The history of Hungarian comics stretches back to the mid-19th century; since they were so closely bound to the printed media, the creators were usually caricature artists as well. The popularity of comics here only grew until World War II, when – because of Hungary’s Soviet occupation – they were essentially banned as “Western cultural trash”. But around the 1980s, with the fall of the Iron Curtain and the rise of works by prominent artists like Imre Sebők or Ernő Zórád, a new golden age of Hungarian comics began. Even though there are times when the local comic scene seems to struggle, there are more and more emerging talents every year, and more and more tables of Hungarian comics at global expos and festivals, while Budapest is now hosting multiple comics-related events.
Recently, the Sztriptíz Indie Comics Fair welcomed independent artists to showcase their work at The ArtYard, highlighting the many Magyars who remain passionate about comics well into the 21st century. Now on this Sunday, the next major event for comics connoisseurs fills Budapest’s most hard-rocking ruin pub: the Hungarian Comics Association will hold the country’s biggest comics-related event for the 12th time on May 8th at Dürer Kert. Between 10am and 6pm, the Budapest Comics Festival unites fans of all comic genres with entertaining programs, screenings, games, comic improvisations, and more. The list of special guests includes Israeli graphic artist Rutu Modan, who won the famous Eisner Award with her work “The Property”, along with Alessio Fortunato, Kivi Larmola, and Pertti Jarla. Whether you are a fanatic collector, an average comic reader, or somebody who doesn’t know a thing about this art form but are interested in it – this is where you should be on the eighth day of May.
And after that, the first Budapest summer comic fair awaits you on July 17th! There is also the Hungarocomix one-day festival dedicated to Hungarian comics, which usually takes place in November or December, so keep an eye out for that.
However, even if you miss these festivals, fear not – there are some good comic-book shops in Budapest.
Trillian is a good starting point: just a short walk away from Oktogon, the shop has a wide variety of Hungarian and international comics, and sells them for a reasonable price. They have been providing daily doses of superhero strips, graphic novels, and actionfigures for local nerds for more than a decade now, and if you can’t find what you’re looking for on the spot, there is a high chance that they can order it for you – including mangas, artbooks and other related items. Their opening hours are a bit tricky, so you might want to check them out before you pay a visit to them. Holdfény Fantasy is also within a walking distance, and while it does not sell comics, they have many related items: action figures, clothing pieces and costumes, trading-card games, and all kinds of accessories that a real geek is passionate about.
Bookstore chains like Libri or Alexandra usually have some graphic novels in a foreign language and some Hungarian comics, but not much else.
Furthermore, although Comicsinvest doesn’t have an actual store, you might still find it handy: through it, you can order issues from many different publishers, from Dark Horse Comics to DC. They won’t arrive hot off the presses, but at least you don’t have to pay for the shipping (if you choose to grab your package at their office). You can find all the available options at their site, and if you find something to your liking, write an e-mail to nemethvladi@gmail.com.
Note that some of the titles aren’t in the best condition, but on the other hand, you can easily stumble across some rarities in the list – they are worth your forints even if they are a bit weathered.
Last but not least, downtown’s newly opened ComiX Coffee café is a must-visit spot for fans of comic books in the Magyar metropolis – along with an ambience thoroughly decorated with superhero art (including a picture of “Captain Budapest”), the cozy eatery has a library of comics and graphic novels that guests are free to peruse while sipping enough caffeinated beverages to give them superhuman powers. With so many events and places fostering current and future comic-art aficionados in Budapest, we can only draw the conclusion that this genre will remain popular here through the 21st century and beyond!
