Thrills, (multiplying) chills, and the very best of fandom: Brisbane Supanova 2019.
There’s a storm of chaos as the doors to Brisbane’s 2019 Supanova Comic Con & Gaming swing open. This is the golden moment that's impossible to photograph well, but a perfect opportunity to watch the sort of randomness best left to cartoons and enthusiastic fan-fiction.
Someone in an inflatable dinosaur costume tries to skip through the crowd, hand entwined with the hand of a bemused General Leia. The dinosaur nearly topples, saved by a demon. A frowning Harley Quinn struggles to usher a miniature Batman and a Little Mermaid into the venue as little Ariel stares in awe at a larger than life Ursula.
Image © Kylie Thompson
Thousands surge into the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, wandering the stores, rushing for photos and signings, or seeking the next not-to-be-missed panel presentation.
Click here for more photos from the show.
While there’s a range of official merch available, there’s nothing quite like the feeling of wandering Artist’s Alley and stumbling on a piece of fan art that steals your breath and your heart. Within the hour, people are carrying posters, toys, and collectables, daintily moving through the eternal scrum of the crowds to try and keep their new merch safe.
Image © Kylie Thompson
Throughout each day, announcements and conversations are silenced by the sound of excited squealing, as people rush towards their favourite characters come to life, snapping photos and starting conversations.
There’s magic here, as the cynicism and frustrations of the world fall away, and everyone becomes child-like in their wonder at meeting their favourite heroes and villains.
Though in recent years Deadpool and Harley Quinn have been cosplay favourites, this year it was all about anime, Marvel and Star Wars, with Rey and gender-swapped Captain America clear cosplay favourites.
Image © Kylie Thompson
The crowds ebbed and flowed as numerous panels, workshops and celebrity encounter opportunities arrived. The Disco King himself, John Travolta, was a clear crowd favourite, and though there were some awkwardly phrased comments, it was hard not to start planning the next 'Grease' rewatch.
Iconic Whedonverse stars Julie Benz and Amy Acker talked about the roles that made, challenged, and frustrated, keeping audiences laughing about life behind the scenes of some of the most impressive pop-culture titles in recent memory.
Beloved Aussie author Maria Lewis launched her latest horror novel, ‘The Wailing Woman’, bringing banshees screaming back into popular culture with her usual wit, whimsy, and snark.
But it was honorary Aussie Mark Sheppard that stole the show, and hearts. For all the prowling around the room, snarking like Crowley at his most vicious, that playful wickedness falls away near instantly to remind fans of what matters.
Mark Sheppard - image © Kylie Thompson
Whether leaping from the stage to support an anxious fan through a question, greeting guests at the door of his panel, or reminding them about the value of community, it’s hard not to love him (even if he’s a Blues supporter).
For the hundreds of conversations and declarations of love for Supanova and other fan conventions, it was Mark who summed it up best: “Cons remind me what a kind place the world can be. People are happy, they’re confident in their love for creative works.
“There are no stabbings or fights at cons! When you think of how aggressive the world can be, how hard it can be to stay alive, you realise these moments are important.”
Image © Kylie Thompson
Though there’s doubt around Adelaide’s 2020 Supanova (6-8 November), Supanova Melbourne (6-8 March), Supanova Gold Coast (13-14 March), Supanova Sydney (19-21 June), Supanova Perth (26-28 June) and Supanova Brisbane (November13-15) have been confirmed.
So keep an eye on the Supanova website for tickets and guest announcements.
