by Interview with Nebojša Mandić, organizer of the Hercegnov Strip Festival
HNSF celebrates 18 years of existence – how did it all begin?
The creator and initiator of the Hercegnov Strip Festival is Nikola Ćurčin, who organized the first edition of the festival back in 2007. Since then, Jovan Subotić, Nikola Ćurčin and I, Nebojša Mandić, have been making sure that the idea survives. Thanks to the joint effort, HSF experienced its 18th edition this year. Our festival has become one of the most important manifestations dedicated to the ninth art in the region.
What can we expect from this year's festival?
This year, the Herzegovina Strip Festival gathers over 150 artists from more than 20 countries, and we are especially proud of 12 special guests. From the United States come Jill Thompson and Gene Ha, from Mexico Tony Sandoval, from Spain Jordi Tarragona, then Tanino Liberatore from Italy, as well as Mateo Alemano and Jenika Ioffreda. We also have great young artists Nina Vakueva and Anna Morozova, Matyas Namai from the Czech Republic, Eric Herenguel from France and Damijan Stepančić from Slovenia.
How does the festival contribute to the inclusion of young people in the world of comics?
The basic idea of the festival is to involve as many young people as possible and expand the base of fans of comics, art and culture. This year, in cooperation with the "One" mobile network, we organized four-day workshops for elementary and high school students. The workshops were held by world-renowned pedagogues, and the master class and storyboard workshop were led by Đorđo Pentrali from Italy. Our expectations have already been exceeded because in September, in a city with 32.000 inhabitants, we hosted so many world talents.
What sets HSF apart from other festivals?
Hercegno Strip Festival is not only an art and comics experience, but also a musical one. In addition to the artistic content, the festival is accompanied by a phenomenal music program with concerts of the best pop and rock groups from the region. Our guests describe us as a "cultural miracle". Andrew Scott from Great Britain said that, "if anyone wants to make a bigger festival than this, they would have to organize it on the moon."
Interview with Dražen Baletić, founder of the strip club "Mr No" in Podgorica
Dear friends, what can fans of comics find at the stand of the Comic Club "Mr No"?
At our stand, we try to cover everything that comes out in the area of the former Yugoslavia, but also beyond. From American comics like DC and Marvel editions, all the way to Japanese manga that are also popular because of their anime adaptations. We also offer the Franco-Belgian school of comics, with classics like Asterix and Obelix, as well as Talenic Tom. Of course, there are also indispensable Italian comics such as Dilan Dog and Zagor, which are popular in this region.
Is there a connection between comics and video games?
Absolutely! This connection has been present since ancient times. For example, who remembers the old one Commodore 64, will also remember games based on popular comic heroes such as Dylan Dog, Marti Misterija, Zagor, and even Konan the Barbarian. The connection between comics and video games is fascinating and continues to grow with modern consoles such as the PlayStation 5. Today, all of Marvel's heroes, such as Iron Man, Captain America, Thor and the Guardians of the Galaxy, are present in video games, further connecting these worlds.
Can you tell us more about the popularity of Marvel comics in this area?
Of course. Marvel comics have always been popular here, and now especially because of the new issues that came out through "Hatchets" https://www.hachette.rs/stripovi/marvel/ publisher from Serbia. They launched an edition of the 100 best Marvel titles, and one of the latest editions is Iron Man. There are other legends such as Captain America, Thor and the Guardians of the Galaxy, I believe everyone knows Gruta. Also, Civil War is a great example of how comics are adapted into blockbuster movies, which further popularizes comics among the younger generation.
You mentioned that everything is connected - comics, movies, games... Can you explain this connection to us?
Yes, it's all one big universe that intertwines with each other. Let's take for example the film adaptation of comic books. The first two films about Conan, in which Arnold Schwarzenegger played, were later adapted in comic form. Also, today we have collectible figurines of all those heroes, and our friend from Podgorica makes great figurines from those comic worlds. These lines are so intertwined that you can follow the story through film, comics, video games and action figures, all in the same universe.
Does the strip club "Mr No" have a special offer for fans of domestic titles?
Yes, one of our most requested titles is a comic adaptation "Mountain Garland", which became a real bestseller. It is particularly interesting that all the lines of the original have been kept in this comic, nothing has been changed. It is simply "framed", as if you are watching a movie version, so you can visually experience characters like Duke Draško or Vuk Mandušić. Also, comic book versions of "Luče Mikrokosma" and "False Emperor Šćepan Malog" were made, which shows that comics as a medium are recognized as an important art form in these areas as well.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stripklubmrno/
Can you tell us more about the upcoming Podgorica Strip Festival?
Of course! The second edition of the Podgorica Strip Festival is being held in the shopping center "Big Fashion", and it will be truly spectacular. This year we have guests from Germany, including cosplayers who will appear as Wolverine i Dead Pool, which will surely be a special experience for visitors. It is also planned that the cosplay heroes will walk through the dark during the screening of a film, which will create a real comic book atmosphere. We definitely invite all fans of comics and pop culture to join us.
What does comics represent for you as art and how do you see its future?
Comics, as many say, is the ninth art. He is recognized all over the world, and his ability to tell stories about heroes, historical events or fantastic worlds through visual and narrative language is priceless. What the comic has managed to do is to attract people of all generations, from the youngest to those who grew up with comics. The future of comics is bright, especially in this digital age, where we have comics adapted into movies, video games and other media. I think comics will continue to connect people through new technologies.
Where can we visit the strip club "Mr No"?
Our club is located in Podgorica, on Trg Božana Vučinić, and anyone interested can visit us as part of the Podgorica Strip Festival in the shopping center "Big Fashion" from September 24 to 28. We look forward to every new visitor and comic book lover!
Interview with Filip Andronikos, a popular comic artist and lecturer at the Hercegnov Comic Festival
Filip, can you tell us something more about what is happening today at this workshop, although we are in the premises of the Water Polo Club Jadran, in the background we see children drawing?
Yes, today we even have two drawing workshops in the same place. The first workshop is dedicated to younger age groups, i.e. primary school students, while the second is intended for older participants, i.e. high school students. These workshops last three days, and today is the third day, when we finish the process of creating comics. We work on all the key steps of creating a comic, starting from drawing with a pencil, then showering the drawing, all the way to coming up with the story and writing the text. Our goal is for the young generation to learn how comics are made from start to finish, and at the end we will have an exhibition of all their works.
So, the workshops are for elementary and high school students and are held during the festival. Is there a comics school in Herceg Novi outside the festival?
Unfortunately, there is currently no permanent comics school in Herceg Novi. The reason for this is that this is a smaller city, so there is not a large number of comic artists who could continuously expand their knowledge. Interest among the younger audience certainly exists, but the situation is such that a permanent school has not yet been organized. My colleague Neven and I come from Sarajevo and work with children in Bosnia and Herzegovina, while Srđan, our colleague from Serbia, works with children in his own country. Unfortunately, there is still no permanent drawing school in Montenegro, but considering these events and the growing interest, I believe that something like that could be started soon.
How important are these events for the development of comics among young people in the region?
Such events are of inestimable importance, because they give young people the opportunity to get acquainted with comics as an art form, to learn the technique of drawing and creating stories, but also to connect with professionals in this field. Through such workshops, children have the opportunity to feel what the process of creating comics looks like, which can arouse their interest in continuing. Also, these kinds of festivals encourage the development of comics at the local level and can be the first step towards the formation of schools and workshops in places where they do not yet exist.
How much do you think the interest we see here at the festival will affect the future of comics in Montenegro?
The interest we see here is certainly a positive sign. Children are very interested, creative and want to learn. I think that such festivals will encourage the development of comics in Montenegro, especially if the organization of workshops and educational programs continues. I believe that in the future a permanent school of comics could be formed, maybe not immediately in Herceg Novi, but somewhere in Montenegro, where young talents would develop further.
Thank you very much, Filip, for your time and dedication to working with young people. We wish you much success!
Thank you, it was a pleasure. I hope that these workshops will inspire many young people to take up comics and that we will soon see more comic schools in the entire region.
