Kerala is set to be hit with heavy geek vibes this month as the state is set to host its first-ever Comic Con India event.
For the uninitiated, Comic Cons, short for Comic Conventions, are international fan gatherings themed on comic books and the pop culture built around them.
What began as a meeting point for creators and readers has now evolved into a multi-genre entertainment event, featuring panel discussions, activities, and book and merchandise sales.
Of late, Comic Cons are best known for their cosplay segments, which draw the largest crowds. Though initially considered a niche hobby in Kerala, Malayali cosplayers too have made their mark in pop culture circles.
There was a time when pop culture followers of Kerala would gush about being part of Comic Con events held in cities such as Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru and Chennai. Now here it comes to home turf.
At first glance, cosplay might resemble a fancy dress competition, just another quirky show. But a closer look reveals that it involves far more than just ‘dressing up’.
Hobbyists design costumes themed on figures such as Superman, Spiderman, Batman, Transformers and anime characters, and appear in them at events like Comic Con. Once in, they turn into the character they are playing. And staying in character often involves mimicking body language and even voice modulation.
What may come as a surprise to many is that Kerala has quietly nurtured a formidable cosplay brigade. It started in 2013, when a small group of cosplay enthusiasts from the state travelled to the Bengaluru Comic Con to showcase their handcrafted costumes. From there, they went on to win the Indian Championship of Cosplay (ICC) for four consecutive years.
“While I was aware of something called Comic Con happening on the international scene, I learnt about it happening in India in 2013. The very next year, I made my debut,” recalls Kerala PopCon founder and ace cosplayer San Ramsankar.
“From then on, until the pandemic hit, I participated in every Comic Con held across Indian cities and showcased my costumes. My first-ever cosplay was as ‘Itachi’, a popular character from the anime Naruto.”
His next cosplay was a character from a Kerala-based indie comic titled ‘Odayan’. His portrayal of Optimus Prime from the Transformers franchise won him his first ‘Grand Prize’ at Comic Con. “My next one was
‘Alphamon’ at Pune Comic Con, where I again won the Grand Prize,” he beams.
Cosplaying demands extensive planning and craftsmanship, often taking months. A recent cosplay workshop in Kochi, led by champions of previous Comic Cons, offered a glimpse into the effort behind costume creation.
The session was led by Mumbai-based Akshay Churi, a two-time winner of the Indian Championship of Cosplay. “I debuted in 2013. It started as a small project where I built an Iron Man helmet to display in my house.
Then I heard about Comic Con and how cosplay was becoming a thing in India. That was enough motivation for me to start building the entire suit,” he recalls.
Last year, Akshay won the championship for cosplaying ‘Doomslayer’ from the video game Doom Eternal. The costume, he says, took “roughly 1,500 hours” to complete.
Another session was led by Arvind R Menon, a Kochi-based cosplayer known for his performance-driven approach and VFX expertise. He showcased a handmade ‘Kaiju No. 8’ mask from the Japanese manga series.
“My entry into cosplay was at a workplace event, where I ended up winning. There has been looking back… this is my eighth year cosplaying,” says Arvind, who is a 3D artist.
He emphasises the importance of planning and attention to detail while creating complex costumes with lights and moving parts. “It’s great news that Comic Con is finally coming to Kerala. I am raring to go in as Doomslayer.”
Nadir Najumal Hussain, one of the cosplay pioneers in Kerala, is a specialist known for recreating characters such as Iron Man, War Machine, Bumblebee and Hunter (Halo Game). Notably, he is also the first Indian to handcraft an Iron Man costume.
“Most people who attend Comic Cons in costume either make it themselves or commission it from another cosplayer,” says Nadir, one of the founders of a boardgame cafe named Le Spot Tables in Kochi.
“Cosplay can be expensive. Even a basic garment costume can cost between `2,000 and `3,000. A well-made armoured costume can easily cost over `10,000. The top prize at events such as Comic Con usually hover over `75,000. But for most participants, it’s not about the money — it’s passion.”
Nadir explains that templates for costumes are widely available online. “They can be modified using software like Pepakura, printed, and transferred onto foam sheets or other materials,” he says. “Some presets are shared by the community, while others prefer to go freehand.”
Thiruvananthapuram-based cosplayer Gowri Sankar, who took up the hobby in 2024, is currently preparing his Moon Knight costume for the Kochi Comic Con. An animator and storyboard artist, he plans to incorporate his own design ideas.
“I do not want to copy from the series exactly. Characters like Moon Knight and Batman allow a mix of fabric and foam sheets, so I will be using both,” he says.
Despite the skill and effort involved, cosplayers unanimously agree on one thing that Gowri stresses: “Cosplay is not about perfection. It’s all about having fun.”
What’s the buzz?
Kochi Comic Con will be held from February 28 to March 1, 2026, at Adlux International Convention Centre, Angamaly.
Comic Con is a pop culture event that started in California in 1970 to showcase comic books and science fiction/fantasy media. Over time, it has become a massive global pop cultural movement.
The first Comic Con India edition — not linked to the American one — was held in Delhi in 2011. And now it’s coming to Kerala for the first time. Delegates will include acclaimed American comic book artist Dan Parent, who began his career at Archie Comics, and many Indian comic and animation creators.
A cosplay contest will be held on each day of the event, with categories including Comic Books/Graphic Novels, Movies/TV/Animated, Anime/Manga, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Gaming and Group Cosplay. Costumes will be judged on craftsmanship, likeness and presentation.
For more details: www.comiconindia.com
What is cosplay?
Short for ‘costume play’, it is a form of performance art in which participants dress up as characters from movies, TV series, anime, games, comic books or manga. Beyond the costume, cosplay often involves adopting a character’s signature poses, expressions and mannerisms. For the duration of the cosplay, the person becomes the character.