Cosplay, comics and chaos of the best kind at Delhi Comic Con

For artists, the three day event had felt like a reunion. Sumit Kumar, founder of Bakarmax Comics, described the crowd as familiar and warm. According to him the sweetest moment was when a woman came to his stall on a video call with her husband. “She was showing her husband the books that we had here and was asking whether he had these titles in his collection or not. She then figured out which title he did not own and added that to her stack,” he said.

Nostalgia carried through the artist aisles, especially around the Amar Chitra Katha and Tinkle stalls where fans gathered to interact with the creators of their favourite childhood heroes – Shikari Shambu. Speaking about his interactions with the fans of the characters, Savio Mascarenhas, Group Art Director, Amar Chitra Katha, said, “The best part of it is meeting readers of all ages. They tell us how they have received a collection of Tinkle comics from their elders and want to pass their collection of comics to the next generation.” He also added that a lot of the story ideas come from children and their suggestions. Mascarenhas also observed how the storytelling has also evolved over the years. He said, “In the ’70s and ’80s, the storytelling was very linear. Young readers today like complex ideas. The narratives that gently fold in real issues like bullying or gender equality.”

At the Garbage Bin Comics stall creator Faisal Mohammed found himself meeting fans who had known him for more than a decade. One visitor brought back the book he had bought 10 years ago to get it signed again. Mohammed believes that the audience has widened. “The youth today are reading a lot of Manga. It is a positive shift because any reading habit eventually led to more creators being discovered,” he said. He also remembered the early years of Comic con at Dilli Haat when the crowd overflowed, a sign of the growth that now allowed Comic Con to run multiple editions across Indian cities.

Suraj Pandey, dressed in a handmade Superman suit that he had spent ten months stitching up.

Megha Singh, a 23-year-old student, came dressed as Maomao from The Apothecary Diaries in an outfit that had taken weeks of effort and the help of her mother who stitched the dress. She laughed while admitting the joy she felt when people recognised her character. “People come and take photos. I get the feeling of being the character I admire,” she added.

Manish Kumar, 26, came dressed as Moon Knight from the Marvel miniseries. He crafted his white suited look with a mask from scratch. It took him two months to gather the materials and a week to make the costume. “This is my first time cosplaying. There are some mistakes in the mask. I have been wanting to do this for so long now,” he said.

Shefali Johnson, CEO, Comic Con India, described the event as a safe space for the fans of pop culture. She said, “Earlier, it was difficult to make people understand the concept of cosplay. Over the years there is a larger acceptance among the general public.” She added that the number of cosplayers and local artists had steadily increased. For her, Comic Con had become a place where entrepreneurs and creators could showcase their work. “There is something for everyone,” she said, explaining that the event blended international names, local talent, comedy, music and merchandise so that families could enjoy it together.