Bigger and better than ever before, with growing international status, the 25th edition of the ICON Comic and Games Convention (ICON CGC), Home of the Super-Hero, returns to Johannesburg’s Gallagher Convention Centre from 16 to 18 June 2017 over the Youth Day long weekend.
It is South Africa’s longest-running and largest pop culture event – the destination for leading gaming and pop culture experts and anyone looking to celebrate their fantasy world while being immersed in a compelling and exciting storyline. This celebration of gaming, story-telling, role-playing and tech positions ICON CGC as the ideal introduction to gaming for people of all ages and interests.
This year ICON will showcase international guests, local thought leaders, more than 40 speaker panels, expert player showdowns, a comedy event and innovative activations including multinational tech giants such as Canon Gigabyte and MakerBot, among others.
Whether you’re into card or table-top gaming, LARPing, tech-gaming or Cosplaying, an aspiring author or even a regular console fanatic, the convention will help define the “how to” of the increasingly mainstream and sophisticated gaming industry. Fantasists, mythologists, tech heads role players and more come into an immersive world such as ICON to be inspired, learn, experiment, observe and compete in a celebration of fantasy worlds and story-telling.
Les Allen, ICON’s director says, “What we’ve learnt from a quarter century convening ICON is that ‘geeks’ are no longer on the fringe. Mainstream media exposure has made their expertise, enthusiasm and points of obsession with hobbies and intellectual pursuits accessible. Gaming and storytelling releases a part of everyone’s being, we just facilitate access to it in a myriad of ways.”
International Cosplay Guest of Honour for #ICON2017 is the sensational Linda Le, aka. “Vampy Bit Me”, rated as one of the ten most popular cosplayers in the world and an inspiration to all those who invest in building characters for fantasy world.
Gaming industry insider James Stutter, a published author and the co-creator of the fantasy Pathfinder’ Roleplaying Game and Creative Director of the new space version Starfinder also joins the convention.
Both will participate in the convention for all three days.
Those looking forward to the much anticipated movie Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets can win double passes to the film’s first screening in South Africa on 21 July by attending either of two Valerian panels at ICON2017. The panel titled “Create an Alien” will see James designing an alien species from the ground up, based on a world from the Valerian cosmos. Partnering James is Sean Izaakse, current artist on Marvel’s “Avengers” comic book – he’ll be drawing the monster as James designs it.
Local thought leaders included in the line-up of panellists include tech analyst and commentator Arthur Goldstuck, and Nikki Bush, well know columnist and specialist in the field of child play and development matters.
Visitors to the convention have an opportunity to be real super heroes by visiting the South African National Blood Service (SANBS) drive and donate to help save lives. One lucky donor stands the chance of winning a 3D printed replica of themselves as a superhero – sponsored by MakerBot, the global leader in the 3D printing industry.
As with previous years, Saturday (17th June) sees six of South Africa’s funniest comedians take to the stage at the ICON Comedy Evening. With limited seats and tickets only available to weekend ticket holders, or those attending ICON on the Saturday, this extremely popular evening will have those attending rolling in the aisles with laughter as the comedians make light of geek culture.
Tickets are on sale now and start at R120 for a one day pass. Weekend passes and limited VIP tickets available.
