Posted in: Comics | Tagged: Angoulême, charlie hebdo, Comics, entertainment

Angoulême, In The Wake Of Charlie Hebdo

Published Mon, 19 Jan 2015 13:00:07 -0600

Angoulême is the world's largest comic book art festival, with its 42nd annual event scheduled for the end of the month, in the French town that gives the show its name. But in the wake of the Charlie Hebdo killings, this will be a very different show.

A protest march arranged to protect the rights of comic book creators on the Saturday afternoon has now transformed in the memory of the dead cartoonists. Creators will be asked to stop signings during the event, whether they participate or not, and readers are asked to support the march.

The day before, a general meeting of creators, publishers, distributors and sellers will meet to bring up issues and grievances, though it is likely that Charlie Hebdo will loom large in that event as well.

Security is being raised considerably at the show, with fear that a copycat action might take place, aimed at the event and visitors are told, for the first time, to expect through bag searches. There have been calls for Israeli creators to receive special protection measures.

There have also been calls for the Grand Prix award to be given to Charlie Hebdo and its creators, rather than the final nominees, with a petition with 4,000 signatures so far. There is also a planned "Charlie Award for Freedom of Expression."

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