ICAF 2006

Eleventh Annual International Comic Arts Festival (ICAF)
Thursday, October 12-Saturday, October 14
Mumford Room, Library of Congress Madison Building, Washington, DC

The International Comic Arts Festival, an annual conference devoted to the study of comics, returns to the Library of Congress this October for a three-day forum of panels, keynote speeches, artist talks, and exhibitions showcasing the cutting edge in work by comic artists and scholars.

This year ICAF is proud to present an evening with legendary cartoonist, comics artist, and author Jules Feiffer.  Feiffer will speak at 7:00 on the evening of Thursday, October 12.  That afternoon's programming will include a display of original Feiffer drawings and manuscript materials from the Library of Congress collection, from 3:00 to 3:45 in the Prints & Photographs Division Reading Room.

ICAF will also present a panel on the role of comics in documenting the Rwandan genocide at the George Washington University's Gelman Library at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, October 13.  The panel will feature Rwandan/Canadian cartoonist Rupert Bazambanza, whose graphic novel Sourire malgre tout presents a firsthand account of the genocide, and American conflict resolution expert Ellen Yamshon of the Comics Media in Conflict Resolution Project.  The panel will be moderated by George Washington University professor and Rwanda expert Steven Livingston.

Finally, ICAF will feature a symposium offering a rare behind-the-scenes look at American superhero comics.  Writer Stuart Moore and artist Jamal Igle (Firestorm) will appear in a panel detailing production methods, while comics legends Denny O'Neil (Batman, Green Lantern/Green Arrow, The Question) and Phil Jiminez (Otherworld, The Invisibles) will participate in a roundtable on the challenges of addressing political issues in mainstream US comics.  Both events will take place on the afternoon of Saturday, October 14.  ICAF will also host eighteen academic presentations by comic art scholars from around the world.

ICAF is pleased to work with the Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Division and the Caroline and Erwin Swann Foundation for Caricature and Cartoon. Our sponsors include the Canadian Embassy, the Washington Post, Andrews McMeel Universal, Jean Schulz, Cartoon Books, and Jay & Silent Bob's Secret Stash.

ICAF is free and open to the public. For more information, including schedules and sponsors, please visit our official website or contact Marc Singer.

Comments

[Scipio]

Marc, I'd like to get a poster for this event to post at my comic book store in Georgetown; can you make that happen?

[Marc]

Sadly, I have neither the budget nor the skill for a poster. I'll see what I can do about a flyer, though.