Comic-Con Africa returned after two-year Covid-19 hiatus, much to the delight of pop culture fans and cosplay enthusiasts in South Africa.
In fact, tickets sold out ahead of the third day already, with more than 20 000 visitors passing through the exhibitor’s hall at the Johannesburg Expo Centre.
Comic Con Africa 2022
Show Director Carla Massmann said the event was moved to the expo centre because the organisers “needed a bigger home for Comic Con Africa”.
Some of the biggest attractions included the Artist’s Alley, as well Netflix Stranger Things tunnel and Disney Plus’ mirror dimension.
The Cricut Spotlight stage featured some of Africa’s brightest and most talented artists, including Kudwashe Rwizi, Tafadzwa Shumba, Charles Adesanmi, and many more.
Comic Con Africa cosplay highlights
And let’s not forget the cosplay!
Taryn Cosplay delighted fans with a Q&A session. International cosplayers Leon Chiro from Italy and Elizabeth Rage from the USA were in attendance as well.
Meanwhile, local attendees dressed up and didn’t disappoint either.
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Jan-Louis Dercksen dressed as Spider-Man poses for a photograph at Comic Con Africa, 22 September 2022, at the Johannesburg Expo Centre at Nasrec. Photo: The Citizen/Michel Bega
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Jade Bayes of GS Cosplay, dressed as Mew Maid Zakuro from Tokyo Mew Mew. Photo: The Citizen/Michel Bega
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From left, Mila Erasmus, Rene Haasbroek and Rohan Haasbroek, as characters from Attack on Titan. Photo: The Citizen/Michel Bega
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Cynthia Matuba, dressed as Shuri from Wakanda, poses for a photograph at Comic Con Africa, 22 September 2022, at the Johannesburg Expo Centre at Nasrec. Comic Con is a pop culture and gaming festival which runs till 25 September. Photo: The Citizen/Michel Bega
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Natalie Hammond, dressed as Kocho Shinobu from Demon Slayer, poses for a photograph at Comic Con Africa, 22 September 2022, at the Johannesburg Expo Centre at Nasrec. Comic Con is a pop culture and gaming festival which runs till 25 September. Photo: The Citizen/Michel Bega
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Attendees of Comic Con Africa are seen dressed as characters from the Star Wars franchise. Photo: The Citizen/Michel Bega
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Thousands dressed up for the event, including The Citizen’s very own Devina Haripersad, who cosplayed as The Witcher’s Yennefer of Vengerberg.
The champ of the event was none other than Ludus Cosplay, who worked on this Aratak costume for eight months.
Cosplay as a statement
While most cosplayers dressed up for fun, Johannesburg-based Thifhuriwi Nephawe made a statement dressed as Princess Neytiri from the Avatar film series.
Nephawe said Princess Neytiri portrays an “African woman who’s very powerful and fighting for her village, for her tribe”.
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“People from the outside are coming to try and take everything from them, so she’s trying to fight against that; that’s what I resonate with, just the power”.
“And just knowing that you’re very strong as an African woman for me, personally.”
Meanwhile, British musician and Stranger Things actor Jamie Campbell Bower attended Comic Con Africa, to the delight of hundreds of fans.
Campbell elaborated on his experience portraying Vecna in Stranger Things, saying he loves playing the villain because of the “depth and history”.
His advice to aspiring actors is simple yet straight forward: “If you love something, stay with it; it’s not always going to be easy”.
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