January 15-June 14
Blueberry by Gir
 An exhibition retrospective of the Blueberry series, considered as the best Comic Western of the 9th Art. More than hundred original pages from the books Fort Navajo (1963) to Arizona Love (1990) are on show. The House of Comic Strip has assembled a collection of original cover and page illustrations that show the progression and quality of a great comic strip classic. Go and see for yourselves!
Where: The House of Comic Strip |
February 10 – March 21
Philippe Berthet Retrospective
 From Privé d’Hollywood to Pin Up, Philippe Berthet features with delight the different faces of America of the forties and fifties. The virtuosity of his graphical compositions has no reason to envy those of the major filmmakers from the golden age of Hollywood. It is also worth bearing in mind that he is one of the most formidable draughtsmen of women of the 9th art. A retrospective is called for to present the work of a draughtsman who makes it a point of honour to serve History.
Where: Galerie Thierry Goossens |
February 18 – March 8
Collective 2048
 The Saint-Luc comic strip studio is turning 40 this year. To mark the occasion, the school (whose alumni include many famous draughtsmen today, such as Midam, Schuiten, Franquin, Sokal, Berthet, etc.) is turning resolutely towards the future, offering its current students and young authors the following theme: The story begins on 30 October 2048, Brussels time… The works produced are compiled in an album to appear as Collective 2048, the original drawing boards of which are exhibited here.
Where: Maison Pelgrims |
February 20-28
Anima 2009: From frame to screen
 Anima, Brussels’ Cartoon and Animation Film Festival, mounts this exhibition devoted to the relations between the comic strip and animation in Belgium. A retrospective part presents the unknown first steps of Peyo, Morris, Paape, as well as the golden age of the Belvision studios of Brussels. A second part will be devoted to the new relations established today between the comic strip and animation, with artists such as Patar Aubler, Féroumont and others.
Where: Flagey |
February 28
Brussels 2009 BD Comics Strip Opening: Balloon Day Parade
 Brussels is putting on such a grand show as the Balloon Day Parade for the first time, following the example of the Balloon Parades organised every year since 1924 in New York. For two and a half hours, gigantic helium balloons in the shape of comic strip characters, animals, objects, etc. will be crossing the city’s main arteries from the North to the South Station, accompanied by folklore groups of the City of Brussels, parades by the police, fire brigades and the famous marching bands.
Where: departs North Station and follows Boulevards Adolphe Max, Anspach, du Midi to arrive to the South Station car park |
March 4 – April 12
Marc Hardy: 40 years of comic strips
 The drawing of Marc Hardy is one of the liveliest in the humorous comic strip today. The nervous draughtsmanship of Pierre Tombal had instant appeal. Henceforth, death can make people laugh. From Franquin, Hardy retained an ongoing will to bring the line to life and not to get bogged down in a series. The Dragonfly Squadron (girl scouts revisit World War II), Lolo and Sucette (healthy humour dedicated to prostitution), and the Zest for Life (laughing stiffs welcome those the earth does not want) provide proof!
Where: Centre d’Art de Rouge-Cloître |
March 5-9
Brussels Book Fair
 The connection between the comic strip and the Brussels Book Fair was self-evident, so the theme year will be present in a special day devoted to the Belgian comic strip. Authors and specialists will meet to discuss and an international guest will be present to give his point of view on the 9th art.
Where: Tour et Taxis |
March 10 – June 7
20 years Manga in Europe
 When Glénat editions initiated the publication of the Akira series of Katsuhiro Otomo (1990), Europeans had a perception of the Japanese comic strip distorted by the projection of cartoons for children on television. Twenty years later, Jiro Tanigushi’s mangaka has become one of the most respected comic strip authors in the world. This exhibition explores the path from one to the other.
Where: Belgian Comic Strip Centre |
March 14-15
Made In Asia
 Made in Asia offers fans, amateurs or those simply curious, a playful getaway and a real immersion in Asian culture and leisure activities. For its inaugural edition, Made in Asia will celebrate the art that has unquestionably contributed to showcasing and popularising Asian culture in the West: the Manga. Many publishers will be present in this two-day event to present their latest titles. Made in Asia also invites celebrated mangaka as VIP guests to show their work, inaugurate their exhibitions and talk with the public during animated lectures and conferences.
Where: Brussels Expo (Heysel) |
March 15
Paris-Brussels Comic Strip Improvisation Championship
 Loved by the public when they were launched in January 2007 in Angoulême, these new shows that combine comic strip with performing arts, reprise the traditional principles of theatre improvisation matches: two teams of actors and comic strip draughtsmen measure their talent, imagination and spontaneity on imposed themes, categories, durations, and styles. As part of the cooperation between the Brussels theme year and the Angoulême festival, this show is presented into rounds: the first in Angoulême in January and second round in Brussels in March.
Where: Théâtre Marni |
March 27 – June 28
Exchanged Glances of the Belgian Comic Strip
 An exhibition that presents 100 years of comic strip through the eyes of 20 contemporary Belgian authors, showcasing the links between the Belgian school and the major comic strip trends throughout the world. The exhibition is composed of 20 spaces, each of which with a specific design, dedicated to the work of a contemporary author. In addition more than 100 others are also on show. The picture rails thus include in particular originals by American greats such as Winsor McCay (Little Nemo), Alex Raymond (Flash Gordon), Schultz (Peanuts) or European legends such as Pratt (Corto Maltese) or Tardi (Adèle Blanc-Sec).
Where: Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium |
April 1 – January 30
Opening of the Marc Sleen Foundation
 The Marc Sleen Foundation managed to acquire a building so as to preserve and put the work of Marc Sleen on permanent exhibition for the public. It is precisely in this house that Nero came into being. Marc Sleen drew his emblematic character for the first time in 1947 for De Nieuwe Gids. The Foundation will attract even more visitors to the Rue des Sables, which may become the Rue de la bande dessinée (Comics Strip Street) one day.
Where: Marc Sleen Foundation building |
April 1 – May 31
Lectures: An author, a comic strip
 This series of lectures focuses on authors like Philippe Geluck, Benoît Peeters, Etienne Schréder, François Schuiten, Benoît Sokal and Bernard Yslaire and presents an album that means a lot to them. The lectures will enable the spectator to discover the artist as reader and admirer.
Where: Autrique House |
April 1 – September 25
The Belgian years of René Goscinny at the Journal Tintin
 The exhibition focuses on the cooperation of René Goscinny with the authors of the Journal Tintin (Tibet, Uderzo, Macherot, Franquin, Berck, etc) from 1955 to 1961, as well as on his projects with Belvision (Astérix the Gaul, Astérix and Cleopatra, etc). Space has been reserved for René Goscinny’s personal life and his attachment to Belgium, especially Brussels.
Where: Raymond Leblanc Foundation |
April 9 – September 27
The Spell of Robin Hood
 For 10 years the bewitching world of the Spell (Le Sortilège) has been bringing together children, parents and friends for a major role-playing exercise outdoors during the clement months. Every weekend, visitors throng to experience adventures in which the heroes are themselves. This year the event has a comic strip twist: participants will be immersed in the fantastic universe of Turk and Degroot’s Robin Hood. A castle surrounded by moats, Robin’s hut, dungeons, Cunegonde, the sheriff and other comic strip heroes will put visitors in quest of passionate, interactive and family adventures off track.
Where: Le Sortilège |
April 24 – May 30
'To your health' adapted from Cauvin and Carpentier
 Poje’s Way by Cauvin and Carpentier, is a classic Belgian humorous comic strip. This cranky character is now reborn on stage for the theatre play A ta Sante! The story is about Poje and his bistro under threat! The enemy? The Internet, where you can gamble with impunity for money; above all, engage in encounters, both virtual (role playing) and real on sites for singles looking for their soul mate. Even Poje has got into the act! Forums, chat rooms and other discussions hold no secrets for him any more. So, Poje thinks he’s come up with a brilliant idea to reverse the decline of his bistro: Join forces with the Internet!
Where: XL Théâtre |
April 24 – October 28
The Autrique House revisited
 The exhibition of the students of the School of Graphical Research presents a project on the Autrique House. Embarked on without any holds barred, this work showcases the personality and specific nature of each student. Each one works on the medium of his choice to give a strange and fantastical appearance to Victor Horta’s Autrique House.
Where: Autrique House |
May 5 – September 5
The premises of the comic strip
 The Bibliotheca Wittockiana –Museum of the art of book binding– features a selection of works or reviews from the very fine collection of Aymar de Meeus. The exhibition presents the premises of the current comic strip in a playful and instructional manner and retraces its background history from the very first images of Epinal created in 1825, or the Histoires illustrées of Töpffer and Busch until 1925, when Saint-Ogan introduced Zig & Puce in France.
Where: Bibliotheca Wittockania |
May 7-10
The largest comic strip board
 That is some challenge, but what city other than Brussels could take it up? A giant drawing board will be placed in the Grand-Place of Brussels, a UNESCO world heritage site. More than 500 sq.m. of a comic strips mega-board with a theme that is kept secret, but is bound to dazzle!
Where: Grand-Place de Brussels |
May 8 – June 7
Avril in Brussels
 François Avril likes to create illustrations that enable each viewer to make up a story. Paris remains the backdrop of choice in which he parachutes his elegant creatures. He then takes the pulse of the city of light with a predilection for the parts of the city which still live “like a village.” Rather than waste his time in creating poor quality colour prints of major monuments, he assumes the perspective of the stroller. Brussels will henceforth get the same magical treatment!
Where: Galerie Brüsel |
June 4 – September 20
14 comic strip authors pay homage to the Atomium
 14 great European comic strip artists pay homage to the “cult” monument of Belgium. Each illustrator will place his composition in a 1950s-like contemporary or futuristic setting. The subject is the Atomium itself and the spirit of Expo ’58. François Avril, Ted Benoit, Philippe Berthet, Dupuy&Berberian, EverMeulen, Floc’h, Vittorio Giardino, Jean-Claude Götting, André Juillard, Jacques de Loustal, Frank Pé, François Schuiten, Joost Swarte and Bernard Yslaire will be the instruments of this graphical symphony.
Where: Atomium |
June 9 – September 27
The worlds of Lanfeust
 One day, Lanfeust, a blacksmith’s apprentice living in the magical world of Troy, embarked on an initiatory quest after he discovered that he had exceptional powers. Like a UFO, Lanfeust of Troy appeared in bookshops in 1994. Since then, this heroic fantasy comic strip series, teeming with humour and invention, has won over millions of readers. With the complicity of scriptwriter and creator, Christophe Arleston, the exhibition is intended as a playful and original discovery of different universes born from this flagship series published by the Éditions Soleil.
Where: Belgian Comic Strip Centre |
June 16 – January 10
Vandersteen Retrospective
 An ideal complement to the exhibition of The Brussels saga of Willy Vandersteen, opening June 24, this retrospective takes the spectator from Bob and Bobette to Bessy via the Red Knight and Robert and Bertrand. A fine homage to the man Hergé would call the Brueghel of the comic strip.
Where: The House of Comic Strip |
June 24 – September 27
The Brussels saga of Willy Vandersteen
 This exhibition presents the most “clear line” period of the creator of Bob and Bobette, which saw Willy Vandersteen join the Editions du Lombard. It will entail casting a modern look at an exceptional artist.
Where: Brussels Town Hall |
August 15 – September 30
Loisel’s Peter Pan
 Adapted from the famous comic strip by Regis Loisel*, this Peter Pan theatre play takes us to the birth of the myth: How did Peter become Peter Pan? How did the Captain inherit the Hook? An epic saga in the world of the imagination where theatre stage becomes a marvellous ever so real world.
Where: Tour et Taxis |
September 1 – December 31
Film Museum Retrospective
 In parallel with the exhibition Sexties (Sep. 25), the Royal Cinematheque is programming the screening of reference films from the 1960s.
Where: Film Museum |
September 1-30
Open House of Comic Strip Artists
 For a weekend or two in September 2009, comic strip artists open their studios to visitors. Much appreciated by the general public, this concept focuses on the comic strip throughout the Brussels-Capital region. The general public can use a roadmap featured in a brochure at the theme year site to go from one studio to the next and discover the talents of artists of the 9th art in Brussels. That’s good, because there are many of them. |
September 4 – October 10
Brussels, Comic strip lenses
 This exhibition uses photography as the basis for a total recreational work of comic strip and gives free rein to the imagination of draughtsmen who are thoroughly familiar with the capital of Europe. Philippe Berthet, Johan De Moor, François Schuiten, and Bernard Yslaire in particular are taking part, each with his graphic style and universe, in the same set of 10 photos of Brussels.
Where: Galerie Petits Papiers |
September 25 – January 3
Sexties: Crepax/Cuvelier/Forest/Peellaert
 This Bozar exhibition focuses on four authors who have marked the development of the comic strip by moving it beyond the domain of children. In mid-60s, these four artists drew inspiration from painting (in particular Pop Art), cartoons (Yellow Submarine, etc) for the cinema, music (rock, but also the French “yéyé”), literature and photography. So it is the portrait of an era marked by rapid changes seen through the eyes of these four major artists.
Where: Bozar |
September 29 – December 6
The Comic Strip, 20 years after...
 On 6 October 1989, The Belgian Comic Strip Centre opened its doors to the public for the first time. In the last 20 years, the European comic strip has undergone profound diversification. To celebrate this anniversary, the Belgian Comic Strip Centre has decided to showcase the most remarkable comic strip creations of these two decades. With the support of readers of the Belgian press, the Centre exhibits the most popular albums in both contemporary and classical creation.
Where: Belgian Comic Strip Centre |
September 30 – March 26
Brussels in comic strips
 Whereas Belgium is very proud of its comic strip production, the authors themselves have been very attached to their city… A dynamic and multilingual city, capital of the Kingdom of Belgium but also of Europe, an open air Art Nouveau Museum, Brussels more than deserves this homage at the Raymond Leblanc Foundation.
Where: Raymond Leblanc Foundation |
October 7-10
8th Brussels Comics Festival
 The BD Festival of the Region of Brussels-Capital welcomes more than 70 draftsmen for two days. There will be a big exhibition on the work of Raoul Cauvin, a big anniversary party for the 11 years of Bamboo Publisher, and many more. This is a unique occasion for the public and the press to meet in a single place all of the authors who count in all the current currents of the Comic strip!
Where: City Hall of Saint-Gilles |
October 15 – February 28
Comics attack at dawn
 This exhibition at the Royal Museum of the Army shows how many authors have drawn inspiration from history and military techniques. In visiting the exhibition, the public will go through all the collections of the Museum. Visitors will discover original and amusing showcases of items of the collections and how they are reflected in the comic strips. The two dimensions of the comic strip are thus juxtaposed to the real world.
Where: Royal Museum of the Army and of Military History |
October 28 – April 28
Birth of the Comic Strip
 This exhibition offers a new look at the origins of the comic strip and its history from the end of the 18th century (with Hogarth and Rowlandson) to the masterly work of Winsor McCay. Visitors will discover numerous documents on Rodolphe Töpffer, Wilhelm Busch, Nadar, Frost, Christophe, Outcault, Dirks and many others; but also, many draughtsmen unfairly forgotten to this day. There will be original boards, very rare editions, small films, etc.
Where: Autrique House |
October 30 – November 8
Crash Boom Bang
 Guided by the two mascots of the Royal Museum of the Army, participants aged 7 to 12 years old, accompanied by their parents, grand parents, youth leaders, etc. will discover the Museum and its collections from a comic strip perspective. Observation, team spirit and creativity are needed to get through the ten events on show. A small surprise gift will reward the participants at the end.
Where: Royal Museum of the Army and of Military History |
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