Hyderabad: The excitement was palpable at the city’s Hitex Exhibition Centre on Friday as Comic Con opened its doors to a vast community of fans celebrating comics, anime, manga, and popular art.
Among the crowd was 12-year-old Abhay, dressed in a red and blue Spiderman costume, holding his father’s hand and excitedly pointing out other Spiderman cosplayers. It was their first Comic Con, and it lived up to expectations.
The crowd was as diverse as the age groups, with 72-year-old Manju Sharma posing with cosplayers alongside her son and grandson. “This is my first Comic Con and I am having the time of my life. There is so much going on here, and I love how the cosplayers have stepped up their game,” she said, asking a Luffy cosplayer to strike a pose.
The convention floor buzzed with energy, with stalls selling merchandise and small knick-knacks overflowing with enthusiasts. “This is my first time at Comic Con. I was excited to see the cosplay, and I was not disappointed. It was so cool to see my favourite anime characters come to life,” said 20-year-old Vaishnavi from the city. Saashna and Tharaka Reddy, also from Hyderabad, shared the same excitement, bonding over gaming and anime.
The three-day extravaganza is set to feature a diverse line-up of emerging publishers and Indian artists as well as an international artist.
COSPLAYERS, ASSEMBLE!
Comic-Con was alive with an impressive array of cosplayers, including Deadpool, Akatsuki, Captain Jack Sparrow, and Groot.
Among the crowd was Sheetal Khusi, a Chhattisgarh native now residing in Hyderabad, who showcased her Mitsuri Kanroji costume from Demon Slayer. “It took me three months to make the costume, from the dress to the sword. I’ve also cosplayed as Chel from The Road to El Dorado, Nico Robin and Chopper from One Piece at previous events,” she said, looking forward to more cosplay in the coming days.
LET THE GAME BEGIN!
This year’s Comic Con featured special attractions for One Piece and Blue Lock fans. The Crunchyroll booth celebrated the 25th anniversary of One Piece, while anime lovers also tested their football skills at the Blue Lock-themed activation.
The three-day Comic Con India extravaganza, under the aegis of Nodwin Gaming, also made sure that gamers weren’t left behind. DreamHack, India’s biggest gaming festival, will offer fans the best of comics, cosplay, fandom hauls, gaming tournaments, e-sports competitions and much more for both comic and gaming enthusiasts.
