Comic Con Africa drew around 20,000 fans a day to the Johannesburg Expo Centre (Nasrec) between 24 and 27 September, roughly 80,000 visitors over four days, and the organiser says that makes it the fourth-largest Comic Con in the world. “Behind only events in Brazil, San Diego and New York” is how Carol Weaving, managing director of organiser RX Africa, put it in an interview with TechCentral. The ranking is her claim, not an independent measure.
Growth on a cap
The show began in 2018 at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit, where attendance exceeded the venue’s capacity. It moved to Gallagher Estate, outgrew that too, and is now at Nasrec, where RX Africa caps tickets at 20,000 a day. “To maintain that status, growth has to be managed organically,” Weaving said. “It’s about ticket caps, safety and expanding physical footprint spaces, like seating areas and food villages.”
Where the money comes from
The show earns from ticket sales, sponsorships and activations, and exhibition space rentals. This year’s sponsors included Telkom, Red Bull and Kellogg’s. Weaving said the way brands spend at the show has changed. “Content creators are effectively replacing traditional ad agencies for brands at the show,” she said. “Brands want face-to-face community engagement, and working directly with creators allows them to convert casual gamers into hardware and software buyers.”
Weapons, safety and rAge
South African law restricts realistic prop weapons, so RX Africa runs drop-off and collection points for the replicas attendees bring for guest signings. Anti-harassment rules and a “Cosplay is Not Consent” policy apply at the venue and on the event’s digital platforms.
Weaving confirmed that RX Africa has approached rAge, the long-running local gaming expo, about working together on numerous occasions, but she would not give details because they are covered by non-disclosure agreements.
