A giant comic strip
on the Piétonnier
During the BD Comic Strip Festival, comics will not only take over the walls of Brussels: they will also appear right beneath the feet of passers-by.
A monumental comic strip page will be installed in front of the Bourse: a 600 m² mural (30 x 20 metres), collectively created by 7 Belgian authors and artists with different backgrounds and creative worlds.
Made up of 10 panels and a central narrative element, this collective work is intended to reflect Brussels and its many identities, languages and communities.
Inauguration
Join us on Saturday 19 September at 1:30 pm in front of the Bourse for the inauguration of the mural, in the presence of the artists!
The Story
At first glance, the mural tells the story of a warm and spontaneous encounter on the pedestrian zone. Look a little closer, and a whole host of references, local businesses and small everyday anecdotes begin to appear.
Following a long white thread, the characters take us on a virtual journey from Place de la Bourse to Place Rouppe, connecting us with a Brussels astronaut looking down at her city from space.
From panel to panel, the characters cross paths, meet again and share waffles, fries, bursts of laughter… and soon much more besides.
At the heart of this adventure are four companions with very different personalities:
- Charlie, a fan of reading and music
- Nour, always on the move
- Zinny, a curious little dog who is never far from Nour
- Mehdi, a tourist lost in the streets of Brussels
Auteurs
Marc Dubuisson
Script
A Brussels resident by adoption, press cartoonist (Spirou, Topo) and author of satirical and children’s comics (Les Envahichieurs, Ana & l’Entremonde), he also has a large following on social media under the pseudonym @Unpied.
Marc wrote the script for this major collective adventure, brought to life by 6 illustrators.
Lison Ferné
Illustration
Based in Brussels, this illustrator and author explores socially engaged themes such as ecology (La Déesse Requin, winner of the Artemisia Prize), feminism (Les femmes ne meurent pas par hasard) and pop culture.
She brings her vibrant visual world and strong convictions to this collective mural.
Wauter Mannaert
Illustration
A graduate of Sint Lukas and former social worker, this Brussels-based author and illustrator works for the press and has created successful comic series such as Yasmina (Dargaud) and La Quête (Le Lombard), in which he expresses his passion for ecology and human issues.
Émilie Plateau
Illustration
Based in Brussels, Émilie received the prestigious Atomium Award in 2022 for her sensitive and socially engaged work. She is the author of humorous albums such as Comme un plateau and Moi non plus (Misma), as well as acclaimed works including Noire, la vie méconnue de Claudette Colvin and Vivian Maier, Claire-Obscure (Dargaud).
Benoît Ers
Illustration
Trained at the École des Beaux-Arts in Épinal, he began his career at Spirou before forming a highly successful partnership with scriptwriter Vincent Dugomier (Les Démons d’Alexia).
Together, they created the historical bestseller Les Enfants de la Résistance (Le Lombard), a major work acclaimed by readers.
Alix Garin
Illustration
Born in 1997, she made her mark with her very first graphic novel, Ne m’oublie pas (Le Lombard), which has been translated into 19 languages.
Her second album, Impénétrable (Le Lombard), won the Audience Award at the 2025 Angoulême Festival, praised for its sensitivity and narrative power.
Abdel de Bruxelles
Illustration
A Franco-Moroccan author who has lived in Brussels for 30 years, he has collaborated with leading scriptwriters on notable works such as Le Conflit Israélo-Palestinien (Le Lombard) and Tanger sous la pluie (Dargaud).
Deeply socially engaged, he also contributes to the press (La Revue dessinée, Fluide Glacial) and works with L’îlot, an organisation fighting homelessness.
Coordination
Camille Blin, agent and editor
Based in Brussels, this independent agency specialises in publishing and illustration.
Strongly committed to supporting women’s place in the cultural sector, it offers authors and artists personalised, attentive guidance to foster a calm and supportive creative process.
The BD Comic Strip Festival is an initiative of the Pedestrian Zone Merchants’ Association,
with the support of the City of Brussels, Entreprendre Bruxelles, Brussels Major Events and visit.brussels
