Angoulême 2009: Picture of the Day
… Masters of comics: Chris Ware & Daniel Clowes…
Angoulême 2009: FLIX!
See them all:
Angoulême 2009: Menu & “Misfits”
As our patient reader surely expects, the Bunker crew knows how to pick its spot — L’Association’s Lapin release party seemed kind of dull until L’Asso-boss Jean-Christophe Menu exploded in the basement, performing several covers of Misfits punk classics! The Bunker is proud to present its very own (and, alas, unfortunately very short) YouTube clip documenting a slice of the central event — X-Ray Spex’ “I’m a Cliché” — this Friday night at Angoulême (look closer for the Bunker’s own Metabaron rocking back and forth in the background).
Note: This entry has been corrected to reflect punk reality.
Angoulême 2009: Change We Can Believe In
After spending two nights in downtown Angoulême, it seems kind of safe to conclude that nightlife culture has changed. Usually THE place to meet is legendary bar Le Chat Noir, but since smoking was banned inside, what seems to be the majority of the patrons have moved outside, leaving the place half-empty, or well, actually abandoned. But there’s more! The semi-notorious bar at Hotel Mercure doesn’t have quite the feel it used to; it’s still packed, although not as impressively as earlier, but now it’s a grey haired crowd dominating the place. You’ll be lucky to spot a youngster. As our beloved Bart Beaty asks @ Comics Reporter: “Where is everyone?”
Well, Dan Clowes and Chris Ware reportedly went to bed early, and even though Norwegian superstar Jason dropped by, turnout seemed a little sparse. Fortunately, the party continues in a bar on the street conecting the Place des halles with City Hall square. That’s where things are happening, mind you without any notable cartoonist presence. At the time of writing, I’ve managed to forget the name of the newbie bar, but it had a great funk band playing, and a charming bartender (see above).
Angoulême 2009: Peep Show
The sun came out today. Angoulême looks great, and this year’s festival is a great pre-spring distraction in this time of recession. The crowds are moderate today, making perambulation pleasant and breezy with sufficient bustle to make you buzz with excitement about comics and their culture. It’s not like everything’s great in French-language comics or anything, but let’s just stay in the moment here.
Angoulême 2007 — The Complete Metabunker Coverage
Angoulême 2007 — The Complete Metabunker Coverage
Check in for our coverage of the 2007 comics festival in Angoulême.
Hype: Thorhauge i weekendavisen
Lars Bukdahl har fået fingrene i T. Thorhauges seneste tegneserie Jørgen Leth. Som afslutning på en karakteristisk pikaresk om Leths genfundne popularitet, giver han den følgende ord med på vejen:
“Sidste værk i bunken af Lethiana er T. Thorhauges lillebitte, virtuost tegnede og karikerede hæfte Jørgen Leth, hvor tegneseriefiguren Leth, mens han fremsiger blanke visdomsord fra Det uperfekte menneske — »man kan ikke skrue tiden tilbage og lave om« etc. — står op, spiser morgenmad og åbner en lem til en verden under jorden befolket af eksotiske kvinder, en af hvilke han udfører en slags voodoo-ceremoni på, hvorefter han skrækslagen flygter op til overfladen igen og serverer sig selv frokost: »Og nu går jeg ned for at få min mango og omelet.« En kvik og kongenial miniature-hommage, en kærlig Kalulesk uppercut lige på glashagen (der nok skal holde).”
Sådan er det.
ANGOULÊME!
The Bunker crew has hit Angoulême! Stay tuned for lots of updates, generous paparazzi-flix and delightful gossip! The world’s greatest comics festival is ON!
Above: Metabaron Wivel conversing Lewis “genius” Trondheim (Photo: Yours truly, taken 2007)
John Updike RIP
We at the Bunker want to pay our respects. Read the New York Times obit, and if you’re part of our cartoon-interested audience, be sure to check out Jeet Heer’s articles on Updike’s appreciation for comics and cartooning here and here. While we’re at it, read his appreciation here.
1978 Cartoon portrait of Updike by David Levine.
Angoulême 2009: Enter the Cartoon Cathouse
La Maison close is Florent Ruppert and Jerome Mulot’s latest concept comic, and it’s about the most impressive cartoonist’s jam I have ever seen, at least in terms of inventiveness and resonant coherence. Also, it’s pretty hilarious at times. It’s made especially for the Angoulême festival and can be read on the festival site. It unites a couple dozen cartoonists, half male, half female and sets them up in a whorehouse designed by the project masterminds. The idea, briefly, is that the female cartoonists are prostitutes and the male ones johns. From there on, things get unpredictably interesting…