Supanova 08

Brisbane does not rate highly on the scale of geeky cities in australia. In a place where going to the pub is considered better entertainment than playing D&D, and people are more likely to stay in to watch the footy than level up in WOW, the geeks of brisbane take any oportunity they can get to let loose their inner otaku.

This is why each year the Supanova comic con draws larger and larger crowds to a meager gathering of comic stalls and B-list celebrities. This year was, by far, the most attended yet. At the risk of sounding hyperbolical, the line stretched around the block. In fact, when at 11 am a friend rang up to tell me she was arriving at the venue in a few minutes I told her to bring a packed lunch. She had time to meet life-long friends and grow old in that line.

Myself and my accomplice on the other hand took several minutes to simply walk the length of the line, and then, clutching our pre-bought passes like Willy Wonka's golden ticket, stepped inside the chocolate factory...

Roaming an audatorium full of bizzarly dressed geeks and smelly nerds isn't everyone's idea of a good time, and you really have to be a part of the culture to appreciate this event. I tried, mostly unsuccessfully, to explain to several uninitiated friends what Supanova was like.

For most people who go it's simply a place to connect with your own inner geek in a place where everyone gets the joke. Walking past girls with 'I love yaoi' t-shirts and guys wearing long red coats with spikey bleached hair gave me a warm, fuzzy glow of otaku pride. Watching Sailor Moon eat chips with gravy at the kiosk and Naruto buying an Eva doll makes for a slightly absurd and surreal scene.

It's that very absurdity that makes Supanova - like comic-cons everywhere - so charming. This young comic con is still finding it's identity and the stall range from B-list Sci-Fi actors to Singstar booths, Wrestling tournaments to Cosplay competitions.

So get yourself there next year. Hug a stormtrooper, spot some anime legends in costume and rummage through the stalls untill you find that special, limited edition, first run Spiderman comic you've been searching for.



-- H