Angoulême Comics Festival

A quick note for Euro-Sheldonistas: I notice that France's AngoulĂȘme Comics Fest is coming up at the end of January. If you've never been, I highly recommend attending. I once thougt that San Diego Comic-Con was the be-all, end-all when it came to comics, but AngoulĂȘme — and, I've since come to learn, Japan's Comiket — are right up there.

I won't be in AngoulĂȘme this year, much to my chagrin, but I highly recommend it to any and all that can make it. There's a wonderful celebration of the art of "La bd" ("La bande dessinĂ©e ", the comic strip), at AngoulĂȘme. And if, like me, you're used to cartoons and comics being looked at as "low art" or "something for kids," AngoulĂȘme puts it in a whole new perspective. The festival is an amazing forum of comics, fans, signings, art shows, critical forums and in-depth presentations, and some of the most amazing comics collections you've never seen in the English-speaking world.

So if you can, check out AngoulĂȘme Comics Fest.