les Heures Perdues de la BD. Another criticism was also heard: the closure of the festival between noon and two. “I want the authors to be able to take a lunch break,” replies Guillaume Bakeland, who is already planning towards a second edition. “We will meet soon to discuss the 2025 meeting.”
The trio of organizers would like the festival to take place over two days – “It’s easier to accommodate cartoonists who come from far away” – and keep its “family” aspect. For Guillaume Bakeland, the number of authors must remain modest, around twenty at most. “It’s important that readers can communicate easily with them. » It is also likely that we will discover other authors. “It is unthinkable to find the same people every year,” believes the president who has not yet found the guest of honor for the 2025 edition.
The second Comic Strip Festival will again take place in the Salle Aliénor-d’Aquitaine and probably on the second weekend of November. “It’s a good time to do Christmas shopping,” concludes the president, tired but happy.
