Comic Con Africa came to Johannesburg once more for its sixth edition, and, as an attendee, all that can be said is that it was amazing. Filled with multiple exhibitions, workshops, and panel shows, it made for an entertaining and exciting experience for everyone in attendance.
The four-day festival began on Thursday 28 August and ended on Sunday 31 August. It put on a wonderful display of South African artistry, showcasing its support for both local businesses and local artists. Dozens upon dozens of stalls filled the Johannesburg Expo Centre, making for a colourful and easy-to-get-lost-in character-filled maze. From Artist Alley and the Book Nook to Otaku Town, attendees had an overwhelming day. Being bored at Comic Con would be a choice – a very difficult one.
On the main stage, international and local stars like Supernatural’s Misha Collins, The Boys’s Jessie T. Usher, Blood & Water’s Hungani Ndlovu, The River’s Jack Devnarain, and many more took the time to speak to the audience or host panel discussions on a variety of topics. Some of the panel discussions were a general show with an audience Q&A session afterwards while others were an interview to discuss AI use in film. Some of the smaller stages featured local creatives who spoke to attendees about their experiences as fantasy authors in South Africa. There were even Japanese lessons from the Japanese Language Club of South Africa. Although there was a spotlight on some of the international stars who took the time to visit South Africa, the majority of the focus was placed on the local talent, especially on the floors.
Artist Alley had hundreds of stalls and almost all of them were manned by South African artists. You could buy key chains, figurines, posters, paintings, and other art forms in all shapes and sizes. Some stalls even offered you the opportunity to commission an instant art piece. The sheer number of artists you could see and whose work you could support was staggering. Very few events in South Africa could have provided a place for so many artists to come together to show and sell their work.
There was another floor of vendors that saw small businesses selling their products. The trinkets ranged from candles that doubled as lotions to jewellery, comic books, prop and real daggers, and even magical alcohol. Larger companies like Nintendo, Kellogg’s, and Disney had their own large stalls, but that did not take away from the smaller local businesses. Attendees were welcome to visit every stall they could, an activity that would have taken them all day.
Comic Con Africa was, in simple terms, a fun-filled adventure that put a spotlight on South African artistry and our nerdier local businesses.
