Comic Con 2024 unleashes pop culture extravaganza in Hyderabad

The two-day festival kicked off at Hitex Exhibition Centre with a varied range of attractions and experiences

Hyderabad: After a three-year break, the world of pop culture descended upon Hyderabad as Comic Con 2024 kicked off at the Hitex Exhibition Centre on Saturday. Enthusiastic fans and comic aficionados flocked to the two-day event, eager to immerse themselves in the diverse array of experiences the festival had to offer.

Comic enthusiasts like Tejas expressed their excitement, stating, “As a comic enthusiast, I always waited for Comic Con, and finally, the day is here.” The event showcased a lineup of publishing houses and Indian artists, including Indusverse, Yali Dreams Creations, Sufi Comics, Lilorosh, Garbage Bin, and more. International artists like Rico Renzi were also part of the festival.

Sufi Comics writer, Mohammed Ali Vakil, said, “While we are regular at Comic Cons across India, this is our first time in Hyderabad, and the response has been great here.”
The cosplay community took centre stage, with enthusiasts donning elaborate costumes that paid homage to characters from Anime.

The Arena

One of the major highlights was ‘The Arena’, a 40,000 sft gaming arena that offered attendees a paradise of gaming experiences. Daily tournaments, e-sports competitions, popular streamers, and a plethora of gaming options made it a dream destination for gaming enthusiasts.

“There are around 12 huge stalls put up in The Arena, filled with games and gamers, of course. It is a dream for all the gamers in the city,” exclaimed Rishith, a gaming enthusiast at Comic Con.

Experiential zones

Experiential zones were set up by Sony Pictures India presenting the Madame Web Experience, featuring a 360-degree photo booth and a live tarot card session aligning with the movie’s storyline. Another zone was Crunchyroll, known for streaming anime content, showcased Telugu-dubbed content on their wall branding and engaged visitors with a JJK activation game and a Solo Levelling photo op.

‘I can see people loving my look’

“I am dressed as a Goth maid who is just ready for Battle. The maid character that we have in Anime was my inspiration but I wanted to accessorise it as much as possible and look as good as I can. I have also created a fusion by adding the Lich King sword to my outfit. I can see people loving my look,” said Arindham, a cosplayer who won the Indian Championship of Cosplay at Bengaluru.