Stories and drawings from Eastern Europe

In Central and Eastern Europe, the history of comics is like an underground karst network – at times surfacing, at other times suppressed or ignored, often hidden in plain sight. This incognito tradition, long forgotten, is now being grafted into a vibrant new scene, resonating with the diverse influences of global comics. Compared to its neighboring fields of animation and illustration, which both nourish and complement it, the comics landscape in Eastern Europe is developing in a wild, untamed way. Its fruits may sometimes seem unfamiliar or even a bit sour to Western tastes, but these are simply new flavors waiting to be appreciated. Baba Jaga Fest does not seek to define or categorize a specific “scene” or even multiple scenes, as doing so would impose boundaries where none should exist. Instead, the festival creates spaces for encounters—opportunities for cross-pollination and hybridization. We believe that meaningful encounters are most fruitful when approached on equal footing. Therefore, part of our mission is to rediscover the hidden traditions of Eastern European comics and challenge the complacent, unjustified ignorance that often exists in the West regarding its Eastern neighbors.

Looking at the latest generations of creators, the lines between East and West are increasingly blurred. There is an ongoing exchange—fueled by digital networks and the migration of authors to Western Europe. While some general distinctions may still exist, we believe one lies in a tendency towards short, fragmentary narratives, even within larger works, compared to the more traditional structures of Western graphic novels. For some, this may seem like a sign of immaturity; for us, it reflects a different storytelling culture and acknowledges the unique strengths of comics – qualities that the rigid form of the graphic novel can sometimes constrain, if not stifle.