In the second installment of the Asia-Europe Comics Project, named LINGUA COMICA, ASEF joined hands with COMICA, the London International Comics Festival. Fourteen emerging graphic novelists from the following countries in Asia and Europe: Finland, France, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Spain, Vietnam and UK, took part in the online artistic project and engaged in a five-day dialogue using the medium of graphic novel as main tool of communication and work.

The project was organised as a two phase’s event: started as an artistic project (Asia-Europe Collaboratory) running since the end August 2007 and where 7 pairs of Asia-Europe comic artists worked together online, and continued in London, United Kingdom, 20-24 October 2007, where the comic artists met, attended panels on comics collaboration between the two regions, shared their experiences on the work online and continued the work started online.

The work online and in London was facilitated by internationally renowned comic artists and lecturers Sarnath Banerjee (India) and Gerald Gorridge (France), and supported by a high-level number of resource people and guest lecturers, amongst them Benoit Peeters (Belgium), Kosei Ono (Japan), Igort Tuveri (Italy) or Titus Ackermann (Germany) amongst others. Paul Gravett (UK) was the Artistic Director for this project.

For more information on the artistic outputs of the project or to know more about future installements of the Lingua Comica programme please contact Lingua Comica’s coordinator Mr David Ocón at david.ocon@asef.org

Some quotes on 2007 Lingua Comica’s project:

▪ “It strengthened my desire to become a professional comic artist”(Mari Ahokoivu, comic artist, Finland);

▪ “In the last few years comics have become universal. Among the American, Asian and European comics’ traditions more bridges are being built. By putting togehter several young and emerging artists coming from very different countries in Asia and Europe, “Lingua Comica” is one the the most remarkables initiatives of this sort” (Benoit Peeters, Lingua Comica 2007 tutor, France);

▪ “Talks were interesting and the relation with the other members was very positive. It’s a nice starting point for things to follow” (J.M. Ken Niimura, comic artist, Spain);

▪ “I’d like to continue out collaboration with some of the members online and try to publish something together” (Gabor Kiss, comic artist, Hungary);

Hi All! Thought I wanted also post something new… So here’s the first page of my solo work for the publication… The whole thing is just three pages long…

Also, can anyone remember the name of the restaurant we went to on Saturday night? My stomach wants to make a note for future visits.