Beginning in Sydney in 2002, Supanova now takes place in six cities (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and the Gold Coast) and is Australia’s homegrown celebration of all things pop culture. With a slight name change this year to the Supanova Comic Con and Gaming Expo, it brings the event closer to what it has achieved over the past 15 years.
Supanova is where fandom comes to life, celebrating the worlds of film and television, fantasy, comic books, anime, sci-fi, cartoons, books, gaming and collectables. There’s ‘cosplay’ (costume-role play), fan clubs, musical performances, creative master classes, celebrity Q&As, wrestling, tournaments and competitions, and an expo full of shopping possibilities meaning there’s something for everyone, for every fan to have a blast!
Getting there: Trains run from Southern Cross Station to the Showground roughly every 20-40 minutes, and the same goes for the trip back. You can also ride the Route 57 tram from Elizabeth/Flinders Street to Epsom Road/Sandown Road and walk the remaining 200 metres to the entrance. If you’re driving, enter via Gate 7 and be prepared for $10 for parking.
How much? Tickets range from the $55 (pre-purchased or $70 at the door) for a Supa-fan weekend pass that gets you access to the site over the weekend to individual day passes that are $32 pre-purchased or $40 at the door. VIP tickets are also available and offer such perks as an invitation to the exclusive Supanova VIP Party on the Saturday night.
Who’s there: Bringing international (as well as national) stars to our shores, Supanova never ceases to have some of the finest actors, voice actors, comic writers and more at the event each year. This year sees the likes of David Boreanaz from Angel and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Natalie Dormer from Game of Thrones, John Jarratt from Wolf Creek, Rebecca Breeds from The Originals and Pretty Little Liars, voice actor Vic Mignogna from Fullmetal Alchemist and Dragon Ball Z and many, many more.
The Cosplay Competition: The Supanova Cosplay Competition has been going strong for 10 years now and it’s showing no signs of slowing down. The competition sees entrants dressed in their best renditions of characters from television, film, comics and more and judged based on six categories; best in show, best cosplay, best craftsmanship, best performance, best group and judges award.
Visit the website for more information.
When & Where: Melbourne Showgrounds, April 28-30
