As we start our countdown to the 49th instalment of the Festival International de la Bande Dessinée in January, I wanted to share some of my coverage from previous years.
I was fortunate to attend my first Angoulême Festival (their 41st edition) back in 2014 with my colleagues Karl and Camila from Orbital Comics. At the time we were looking to expand the store's international reputation and indulge our own love of international comics, so it seemed like the perfect marriage of the two. Little did I know it would become an annual appointment for me personally, but I think you can gain a sense of how powerful it was from these very first recordings.
In this first look back at Angoulême 2014, I present my interviews with writer Joe Keatinge (Glory, Hell Yeah, PopGun), comics journalist Heidi MacDonald (The Comics Beat), and artist/animator Bobby Chiu (Niko and the Sword of Light).
First up, Joe and I talk about what he’s been working on since the end of Glory, and what’s coming up next. Then Heidi chats about her first Angoulême experience and how it’s affected her view of US shows. And finally, Bobby and I discuss Imaginism Studios' animated series, Niko and the Sword of Light, plus their continued work in film. It's interesting as Joe and Bobby were already regulars at Angoulême, but for Heidi and I it was our first time (although we've seen each other there since) so you get some idea of the different perspectives people have.
This was originally released on my podcast, Pop Culture Hound, which ran for almost 300 episodes (including specials) between 2011 and 2017. Sadly these aren't available online anymore, and the website/contact details mentioned are no longer relevant, but I've presented them as they were at the time. These days you can reach me via this website, and find me on social media as both @PopCultureHound and @FrancoFilesUK.
For more information about the festival, please visit their website: www.bdangouleme.com