Step into any Comic Con and you’re instantly transported into a whole new world of fun, family and fantastical getaway. This weekend promises no less with Hyderabad Comic Con kicking off. So what can one expect?
Funnyman Sahil Shah from East India Comedy will be hopping on board, not at all a stranger to the comedic tides of Hyderabad. In fact, Sahil was in the city for last year’s Comic Con too, honing his superpower of entertainment to keep attendees in totally upbeat spirits.
Coming to Hyderabad Comic Con for the first time, animator and comic book artist Rahil Mohsin is ushered in from Bengaluru. Growing up on the stories around TinTin and then falling in love with stories like Johnny the Homicidal Maniac by Jhonen Vasquez, the artist dubbed “chameleon” is now illustrating for Sufi Comics, an indie comic book creator. Sufi Comics went on to be the first Indian publisher to go to San Diego Comic Con.
Now… what to do at Comic Con that hasn’t been around before? Fear not, they have your back. If you’re anticipating the release of Aquaman this December, the Aquaman experience should get you geared up even more. Immerse yourself in a fun underwater-but-not-really-underwater zone and keep your camera at the ready for selfies with The King Of The Seven Seas.
And, of course, treat yourself to an exclusive peek into the sequel of Fantastic Beasts if the waiting is too much for you. And if you’re having a little Marvel withdrawal, there’s always a place for that to get your quick fix.
Speaking of films and comics colliding, don’t miss out on Matthew Rosenberg’s appearance. Having an integral role in the culmination of Dark Phoenix and The New Mutants comics, it’s fair to assume he knows what we can expect from the respective films to be released soon. Matthew and his partner Patrick Kindlon came together to form Ashcan Press and their success has been huge in the comic book realm. While we won’t be seeing the partners together, be sure to catch Matthew to regale him for spoilers.
Founder of Comic Con India Jatin Varma observes a huge gaming community in the city which many will see in the form of AMD Gaming and ESL Gaming. In attendance as well will be artist Saumin Suresh Patel, Akshay Dhar of Meta Desi Comics, Vivek Goel of Holy Cow Entertainment and Rajeev Tamhankar of TBS Planet Comics — just to further name drop here.
But now, time to get serious; in light of India’s #MeToo movement, Comic Con India’s Cosplay Is Not Consent campaigns and protection schemes stands at alert.
Jatin gets real, “You do have situations where we need volunteers to keep cosplayers and their costumes safe. You’ll see costumes which are very elaborate and expensive. So, yes, there are one-off incidents — which are rare — where boundaries are crossed and we take action immediately and we have intervention from the police, too. But most of these outfits actually invite a lot of positive engagement and curiosity, which is what we love to see.”
Do join on this campaign on a citizen level; just because you’re only attending, doesn’t mean you’re simply a by-stander!
Hyderabad Comic Con will be at Hitex Exhibition Centre on October 13 and 14. See hyderabadcomiccon.com for tickets.
