Comic Barcelona closes its doors with more than 110,000 visitors

More than 110,000 people have visited Comic Barcelona, which closed its 42nd edition this Sunday. The figure is similar to that of previous editions but is still below the levels of 2019, before the covid pandemic. The great fair of the comics sector has brought together more than 200 exhibitors, in an edition that has combined "lifetime fans but also young people or families with boys and girls who are at the age to start reading". According to the organization, the moment of "optimism" has been reaffirmed by the diverse offer of comics that reach "a wide range of audiences". In relation to last year, "a general increase in sales" has been registered.

"We have had many families, more than ever, many young people as well. The Ibañez exhibition has been visited by people of all generations, we are very satisfied with this edition", said the director general of Ficomic, Meritxell Puig , which highlighted the boom in demand for children's and youth comics in the fair's aisles.

The show, which was held for three days at the Montjuïc Fair, featured the late Francisco Ibáñez, father of Mortadel·lo and filemó, as well as the 'Mad Max' saga starring two of the exhibitions

Another of the novelties of this edition is the new space 'Utopia', dedicated to fantasy and science fiction with publishers specializing in this genre such as Minotauro or Puck. In this sense, 'Utopia' joins established sections such as 'Comic Vision' and 'Comic Fantasy.

As far as the exhibitions are concerned, the one dedicated to Trini Tinturé, who received the Gran Premi Comic Barcelona in the previous edition, also recently disappeared, has also been crowded. Tinturé's testimony was collected by Marika Vila, who in the ceremony held last Friday collected the Grand Prize Comic Barcelona of the 42nd edition.

Another of the shows that has attracted quite a lot of public has been that of Salamanca illustrator Tomás Hijo. As for the guests, queues have been seen to get signatures from authors such as Emma Ríos, Erik Kriek, Max Sarin, Lisa Lugrin, Gilbert (Beto) Hernández, Liberatore, Sana Takeda, Marjorie Liu, Pepe Larraz, Liniers, Mikael Ross, Martin Panchaud, Fernando Trueba, Javier Mariscal, among others.

The awards for the best 'cosplay', that is to say, the best costume, were also handed out this Sunday. One of the winners has been two cousins who have chosen to dress up as the protagonists of the edition, Mortadel·lo and filemó, with handmade costumes, masks and accessories for a couple of months. "It was Ibáñez's comic book show. We lost it in October but for us it is our childhood and we had to pay him this tribute," explained the winners of the best 'prop' category.

Next year the fair will change month and will be held in April in an edition that will seek to consolidate the attendance figure. "We have achieved a very good balance of stands, activities and exhibitions and next year we will follow the same path," he said.