A fun – and very hot – day out in Haarlem at the Stripdagen, with all the very best of comics that the Low Countries have to offer. Comics and graphic novels everywhere you look, with lots of signings, interviews, exhibitions, impromptu sketching and the fabulous, specially designed festival beer from local brewery Jopen.

Highlights included finally getting to see the Flemish Literature Fund’s travelling exhibition of work by Flemish creators of comic books, Ceci n’est pas la BD flamande, and watching a fine interview with Brecht Evens, winner of the first Willy Vandersteen prize for the best Dutch-language graphic novel. His winning title Ergens waar je niet wil zijn is soon to be published in English as The Wrong Place by Drawn and Quarterly, translated by a team of three: Rhian Heppleston, Michele Hutchison and yours truly, aka HepHutWat. Expect to see more kicking translations from this unbeatable trio!

Brecht Evens being interviewed at the Stripdagen 2010 in Haarlem