FTW: Win weekend double passes to Oz Comic-Con 2016 in Melbourne
CALLING all fandoms! Oz-Comic Con will return to Melbourne this coming June and we’ve got two weekend double passes to the convention to giveaway! Find out what you can expect from the event and how you can win as Zoe Law explains.
You don’t have to travel all the way to San Diego to get your fix of pop culture. The fifth annual Oz Comic-Con — Australia’s very own destination for all things pop culture — will make its return to the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre from June 11 and 12, inviting and uniting all fandoms under one roof.
As one of the biggest comic book and pop culture conventions in Australia, Oz Comic-Con will cater to fans of all kinds. Expect to see the usual assortment of cosplay, anime, film and comics-related events happening around the convention as well as special celebrity guest sightings.
Cosplay
Cosplayers will be everywhere at Oz-Comic Con! | Photo: Julian Tay
Conventions like these always attract a colourful crowd and part of the fun of being at events like Oz Comic-Con is getting to see all the cosplayers dressed up as recognisable characters from comic books, video games, anime and so much more.
If you’re an avid cosplayer yourself or someone who simply wants to marvel at some of the costumes, one of the marquee events of the convention is the Oz-Comic Con Australian Championships of Cosplay. Entrants will compete for a chance to represent Australia at the prestigious C2E2 Crown Championships of Cosplay, hosted in Chicago, where they will compete for the right to call themselves the global cosplay king or queen. The winner of the Melbourne qualifier will then be sent to Brisbane to determine who will best represent Australia on a global scale.
Outside of the the Australian Championships of Cosplay, there will also be a dedicated space called Cosplay Central that’s open for cosplayers and the community to mingle and take photos as well as a Cosplay Parade for those who just want to flaunt what they have.
Anime and Manga
Discover new manga titles at the Anime Station’s manga library. | Photo: Jon Delorey via Flickr
A large part of geek culture is made up of fans who love consuming anime and manga. Self-professed otakus can revel in their love of anime and manga by visiting the Anime Station, a new area to this year’s Oz Comic-Con.
The Anime Station will include a Screening Room complete with a running schedule of new shows direct from Japan as well as classics (headphones will be available with dual-language options); and a Manga Library packed with Japanese comic books and comfy beanbags to sit in whilst discovering new titles.
Special Celebrity Guests
Author CS Pacat, who we interviewed in 2015, will be among the many special guests visiting Oz Comic-Con this June. | Image Supplied.
What’s a convention without some special celebrity guests? Fans across film and television will get the chance to meet and greet special guests including Robert Patrick (Terminator 2: Judgment Day), Lucy Lawless (Xena: Warrior Princess), Paul McGilion (Stargate Atlantis) and John Barrowman (Doctor Who).
If you’re looking for names in the comics and publishing world, comic book artist Nicola Scott (Black Magick) and author C.S. Pacat (Captive Prince — read our two-partinterview with the author) will also be present alongside a host of other well-established names.
Showroom Floor
Photo: Jupiter Firelyte via Flickr
Finally, the showroom floor will have plenty on offer for those who simply want to browse (and maybe even buy!) in between events.
Exhibitors including Critical Hit, Gundam Universe, One Stop Anime, Alternate Worlds, Madman Entertainment and so much more will grace the showroom floor with merchandise, original artwork and many other goods that may leave your wallet empty!
—-
Thanks to Oz-Comic Con, Meld Magazine is giving way two weekend double passes (each valued at $100) for those who want to experience the convention in all its geeky glory. For a chance to win, simply enter our Rafflecopter competition below. Competition closes June 8 and winners will be notified on how they can claim their prize.
If you don’t win, don’t you dare be sour — multiple ticket packages are available online at Oz Comic-Con’s official website.
Oz Comic-Con will take place from June 11 – 12 at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre. For more information, visit the event’s official site.