Fantasy Basel 2026 has officially opened its doors today at Messe Basel, beginning a three-day celebration that runs through May 16 over the Ascension holiday. The event is particularly significant for Star Wars enthusiasts due to the massive fan-made Star Wars Zone, which is a result of a major collaboration between the fan group Project X1, Disney, Lucasfilm, and EA. This area features enormous, high-fidelity objects and scenery that have never been showcased worldwide before, designed to transport visitors directly into the faraway galaxy. Enhancing the cinematic feel of the zone, the scenery is populated by members of the Swiss Garrison and the 501st Legion, with Stormtroopers and other iconic characters present to provide an immersive experience.
Beyond the cosplay and the physical displays, the convention highlights the work of Berlin-based comic artist Ingo Römling, who is responsible for creating this year’s official event visual. Römling has an extensive background in the Star Wars universe, having contributed his talents to the Rebels and Resistance comic series for Panini, as well as the comic-book adaptation of Greg Rucka’s novel Smuggler’s Run: A Han Solo & Chewbacca Adventure. His diverse career also includes the independent series “Die Toten”, the animated “Tales from Arcadia: Trollhunters”, and his current sci-fi project “Metropolia”. Fans have the opportunity to meet Römling in person across all three days of the festival to discuss his portfolio and his work on the ongoing “Malcolm Max” albums.
Also appearing is Andrew Lee Griffith, a writer and illustrator for the Star Wars Adventures series published by IDW, joins the guest lineup for all three days of the festival. His career highlights include serving as the lead artist for Larry Hama’s “G.I. Joe” run and contributing to “Transformers”, “Godzilla”, and “Magic: The Gathering”. Griffith is currently working on “Power Rangers” for Boom! Studios and co-writing his independent science fiction series, “SIGNA”.
The convention, located at Messeplatz 10, welcomes guests daily between 10:00 and 19:00, providing a comprehensive destination for film, art, and fan-made engineering.