Our contest theme FRAMES UNBOUND is a celebration of boundless creativity – a call to shatter conventions, explore new forms, and tell stories that transcend borders – both real and imagined.
What does that mean for your comic?
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No panels? No problem! Your story doesn't have to be squeezed into boxes. It can flow like a great waterfall across the page(s) or unfold like a labyrinth!
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What happens when characters break out of their panels? Perhaps your character simply climbs out of the picture and continues next door?
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Who or what do you want to set free? Your thoughts? Your imagination? A character that doesn't fit into a stereotype? Show us a world without barriers and prejudices!
Send us your comic story on the theme FRAMES UNBOUND by January 30, 2026!
Prizes include a selection of German and Korean comic books, ComicInvasionBerlin merchandise, an official certificate, comic workshops with professional comic artists, and – for adults – mentoring sessions with experienced comic creators to develop a larger project, for example to apply for the Berlin Comics Grant!
We are so excited to receive and read your comic stories!
Who can participate?
Berlin residents of all ages can participate.
Age groups:
- Children: up to 10 years
- Youth: 11 to 17 years
- Adults: 18 years and older
Comic Format & Requirements
- Paper size A4
- 1–2 pages
- Black and white or color
- min. 300 DPI resolution
- all common image formats up to max. 15 MB
- one submission per person
- no AI-generated material allowed
Contest Winners
Congratulations to the winners!
Up to 10 years
- Sarah Wamser de Araujo
- Elena Creutzfeldt + Ida Fiedler
- Franceska Dulca-Marcov
- Valentina Böttcher
- Junis Andersen
- Caitlin Murray
- Hedda Jessaijan
- Ida Theuerkauf
- Axel Bleuze
- Orson Verhoeven-Levin
11–17 years
- Yael Garcia Dindinaud
- Therese Druet
- Flora Moritz
- Leonie Zhou
- Henriette Marcus
- Livia und Louisa Andrä/Ludwig
- Alexander Meier
- Isabelle Arbelias Schuster
- Akira Martins
- Kristina Jabarski
18 and up
- Angelie Koerner
- Chieh Lee
- Anna Dokuchaeva
- Jaime Santa Isabel + Santiago Gla
- Lasse Rosenfeld-Ksienzyk
- Kristyan Kato
- Bela Unclecat
- Pinhui Chen
- Matthis Ehrhardt
- Charly Pommer
Prices:
CIB Pencils
Contest Book 2026
Comic Workshop Vouchers for the first two groups
Comic Books by Avant, Jaja, Kiebitz and Reprodukt Verlag
Bear Trophies by Daphne Jeht Steil
Certificates
Eraser's from Korea
For questions regarding the contest, please contact cibcontest@gmail.com.
