Comic Con India
This is a collection of articles archived for the excellence of their content. |
Cosplay
Mona Ramavat , Avatar Rising “India Today “ 3/3/2017
The Japanese fan convention of 'cosplay', or costume playing, made inroads into India in 2011 at the first Indian Comic Con in Delhi. Eleven people turned up for the event dressed as comic, animation or gaming characters. "Five years later, that number has grown to a few thousand," says Jatin Verma, founder of Comic Con India. Passionate fans in India are finding new wings (or capes or crafty headgear or swords) for their cosplayer avatars. The winner of a recently held cosplay championship at Delhi, Sameer Bundela, was dressed as Skywrath from Dota 2, while 20-year-old Akhil Macharla of Hyderabad won the fan favourite award for his Daedric armour from Skyrim. The VFX artist decided to construct a costume using fiberglass and resins, and it took him about five months to put together the armour, which weighs 25 kilos. "I turned my bedroom into a workshop. My parents constantly asked me to stop this madness. But when I won the award at the championship, my mother was all teary-eyed," shares Macharla, who will soon represent India at the Indonesia Comic Con.
The Indian cosplayer community is growing steadily, and it is only a matter of time before we start having master classes and cosplay boutiques, with serious cosplayers turning celebrities and charging for appearances at events. "Although cosplaying is currently a rather niche interest in India," says Verma, "over the next couple of years we'll certainly see a surge."
YEAR WISE DEVELOPMENTS
2019
Suhina Bisaria, Dec 21, 2019 Times of India
From: Suhina Bisaria, Dec 21, 2019 Times of India
Bump into Deadpool at a street corner? Photobomb the anime characters taking selfies with the wizards? You could also be chasing Stormtroopers and come across Batman eating a sandwich or Harley Quinn shopping for keychains. As usual, these are possibilities at Delhi Comic Con. It is for such fun that pop-culturists congregated at the NSIC Grounds in Okhla on the first day for the ninth edition of the event from December 20-22.
“This year, we are celebrating 25 years of F.R.I-.E.N.D.S and there’s a Central Perk setting with the famous couch where people can click pictures,” said Jatin Varma, founder of Comic Con India. He recalled — it only seems like yesterday, he smiled — when he began with a small event at Dilli Haat eight years ago, visited by just 5,000 people. This year, Varma expects more than the 45,000 who attended the event last year.
On the first day on Friday, the enthusiastic, elderly fans bought superhero socks and others thronged the stalls displaying engaging illustrations, a good luck bunny dressed in red went around asking for hugs.
There was a buffet of artists and writers of the comic book genre on Friday, with illustrators like Bernard Chang and Chad Hardin and storyteller Bill Golliher, the narrator of Sabrina, Josie and the Pussycats and Archie comics, pulling the crowd. “This was my first time here and I found the Indian fans very enthusiastic,” said Golliher, adding, “I was thrilled to design the exclusive Archie comics based on Delhi for this year’s event.”
Fans also crowded the booths of Indian artists, including illustrator Saumin Patel, animator Abhijeet Kini, webcomic series creator Awkwerrrd Bhagya, Bakarmax and others. Patel, who had once worked on the series Agent Vinod, said the Comic Con get together different sets of people who are fun to interact with. The Agent Ranabooth from The Times of India also saw a huge crowd, with people milling around dressed as characters of the serialised graphic thriller.
Among the various comic book publishing stalls with Harry Potter looking visitors in the eye, selfies with Wonder Woman, Birds of Prey and cosplayers everywhere, there was also the ‘House of Candy’ that left visitors feeling like they were in Disneyland. And that imagery was probably what the organisers hoped to imprint in people’s mind.
At the Naughtyy Musketeers stall, masks of Captain America, Pikachu and Joker tempted the crowd. “The LED and normal masks cost Rs 300-500, but the crowd favourite, the Money Heist mask, is for Rs 750,” said the stall manager. Apart from Marvel and DC booths, Comicsense T-shirts, Planet Superheroes merchandise, Scholastic books and keychains, lockets and Funko Pops from Fictional Realities were available.
As for entertainment, there will be stand-up comedy by Rahul Dua and Abish Mathew, respectively, on Saturday and Sunday and dance performances by the Misba Crew and Beatboxer Ish, while mentalist Karan Singh will mystify the crowd with his act.
Cosplay, of course, has been the soul of the event. Varma said, “The Delhi event is close to my heart because cosplayers here take the roleplaying very seriously.” The winner of the qualifier event will represent India abroad. Satnam Singh, dressed as Momon-san, an anime character, said it took him two months to prepare his costume. “Anime cosplaying has been a hobby for two years now,” he smiled.
Two others were swarmed by comic book fans on Friday. “I’m dressed as Samurai Onimaru and my costume took a couple of months to assemble out of foam and paint,” said Shubham Singhal. Yusuf Mani, dressed at Naruto, said her costume was a cross version of the anime and it took her half an hour to put together.
“I have been coming here for the three years and I just love looking at the cosplay variety and the merchandise on offer,” said Bhavya Shukla, tightly gripping his SuperFan kit as he ambled along.
Varma said all Comic Cons are planned a year in advance, though the last three months before a particular event are the most hectic. Their efforts haven’t been in vain, as denizens of the graphic universe ran into action figures to supplement their excitement at meeting artists and writers. Just for that, they could consider themselves superheroes.
