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As the winter chills set in, the open-ground Alto Delhi Comic Con on Friday saw lower-than-expected, albeit, zestful and passionate comic and pop culture lovers thronging the NSIC Grounds in South Delhi’s Okhla.
Organised by Maruti Suzuki Alto, the three-day fest of the sixth edition of Comic Con is set to bring to town popular international comic creators along with leading pop culture artists from across the country.
Jatin Varma, Founder, Comic Con India, says: “This is the biggest convention we have ever organised, with tonnes of new exhibitors, activities and exclusives. We have a lot more on offer for fans and we hope to provide Delhi with its biggest pop-culture event of the year.”
Delhi is the birthplace of Comic Con India, and Varma says it is also the ideal place for beginners wanting to develop a fondness for the event. “Bengaluru likes their comics and sci-fi. Bombay is interested in television and films. Delhi wants a mix of all these.”
Cosplay gets bigger with Rs 50K cash prize
The winner of the first-day costume contest, where you dress up as your favourite character from a book, series, movies, comics, except for the original actor, was awarded to Zara Rubello who stupendously brought to life the ‘Vengeful Spirit’ from the popular online MMR game Dota. This was the first time contestants were provided with a ramp to highlight their talent.
The 18-year-old who spent around Rs 12,000 on her costume said, “One thing I don’t like about Comic Con is that they don’t have green rooms for Cosplay contestants.”
Competing against live caricatures, ranging from Final Fantasy to Star Wars, Spartans to WWE wrestlers, Marvel’s and DC’s favourite characters to iconic superheroes, it is understandable why Rubello least expected the accord.
However, winning is not what draws fans to dress up, sometimes, in different characters on each of the three days. It is the excitement of having a platform where geeks and nerds, television shows and movie fans gather under a common roof.
So is the case with Tanya Kaushik, physically impaired since birth due to a neurogenic disorder, but pumped up with enthusiasm as she dressed up as The ‘Red queen’ from the movie Alice in Wonderland this year and the previous year as Daenerys Targaryen from George R R Martin’s novel and series, Game of Thrones.
Other contestants included Rathika Venugopal who impersonated a ‘Spartan warrior’; she has even visited the renowned San Diego’s Comic Con festival, and Mir Amir, who has been leaving its imprint in Delhi Comic Con’s Cosplay for the past six years, sported Qui Gon Jin (Jedi) from Star Wars this year.
The winner of Indian Championships of Cosplay will get a ticket to represent the country at the Annual Crown Championships of Cosplay at Chicago Comics & Entertainment Expo.
New artists coming your way
Gaurav Gera, stand-up comedian and actor, who visited Delhi Comic Con for the first time has launched his merchandise store ‘Shop Keeper,’ popular for ‘Shopkeepa and Chutki series,’ sells products including, posters, coasters and more.
Implementing a unique concept, Varun Godha, co-founder of Light Bite Foods, is selling five flavours of popcorn priced at Rs 20 each, each carrying a different story about every character who fights crime and the evil elements of society. These characters are based on and inspired by real life people, not heroes.The popcorn is just an introductory promotion, awaiting the movie they plan to launch in the coming months.
Road to cashless Comic Con
Narendra Modi’s notion of a ‘cashless economy’ seems to have caught on, giving rise to a ‘cashless comic con’, where swipe machines, an ATM machine and Paytm have edged out notes and coins.
Although non-payment in cash at the grass root level was a difficulty due to demonetisation, and almost all artists admit having suffered declining sales, they are now coping up with online modes of transaction.
Low-star quotient disappoints fans
While last year, the crowd was treated to the likes of Kristain Nairn who played Hodor in 'Game of Thrones' and Rob Denbleyker of 'Cyanide and Happiness' fame, this year they had to settle for a handful of comic creators.
The last minute withdrawal of Paul Blackthorne of popular American Television series 'Arrow' was the biggest setback for fans. For those who still don’t recognise him, he is the actor who played Captain Rusell in the movie ‘Lagaan.’ He shared a video message on Facebook regretting his inability to attend the three-day event here, due to his pre-occupation with a shooting.
"It is crazy how I see my favourite Batman in so many different avatars here. But, I am disappointed because Paul Blackthorne couldn't come," Pranav, a first-time visitor, said.
Erik Larsen, an American cartoonist, known for his work on ‘Savage Dragon’ and on ‘The Amazing Spider Man’ for Marvel Comics also pulled out of the convention.
The merchandise section disappointed J K Rowling’s legendary book series and movies Harry Potter’s fans, as her latest release, ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,’ failed to grab a counter here. It was available at Bangalore’s Comic Con 2016.
A session with Bollywood actor and director Amol Gupte and cast and crew of their upcoming film ‘Sniff’ was also dropped.
Nonetheless, fans were still brimming with excitement to see their favourite characters walking around with the presence of DJ Elliot, the official Walt Disney World DJ, along with actor and comedian Gaurav Gera.
Comic lovers, don’t be disappointed
The fantasy event will be launching 10 new book titles at the convention, such as The Legend of Azad, the story of an Indian samurai superhero; The Age of Immortals, a tale of Aghoris; and Shivaay featuring a Yeti from Bhutan.
You will also get to meet caricaturist Tom Richmond, graphic novelist Joe Harris, and French writer and illustrator Nicolas Wild, who will be sharing their respective journeys to fame.
While Richmond has worked for leading channels like Cartoon Network and the National Geographic, Harris' and Wild's claim to fame were the X-Files Comics and 'Kabul Disco', respectively
However, as Jatin Varma told Business Standard, “A misconception that a lot of people carry is that Comic Con is just about comics, but it’s also about being passionate for something in life.”
You should also gear up for the several activities and virtual reality games that have been organised for you, including six action-packed fan zones including - Gaming and Art Zone, AXN Experience Zone, WWE Zone, ESL India Premiership, Bahubali Zone & Rogue One - A Stars Wars Story among others.
Bahubali, a Telugu film received national recognition for its virtual effects and overwhelming earnings, has set up a still at Delhi Comic Con. With their virtual reality headset, you can get a glimpse of the fictional world of the movie.
American channel AXN is promoting TV series ’Breaking Bad’ by making visitors play a game of segregating small blue stones (in reference to methamphetamine, commonly known as ‘crystal meth’ on which the show is based) from multicoloured stones within a stipulated time.
So, it’s just not about comics making it to the big screen, as you might want to brace yourself up for finding your favourite quotes and slogans imprinted on a t-shirt or engraved on a pendant. If you have been waiting to decorate your house, now is the right time with the extensive collection of posters available in all sizes to handmade paintings by budding artists, including 17-year-old Rahul Bhatia’s whose original painting costs Rs 4,000 and the range of small printouts of the same start from Rs 200.
Comic Con is set to continue till December 11.
