French Comics Highlight American Library Association Conference
Looking to target the library market, The French Comics Association is bringing a group of acclaimed French graphic novel artists to the ALA Conference in Chicago June 22-26, with plans for panel discussions, exhibitions and social events focused on Franco-Belgian graphic novels or bandes dessinées.
The French Comics Association, a coalition of many of the major publishers of French comics, among them, Dargaud, Casterman, Glenat and Gallimard BD, will visit the ALA Conference with a contingent of notable graphic novel artists including, Guy Delisle, Marguerite Abouet, Pénélope Bagieu, Jérémie Royer, David Etien, and Stefano Turconi and Teresa Radice.
The French Comics Association will exhibit and sell books, with author signings daily at booth #1229 from June 23-26.
The U.S. Ambassador for Children’s Literature and “genius grant” fellow Gene Luen Yang (American Born Chinese), will give the key note address. The FCA has organized an extensive schedule of appearances and social events to highlight the quality and variety of French comics and encourage their licensing and translation into English for the North American market.
An extensive slate of panels will focus on graphic novels for kids and adults, French comics and the movies, and nonfiction comics among many topics. American comics advocates such as librarian Betsy Bird, cartoonists Jessica Abel and Matt Madden, comics scholar/librarian Carol Tilley and publishers Mark Siegel and John Shableski will take part in the programming.
To celebrate the tour with the greater Chicago community, a free event will be held at Sector 2337 on Thursday, June 22nd, co-hosted with Chicago Alternative Expo (CAKE). Press are encouraged to contact the association for interview opportunities, please contact Meg.Lemke@gmail.com
Philippe Ostermann, Head of the French Comics Association, said “Since the early 1900s, graphic novels have remained a firmly-rooted staple of Franco-Belgian culture and an essential element of French creativity.”
Ostermann added, “Our graphic novel industry is the third largest worldwide. The Franco-Belgian graphic novel industry has developed a particularly strong presence in the American market, with between 60 and 100 translations published every year in the U.S. We are excited for the French Comics Association to give voice to major contemporary figures of Franco-Belgian comics and deepen their presence on the American landscape.”
