This year’s 2018 OzComicCon line-up was fairly minimal. San Diego and New York Comic Con have always had an established fan base and has been renowned for having excellent guests, advanced trailer screenings, fantastic cosplay and amazing stalls. Brisbane has only recently introduced ComicCon into our yearly calendars and it does still have some establishing to do.
However, even though the guests list was fairly small, the convention itself was as great as any supernova with the unique experience only a fan convention could provide.
As you walk the streets of Brisbane, you know you are getting closer and closer as you pass Goku on the train station platform, Spiderman grabbing some sushi and an adorable 8-year-old Rey from Star Wars. As you walk up the convention steps, a sea of cosplay surrounds you as their alter egos take control for the day.
The wonderful thing about these fan conventions is seeing a broad demographic of people all joined together by various levels of nerd. While some people dress casually (I did this year), others have their fan shirts and the strongest go all out with amazing cosplay. Each person has a unique motivation and drive to bring them to these conventions but everyone is wonderfully supportive. Asking for a picture with cosplayers is encouraged and you feel a sense of welcome and acceptance no matter what degree of obsession you have.
So what makes people attend ComicCon and other conventions? Well, that depends on your motivation. Similar to a typical American high school cafeteria, there are areas that attract one group over another.
Some people love the stalls. Local artists, authors and crafts. This is where the super fans tend to dominate as there are niche products as well as interesting and rare collectables.
The next section involves various gameplay. Scattered throughout the hall, there are many different games you can play against other super nerds. Uno tournaments, Magic: The Gathering, Just Dance and Super Mario: Smash Bros. Here there is quite the mismatch of people. However, it is rather common to see the people who aren’t interested in shopping hanging out in these sections, usually with a group of their friends so they can face off against some familiar faces.
The main shopping area is where you find fans of various degrees. It can range anywhere between the 8-year-old Rey I mentioned earlier, all the way to Joe Bloggs who was dragged by his girlfriend to attend and doesn’t know what a stormtrooper even is. This is a fun area to hang in because the people watching is by far the most unique of anywhere in the world. Beside you, you have Belle and Cinderella chatting, while to your left you have a middle-aged father looking to buy a GameBoy. Everyone has a different fandom and motivation for being there, but it is enough to join together thousands of people in a small confined space and not want to kill each other over loving Star Wars more than Star Trek.
The last major section is the cosplay areas. I say areas, plural, because there are many facets to this part of the convention. Some people attend only for this and enjoy the social aspect of meeting new people rather than the original fandom itself. There is the cosplay parade where people enjoy showcasing their excellent talents and acting in character. They also meet up outside for photo shoots and reenactments, all happy to include anyone who wishes to interact. What’s truly wonderful about this, is that while some of these people are usually rather mild-manned or quiet in their day-to-day lives, they adopt this persona for the day and become open and confident.
ComicCon and Supernova is a unique experience filled with fans who attend all for their own personal reasons. While some people think it will be ‘too much’ for them or don’t identify as a nerd, there are areas for the various levels of fandoms. If you belong to a reading fandom, there is a place you belong. If you are from the Marvel fandom, there are specific stalls you can visit and if you find all fandoms a bit bizarre and you just enjoy some movies, there is still a place for you. Despite the fact that there are so many sections and groups to the world of fandom, these conventions do an excellent job in making every fan feel welcome and accepted as they pay ridiculous quantities for a statue of Shenron from Dragon Ball Z.
For next year, buy Oz ComicCon tickets here.
Need a convention fix sooner? Check out Supanova’s website here.
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