Parents, the inner jealousy of your kids getting dressed up for a birthday party can now be put to rest! Unleash your family’s superhero alter ego at the highly anticipated Comic Con Africa this weekend (22 to 25 September) at the Johannesburg Expo Centre, Nasrec. With dress up, numerous free-to-play gaming areas, tabletop gaming, shopping, movie screenings, activations and so much more on offer, families are in for a weekend to remember!
As kids walk on the con floor, their eyes will light up at the spectacle of the show. After waving at Spider-man, and getting a fist bump from Batman, more than ever kids will be living the dream alongside their heroes. At the show, kids are able to use all this energy to run around and request photos with the cosplayers, see comic book art come to life, as well as watch and engage with panels and meet celebrities.
Cosplay – which stands for costume play – is one of the best ways to embrace the Comic Con spirit. For families looking to fully submerge themselves in the experience as a group, family cosplays are a fun bonding moment for everyone to enjoy – and not as uncommon as one might think!
Meanwhile, along with the kids, parents can enjoy learning more about the most binge worthy series from the stars themselves. Comic Con Africa’s celeb line-up includes Star Wars actor Anthony Daniels, Veronica Taylor best known for her role as Ash Ketchum in Pokemon, The Walking Dead’s Ross Marquand, John Barrowman best known for his work on Doctor Who and the latest addition to this star-studded line-up, Denim Richards known as Colby Mayfield from the hit series Yellowstone.
The line-up also includes South African talent such as Steven John Ward who embodies Mihawk in Netflix’s latest series, One Piece. Joining Steven will be Cameron Scott best known for his work on Netflix’s franchise, The Kissing Both and the Bachelorette SA.
Fans will discover some personal and behind the scenes information as well as get to know these incredible talents even better, and even meet them face-to-face over and autograph or photo op that is perfect for the fridge!
For aspiring content creators, StreamerCon is an exciting addition to the Con floor. In this space, fans can learn more about what it takes to get in to content creation as a career across all platforms including YouTube, TikTok, and Twitch – as well as meeting some of South Africa’s top local streamers.
More than dressing up and celebrities, the Artist Alley will inspire young and old fans alike. An incredible amount of local talent as well as international artists will be showcasing their work – some of which have worked on major Marvel and DC comic books. Fans can get signed copies of prints, comics, and other merchandise from the creators that bring their favourite superheroes to life, as well as discover a few new ones along the way.
Taking home mementos will be easy, you can start or expand any collection with the vast range of merchandise related to each aspect of the con at exhibitor stands. From clothing items, accessories, graphic novels, collectibles, to even action figures – you name it, the Con has it. Harry Potter wands, incredible statues, and the most unique memorabilia will be for sale.
The gaming area will offer free-play as well as numerous free-to-play tournaments across the weekend – allowing anyone in the family to hop on a console and try their hand at FIFA, racing simulators, Fortnite, and more! Families could even win cash prizes for gaming with the Doritos Crunch Cup tournaments which happens daily.
Shared experiences bring us closer as people, and being able to revel in new ones as a unit is a memory worth cherishing. The experience of Comic Con Africa will be enough to keep families busy for hours. With so much on offer across the four days, there will never be a dull moment at the Con. There will be opportunities to rediscover nostalgic moments, as well as create new ones, but only a limited amount of tickets are available on Howler. Also, make sure to check out the Comic Con Africa website for more information on the programme to plan your day.
* Children are required to be always attended to by a guardian, Comic Con Africa does not offer a child drop zone or childcare facilities. Kids 5 and under enter free.
