In its second year, Comic Con Africa experienced a venue shift that was almost entirely for the better. The inaugural 2018 convention at Kyalami racetrack and convention centre felt improvised and make-do. That year’s con was a smash-hit, but there were 2km+ walks from the venue to parking that was more about cramming people in than organisation. The event also took place in a hodgepodge mix of buildings and marquees up and down steep banks (causing serious accessibility issues), and there was zero shade outside for attendees.
The 2019 shift of Comic Con Africa to Gallagher Estate rectified all of those issues. Traffic may have congested around the convention centre at peak times, but the parking was located right there; people could easily move about the stair-free venue with prams and wheelchairs; and there was loads of foliage and shaded cool-down spots to escape the brutal African sun. As a side note, Gallagher provides more interesting backdrops for cosplay photos.
The trade-off of the venue change was that all convention catering was provided by Gallagher itself, which meant a perfunctory selection of burgers, hotdogs, pizzas, sandwiches and the like. No intriguing food trucks and vendors like last year. This entirely “in house” approach was also a little odd seeing as KFC was a primary sponsor of CCA 2019. You just couldn’t buy their chicken anywhere.
This gripe aside, Comic Con Africa 2019 was extremely enjoyable for the most part. The gaming hall was well-spaced out with loads of hands-on experiences and a dedicated esports stage, the tabletop gaming section received a welcome boost in prominence – and became an excellent chill spot – and the debut Kids Con was clearly a big drawcard for families. Although the crush of bodies meant Hall 4, containing Artists’ Alley, Cosplay Corner and the crafters, consistently felt hotter than anywhere else, the standard of work there was so high it was possible to blow your entire con budget on local art and hand-made geeky goods.
Meanwhile, we’re pleased to report that despite alcohol being served again at CCA 2019, there were almost no reports of cosplayer harassment this time around.
We also want to give a special shout-out to Floridian DJ Elliot and local comedian Mojak Lehoko, who made fantastic main stage moderators, and hosts of the to-the point Championships of Cosplay Finals. In 2018, there was more of an emphasis on big name funnymen taking the stage as opposed to hosts with genuine warmth, graciousness and a more appropriate self-deprecating sense of humour. Elliot and Mojak belong in the second group and were a welcome presence.
Our advice for future con attendees is to skip the first day unless you absolutely have to be first to check out a certain vendor or international guest. The sold-out Saturday was overwhelming from about midday to 3pm. Around that time, congestion built up in certain areas and suffocating food and drinks queues were taking an hour to navigate (not helped by the World Cup Rugby screenings in the same area). Sunday was busy but manageable, the work day Monday was the quietest – making it ideal for shopping, and parents with young kids in tow – and the final Day 4 was another bump in busyness, although not quite to the same extent as Sunday.
Comic Con Africa 2019 may have suffered from a high percentage of celebrity guest cancellations but it didn’t matter when you were there. For one thing, there were still all the highly-accessible international comics guests to chat to. Even more important than that, the convention’s greatest strength is the excitement and communal good spirit it generates around the various aspects of pop culture. Getting to share that passion and jubilance for a few days with friends and like-minded people is what makes it so special. And helps to restore your faith in humanity.