With strokes that tell stories, characters that reflect our identity, and panels that capture the imagination, we celebrate its official day for the first time.
The art of storytelling with images, the power of caricature, and the creativity of the comic will have, for the first time in history, an official day in Costa Rica. Starting this year, 2025, every September 1st will be celebrated as the National Day of the Costa Rican Comic.
The Ministry of Culture and Youth (MCJ), in conjunction with Cómics de Costa Rica, will celebrate this day with a full month of activities that will kick off on September 1st.
“The Costa Rican comic doesn’t just draw lines on a page: it sketches identity, memory, and collective dreams. With this first official celebration, we pay tribute to those who, with ingenuity and perseverance, bequeathed to us an invaluable graphic heritage, and we open paths for new generations to narrate their own panels. From the Ministry of Culture and Youth, we reaffirm that the comic is a civic and cultural language, capable of inspiring, questioning, and uniting our country,” stated Jorge Rodríguez Vives, Minister of Culture and Youth.
This commemoration pays tribute to a graphic genre that combines illustration, narrative, and social criticism, and that over the years has given a voice to the identity, memory, and imagination of our people. The National Day of the Costa Rican Comic was established by Executive Decree No. 44686-C, published on October 30, 2024.
A Month of Activities for All Ages
To commemorate this first year, a diverse program will be held throughout the month of September, designed for audiences of all ages: from fans to established artists.
Agenda
- September 1, National Library: Official ceremony and opening of the exhibition “Panels of Pen and Pixel: Graphic Humor and Comics of Costa Rica.”
- September 10 and 17, National Library: Presentations by the winners of the National Youth Graphic Literary Creation Contest.
- September 11 and 27, MADC: Talks with national comic pioneers and artists working for international publishers like DC Comics.
- September 18 and 27, MADC: Workshops and talks aimed at both beginners and people already working in these areas.
- September 19, 1887 Theater, CENAC: Presentation of the Figueroa Awards.
- From September 4 to October 4: Exhibition “Caricatures of former Presidents of the Republic” by artist William Solano Zamora, at the Calderón Guardia Museum.
More Than an Art, a Cultural Language
The comic strip, the comic book, and graphic humor merge text and image to create worlds, tell stories, and convey ideas. In Costa Rica, this art has been a vehicle for cultural and social expression, and today it also constitutes a bridge to the international community, thanks to authors who have been published by globally prestigious publishers.
Its versatility allows it to reach young readers as well as specialized audiences, making it an ideal tool for education, reflection, and entertainment. With this new commemoration, Costa Rica joins the countries that recognize the comic as a living heritage and a driver of creativity.
“The celebration of the National Day of the Costa Rican Comic is fundamental because it recognizes the effort and passion of authors who, over time, have worked independently and with limited resources. Although their work has not achieved mass distribution, the national comic has great educational, cultural, social, and entertainment value. Through comics, these creators have helped reflect Costa Rican reality, promote critical thinking, and strengthen the country’s identity, making this date a key opportunity to highlight and value their contribution to our cultural heritage,” indicated Jose Ulloa of Cómics de Costa Rica.
