The Forbidden Planet International Blog Log

Festivals for the festive season

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

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Even though we’re probably all head over heels involved in that yearly madness that is the Festive Season, some brave souls are putting up comics festivals and events all over Europe. Albeit a very little group of brave souls – there’s just been one major event and another follows hard on its heels : The [...]

New work by Ever Meulen in Brussels

Thursday, November 25, 2010

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Cars have always been a major theme in the work of Belgian master illustrator Ever Meulen, especially the so-called vintage makes. For the Flemish daily De Standaard, Meulen did a series on the history of classic cars, and he himself is the proud owner of a 1949 Oldsmobile. For his new exhibition, Essence(s), which is [...]

Some thoughts on the Angoulême shortlist

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

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Last week the Grand Wizards that rule the World of Angoulême decreed their traditional longlists of the best comics of 2010, the best comics for young readers, and the Sélection patrimoine, which roughly translates as books that should not be forgotten. These lists are easily the most important in the Francophone comics world, and even [...]

Ray Banana Blogs

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

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Ted Benoît, creator of Ray Banana and erstwhile heir to the Blake and Mortimer throne, has started his own blog. That is, at least what Métropolis Journal, the prime source of information into all things Benoît, claims. On Les Pensées Improbables De Ray Banana (The Improbable Thoughts Of Ray Banana), Benoît is supposed to regularly [...]

In a world of screen addicts…

Monday, November 15, 2010

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… the cool people read comics. At least that’s what I read in this official campaign visual from the local government of the Basque province of Araba-Álava (Spain). And I think we should all take notice – even if you don’t read basque, the message is immediate clear. Try that with movies. The artwork for [...]

From our continental correspondent – The old country vs. the new

Friday, November 12, 2010

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I’m always a bit apprehensive when people talk about Europe as the old world, and the US as the new one. Still, the general idea of Paris vs. New York, a visual “tally of two cities”, seems to tag Paris more as mature, traditional and classical than New York. Which, naturally, has qualities of its [...]

From our continental correspondent – Festival update: November

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

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We are a tad late with our monthly update on comics festivals on the continent, but then, you probably were all to busy with Comica this weekend, so it’s probably not too bad. And so : In the weekend of the 13th and 14th November, Bulles en Seine throws its annual Comics and Children’s Books [...]

Looking for a few good cartoonists

Friday, November 5, 2010

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Here’s another extract from the Pilote Summer Special on comics and film that I wrote about a while ago. This strip bvy Martin Veyron is a quite good take on the eagerness with which the movie world is currently scouting the comics scene for talent to be used in film making, while publishers would rather [...]

Linthout prepares new series

Friday, October 29, 2010

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Willy Linthout, Flemish creator of the Eisner-nominated The Year of the Elephant,published in English byFanfare / Ponent Mon (one of my Best of the Year picks for 2009 – Joe), and De leveling (not yet translated), has announced a new series, called What We Should Know. The book will continue the autobiographical narrative that Linthout [...]

Villemolle 81 out on DVD

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

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Full disclosure : I am a huge fan of the French publisher Les Requins Marteaux, and expecially of the books of one of their star cartoonists, Winshluss. I am in awe of their ability to combine the grossest and most obnoxious subject matter with an absolute obsession with artistic and production quality. Winschluss’s Pinocchio, in [...]

From our continental correspondent – The ultimate fan

Monday, October 18, 2010

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When Guy Delisle, one of my favourite cartoonists of all time (or at least one of the few whose books I re-read on a regular basis), had finished a signing session recently, a fan gave him a little book that strangely reminded him of the English translation of Pyongyang, his account of his time in [...]

Treasures from across the continent

Friday, October 15, 2010

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Until the end of this year, Belgium acts as President of the European Council. On that occasion, the Belgian Comics Centre presents a rather exquisite collection of original comic art by fifty creators from all over Europe. World famous cartoonist like Alain de Saint-Ogan, Hugo Pratt or Hergé share the walls of the exhibition with [...]

Gil Jourdan to be translated

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

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According to a report by Rich Johnston at Bleeding Cool (which I haven’t been able to corroborate at the Fantagraphics website yet), Fantagraphics is planning to publish an English translation of the classic BD series Gil Jourdan by Maurice Tillieux. Some online sllers are indeed listing Murder by High Tide in the series Gil Jordan, [...]

From our continental correspondent – Get them to read (comics)

Monday, October 11, 2010

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In this day and age, it would seem, literacy is the number one item on the agenda when it comes to education. Not just the technical ability to read, but also the sheer fun of reading, and the ability to gather knowledge and experience from it, seem to be under constant threat from television, videogames [...]

Moomins in Dundee

Monday, October 4, 2010

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A short while ago we mentioned the new 3D Moomin movie, Moomin and the Comet Chase. The Discovery Film Festival in Dundee, a festival aimed at promoting international cinema for younger audiences, is proud to announce the UK premiere of this film on Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th October 2010. Throughout the weekend there will [...]

The Forbidden Planet International Blog Log

Author Archives | Wim

Festivals for the festive season

New work by Ever Meulen in Brussels

Some thoughts on the Angoulême shortlist

Ray Banana Blogs

In a world of screen addicts…

From our continental correspondent – The old country vs. the new

From our continental correspondent – Festival update: November

Looking for a few good cartoonists

Linthout prepares new series

Villemolle 81 out on DVD

From our continental correspondent – The ultimate fan

Treasures from across the continent

Gil Jourdan to be translated

From our continental correspondent – Get them to read (comics)

Moomins in Dundee

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