This year’s International Comic Salon Erlangen has registered more visitors than ever before. And that despite persistent rainy weather. The organizer, the Cultural Office of the City of Erlangen, announced on Monday that the number of guests was “well over 30,000”.
From May 30th to June 2nd, the university town in Middle Franconia hosted Germany’s largest festival for graphic literature and comic art. It took place at more than 30 venues around the Erlangen castle gardens.
Around 450 artists were present. Exhibiting publishers’ representatives expressed their satisfaction with the broad interest.
“The International Comic Salon celebrates comic art, but at the same time the increasing interest in a serious discussion of complex social issues is noticeable,” the balance sheet statement states. “Exhibitions and events on the war in Ukraine, the Middle East conflict and its consequences, or the global threat to democracy met with great interest.”
© Lars von Törne
The numerous opportunities to be creative were also very popular. More than 80 workshops for children, young people and adults were largely fully booked. The “Children love comics” program with readings, workshops and exhibitions in the E-Werk cultural center alone reached several thousand children and families.
Max and Moritz Prizes awarded
The Max and Moritz Prize, the most important award in the industry in the German-speaking region, was presented during the salon in several categories.
© Lars von Törne
Anna Sommer was named the best German-speaking comic artist, and “Boris, Babette and lots of skeletons” by Tanja Esch was named the best comic for children. Tobias Aeschbacher won in the best German comic debut category with “The last one puts out the light”.
© Screenshot Tsp
The audience award went to “Not funny. Cartoon 2022-2024” by Joscha Sauer. The best international comic is “Listen, beautiful Márcia” by Marcello Quintanilha, and the best non-fiction comic was written by Kate Charlesworth with “United Queerdom”.
A special prize was awarded to the French artist Joann Sfar for an outstanding life’s work. An exhibition dedicated to his work entitled “The Rabbi’s Cat” can be seen in the Erlangen City Museum until September 1st.
The Icom and Ginco Prizes were also awarded as further prizes for independent comics. Find out more about all the winners here. The next Comic Salon is scheduled to take place from June 4 to 7, 2026.