Every photo taken at Toowoomba Comic Geddon 2024
Toowoomba’s Comic-Geddon is set to rival Supanova and Comic Con as record crowds’ attended the pop culture event in June 2024. See all the photos taken at the event here.
Entertainment
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Toowoomba’s very own pop culture convention is set to rival Brisbane’s, as the wildly successful event Comic-Geddon grew to new heights when it launched a second time in June 2024.
Thousands of comic, sci-fi, fantasy, anime, and gaming fans flocked to the Good Shed on Sunday, June 30, for an epic day of nostalgia and fun at the 2024 Comic-Geddon.
The safe, creative, and exclusive space gave thousands of pop culture fans the opportunity to express their inner geek while perusing exhibitors selling collectibles, comics, pop vinyls, art, and more.
Toowoomba is home to a number of award-winning cosplayers, and for the first time Comic-Geddon hosted its own competition.
Cosplaying is dressing up as a character from any form of media, such as films, books, comics, and video games.
Toowoomba cosplayer Alexander Andrews said after seeing how many people had entered into the competition, most with elaborate and grand designs, he respectfully decided not enter.
However, he said it was a great introduction to the world of cosplay for his 12-year-old sister, Khaleesi, who hadn’t attended a pop culture event before.
“It’s really good to have conventions like this in Toowoomba, it gets more of the community out and involved,” he said.
“And in the cosplay community, there’s a lot of LGBT+ people, so it’s a safe space for them to be able to socialise and meet new people with similar interests.”
Helping niche businesses grow
Toowoomba artist and childcare worker Ella Aston said Comic-Geddon allowed her to expand her small business and travel to one of the state’s biggest pop culture events in September.
She said she had been enamoured with anime since she was a little girl, and fondly remembered watching Pokemon with her brothers, but she wouldn’t be where she was today without her business partner Amy Robken.
“As I got older I noticed my brother watching Naruto, so then I jumped on that bandwagon, and then when I met my friend (and business partner) Amy it literally blossomed,” she said.
“I always wanted to do something (with my art), I just never had the courage to do it, and it’s thanks to her that I’ve been able to,” she said.
The 23-year-old said although she loved working with children, her goal was to expand her business and grow as an artist, and she encouraged others to follow their passions.
“You’re never going to think you’re ready,” she said.
“Just go for it. You’ll always think that you’re not at the stage where think your art is great enough – but there is no stage.”
Ms Aston and Ms Robken sell a range of anime products including original anime prints drawn by Ms Aston, from popular anime such as the Genshin Impact game, Fruits Basket manga series, and Japanese television series Pokemon, Naruto and Attack on Titan.
You can find her print every month at The Toowoomba Makers Markets or online at paintingpotato.com.au.
Never too old for joy
Friends and cosplayers Abby Wolnicki and Rebecca Velt said they were amazed by the event’s turnout and called for Toowoomba to host more events to cater to the rapidly growing pop culture community.
Toowoomba mum Ms Velt, 43, said she always loved dressing up but she was initially intimidated by cosplaying.
“It’s a great creative outlet and fun, so to combine the two is amazing, plus you get to make things as well,” she said.
Ms Wolnicki echoed that sentiment, and said for her, cosplaying was all about the creative process.
“I love picking a project I can just work on for months … and then seeing what you create is like, ‘wow, I did that’,” she said.
The 26-year-old retail worker said she’d been creating and wearing outfits for a decade and encouraged others who were interested to start creating.
“One thing I’ve learned recently is don’t do it for anyone else, just do it for yourself and engage in the stuff that brings you joy,” she said.
Ms Velt said people shouldn’t let age hold them back as she began cosplaying when she was 36.
“I was watching from afar for years,” she said.
“I’d think, ‘I want to do that but I’m too old,’ and then I went out and did it and there were so many people up to 80-years-old who do this.
“Life’s too short not to do things that make you happy.”
See all the photos taken at the event below:
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