Just For Laughs launches a new angle to the fest, and pretends to know what it's doing
My excitement was palpable as I ran to the press conference a couple months ago about BD Montréal, a promising – on paper – new angle to the Just For Laughs fest that would honour one of Monteal’s richest resources: comix.
But then, I got there and listened to what they were organizing.
Since July 14, on the corner of De Maisonneuve and Sanguinet, exists a humongous tent covering 8,000 square feet and grouping together 40 stands where people are peddling, talking about, celebrating and promoting bédés. If you’re from Montreal, and at all familiar with the vibrant scene that exists, you’d undoubtedly expect to see names like Rick Trembles, Hélène Brosseau, Henriette Vallium, Siris, Caro Caron, Simon Bossé, Bernie Mireault and Billy Mavreas participating. At the very least Rupert Bottenburg, the city’s premier motivator on the comix promotion front, who has his fingers planted firmly in the pies of both Blue Metropolis and Fantasia’s comix-related programming.
Instead, a fraction of the local wealth of talent was mined. The event is quasi exclusively francophone – a demonstration of true provincial myopia on the part of co-organizers Just For Laughs and Le Salon du Livre de Montréal – and firmly focused on the European talent that’s been shipped in (at great expense) for the occasion. It is one of the blindest, most blatant wastes of a good idea I’ve seen in recent times in the city’s art scene, and, truly, and embarrassing demonstration of just how little the brains behind this actually know about the art form on whose bandwagon they’re trying to jump.
No offence to the artists who did make it in the selection, obviously – the more exposure, the better. But to the organizers: Better luck next year.
BD Montréal continues to July 24, at the corner of De Maisonneuve and Sanguinet. Go to www.hahaha.com for more info.
3 comments
I expect English speaking comics should be frustrated. The good news is that errors are bound to be corrected. I would suggest writing to the organizers. It’s their first time after all in Montreal. I really can’t whine since I am mostly a European BD fan. I still read comics and I would like to get one place where I can find it all.
Too bad I missed that event. Being a big fan of BD, I would have come.
Well, it is a bit unfair to qualify that event of myopia. Do you say the same about Francofolies de Montréal ? I don’t think so.
I think the goal was more to promote BD like it is done in France and Belgium. It has nothing to do with comic books originating from the US, not has it with manga coming from Japan, even if definitely they share the principles, and if the BD authors are getting influenced sometime (mostly the newer authors) by others’ style.
Maybe it is a good occasion to open a market to translate these, as beside the famous Asterix and Tintin, almost none have been translated, and that there are great masterpieces, including “Largo Winch” that inspired the TV series of the same name (filmed on location in Montreal), “Valérian” from Jean-Claude Mézières, the one who designed settings for the movie “The 5th Element”, like the futuristic New York, the cab, etc. , “L’Incal” from Moebius, who designed the cop costumes still for “The 5th Element”.
I love comic Books. As a kid i was into all the super-heroes, butlater on in life i learned to enjoy the other side of comic books. The intriguing stroy line, the creative artwork etc.. I never attended this event in particular, but wholly crap Man!! Chill out.. Ok fine.. most of the comix were either french or European.. and your favorites were not present, but Montreal is a city with an obsession with festivals.. we have one a least every other week. And, although i have not been to a comic book convention in at least 7 years or so.. i am pretty sure that there is one every year at the Delta Hotel.. where you can find almost every book imaginable… maybe it’s no more i don’t know. The point is that there is no shortage of events and locations where these artists can get exposure. If there is one thing this city is good for is launching artistic careers. I am sure these artists are not suffering because they were snubbed by BD Montreal… they will have their day in the sun, if they haven’t already. Let it be man…it’s not the first comic book event this city has seen, and surtanly will not be the last…maybe they will get it right next year. Just be thankfull you don’t live in Toronto or somewhere boring like that.