Gone are the days when comics were limited to paperback editions of Chacha Chaudhary. Today, the characters and their stories have become a major part of television series, films and games. And just as the idea of comics has expanded, so has Comic Con — embracing everything that comes under the umbrella of pop culture.
It all started in 2011 with around 25 exhibitors who had signed up for the first edition in Delhi. After witnessing a footfall of over 1,70,000 people with 1,000 exhibitors last year, Jatin Verma, founder of Comic Con is ready to take the venture ahead. “To start with, we have Vladimir Furdik, the Night King from the Game of Thrones along with a long list of international guests including Peter Nguyen, artist for Black Widow, Catwoman, Avengers, along with John Layman, the creator and writer of Chew, Cyclops, Detective Comics and Mars Attacks,” he says.
Verma has made sure that food court and the show floor be expanded this season. “Along with the love for food, what we noticed was the growing demand for experiential zones. So we brainstormed, spoke to our partners and brought new ones on board. We have lined up multiple experiential and gaming zones, from action-packed mainstage to the Maruti Suzuki Arena Vertical Challenge, Marvel Fan Experience, Amazon Prime Video Zone, AXN Experience Zone, Toki Doki Zone, Warner Brothers Zone and many more,” he shares.
There was a time when to be a comic book fan in India was a lonely thing, but today it is a culture in itself. “We have various offshoots, from cosplay to gaming. At the first show, we had officially 13 cosplayers including me and my team members. Today there are almost 2,000-3,000 people who dress up. Of which, nearly 20 to 40 are professional cosplayers,” he says.
The ‘Indian Championship Cosplay’ is an offshoot that takes place every February. The winner represents India on an international platform.December 7 to 9, from 11 am and 8 pm at NSIC Estate in Okhla.