2024-05-10 03:01:00
The world of Argentine cartoon is not alien to the vicissitudes of the economy in general nor of the publishing industry in particular, but the 48 ª book Fair It clearly displays its specific virtues and difficulties. By far, one of those virtues is its accessibility. The comic is – in relative terms – cheap and, furthermore, it is there at the Fair. Much of the battered sector It is in those trays, within reach of the interested hand and the less wealthy pockets.
To compare, yes a literary novelty from the major labels does not go below 25,000 pesosa national cartoon fresh off the press can be obtained for ten thousand, or even for the ridiculous figure of 5500 pesos. The other side of these low prices (which are explained by a historical culture of the specialized circuit, something that at times puts the sustainability of the market) are the imported tomes, that can easily reach the 50.000 pesos, when not surpassing them by much.
On the other hand, if before the Fair was a focal point for the releases editorials, this time the volume of news reflects the retraction of the sector. For a decade, labels with aspirations to expand beyond the specialized circuit have been aiming their darts at the Fair. But this time the stakes are much more modest. Three titles per publisher in the best of cases, and trusting the public outside the specialized circuit to see the whole thing as new. catalog. In contrast, the spaces in the large publishing groups grew. Grupo Planeta (Green Pavilion, #917) In particular, it has a very visible double punt and is dominated by its sleeve line. A notable improvement regarding the exhibition of the group’s vignettes.
An interesting detail is that there are now comics in stands that were previously unthinkable. Except for stamps specialized in items that have nothing to do with the vignettes arranged in sequences, practically Every stand has at least one comic. Who more, who less, local editors of different kinds put some token on the ninth art in recent times. Thus, for example, there appear catchy titles, as Collected comics by Jorge Varlotta (Mario Levrero’s alter ego) in the collective stand in which he participates Creature Editor (Yellow Pavilion, #1920). O Angola epidemicby Brazilian Marcelo D’Salete, a title that won an Eisner Award in 2018, available at the stand Regional Book Plaza (Amarillo, #1705) along with other Flow Press and Outsider titles.
But how to go through the succession of vignettes of the Fair, then? For vernacular comics, the journey begins, like every year, in the Blue Pavilion. The first thing that catches the attention of the attentive eye is that comic stands grew (to celebrate here the incorporation of Crumb, a node of enormous activity in La Plata). In contrast, the stamp stands themselves were lost or are more modest. Many publishers that proudly had their name on the streets of this pavilion now shelter their titles in the stands of fellow labels (Comic.ar, for example, it accommodates several) or in collective spaces, such as that of the city government.
For some years now Hotel of Ideas (Blue, #429) It became one of the most prolific and prolific labels on the circuit. For this occasion, in addition to last year’s launches, they arrive at the Fair with three new things fresh: The rebellion (a choral graphic novel about the Cordobazo, by Ian Debiase), Azulby Nicolás Schuff and Martina Trach (which inaugurates a kind of adolescent line for the publisher) and cartoon seta theoretical text that also reinforces another facet of its catalog.
In Comic.ar (Azul, #217) You can find not only new releases from that label, but also from others, such as those from the prolific LocoRabia Here are the releases from the “Cortos” collection, which can be purchased for the aforementioned $5,500.-. In that same pavilion is the space shared by Comiks Debris and Primavera Revolver (#227) which has new children’s comics and recent releases of the popular adventure of there is and Quique Alcatena. Also for young readers it came to Common Publisher the closing of the saga Amulet. The ninth volume is available for $23,000 at booth #314.
If it is about international news, the fix is to visit Panini (#522) looking for Spanish imports, OvniPress (#310) by the local superhero editions of Marvel y DC Comics, practically everything Asterix (including the last one) in Del Zorzal (#420) or drool over the Astiberri catalog on the importer’s island Waldhutter (#410). There they stand out from a succulent volume of Versions of Alberto Breccia, Juan Sasturain and Carlos Trillo, until The fireby David Rubín, and Wantedby Miguel Brieva.
With some manga and a “creative” stand, which resembles a food truck (which suggests a disturbing metaphor) the stand of The Magazine Store (#535) reflects the omnipresent custom of comic stores of offering, in addition to books, merchandising. Unlike previous years, in the Magazine the piles of offers that tempted the wallets are missing.
The Green and Yellow Pavilions register fewer changes compared to previous editions. In addition to the aforementioned improvement in the exposure of its titles by Grupo Planeta – a result of the greater attention it gives to its line of manga and licenses Star Wars-, it’s always a good idea to take a look around V&R (Verde, #1022) which has its own thing, including a selfie section inspired by the hit Heartstopper, Latinbooks (Yellow, #1410) which supports his collection of literary adaptations, and Flower Editions (Amarillo, #1509), which is another kind of thermometer. In this sense, the label headed by Kuki Miller has the “New” sign on only three titles, among which stands out an adaptation of Tacuara mansionof Horacio Quiroga, in charge of Tatum.
If one reviews the previous paragraphs you will discover, with some joy, that the sector sustains its production and has a varied offer in aesthetics and themes. How much more could you do under better conditions? An answer for which we will first have to turn the page.