The International Festival of Comics and Games has been organized since 1991 and became the biggest comics event in Poland and Central-Eastern Europe. Until 1998 it functioned as the Polish Convention of Comics Artists. Above all, the festival is a place where comics & electronic interactive media creators and fans can meet. The 30th edition of the festival in the Expo-Lodz hall was visited by over 20 000 people. This year, the 33rd edition of the MFKiG will take place on September 24-25.
According to the official website, the festival’s programme features many elements:
- Comics zone: meetings with artists, writers, publishers and researchers. Every year, hundreds of artists from Poland and abroad take part in the event. Łódź has already hosted such stars like Jean Giraud, Milo Manara, Jim Lee, Howard Chaykin, Stan Sakai, Simon Bisley, Dave McKean, Norm Breyfogle, Don Rosa, Jean Van Hamme, Andreas, Regis Loisel, Marvano, Akira Yamaoka, Brian Azzarello, Eduardo Risso, Alan Grant, Igort, Melinda Gebbie, Tanino Liberatore, Tony Sandoval, Ramon K. Perez, Cyril Pedrosa, John Higgins, Mick McMahon and many others. Also, the most famous Polish artists have visited the festival, such as: Grzegorz Rosiński, Zbigniew i Grażyna Kasprzakowie, Henryk Jerzy Chmielewski, Tadeusz Baranowski, Bohdan Butenko, Szarlota Pawel, Janusz Christa, Bogusław Polch, Marek Szyszko and Tadeusz Raczkiewicz, together with hundreds of talented creators from younger generations.
The festival offers various competitions with prizes for the comics fans. Also, it is an occassion for the artists to promote their works and gather new potential customers and audience.
- Games zone: PC games tournaments, console games tournaments, board games tournaments, workshops and free access, meetings with various game creators and publishers.
- Commercial area – the fair: on festival’s stands where there is a chance to buy the newest and older comics from all over the world, gadgets, games and books, as well as professional equipment and tools for graphic designers.
The most important point in the festival schedule is the international competition for a short comics story. Artists submit works up to 8 pages long, with no given theme. All comics are shown at an exhibition, selected ones are printed in the catalogue. The winner is awarded with the Grand Prix. Also, there are 3 main prizes and 3 special awards.
Moreover, every year there are a dozen up to 30 expos, presenting various works by foreign and Polish artists. They are located in various locations in the city: the “EC1 Łódź – City of Culture” in Łódź, Lodz Cultural Center, House of Literature in Lodz, Poleski Cultural Center in Łódź, outdoors, in clubs and shopping malls.
Besides the expos, artists conduct drawing and writing workshops for the participants, where they teach them new comics skills. The festival also organizes the comics competition for pupils, based on educational themes.
Lat but not least, the festival includes special panels and sectors devoted to particulat topics and themes, for example:
- Star Wars zone: discussion panels, meetings with interesting guests, exhibitions for Star Wars fans.
- Manga Corner: everything for fans of Japanese comics.
- Cosplay: competition for the best outfit from the universe of comics, manga, anime and games.
The main organizers of the festival are the “EC1 Łódź – City of Culture” in Łódź (from 2016) and the Association of Artists “Contur” (from 1991). Between 1991 and 2012 the association had the Łódź Cultural Center as partner, and between 2013 and 2015 it was replaced by the House of Literature in Łódź. The festival is also founded by the City of Łódź and by the main sponsor – the Atlas Group.
Check the gallery of the previous editions of the festival here.
The premiere of the second volume of the comic book EXPOSITION “RiGOR”, published under the patronage of the Foreign Intelligence Agency, written by Tobiasz Piątkowski and Marek Oleksicki.
Już jutro na Międzynarodowym Festiwalu Komiks i Gier w Łodzi premiera II tomu komiksu EKSPOZYTURA „RYGOR” wydanego pod patronatem Agencji Wywiadu, autorstwa Tobiasza Piątkowskiego i Marka Oleksickiego.
1/2 pic.twitter.com/eJgproFgcD
— Agencja Wywiadu (@AWgovPL) September 23, 2022
“In the second part of the story about “Rigor”, the main character struggles with the challenges related to the constantly increasing vigilance of the collaborating authorities and the Gestapo. As a result – despite the support of the United States – he has to deal with the exposure of part of the intelligence network. He manages to contain the whole situation to some extent – regardless of the threat, he carries out his own operation of transferring intelligence officers from Gibraltar to Algeria by sea. All these activities cause the local resistance movement to increase its interest in Słowikowski and his contacts with the Allies, who – although anxiety can be felt throughout the coast – decide to attack North Africa. Thanks to “Rigor”, the Americans and the British are able to defend themselves. Ultimately, after the Americans enter, the Polish officer decides to close the branch. In the second volume, we introduce you not only to our values, which we wrote about in the first part of the comic, but also to present the backstage of intelligence work. We show the problems faced by “Rygor” and all intelligence officers who have to reconcile their family and professional life.” (aw.gov.pl)
Przeczytaj kontynuację niezwykłej historii wywiadu!
Zapraszamy do lektury!#FestiwalKomiksu #Komiks #EkspozyturaRygor #Rygor #EgmontPolska2/2
— Agencja Wywiadu (@AWgovPL) September 23, 2022