What’s life without a dash of fun, frolic and enjoyment? And for comics fans and admirers, it just got better with Comic Con! Referred to as #TheBestWeekendOfTheYear, Mumbai Comic Con 2018 was more epic than it has ever been!
The eighth edition of Maruti Suzuki Arena Mumbai Comic Con was back on 22-23 December, to treat every avid comic and pop culture fans with best experiences possible. Enthusiasts thronged the Bombay Exhibition Centre to attend the opening day of this highly anticipated extravaganza. It was full frenzy out there with more fans and participants (for Cosplay) pouring in as the day progressed.
Among the most exciting segments of Comic Con that every comic aficionado looks forward to, book launches certainly rank first. Mumbai Comic Con had a brilliant lineup of exclusive book launches from Indian artists and creative minds!
The book launch sessions began with Magic in Mussoorie by publisher Penguin Random India House. There was also an intriguing special session held by Lawtoons and artist Abhijeet Kini, titled ‘Comics and the Law’. Kini also introduced his series Rhyme Fighters along with Sanskarshala and The Dabbawala Comic.
“After a busy Comic Con season, we’re here in our hometown. It’s great to do something in our own backyard and Mumbai Comic Con is a big deal for us as we get to meet our friends and fans during these. Our comics and merchandises get good response here, so I really look forward to this event,” Kini told AnimationXpress.
This was followed by the launch of Blame it on Rahil, an amazing collection of artist Rahil Mohsin’s work so far. TBS Planet also debuted their brand new series The Pune Haunting. Vindu Dara Singh along with his team released an interesting comic book based on his father- the life of legendary wrestler and politician Dara Singh, called The Epic Journey of Dara Singh.
Chariot Comics launched a prologue of VRICA: Descension Pact, the end to their flagship series VRICA Trilogy. Chariot Comics founder Aniruddho Chakraborty along with his artist for Descension Pact, Tarun Sahu were there too at the Bombay Exhibition Centre. Chakraborty said, “Mumbai historically has been great for us…It’s not only the fans who come in but there’s a lot of partnership opportunities here-like movie studios come in and explore our products. And it’s always fun to be in Mumbai…it has a different universe than Delhi, Bengaluru or Hyderabad.”
Besides the well known names of the Indian comic industry, Mumbai Comic Con hosted few renowned international names like Japanese artist Sana Takeda, Will Conrad from Brazil, and famous costume designer based in Atlanta- YaYa Han. Famous for Buffy series as well as his association with Marvel and DC, Conrad held an insightful meet-and-greet session with his fans.
To bring about a fun quotient to this evening, Sahil Shah of the EIC performed a special set. This was followed by a special performance by comedians Jasmeet Singh Bhatiaaka Jizzi and Talha Siddiqui. Actor, entertainer Luke Kenny was also present talking about his acting career and his stint as a comics creator.
Among other special sessions that were held, Radio One, We Bare Bears, extremely bold session by Doritos, XP Pen, Sony Pix, Games the Shop, AXN Live R.E.D., Pocket Box Office and The Timeliners from TVF deserve a distinct mention each!
Comic Con India founder Jatin Varma remarked, “Mumbai always has the most enthusiastic bunch of pop culture fans, and this year seems to be no different! We were glad to see everyone around having a blast on the opening day of Mumbai Comic Con, and we cannot wait to see how the final day turns out to be.”
The final day of Comic Con began with some special sessions by Life Skill Olympiad, Ugly Sweater Team, Preview by Yali Dream Creations, AXN Live by R.E.D, Remembering the Marvel veteran Stan Lee, Games the Shop, a special preview by River Comics, an exclusive launch by Holy Cow Entertainment and much more.
Holy Cow Entertainment founder Vivek Goel added, “ For people like us, Comic Con is our second home. We’re on the verge of completing all our ongoing series. So, the first and foremost expectation is to get sold out and get a lot of repeat customers.”
The Mumbai Comic Con also had an exclusive fan experiences to offer through zones from renowned names such as Maruti Suzuki Arena Vertical Challenge, Marvel Studios, Amazon Prime, Hot Wheels, Doritos, AXN and Sony Pix, among others. Filled with the best of merchandise, interactive sessions, energetic fans and an electric vibe, Comic Con Mumbai ensured that the attendees had a gala time as they prepare themselves for the second day, which also marks the last day of this extravaganza for the year.
The best attraction of Comic Con was the vibrant and highly talented cosplay. The artists huddled together in the Arena on both the days, to compete the Cosplay Contest which had a pool prize amount of Rs. one lakh, including the whopping first prize of Rs. 50,000. Additionally, these cosplayers battled each other to win a coveted chance of representing the city at the Indian Cosplay Championship 2019. The winners would also get an opportunity to represent the country at the Crown Championship of Cosplay to be held in Chicago.
Decked up with such exciting launches and amazing sessions spanned over both the days, Mumbai Comic Con 2018 was definitely a paradise for comic fans in the maximum city!
Till the next year, let the Comic Con fever soar!
