I've never been to the Angouleme International Comics Festival, aka Festival International de la Bande Dessinée.

But I've always wanted to go. It's been going on every year since 1974 and it's the largest comics festival in Europe, taking place in Angouleme, France.

The latest one is going on right now, through the 29th and it's an all-out event that involves the whole town. The Forbidden Planet blog has more.

Here's a history of the festival which makes it sound even more appealing, and includes a quote that the show draws 200,000 people each year. That's a sweet number and makes it bigger than the San Diego's Comic Con International.

If you're in Angouleme, have a great time!

[Artwork: Angouleme International Comics Festival mascot]