Sketches from the frontline

I made it home with my sketchbook this time. Unfortunately I managed to leave my copy of Jennifer Hayden's excellent Underwire on the train. You win some, you lose some...

Angouleme was a treat comme d'habitude. Great exhibitions, such as Dreams in Comics, which features plenty of Windsor McKay of course, but 70 other artists are on show. Quite a few strips involve sexual fantasies and neuroses of all sorts (Guido Crepax anyone?) with the odd one covered to shield it from the innocents' gaze. It is always a joy to peruse gorgeous artwork from Hugo Pratt, Fred, Moebius, etc etc – the list is endless. I particularly enjoyed the anxiety dream from JC Menu where president Mitterand comes to visit and he can't find anything to show him. He ends up having to give the first lady one of his rare vintage American comics.

The Willem exhibit was particularly fascinating, I emerged after an hour and a half having only read and examined half of it.

The Dutch contingent who designed and screenprinted posters over the four days were a brilliant idea led by Joost Swarte. I did not regret getting up extra early to catch his joint talk with Willem.

While I was in revelling in the Willemness of it all, Sally Anne was having a Dash Shaw fest with a talk, book signing, and generally spotting him around the place. The social aspect is also important, as we met old friends and acquaintances and made new ones. My fellow Dessinators Sean, Sally Anne and Oliver were once again perfect travelling companions, and my brother Hugo joined our gang for a while.

And to compensate for last year's sad loss, I managed to capture Willem afresh while he drew me an fabulous personalised dedicace.

Sketchless

A terrible thing happened on the way back from Angouleme. Somehow my sketchbook went missing. I have not entirely given up hope but it is fading fast and I have no sketches to post. This year had been particularly magical as I got the chance to cast my vote for one of my all-time heroes of the pen to be the next President of the Jury, the incredible Willem. And not only had I had the chance to shake his hand, and subsequently have a few beers in his company, he had drawn in said sketchbook, examined it, and I had made several sketches of him. However he won the prize (Hallelujah!) and so he will be back next year. Though in his capacity as King of the Festival he may not be as free to mingle anonymously again.

Apart from this upsetting hiccup, the festival was as usual a joyous five days of exhibitions, talks, meeting old chums and new, with a lot of sketching and a bit of selling. And Hugo finally made the trip and joined me for two and a half days of boulimie BD. I will report in more detail in my next post.