France, Feb. 1 -- The Angouleme International Comics Festival is in full swing, with a major Superman exhibition, a spotlight on Spanish women cartoonists and three dedicated manga showcases.

Now in its 52nd year, the four-day event celebrates the "ninth art" with nine major exhibitions, special guests, dozens of talks and a bustling publishing marketplace.

The festival officially kicked off on Wednesday with the Grand Prize going to French author Anouk Ricard.

The 54-year-old is only the fifth woman to receive the award since it was created in 1974. It is also the second consecutive year a female artist has won, following British writer Posy Simmonds in 2024.

"I'm definitely seeing more women authors and that's a good thing," Ricard ...