Comic Con Africa media launch revelations
The media launch of the upcoming Comic Con Africa was held on August 30 as the continental pop culture and gaming festival is set to take place from September 22–25 at the Johannesburg Expo Centre, South Africa.
The event, which is supported by KFC, Telkom VS Gaming, and LUNO, can only be described with one word: “BIGGER” as this year’s event is set to take place on bigger grounds, with larger activity areas, and with over 256 hours of content across 8 stages, it is set to be a record-breaking year for the event.
This will be the first live show since 2019 and will see fans meet up and enjoy themselves in what is expected to be an electrifying environment. With 15 international and local comic illustrators and writers confirmed to be taking part in the Artist Alley of the event, it is set to be a fun time as the Cricut Spotlight Stage will feature live draws and fascinating Q&As.
The Author Avenue of the Con will be showcasing captivating books from SciFi to Fantasy, and The Block exhibitors who design and produce clothing, prints, and other merchandise inspired by comics.
Cosplay is always an exciting feature of any Comic Con, and this year, 60 eager contestants are ready to wow visitors at the Cosplay Championships, where they will compete for the only slot available for the Cosplay Crown at MCM London Comic Con. The event will be judged by international cosplayers Taryn Cosplay and Leon Chiro, and Elizabeth Rage from the USA.
It’s a gamer’s paradise again at this year’s Comic Con Africa, with the latest in gaming gear and accessories to take your gaming set up to the next level, and the best in esports tournaments with the Telkom VS Gaming Stage that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Fans who have been following the preliminary rounds of the tournaments are amped to support their favourite teams in the finale that takes place over the weekend.
This year’s show also plays host to the Dorito’s Crunch Cup powered by Comic Con Africa, where fans can enter to play a different title each day, ranging from Fortnite, Street Fighter, Tekken, and FIFA. These free-to-play tournaments will have Doritos looking for those flaming hot moments and crowning a title champ daily with R4,000 in prize money.
RedBull’s exciting Campus Clutch Valorant tournament kicked off in August, and Comic Con Africa is excited that the finals of this will be hosted at the show. Comic Con Africa headline sponsor KFC will also be hosting KFC AF Gaming challenges from their activation space, with finals being hosted daily on the main stage.
With over 300 exhibitors offering hot deals, shopping for official merchandise and collectables will be high on the list of visitors’ priorities.
CGC services will be available to verify signed copies of comics. Collectables and signed comic books are investment opportunities, and fans will likely spend hours happily digging through boxes of comic books looking for the ones they need to complete their collections.
The Tabletop Gaming and Roleplaying Game Zones are going to be packed with action. Weekend tournaments such as the To Ride Tournament will bring out the competitive streak in players and supporters alike.
Both new and established players will have opportunities to join in the free play of games such as Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh, X-Wing, Magic the Gathering, and more. PAVL is a new apocalypse-themed event, AKA the Post-Apocalyptic Victorian Live Action Roleplaying experience, and is open to all visitors.
There are two new co-located shows this year. StreamerCon taps into the world of online content creation, the demand for which exploded during the COVID-19 pandemic.
It’s the place to meet your favourite vloggers, YouTubers, Twitch streamers, and podcasters with eight Spotlight Content Creators alongside 36 more in fun activities, panels, and Q&As on the StreamerCon Stage. It’s the place to be for fans wanting to learn more about streaming or meet their favourite streamers IRL.
StreetCon will be showcasing the perfect mash-up of urban culture and pop culture, bringing an even greater offering to the show. With legendary local brand Bathu as the official sneaker partner, fans will be able to grab the hottest merch, streetwear, and sneakers from various brands that are inspired by Urban x Popculture.
StreetCon has also announced four multidisciplinary urban and street artists as spotlight guests. Also adding to the mix will be live graffiti battles and sketch battles from top local talent, brought to you by Grayscale.
Not to be forgotten is KidsCon for all superheroes, big and small. This immersive experience for kids by kids will ensure that your day spent at Comic Con Africa is the ultimate family day out, with gaming for kids, shopping for the best in kids’ toys and lifestyle products, character meet and greets, and tonnes of fun activities to enjoy.
A much-anticipated highlight of any Comic Con is being able to meet and engage with some of the world’s most famous, influential, and trending actors. Earlier this week, Comic Con Africa announced two incredible international talents: Selwyn Ward, better known as the Red Turbo Power Ranger, and Tati Gabrielle, a talented actress best known for her roles in the film Uncharted as well as the popular series YOU, The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, and The 100.
Also, 13 Reasons Why, Riverdale and Shazaam star Ross Butler will be visiting Comic Con Africa, and also, Stranger Things fans will be excited to know that Jamie Campbell Bower, known for his role as the infamous Vecna in Season 4, will be bringing his charm to the Comic Con Africa main stage. Jamie is also well-known for his roles in the Mortal Instruments series and the Twilight Saga, to name a few.
In case you need a refresher, here is a full list of the line-up announced to date – and keep an eye on Comic Con Africa’s Instagram and Facebook because the line-up is only going to keep growing.
International Film & Series Celebs:
Selwyn Ward – Red Turbo Power Ranger
Tati Gabrielle – Uncharted, YOU, The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and The 100
Ross Butley – 13 Reasons Why, Shazaam and 13 Reasons Why
Jamie Campbell Bower – Stranger Things, Mortal Instruments and The Twilight Saga
International Cosplayers:
Taryn Cosplay (Italy)
Elizabeth Rage (USA)
Leon Chiro (Italy)
Local and International Comic Book Artists:
Andrew Lee Griffith (USA)
Bill Masuku (Zimbabwe)
Daniel Govar (USA)
Jason Masters (South Africa)
Karl Mostert (South Africa)
Livio Ramondelli (USA)
Sean Izaakse (South Africa)
Steve Ellis (USA)
Team Kwezi (South Africa)
Tony Moy (USA)
Zach Howard (USA)
Tasia M S (South Africa)
Stephane Roux (France)
Show Features:
3 Halls
2 x Food Truck Village
Kentucky Town with KFC
30,000sqm of indoor and outdoor event space
Seven activity zones
160 speakers
256 hours of content
50,000 + fans
