Comic strip enthusiasts also are getting an opportunity to listen to experts and participate in workshops with well-known authors in the comic world.

Tom Tirabosco, Swiss comic artist, said, "Comics today have become adult oriented. They are no longer little stories we read or are told as children. Now they are often complex stories that tell of our age, like cinema or literature."

Fabien Vehlmann, French cartoon artist, said, "There is clearly a predominance of Japanese comic styles that have spread their influence world wide. It's like an invasion, that's led to a kind of stereotype in design and narration. What I hope is that each country can preserve its distinctiveness in the way stories are related."

The "Mundo Viñeta" international comic book festival runs until November 23.

(CCTV November 14, 2008)