The Herceg Novi Comic Festival (HSF) is breaking boundaries and setting records, it was announced last night at the opening of the 19th edition of the event that will turn Herceg Novi into the regional and European center of comics for the next five days.

The festival opened with three impressive exhibitions: works by 12 world-class comic masters who are special guests, the exhibition Stevan Subić – Ten Years Later at the Josip Bepo Benković Gallery, and Hugo Pratt – Corto Maltese: Heritage, Work and Biography at the Sue Ryder Gallery. The music program was launched by regional sensation Ida Prester and her band Lollobrigida.

This year’s edition is the most content-rich and exciting so far, featuring the biggest comic stars from Montenegro, the region, Europe, and the world.

“150 artists from 20 countries have come to Herceg Novi, to Boka, to Montenegro, for six days of spectacle – cultural, artistic, and human – because artists who are here can only be good people,” said organizer Nebojša Mandić, who together with his colleague Jovan Subotić declared the festival open.

“Nineteen years – this is no longer just a hobby or entertainment, this is a mission that Nebojša and I embarked on together with Nikola Ćurčin. We bring culture, joy, and smiles to this city – and we are doing it again this year,” emphasized organizer Jovan Subotić, thanking everyone who has supported the festival this year and in years past.

Comics are proof of how close people in Europe are because they share cultural values regardless of borders, said Riccardo Serri, chargé d’affaires of the Delegation of the European Union to Montenegro.

“Many people, myself included, grew up reading comics. For us it was Hugo Pratt, Pazienza, Milo Manara. It is fascinating to realize that there are no boundaries for comics, culture, and art. When I arrived in Podgorica, and the Balkans in general, I discovered that many characters from Italian comics are popular here as well, that people read Zagor, Tex Willer, Alan Ford; you even have bars named after them. That is a tribute, testimony to the shared European culture we all belong to and a symbol of what we are striving for in the European Union today,” said Serri. He added that he hopes borders will soon be officially erased when Montenegro becomes an EU member, while comics, books, and art have already been erasing them for a long time.

The opening also featured a multimedia project Moby Dick City Blues by Cosimo Miorelli and Stefano Bechini. Attendees were treated to a glimpse of this impressive performance – Miorelli was digitally drawing live, showcasing his distinctive visual and poetic style, while Bechini accompanied the process with musical improvisation.

The Italian duo will present the full performance on Monday, September 8. The event is part of the EU project Comics Beyond, which HSF is organizing in cooperation with the Belgian Comic Strip Center in Brussels, Comicon in Naples, and festivals in Amiens, France, and Amadora, Portugal.

Special thanks were extended to the Embassy of Italy, which has supported HSF for 11 years and, together with the Italian Ministry of Culture, supported the organization of the Hugo Pratt – Corto Maltese: Heritage, Work and Biography exhibition this year. The 19th edition also received support from the embassies of France, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Spain, as well as cooperation with the USA and the UK. Organizers also thanked the company Blue Line, which has supported the festival for a full decade.

Stevan Subić: The Most Important Legacy of HSF Is Its Audience

Ten years ago, Stevan Subić was a guest at HSF for the first time, and now, a decade later, he returned to Herceg Novi as one of the most sought-after comic artists, with a solo exhibition that wowed the audience at the festival opening. Particularly notable were original works, some of which were shown to the public for the first time.

“I decided to share some exclusives at this exhibition – there are originals and some things no one before you has seen, except my editor and me. I think they show best the development and maturation of a new expression, a step forward,” said Subić.

He explained that the originals are part of his author projects for the French magazine Métal Hurlant, one of which was published in the anniversary issue marking the magazine’s 50 years. Another story has not yet been published – giving the Herceg Novi audience a unique chance to glimpse his newest work.

His third overall, and second solo exhibition is, he emphasized, a testament to the friendship, love, and closeness that exist between him, the Comic Festival, and Herceg Novi. He praised the organizers, stressing that their energy and passion for the city and for comics truly push boundaries.

“An audience has to be cultivated over time, with effort, care, and love so that it can grow. That is what the people in Herceg Novi are doing – they are creating an audience. That is major work and a legacy in itself. Herceg Novi gathers an intelligent, educated audience, and people don’t leave these places the same as when they came. All this changes them, this energy is good, and it flows to people who become readers, consumers of culture. This enrichment and spark in cultural life cannot remain without recognition and admiration,” Subić said.

Ida Prester: I Don’t Remember a More Beautiful Stage

After the Belavista opening was rounded out by the local duo Low Voltage, the crowd at Forte Mare was warmed up by the brilliant band PAKS, winners of the Bunt Rock Festival. The stars of the first music night were regional indie-pop icon Ida Prester and her band Lollobrigida.

With their charisma, positive energy, and stellar performance, Ida and the band captivated the full house at Forte Mare, which danced along to hits like Miss Right and Mr Wrong, Bivša cura, Šansa, and Ja se resetiram.

“I don’t remember us ever being on a more beautiful stage. When we arrived here, when we saw how everything looked… And another thing that absolutely amazed me was the Institute Igalo – it’s the most impressive place I’ve ever been to. I had no idea where I was coming, and when I walked inside – the lamps, the ceiling, the bar, it’s all Tito’s Yugoslavia, I was just waiting for Jovanka to appear and wave. It’s wonderful to meet people and discover new places – that’s the magic of this job,” Ida Prester shared.

Speaking about comics, she revealed that she grew up with Alan Ford and said this art form deserves more attention.

“I really adored that comic, and I think it taught me a lot about the world – those bizarre characters, pig mayors, everything has its place and explains situations to you as a child – the virtues and flaws of people that are so grotesquely depicted in comics, and in real life, it’s more or less the same. Comics are an extremely important art form, they’ve been neglected, and I’m glad that a small town like Herceg Novi has invested so much into a comic festival, with such an ambitious music program as well. That’s wonderful,” said Prester.

The 19th HSF continues today, starting at 11 a.m. at Nikola Đurković Square, with fan sketching sessions, a comic book fair, T-shirt drawing, and the eco-action Comic Heroes Against Sea Pollution.

At the same time, children’s workshops on comics and illustration will be held at the City Library and the coworking space Kolektiv Novi, continuing the program for the youngest that began yesterday with a workshop at the Dašo Pavičić Elementary School.