This year, we have introduced brand new costume play (cosplay) formats considering the ever-growing excitement around it. We will have a total prize pool of Rs 6 lakh and will see the cosplayers competing across two categories namely, ‘Indian Championship of Cosplay 2019 Delhi Qualifier, and ‘Delhi Comic Con Cosplay Contest 2019’,” says Jatin Varma, Founder of Comic Con India as the much-awaited festival is ready to start in the capital city this weekend.
The event will also mark 25th anniversary of F.R.I.E.N.D.S this year. According to him, Comedy Central India will create an unforgettable experience zone at the event by featuring Central Perk and the iconic orange couch. For Varma, who was publishing comics in 2010, Comic Con was an extension of this personal project. It later turned out to be a business venture and now a way of life for him.
The entrepreneur talks about an exciting lineup of renowned international artists from the comics’ fraternity. "There is Bill Golliher who is an artist and storyteller of all-time favourite Archie Comics, Sabrina and Josie and the Pussycats, Chad Hardin who works for DC Comics and Harley Quinn series and Asian-American artist/designer Bernard Chang who has illustrated books for Marvel and DC Comics, including X-Men, New Mutants, Cable, Deadpool, Superman, Supergirl, and Wonder Woman," says Varma.
But it is not all, Comic Con is set to make the fans groove to the live performances by Beatboxer Ish, Classic Collective, MISBA crew, Rahul Dua, Samiara Sheikh, and the mentalist Karan Singh too.
In the ninth edition of the Delhi Comic Con visitors will also come across a range of ‘fan experience zones’. Varma says, “The zones are by Hamleys, Comedy Central, WWE and Warner Bros while the exhibitors are DC Comics & Kodansha by Penguin Random House, Marvel Comics by Hachette, Viz Media by Simon & Schuster among others.”
The 32-year-old entrepreneur is highly invested in bringing a certain humour element to the business. He is an economics graduate, has lived in the US and studied in University of Washington. Having a keen interest in books, music and films, Varma’s favourite character is our homegrown Chacha Chaudhary. “He was always the most fun character, using his wit to get out of situations. Obviously, it did help that he had a gigantic alien with him to help out,” he says.
On: December 20-22
At: NSIC Exhibition Ground, Okhla