After the Comic Company closed, things looked bleak for the Munich scene, but then salvation arrived in early 2026: Splendid opened on Marienplatz, giving the city on the Isar its own comic book store once again. Fans of comic books have twice the reason to celebrate this year, because in addition to the new store, the International Comic Salon Erlangen is taking place again this year. If browsing the store isn’t enough for you and you want a full four-day dose of comics, then you should take advantage of this opportunity and stop by Germany’s largest festival of the scene.
Franconia Comic Biennale
The Erlangen Comic Salon has been around since 1984 and is held every two years over the long weekend around Corpus Christi. Since 2007 , it has alternated with the Munich Comic Festival, which always takes place in odd-numbered years. Over the decades, the Erlangen Comic Salon has blossomed into the most significant event of its kind in the German-speaking world and attracts up to 30,000 visitors from all over the world.
The festival’s influence has grown so much that it has significantly contributed to the popularity of the graphic novel. Furthermore, a jury awards the Max und Moritz Prize during the Comic Salon, the most prestigious award in the industry in the German-speaking world. Additionally, ICOM presents the Independent Comic Prize to honor lesser-known artists and small publishers.
Extensive four-day program at the Comic Salon
The Erlangen International Comic Salon is taking place again this year over Corpus Christi, i.e., from Thursday, June 4, to Sunday, June 7. As always, there’s a large fair with numerous exhibitors from all over the world, where you can browse through their offerings and snag new treasures, whether they’re comics, manga, graphic novels, or merchandise. In addition, there are various exhibitions throughout the city of Erlangen that highlight artists, franchises, stylistic elements, or themes.
Around 500 national and international artists will be traveling to the Comic Salon, and you can meet them in person during signing sessions. Meet your favorite artist or author in person and exchange a few words. Of course, the Comic Salon is also a wonderful place to meet like-minded people and maybe even make new friends. Cosplayers are, of course, more than welcome.
There will be numerous panel talks, exciting panel discussions, and creative workshops where you can pick up a pen and marker yourself. Running parallel to the Comic Salon is the Comic Film Festival , where animated films and anime will be shown on the big screen. Your festival ticket grants you free admission to the films.
📍 Location: Schlossplatz and other locations in Erlangen
📅 Dates: June 4–7, 2026
💶 Price information: Day pass for €15 (regular) & €7.50 (reduced), Festival pass for €40 (regular) & €20 (reduced)
