Prestigious European Comics Festival Canceled Following Boycotts

European Comics Festival Canceled Amid Boycotts Over Toxic Management and Lack of Recognition for Female Creators

The prestigious Angoulême International Comic Festival, one of Europe's oldest and largest comic art events, has been canceled due to mounting protests and boycotts by creators and publishers. The decision comes after months of controversy surrounding the festival's organizers, 9e Art+, which was accused of toxic management, self-dealing, and a lack of recognition for female creators.

The crisis began in late 2022 when the festival announced plans to feature an exhibition dedicated to Bastien Vivès, whose past work had sparked outrage among critics who accused him of normalizing incest and sexual violence. The festival ultimately canceled the planned exhibit, but not before sparking a broader debate about sexism and representation in the comics industry.

Since then, numerous allegations have surfaced against 9e Art+, including accusations of burnout, nepotism, and mishandling of a complaint involving a sex assault at the 2024 festival. One victim was even dismissed from her job shortly after reporting the incident to her supervisors.

As tensions escalated, many companies and creators withdrew their support for the 2026 edition, citing concerns about toxic management under 9e Art+ leader Franck Bondoux. Municipal and regional authorities also began signaling that they might refuse public funding if the festival went ahead without significant reforms.

A letter sent by lawyers representing 9e Art+ to public funders revealed that the company had decided not to proceed with the festival due to "unilateral decisions" taken by funders without consultation. The decision comes as a sad end to the 2026 edition, which would have marked the festival's 52nd year.

The cancellation of the Angoulême International Comic Festival is a stark reminder of the need for greater accountability and transparency in the comics industry. As one former winner of the festival's top prize said, "We can't allow toxic management to continue unchecked." The future of the festival remains uncertain, with many hoping that it will be revamped and reopened under new leadership.

Ugh , this is just so disappointing . I mean, who wants a comic festival that's more about drama than comics? It seems like 9e Art+ was all about playing favorites and ignoring the issues with sexism and representation in the industry. And on top of it all, allegations of burnout and self-dealing . I feel bad for the victims who had to go through what they did. Canceling the festival might be a good thing in the long run, but it's sad that it had to come down like this .

I'm just hoping that the future of Angoulême will be brighter and more inclusive . Maybe a new team with fresh perspectives can help make some changes and get the industry back on track . And to all the female creators who felt ignored or disrespected, I see you . We need more representation and support in this industry now more than ever!

OMG, this is sooo disappointing ! The comics industry needs more love & support for female creators, not less . It's like, come on guys, can't we all just get along? And what's with the toxic management vibes? Like, if you're gonna cancel a festival due to it, at least do it in style , ya know? Anywayz, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the festival will come back stronger & more inclusive, with better leadership . We need a fresh start and a chance for creators to shine without all the drama !

I mean, what a shock . A comic book festival gets canceled because of some shady management . I guess you could say it's about time something got done about those toxic egos . Can't believe they managed to ruin an event that was supposed to celebrate creativity and art . And poor Franck, seems like he was running things by a dictator's playbook . On the bright side, there are definitely more women in comics now than ever before . It's about time we saw some change in the industry, maybe now they'll start recognizing all the talented female creators .

The comic con scene is a mess ! I'm so sad to hear about the Angoulême Festival getting canceled, especially since 2026 was supposed to be its 52nd year . Toxic management and lack of recognition for female creators is just not cool, you know? It's like they thought they were above all that drama . But I guess some people have to hold them accountable . The whole thing is a bit of a mess, but on the bright side, maybe it'll be an opportunity for the festival to revamp and come back stronger .

can you believe what just happened? a whole festival shut down over toxic management and sexism... like, how hard is it for people in charge to actually listen to creators and take care of each other? anyway, this isn't the first time we've seen this stuff go down in comics, but it's still super disheartening. I think it's awesome that female creators are speaking out and demanding change maybe this will lead to some real reforms and a more inclusive industry for everyone.

I'm so done with these festivals prioritizing prestige over people's well-being . It's sickening to think about all those creatives who were silenced or marginalized because of toxic management . I mean, what's the point of having a festival if it's just gonna perpetuate the same old problems? We need to hold these organizers accountable and make sure they're creating a safe space for everyone, not just the ones with the right connections . It's time for some real change in the comics industry

man this is like super suspicious stuff going on ... so they cancel the fest but its not like 9e Art+ just decided to do it all by themselves, no way, there gotta be some major external forces at play here... like who exactly were the ones pulling the strings? was it a corporate takeover or maybe some deep state thing? and what about those allegations of burnout and nepotism? seems fishy how they got swept under the rug so quickly ... anyway, its sad that more people didn't speak up sooner 'cause now its just a huge mess. hope the fest gets revived with new leadership, but idk if thats even gonna happen

the whole thing is just so messed up it feels like they just swept everything under the rug and now people are paying the price. i mean, can you imagine if someone reported a sex assault at a comic con and then got fired from their job? that's some next level stuff and for what? to save face and keep the festival going? no thanks

awww, this is just heartbreaking I mean, who wouldn't want to attend a comic festival celebrating art and creativity? It's like they took all the magic away . Can you imagine having to report an incident of sexual assault only to be dismissed from your job? That's just devastating . And on top of that, there are allegations of toxic management, burnout, and self-dealing... it's like a perfect storm of negativity .

I think this cancellation is a huge opportunity for the comics industry to take a hard look at itself and make some real changes . We need more support for female creators and marginalized voices, and we need better systems in place for reporting incidents and addressing toxic behavior. Let's hope that the festival will come back stronger and wiser .

omg u guys r being super harsh on 9e Art+ they did apologize for past mistakes & took steps to improve management & diversity but its not like they literally killed someones job or anything after a complaint people need 2 chill & think about the bigger picture what if this new leadership brings in more female creators & actually makes progress? instead of just focusing on the negatives, let's give them another chance to prove themselves

9e Art+ needs a serious reality check, honestly . Toxicity in the comics industry is real, but canceling the Angoulême festival doesn't solve anything... just delays the inevitable . What's needed now is concrete reforms and a more inclusive approach to recognizing female creators' contributions . Can't have it both ways: progress and profit .

I don't get why they're making such a big deal about this festival canceling . I mean, yeah, 9e Art+ has some major issues to work through, but does anyone ever really organize a comic fest without some controversy brewing? It feels like a normal part of the industry, you know? And what's with all these allegations and boycotts? Can't we just have a calm discussion about how to make things better instead of, like, canceling the whole thing ?

my heart went out to all those girls creators in comics who faced so much sh*t from 9e Art+ Franck Bondoux needs to go his toxic management is a total red flag i feel for the victims of sexual assault too its not just about sexism its about accountability and being held responsible for our actions @FranckBondoux you can't just dismiss allegations like they dont matter

and honestly who gets to decide what's acceptable in comics these days? its not just one guy or a few people some real change is needed ASAP

idk how the orgs behind 9e Art+ could've messed up so badly . like, come on, self-dealing? sexist practices? toxic management? all these allegations came to light because of a few people's past mistakes and now the whole fest gets canceled . it's not like they're the only ones who do bad things but at least they got exposed and are facing consequences . hopefully, the festival will get revamped in the future and more women (and ppl from underrepresented groups) can participate without facing any sexism or bias

Ugh , this is just great. Another major event gets canceled because of toxic management and people aren't being held accountable for their actions. I mean, who does 9e Art+ think they are? Making excuses about "unilateral decisions" taken by funders without consultation? Give me a break . This whole thing reeks of incompetence and lack of responsibility.

And what's really sad is that this festival was supposed to be about celebrating comics and creativity, but it turns out it's just another example of how the industry is still plagued by sexism and inequality. Female creators deserve so much better than this . I'm glad some people are standing up for themselves and saying no to this toxic management, but I'm also really disappointed that it had to come to this.

I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens next with the festival's future . Maybe they'll finally get their act together and become a positive force in the industry, or maybe they'll just sink further into the same old toxic behavior . Either way, I'm not holding my breath .

Ugh, what a mess . I'm not surprised, tbh . It's about time someone called out 9e Art+ for their shady management and lack of representation. Female creators have been talking about this for ages, and it's only now that the whole industry is listening .

I mean, come on, a festival that can't even handle an exhibit about Bastien Vivès' problematic past? That was just the tip of the iceberg. And now, someone gets accused of sexual assault and gets fired? Yeah, that's not okay at all.

I hope they revamp the festival and bring in some fresh blood (pun intended ). It needs to change its ways, stat . The comics industry can be so toxic sometimes, but I'm glad we're having these conversations now .

think we need more accountability in creative industries, especially when it comes to representation & inclusivity 9e Art+ had some serious red flags, but i'm glad they're being held accountable for their actions . also hope the festival gets revamped and becomes a safer space for creators

I'm not surprised to hear that the Angoulême International Comic Festival has been canceled... the whole thing just reeks of poor planning and favoritism towards certain creators. The fact that 9e Art+ was accused of burnout, nepotism, and mishandling a complaint involving a sex assault at one of their events should've been enough to raise some serious red flags. It's like they thought they could just sweep it all under the rug and still manage to put on a successful festival... newsflash: toxic management doesn't pay out in the long run!

I'm also kinda disappointed that the creators who were vocal about their concerns weren't given more support or resources to help them address these issues. It's like they were just expected to take matters into their own hands without any backing from the festival organizers... I hope that this whole debacle serves as a wake-up call for 9e Art+ and the rest of the industry, though. Maybe it's time to start prioritizing creator well-being over profits?

Ugh, great, another messed up org cancels its own event ... Like, who doesn't see this coming? Toxic management is just so endemic in most industries now. It's a wonder anyone shows up to these festivals at all. I mean, you gotta wonder what kinda toxic culture 9e Art+ has going on behind the scenes. And female creators? Forget about it. It's always the same story: they're just expected to keep quiet and deal with whatever crap comes their way. No recognition for them, no support... it's all just so gross. Can't say I'll be mourning the cancellation of this one, tbh