Portonovi – The Most Popular Comic-Con Destination of the Summer

The sunny beginning of September in Portonovi started with one-day hosting the 16th Herceg Novi Comic Book Festival, the only Comic-Con in Montenegro.

Portonovi Marina Square was where the comic book, drawing, and animation fans had the opportunity to spend hours discussing and enjoying the work of their favourite comic book artists.

This event was especially charming thanks to the fact that the most popular cartoonists of today made sketches of superheroes on the spot, tirelessly creating them within a few minutes for the youngest fans, all with a smile on their faces. All this was followed by the comic book exchange, as well as the music program of the band "Dos."

One of the organizers of the festival, Nebojša Mandić, pointed out that this year's implementation of the festival exceeded expectations.

"We are very satisfied. Every time we do something new and raise the standard. The festival exceeded expectations. Officially, this year in a new space, in the beautiful Portonovi complex. You can see it is a real hit. It was a good idea to start expanding to this part of the Herceg Novi Riviera. The previous three days of the festival were great. There is a huge number of visits. The response is extremely good - not only from fans but also from people who know less about comic books. They come to all our programs, follow drawings and all exhibitions," said Mandić.

The luxurious ambiance of the resort, the endless promenade, the blue sea, and the yachts in the marina also delighted this year's festival participants.

"I am impressed with the space and the festival. Warm welcome and the view - everything is great. I feel like I'm on vacation. My friends from Spain told me about the festival, and the moment I got the invitation, I didn't even think about it. I immediately accepted," revealed the Spanish comic book artist, Leandro Fernandes.

For Fran Strukan, a Croatian cartoonist, the Herceg Novi Comic Book Festival is a second home.

"This is my third time here. This is the best year so far. It just keeps getting better. The atmosphere among guests does not exist in this form at most festivals. I am satisfied with the organization, and I think that Herceg Novi, compared to Zagreb, has a great advantage.”

The Italian comic book virtuoso, Walter Venturi, agreed with him.

"I discovered a beautiful world. I made new, wonderful friendships. I am at the festival for the sixth time, and for me, this is a beautiful experience," said Venturi, who advised young, inexperienced cartoonists to work and learn a lot, primarily from their idols.

The day officially ended with the Herceg Novi Comic Book Festival Party, where the Empathy Soul Project and GIFT band performed in cooperation with the Bunt Rock Festival.