Launched by FANTASY BASEL – The Swiss Comic Con, Cartoonmuseum Basel – Centre for Narrative Art, the Christoph Merian Foundation and Basel Tourism, the first Basel Comic Competition focuses on an existential need: ‘Freundschaft – Friendship – Amicizia – Amitié’. A total of 325 drawn short stories were submitted, offering just as many perspectives on this central aspect of human coexistence. Alongside the 151 entries from Switzerland, 68 from Germany and 28 from France, the jury received submissions from all over Europe and overseas. The 20 winning works are displayed here in their entirety and in a large format at FANTASY Basel – The Swiss Comic Con (14–16 May 2026), while all other submissions are presented digitally. In addition, excerpts from the winning comics can be seen as flags on Basel’s Middle Bridge (until may 16^th).

The winners:

Professionals: Tobias Aeschbacher (CH), Simone Baumann (CH), Anna Caiata (CH), Martina Aiko Cerrajería (CH), Robert Keller (CH), Elsa Klée (FR), Koostella (CH), Fabien Page (CH), Jill Pastore (BEL), Jutta Pilgram (DE), Pia Plankensteiner (AT), Kati Rickenbach (CH), Lena Tamini (CH), Tobias Tschopp (CH), Nacha Vollenweider (FR)

Newcomers: Elin Franov (CH), Colin Frechon (FR), Fuko Katsuda (AT), Zariana Pochebut (UKR), Lea Zürcher (CH)

List of other participants