With drawing sessions at Škver and a concert by the band TBF, the 19th edition of the Herceg Novi Comic Festival (HSF) came to a close, reaffirming that this event belongs at the very top of the European and global comic scene.

In the spirit of a chorus from one of TBF’s hits, “Ništa mi neće ovi dan pokvarit” (“Nothing will ruin this day for me”), yesterday’s rain failed to spoil the plans – the audience at the Park Hall had a great time, singing along and sending off the words of the famous Split band’s songs with spontaneous applause.

Mladen Badovinac of TBF said that they themselves were surprised by how much the audience follows and wants them, despite not having released new songs for years, but he also announced that they will begin work on a new album this fall. Speaking about comics, he said that in their youth comics were part of their inspiration, and today they follow news from the comic scene with great interest.

“We need superheroes because they give us strength and hope, and every art form, comics included, has great importance in transmitting messages that matter to the human soul,” Badovinac said.

“We are all very fragile beings, easily shaken, and that’s why those who have the ability, talent, and strength must always remain active, sending messages of hope, keeping humanity on the path of light. That’s why superheroes are important, as well as every form of art that is healthy, directed toward hope and sustaining a positive outlook among all of us,” Badovinac emphasized.

The concert was preceded by a performance from the Herceg Novi DJ duo 2Beats, while earlier in the day fans had the chance to participate in drawing sessions at Škver, including the “Comic in a Bottle” project, and the visiting comic artists enjoyed a boat trip through the Bay of Kotor on the catamaran Tahiti.

The organizers of HSF are thrilled with this year’s edition and point out that preparations are already underway for the 20th anniversary festival, which they promise will surpass all previous ones.

“We are very happy with how everything looks, and our guests are happy as well – their social media posts and appearances in front of the cameras show that. We are full of pride, but at the same time feeling some nerves and tension about how the 20th edition will turn out. But we really promise a spectacle,” said Jovan Subotić.

“I think we’ve found the right formula to prove that even from a small town like Herceg Novi you can create something huge, something that’s truly world-class in every sense,” said Nebojša Mandić, announcing that the anniversary edition will maintain the same program quality in every segment and be a “major boom.”

Reflecting on the past six days, they pointed out that this year’s edition was marked by young volunteers – the future of the festival – world-class comic masters, and an outstanding music program.

“This edition was defined by our volunteers, who have grown and taken on much of the responsibility themselves, and I must first praise them – the new generation that will inherit this festival. Then, there was the monumental guest appearance of Eduardo Risso, along with François Boucq, Harry Randall, returning Jill Thompson – world-class figures who chose Herceg Novi as their destination this September. And finally, the outstanding music program, carefully chosen and put together – an extraordinary concert by Pips, Chips & Videoclips, the best-ever opening with Lollobrigida, Artan Lili who set the audience on fire, multimedia performances brought here through European projects, all of which showed that we have truly matured,” Subotić said.

Mandić believes that the secret to the festival’s appeal, in addition to the choice of guests, lies in the diversity of the program, which this year featured 14 hours of daily activities across 17 different locations.

“This 19th HSF was the best ever – 150 guests from 20 countries, six days of parties, art, culture, and extraordinary talent. We hosted more than 120 children at our workshops. In a way, I feel that Jovan and I can start to step back a little and let the younger generation take over, because there is so much talent and so much that makes up our future,” Mandić said.

The organizers expressed their satisfaction that the HSF family is bigger than ever, and that the festival continues to grow its audience and contribute to shaping a new generation of young people who read comics.

“Believing in superheroes, believing in the stories they tell, means creating new generations who will be raised properly, learning literature, storytelling, and the moral values that superheroes represent,” Subotić stated.

One of the volunteers, David Bleništa, has been attending HSF since 2013 and first volunteered in 2016, when he was not yet 16 years old. He says he is there for his city and for comics, which, thanks to the festival, are becoming more visible.

“I already know a few people who started drawing because of the Comic Festival, or got into music, whose entire outlook on life has been changed because of this festival,” said Bleništa, who returned to his hometown from Belgrade and now hopes to initiate activities that will bring together young people interested in music.

Over the past six days, the 19th HSF gathered numerous comic artists who drew for fans and presented their work, while a rich program of visual art, education, and music was held at venues across Herceg Novi and beyond – from Belavista and Nikola Đurković Square, to Forte Mare Fortress, Škver, the Church of St. Jerome, art galleries, the library, schools, and cafés, all the way to Tivat and Lovćen.