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Angoulême announces “Comics In All Their Forms”, free three-day celebration of comics

By John Freeman on December 13, 2025 • ( 0 )

Following the cancellation of the 53rd Festival International de la Bande Dessinée d’Angoulême amid controversy surrounding its organisers, the city’s mayor has announced a free three day event will take its place at the end of January.

Following up on an interview with the newspaper, Le Figaro confirming the city’s determination to remain “the world capital of comics”, the city’s mayor, Xavier Bonnefont, has outlined plans for the three day event, “La BD dans tous ses états” (“Comics In All Their Forms”).

“The cancellation of the Festival is a shock to all of us,” he said in a Facebook post (supplied translation used below), but added “In every crisis there is an opportunity we must collectively seize.

“In January 2026, Angoulême will vibrate well to the rhythm of a bande dessinée event: ‘Comics In All Their Forms’. A unique and creative event. The beginning of our festival rebuilding!

“A founding event for 2026 with all actors in the BD community, to put authors and authors back in the heart of the movement.”

Spanning three days, the free event, taking place at the end of January will, Bonnefont confirmed, bring together hundreds of authors.

“To come to this unique and creative event is to come to show your support for comics, in Angoulême the world capital of comics!” he asked.

“We are already preparing the future of the Festival for the coming years, built by, with and for comics professionals and comics enthusiasts. An ambitious and different festival!

“Together, we are setting up for the coming years a festival with a new energy, respecting the expectations of authors and authors, of their art, through a strong and shared framework.

“The elected officials, the services of the city and it people, the public partners, the local cultural actors, the librarians, the authors’ groups, the comic community: we are all mobilised to make comic live in Angouleme!

In his interview with Le Figaro, Bonnefont detailed how “There will be panels with journalists, book signings and the four big indie bookstores will be involved… Exhibitions are also being planned, co-ordinated by la Cité internationale de la bande dessinée et de l’image.

“… I invite all of France and all comic book fans, to support our community of local creators, the profession, and the artform as a whole.”

• Office de tourisme Pays d’Angoulême – for more information in French for events in the city

• la Cité internationale de la bande dessinée et de l’image

• Le Figaro: Interview with Xavier Bonnefont

With thanks to Paul Gravett

About the Author
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John Freeman

John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.

He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.