The Herceg Novi Comics Festival will continue its successful collaboration with the French Institute and the Embassy of France in Montenegro as part of the 19th edition of the region’s leading event dedicated to the ninth art. Among the special guests in 2025, alongside the already announced François Boucq, will be two more elite authors from Angoulême—the most comic-oriented city of the most comic-oriented European country—Tristan Lagrange (Tristoon) and the exceptional Jean-Charles Poupard.
The versatile Tristoon is known for both fully authored comics and collaborations with other artists that span a wide range of themes and comic styles. His diversity may stem from growing up in an artistic family, studying in Paris, and building his career in Angoulême, the European and global capital of comics. He co-authored the humorous series Le Petit Big Bang and was part of the team behind Ginko, a comic tackling the serious topic of environmental protection. A similar theme is addressed in the educational comic The Forest Under Construction, aimed at primary school students. He is the complete author—scriptwriter, illustrator, and colorist—of the superhero comic series Gino Mix, created for a younger audience. His latest project, In Vino Fabulas, developed with a group of 34 authors, features a series of short comics dedicated to wine, winemakers, and winemaking. He is the founder of the comic artists’ collective Café Creed and was for many years the editor of the magazine Choco Creed.
Jean-Charles Poupard, after graduating in visual arts, was encouraged by his mentor to audition for the major French publisher Soleil. Just three months later, he landed his first professional comic job: a two-volume title Jack the Ripper with scriptwriter François Debois. After that, Poupard became one of the young authors entrusted with some of the most prominent comic series such as Daughters of the Sun, all four episodes of Songs of the Runes, Inquisitors, and Orcs and Goblins. He is also the author of several volumes of the popular children’s comic Little Rugby Players. He is currently working on the title The Claws of Gévaudan for the prominent publisher Glénat.
With the already announced Eduardo Risso from Argentina and French artist François Boucq, as well as Italian artists Maria Laura Sanapo, Marco Santucci, and Valeria Burzo, the addition of Tristoon and Poupard brings the total to eight special guests confirmed for this year’s edition, which will take place from September 5th to 10th. This lineup further confirms the global stature and outstanding reputation that the Herceg Novi Comics Festival enjoys on both the European and international scenes. In the coming days, HSF will announce the complete list of the standard twelve special guests and the final festival program, including musical performances.
The deepening of collaboration with France also signifies the establishment of stronger ties with major European festivals held in the country and marks a new step for the Herceg Novi Comics Festival towards the top tier of the European comics scene—a place it unquestionably deserves, judging by the reactions of its past special guests from France.
With this announcement and the continued return of over a hundred of the greatest comic artists to Montenegro every year for their favorite festival, the Herceg Novi Comics Festival, in its nineteenth year, once again confirms its status as a cultural marvel—a title bestowed upon it by international artists during their stay in Herceg Novi.