Comic-Con International is a multi-genre entertainment and comic convention held annually in San Diego, California, United States, which was also was hosted on the African continent for the first time last year in Johannesburg. Comic Con Africa will be held at Gallagher Convention Centre in Johannesburg from September  21 - 24.

Comic Con Cape Town will take place from May 1 - 3, 2020 and will have its own line up of talent geared towards the fanbase of the city playing to its unique areas of strength and personality.

“With the unprecedented success of the 2018 Comic Con Africa it is the natural next step to bring this format to the city of Cape Town,” said Reed Exhibitions Africa managing director Carol Weaving.

“While the style of this Comic Con will be slightly different to Comic Con Africa, we still expect the same level of entertainment focusing on our key pillars which include film, series, animation, cosplay, comic books and gaming. We are thrilled to be announcing the dates when we will be bringing the Comic Con magic to another South African city.”

Weaving said as Cape Town is the film capital of South Africa, Comic Con Cape Town will have a stronger focus on films and series.

“With this in mind, Comic Con Cape Town has formed a strategic partnership with the Cape Town International Animation Festival. This festival is the only dedicated animation festival in Africa and hosts local and international delegates. This festival appeals to those that are creatives, producers and technical artists.”

According to the organisers, from 2020 onwards the Cape Town International Animation Festival will co-locate with Comic Con Cape Town. This partnership will ensure the longevity of both festivals by bringing together the fans into one venue at the same time. 

This partnership is aimed at creating a larger following for animation in Africa. As animation plays a big role in both films and series, this partnership is designed to grow the offering for those avid fans.

“The success of Comic Con rests in the ability to create platforms that address the wants and needs of the fans. Partnerships like this simply make sense to bring together two formats in order to grow the level of interest and skills in the animation industry. We are proud of this association and hope to be able to grow both the Cape Town Animation Festival and Comic Con Cape Town through this partnership,” Weaving said.

The talent line-up for Comic Con Cape Town will include both local and international celebrities in the film and series industry as the main focus.

African News Agency (ANA)