Lovers of the ninth art have an important -and brand-new- appointment in the capital at the end of this month: from March 27 to 30, the I Feria del Cómic de Madrid will be held in Matadero (Plaza de Legazpi, 8). The event was born with the vocation of becoming an annual event and to highlight, in the words of the capital’s City Council, “the extraordinary publishing production of the ninth art in Spain”.
Specialized bookstores have always played a fundamental role in this task, and that is why they will be present at this pioneering fair during the four days: they will be installed, along with other bookstores that have also shown special attention to the genre, in 36 booths located in the Matadero square.
The booths will be open from 4 pm to 8 pm on Thursday, March 27 and from 11 am to 8 pm (non-stop) from Friday 28 to Sunday 30. In addition, similar to what happens during the Book Fair, there will be discounts: all purchases will be discounted by 10%.
Program and authors of the 1st Madrid Comic Fair
In addition to the unique showcase that will make up the booths, the fair consists of another leg: an extensive cultural program in which some of the most prominent names in the world of comics today will participate.
Elisa McCausland, comic critic and researcher of popular culture, has been the curator and in charge of defining the axes around which this first edition revolves: “the house as a narrative unit, the city as a space for artistic experimentation and multiverses as meeting opportunities”.
Something that comes to account for the richness of cartoons as a vehicle for telling stories ranging from superheroes and manga to family and historical memory and social movements.
To this end, a program has been designed that includes a wide variety of activities that will take place at Casa del Lector, Plaza Matadero and Cineteca Madrid. There will be round tables, interviews with authors, workshops, film screenings, live radio broadcasts and specialized podcasts.
As for the authors who will participate in them, we find names such as Paco Roca, Carla Berrocal, Teresa Valero, Albert Monteys, Laura Pérez Vernetti and Juanjo Guarnido. The opening talk will feature Richard McGuire, American graphic designer, contributor to The New Yorker and author of the graphic novel Aquí ( 2014). Afterwards, the film adaptation of the work will be screened at Cineteca.
Both to purchase tickets for the screenings and to find more information you can consult the official website of the event.