The inaugural festival took place on February 2, 1991 in Kielce. Originally, the event was named Polish Convention of Comics Artists. All subsequent shows were held in Lodz. In 1999, the convention was renamed to International Festival of Comics. The renaming was dedicated to the anniversary edition of the festival. In 2008, the programming was expanded to include computer games, so the words “...and Games” were added to the name to reflect this change.
Since the very first edition, the convention’s main organizer has been the association of artists “Contur”. Until 2012, Lodz Cultural Center was the main partner and venue of International Festival of Comics and Games. As of 2016, the event is held at the multipurpose indoor arena Atlas Arena.
The festival’s programming features many thematic elements and zones. Comics zone is the convention’s main attraction. Here attendees can meet comic book artists, writers and publishers as well as interactive media creators. Each year, Lodz welcomes over a hundred artists from Poland and abroad who eagerly interact with their fans and share their valuable experience with rookie comics authors.
Games zone offers PC, console and board games tournaments, seminars and workshops, free access meetings with video game developers and publishers. In the commercial area, attendees can buy the newest and older comic books from all over the world, books, games, gadgets, various merchandise, and even professional equipment and tools for graphic designers.
The programming of the comic book and game festival in Lodz also includes expos held in various venues throughout the city, an international short comic story competition, writing and drawing workshops, and a cosplay contest. Besides, there are special events for manga fans and Star War fans.
In 2020, the event was held online due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Photo: komiksfestiwal.com
