Spanish Comics Convention Scandalized by Live Sex Performance By Eric Reynolds Posted May 10th, 2002

The Granada Comics Festival, a relatively unassuming comics convention taking place in the southern Spanish city of Granada in mid- March, became an unlikely lightning rod for scandal and frontpage news across Spain, when convention promoters staged an expensive awards ceremony to purportedly honor the convention and its guests; a purpose that seemed questionable by the time the stage gave way to a performance of live sex and re-enactments of the WTC attacks, amongst other controversial activity.

The show took place in an auditorium in El Sacromonte, the city's historic section known for a Moorish influence that predates the Spanish crusades. Attendees took their seats and faced a breathtaking view of La Alhambra (one of Europe's largest tourist attractions) through the glass walls behind the stage, the ancient Moor fortress glowing orange in the night sky and setting the stage for what most expected to be a relatively tasteful presentation of various comics-related awards.

Though rumors had circulated among some of the convention exhibitors and guests that the show would prove controversial, few had any idea of the extent this would prove to be true. "We heard rumors of some kind of sex show at the awards," said Scottish cartoonist Lorna Miller, creator of the alternative comic Witch. "But if I had known exactly what was in store I wouldn't have gone."

The ceremony began in standard enough fashion, with an emcee prepping the crowd with jokes about the Spanish comic-book industry before handing out awards. Soon, however, the emcee was joined on stage by Alejandro Casasola, the founder and director of the convention, and the two presented awards to several local politicians and civil servants who were responsible for providing the funding and other assistance necessary to stage the convention.

One crucial difference between many European comics conventions and American conventions is government funding. In Europe, many arts festivals -- like the 7th annual Granada Comics Festival -- are subsidized by the government and open free to the public. The relatively small Granada event, taking place outside under two tents in the heart of the small city, included only a few dozen exhibitors and a small handful of prominent guests (including Hate creator Peter Bagge and Spanish cartoonist Miguelanxo Prado).

Nonetheless, the centralized location and free admission resulted in over 50,000 visitors during the event's four days, a number comparable to attendance at the San Diego Comic-Con International, regarded as one of the U.S.'s largest conventions of any type (Unlike Granada, however, entrance fees to Comic-Con start at $45.)

Rumors circulated throughout the convention that the festival's organizers had been growing increasingly frustrated by their relationship with local authorities. The perception was that government interest in the convention was waning despite steady growth for the show over its seven years of existence. One source told the Journal that funding for this year's convention had come at the 11th hour, forcing organizers to go out of pocket to cover expenses that came due prior to the convention opening. Amongst the organizations that helped fund the Granada Festival were the city council and the Youth Institute of Andalucía, and representatives for both were on hand at the awards ceremony to graciously accept the formal "thank yous" from Casasola, commending the convention's cultural value to the city and youth culture in general.

This vocal support from local officials, however tenuous to begin with, quickly turned into fear and then disgust and outrage. As the show's emcee was about to begin giving out the comic awards, a dozen or so men (and one woman in a burka) suddenly stormed the auditorium dressed as Afghan terrorists, firing what appeared to be real weapons and shouting angrily in Spanish. Although it was quite clear from the outset that the men were actors posing as terrorists and shooting blanks, the deafening sound of automatic weapons, coupled with the heightened sensitivity worldwide to terrorist activity, clearly frightened more than a few of the audience members. "Have you ever heard what [real gunfire] is like? It's loud," stated Miller, sarcastically adding that, "I really love it when I go out for a night's entertainment and sit shaking like a quivering fool trying not to have a full-blown panic attack."

The terrorists took the stage, led by an actor looking uncannily like Osama bin Laden. Bagge's fear became most pronounced when the terrorists -- who had already taken the emcee backstage, stripped him to his undergarments, and strapped what looked like a bomb to his chest before bringing him back out -- began demanding the names of the award-winners, so they could be brought onstage and shot. Bagge figured that, as a featured guest of the convention, he was going to be one of the award recipients. He was right.

"I was dragged by the collar to the podium by one of the 'terrorists,' who then pointed a Russian grenade launcher at my head and barked insults at me in Spanish," said Bagge. "I then was tied by the wrists to the other award recipients, and was told that were all going to be killed once the show was over."

Each award-winner at the show was thrust in front of the podium and given the opportunity to say something. A few demurred; Bagge earned the biggest laugh. Clearly confused by what was going on and with and a grenade launcher to his head, he shrugged his shoulders and blurted, "Gracias?"

Another award-winner, the publisher of the Spanish-language edition of Art Spiegelman's Maus, clearly got into the spirit of the event. Accepting the award for "Best Foreign Graphic Novel," the publisher was dragged to podium by the terrorists and, with weapons pointed at him, stated in Spanish, "The Jews deserved it!"

By this point, most everyone in attendance understood that everything taking place was an act, but that didn't seem to fully mitigate the uneasiness and anxiety that permeated the crowd. Bagge, who was warned in advance that he was in for a night of controversy, still was not prepared for what took place. "I have to tip my hat to them for not only freaking me out, but for scaring the living shit out of me at times," he said. While on stage, he reported that "I watched members of the audience either flee or cringe in horror, though a few jumped up and down while snapping photos and shouting with glee."

Before the awards were handed out, the terrorists illustrated their disgust for Western culture by burning photographs of the Virgin Mary, Federico Garcia Lorca, and McDonald's, amongst others. A particularly chilling moment took place after the terrorists knocked the top off the stage's podium. The podium had resembled one of the sections of Stonehenge, with one shorter, horizontal column resting atop two taller, vertical columns. With the top removed, the resemblance of the two standing columns to the World Trade Towers was lost on no one. When the Osama lookalike casually tossed a paper airplane at the columns and -- despite the flimsy prop barely brushing against one column -- both dramatically burst into flames, a conflation of uncomfortable gasps and moans from the audience could be heard among the cheering, trigger-happy actors jumping up and down on stage in mock-triumph.

Amazingly, the most controversial part of the show had yet to begin. While all the award recipients were being tied up together on stage, the Osama bin Laden character had been sitting cross-legged on the floor, casually reading random comic books scattered on the floor. His initial look of disgust and disapproval slowly metamorphosed into one of mild amusement and ultimately wild elation. The actor suddenly stood up, revealing what was essentially the "moral" of the production: Comic books had made him see the light about Western civilization.

"'Osama,' who'd been reading some of these comics that he was going to burn, suddenly declares, 'These comics are great! I've been wrong all along! Hooray for Western civilization!,'" said Bagge.

Music began filling the auditorium, and the woman wearing the Burka onstage drew attention to herself for the first time by pulling it over her head and revealing herself to be completely naked. One of the terrorists also stripped, and within moments the woman, kneeling in front of him, began performing oral sex on him.

Over the course of ten or 15 minutes, the couple progressed to full intercourse, scandalizing much of the audience. By this point, all of the local politicians and civil servants in attendance had left in disgust along with other random audience members.

With the fornicating couple still on full-display, the show kicked into its last act. "Suddenly we comic-book people were all right in 'Osama's' book, so the terrorists untied us all," said Bagge. "Then a chorus line of go-go dancers come out and the terrorists all start singing the theme song to the Spanish version of 'The Making of the Band,' while the fornicators, who still occupy center stage, go at it doggy style."

Whether in spite of or because of the controversy, Bagge was impressed. "The juxtaposition of all of these elements was sheer brilliance. It was the most mind-blowing extravaganza I've ever seen in my life; I hope [Eisner Awards Emcee] Scott Shaw! is taking notes!," he quipped.

Others were not so entertained. "Yes, it was shocking," said Miller. "But only in the way all bad taste is shocking. It's easy to shock. And you know who gets shocked the easiest by sex and violence? Anyone who has experienced both at the same time without wanting to."

Miller's distaste was shared by the local authorities, who denounced the show as "vulgar, disgusting, and insulting," and were meeting to discuss withdrawing funding from the comics festival as a result of the show. "We wish to separate ourselves completely from this," one official told a local newspaper.

Casasola defended the show to local media on artistic terms, stating that "Comics are about provoking, transgressing, and breaking rules," but some questioned Casasola's motivation. One source who wished to remain anonymous told the Journal that Casasola's motives were more about politics than artistic expression. "[Casasola] had all but given up on the future of the fair, and this was his way of going out with a bang and getting back at the politicians he was struggling with," the source said.

Some speculated after the show that Casasola had gone as far to divert this year's funding to pay for the awards ceremony, adding insult to injury for the local politicians, though, Casasola and others denied it. The production, which was directed by a well-known independent filmmaker in Spain, Bajo Ulloa, also featured nationally-recognized actors in the roles of Osama bin Laden and the ceremony's emcee, while the fornicating couple were successful adult films stars in Spain. The high-profile of many of the cast and crew led to speculation that the show was a very expensive production, one that Casasola, who earns no money from the convention and makes a living as a private eye, could not have afforded without utilizing the festival's funding.

Remarkably, city officials had yet to reprimand Casasola at presstime in any substantive way, although local religious figures had asked citizens to pray for those in attendance. No criminal charges were filed, and contrary to overwhelming speculation following the ceremony that funding for next year's festival would be swiftly pulled or that Casasola would be immediately removed from his position, no decisions have been made after several hearings and there remains a chance that not only will the show go on next year, but Casasola may even be running it.

"I have to say that Alejandro [Casasola] is the ballsiest guy I've ever met," said Bagge. "We were tied together onstage while all of this lunacy was going on, and for a guy who was probably going to be crucified for this, he was amazingly indifferent. He doesn't have a clue how to book a flight or stage an art exhibit [a billed exhibition of Bagge's art at the festival failed to materialize due to organizational mistakes], but he puts on one helluva show."

As an added feature for Journal readers -- okay, and show Wizard readers how non-virgins objectify the human body -- we present a sampling of photos of the awards show in question, as taken by cartoonist and Fantagraphics PR guy Eric Reynolds.

Fair warning: a few of these images are a bit explicit. Enjoy!

Granada Comics Festival founder and director Alejandro Casasola (right)	An American cartoonist encounters Spanish performance art.
Peter Bagge and El Vibora director José María Berenguer field a question during a panel discussion.
El Vibora's Sergi Puertas, Peter Bagge and Lorna Miller.
While "Osama" reads damnable examples of Western moral decay, his henchmen host an awards show.
Actors portraying Osama bin Laden and his henchmen suddenly get the comics spirit.
Like any good sitcom, everybody's happy again just before the end credits roll.
Very happy.
Very, very* happy...*