Comic Invasion Berlin
Colorful comic festival at the Museum for Communication with a focus on South Korea
2026
About Comic Invasion
Comic Invasion — edition 2026
The 2026 edition continues the format of previous years – with a clear focus on South Korean Manhwa, which has gained significant visibility in recent years with the global webtoon wave. Both German-speaking Manhwa translators and publishers, as well as artists from Korea itself (provided travel costs could be financed – the exact guest lineup will be announced by the festival shortly before the date), are invited.
The parallel «Manhwa Invasion Seoul» program extends the festival over three weeks: from May 6th to 26th with readings, exhibitions, and discussions at venues between Mitte and Kreuzberg. This adds a depth dimension to the compact weekend festival at the Museum for Communication, allowing for longer engagement with the material.
Highlights Comic Invasion 2026
Programme Comic Invasion 2026
Saturday, May 9th and Sunday, May 10th, 2026 — 10:00 AM–6:00 PM daily
Artist Alley
- Over 75 tables with cartoonists, comic artists, and small presses from Berlin, Germany, and internationally
- Signing sessions with many artists, with original art and limited prints for sale
Program
- Workshops — Drawing, inking, printing techniques, storyboarding (some require advance registration due to limited spots)
- Readings — Author readings from current publications, often followed by discussions
- Panel discussions — Questions about comic production, diaspora, identity, digital distribution
- Performances — Occasional live drawing and collaborative performance formats
- Comic competitions with award ceremonies
- Family area — Craft stations and age-appropriate workshops for children
Country Focus South Korea / Manhwa
- Special section in the Artist Alley with Korean and Berlin-based Manhwa artists
- Panels on Manhwa and Webtoons
- Parallel: «Manhwa Invasion Seoul» program series from May 6th to 26th with readings, exhibitions, and artist talks
Full program, guest lineup, workshop registrations at comicinvasion.berlin/festival/2026.
Prices Comic Invasion 2026
Practical information — Comic Invasion
Getting There
U-Bahn (subway) line U2 to Spittelmarkt or Stadtmitte, then a five-minute walk. U-Bahn line U6 to Stadtmitte. S-Bahn (urban rail) lines S1/S2/S25 to S Potsdamer Platz, then a ten-minute walk. Bus lines M48, 200, 248.
Admission
Free admission – the entire festival, including the Artist Alley, workshops, readings, and performances, is accessible free of charge. Workshops with limited capacity may require advance registration; comics, zines, and prints at the tables are paid for directly with the artists.
When to Go
Families with children: Saturday or Sunday morning or early afternoon, when children's activity stations are active. Comic enthusiasts who want to chat with artists: Saturday or Sunday afternoon, preferably during quieter times of the day.
Berlin's Comic Scene Guests at the Museum for Communication
The Museum für Kommunikation Berlin on Leipziger Straße – a brick building in the Mitte district, once the imperial Reichspostmuseum (Imperial Post Museum) – has been the venue for Comic Invasion for years. The connection is fitting: a museum that tells the story of letters, telephones, and digital communication hosts contemporary sequential art for a weekend. Comic Invasion sees itself as a showcase for independent comic artists, small presses, and community-driven initiatives – with a clear profile against the logic of commercial comic conventions.
Artist Alley and Program
The heart of the festival is the Artist Alley: over 75 tables with cartoonists from Berlin, Germany, and around the world, selling and signing comics, zines, prints, and originals. Alongside this, there's a dense program of workshops (drawing, inking, printing techniques), readings, panel discussions on current comic topics, and occasional performances. For families, there are dedicated hands-on stations and workshops. A highlight in the program calendar are the comic competitions with award ceremonies.
Country Focus 2026: South Korea and Manhwa
Each year, Comic Invasion sets a country focus that shapes the selection of invited artists. In 2026, South Korea is the country focus – with a special emphasis on South Korean Manhwa, the sister to Japanese Manga, which has gained global attention in recent years with the wave of webtoons. In parallel, the program series «Manhwa Invasion Seoul» runs from May 6th to 26th with readings, exhibitions, and artist talks at various locations in Berlin.
Positioning: No Generative AI
Comic Invasion explicitly positions itself against the use of generative AI in comic production. The organizers state clearly: "We do not endorse the use of generative AI." This stance makes the festival a clear counterpoint to the generative AI wave in digital visual culture – and provides space for artists who consistently develop their craft by hand. Admission to the festival is free everywhere.
Where it takes place Comic Invasion
Comic Invasion at a glance
History of Comic Invasion
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