As #ComicConCapeTown hash-tagged a trail through Twitter on opening day, 27 April 2023, in Cape Town, Comic Con Africa  - the largest pop culture event in Africa and the first of its kind on the continent - is revving up its offering to bring fans the experience that they love in September.

The must-attend multi-genre entertainment and comic convention saw workshops and Masterclass events that included the Cape Town International Animation Festival (CTIAF) workshops.

All classes were sold out before the opening of the show, with night-time delight events such as Star Wars Quiz Night and Drink and Tag at Cause Effect giving ticket holders the opportunity to win great prizes and mingle with Comic Con Africa’s Local Street Artists.

Growth of a global star

After it’s 2018 launch in Johannesburg, Comic Con has evolved its offering to invite fans from across the country to dive into their passions and geekdoms. In 2023, Comic Con Africa announced the exciting expansion of Comic Con Cape Town to its calendar. More than that, Comic Con’s offering in South Africa has grown to even offer a Comic Con Cruise in March of 2024.

Says Comic Con Africa Content Manager Rene Staack: “Comic Con Africa features a variety of activities like cosplay competitions, panel discussions and gaming tournaments. It also hosts numerous exhibitors including comic book creators, collectable companies, pop-culture merchandise and video game activities and outlets to a huge fan base of all ages.

“Known proudly among fans as the epicentre of community, the event has grown from a three-day event, with its last live show in 2022 welcoming a reported 69,000 visitors over four epic days.”

At Comic Con Cape Town, fans had the opportunity to rub shoulders with international TV stars, including Kat Gramham (Vampire Diaries), Tati Gabrielle (YOU), David Oakes (Vikings: Valhalla), Jason R. Moore (Punisher) and Ross Marquand (The Walking Dead). Fans were either able to meet and greet the celebs through an autograph or photo op. Fans could even watch the celebrities on the main stage and ask them questions about their past or upcoming projects.

Joburg ready to Geek in September

As South Africa enjoys spring, Joburg will see Comic Con Africa bring its magic to the City of Gold from 22 – 25 September.

Billed as “the ultimate pop culture and gaming festival in Africa”, the event will be held at the Johannesburg Expo Centre and Comic Con Africa is expecting “four days of magnificent geekery”, Staack.

“While there are still around three months to go, tickets are limited, so fans are advised to purchase their ticket to this world class pop culture and gaming experience with stars of art, anime, gaming, cosplay and all-out fun.

“Last year, actors Jamie Campbell Bower (Stranger Things) and Ross Butler (13 Reasons Why) were joined by cosplayers Taryn Cosplay (Italy), Elizabeth Rage (USA) and Leon Chiro (Italy) and a host of comic book artists,” she says.

Once again, Comic Con Africa will host, eSports tournaments, activations, panels, and various competitions including quizzes, cosplay competitions and sketch-off battles. For the latest updates on all the exciting announcements set to happen leading up to the festival, head on over to Comic Con Africa’s website. Be sure to also follow the con on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Tickets to Comic Con Africa are available on Howler.

Ends

Ticket link: https://bit.ly/CCA2023_tickets

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