First Post-Pandemic Comic-Con Festival Takes Place in Africa

From 22 to 25 September, South Africa has been thronged with thousands of enthusiasts dressed up in superhero costumes and bizarre masks, imagining for just a short while that they can perform the gravity-defying feats of Superman, Catwoman, Spiderman and Avatar heroes. No, this is not a children’s party - welcome to African Comic-Con.

After a two-year COVID-19 break, Comic-Con Africa, the continent's largest pop culture, fantasy and gaming festival, returns with renewed vigor.

A woman walks in front of the main entrance of Comic Con Africa, the largest pop colture, fantasy and gaming festival of the Continent, as she dresses a costume representing Pocahontas, at the Nasrec Expo Centre, Johannesburg, on September 23, 2022. (Photo by LUCA SOLA / AFP)

© AFP 2023 / LUCA SOLA

Costume players (Cosplayers) dressed as characters from their favorite movies, comic books and video games have gathered at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa, where the FIFA 2010 World Cup final took place.

"My character Neytiri is an African woman who's very powerful and fighting for her village, for her tribe," AFP quoted cosplayer Thifhuriwi Nephawe - dressed as princess Neytiri from sci-fi film 'Avatar'.

People visit a miniature art exhibition at the Comic Con Africa, the largest pop colture, fantasy and gaming festival of the continent, in Johannesburg, on September 23, 2022. (Photo by LUCA SOLA / AFP)

© AFP 2023 / LUCA SOLA

Visitors are encouraged to enjoy cosplay competitions, costume shows, 'Stranger Things' escape rooms, celebrity panel discussions, seminars, workshops and autograph sessions.

This year's festival hosted a lot of celebrities including award-winning 'Stranger Things' and 'Twilight' actor, Jamie Campbell Bower.

A cosplayer representing Midari Ikishima, a supporting character in the japanese Manga series Kakegurui, and the main protagonist of the spin-off series Kakegurui Midari, poses for a portrait at the Comic Con Africa, the largest pop colture, fantasy and gaming festival of the continent, in Nasrec Expo Centre, Johannesburg, on September 23, 2022.. (Photo by LUCA SOLA / AFP)

© AFP 2023 / LUCA SOLA

Along with world premieres of films, series and computer games, popular comics, anime and manga are also on show at the festival.

Participating artists draw sketches of visitors posing with their best-loved comic characters and those who want to take a piece of the magical world with them, can buy exclusive and unique goods from their favorite fantasy universes at a huge shopping area.

Comic-Con Festival, held annually in different countries since 1969, first hit the African continent in 2018.