The main exhibition was called Une vast complot (A Vast Complot), and featured work by a varied group, including André Taymans, Christian Lax, Bruno Heitz, Bruno Gazzotti, René Pétillon, Alain Dodier, Benoît Sokal and Bryan Talbot.  All the works in display featured a private investigator, or a detective of some sorts.  However, a special investigator, called François Saunière, a creation of Oubapo cartoonist Etienne Lécroart, had made extensive notes on the works, making the most far-fetched connections, and all the while trying to uncover said vast complot.

Earlier, Richard already pointed out the show that was dedicated to Lécroarts rather inventive works, which featured all kinds of inventions that allow the reader to change the course of a story.  On the Bodoï site, there are more pictures from what must have been a splendid show.

Etienne Davodeau, possibly one of the most socially aware cartoonist on the French scene at the moment, had a solo show, with original art from books like Lulu femme nue,  Un homme est mort and Les Mauvaises Gens. Also present was Joub, with originals in black and white and colors  from Max et Zoé and Géronimo (which he created together with Davodeau).

The Belgian author Benoît Jacques had a solo show with pages in ink, but also paintings, and there was also an exhibition with pages by the children’s books illustrator,  Juliette Binet, from books like Cousin,  Jonas or her coming book, L’Horizon facétieux (The Facetious Horizon). Similarly, Olivier Tallec had an overview of his work, which includes comic books as well as illustrated books for young readers.

Last but not least, BoDoï presents pictures from two exhibitions that were dedicated to the work of Belgian cartoonist and visual artist Dominique Goblet.  Fragments of the book Chronographie, that Goblet created together with her daugher, Nikita Fossoul, over a period of ten years, were reproduced in large-sized format and presented as an open-air comic strip.  A second exhibition showed extracts from Goblet’s comic work, such as the recent Faire semblant c’est mentir.

Thanks, BoDoï, for your extended coverage of this great festival.  Next time, we’ll all be there…

(all photos © BoDoï – check out their site – it’s very, very good)

BoDoi has a post up on the BD exhibition at Angoulême which shows off parodies of famous comics from Europe and the US, from Cowboy Henk to Peanuts (channeling Kafka no less!) to a very naughty version of the Smurfs. Go and have a browse through them for a good giggle! The exhibition runs until the 24th of April. (tip of the hat to SelfMadeHero for the link)