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Tag: Comic Con

  • Bengaluru gears up for Comic Con 2025

    Bengaluru gears up for Comic Con 2025

    MUMBAI: Comic Con India is returning to Bengaluru on 20 and 21 December at KTPO, Whitefield, promising a weekend of cosplay, comics, gaming and immersive fan experiences.

    The 13th edition of Bengaluru Comic Con is set to unite cosplayers, gamers, artists and live performers, offering aspiring creators a platform to showcase their work and connect with fans and industry professionals. Highlights include the National Cosplay Championship, exclusive merchandise, interactive fan zones, gaming arenas and sessions with leading comic book creators, anime artists and directors.

    Nodwin Gaming co-founder and md, Akshat Rathee, said, “Bengaluru Comic Con has its own flavour. Only here can you find a coder debugging all week and then showing up on the weekend dressed as Darth Vader. The city’s fandom is restless and inventive. Every edition here feels electric, proof that pop culture runs deep in India’s tech capital.”

    Comic Con India, ceo, Shefali Johnson, added, “Fans here don’t just come to watch, they come to build, share and celebrate together. Bengaluru turns Comic Con into something bigger than the event itself, blending creativity, gaming and cosplay with the city’s culture of innovation.”

    Last year’s edition drew over 50,000 attendees, with more than 5,000 cosplayers. International guests included American comic creators Ron Marz and Jamal Igle, while Indian studios such as Tadam Gyadu, Raj Comics, Indusverse, Sufi Comics and Amar Chitra Katha showcased their work. The event also featured stand-up performances, a 40,000 sq. ft. gaming zone with tournaments and VR experiences, alongside themed attractions like the Superman Zone and Minecraft Movie booths.

    Tickets for Bengaluru Comic Con 2025-26 are now live exclusively on the District app.

  • Comic Con India bids farewell to its founding superheroes in style

    Comic Con India bids farewell to its founding superheroes in style

    MUMBAI: A founder exits, but the fandom marches on

    The capes are coming off—but not before a final bow. In a major leadership shakeup, Comic Con India announced that founder Jatin Varma, along with co-founder Karan Kalra and event director Sonal Varma, are stepping away from their day-to-day roles at the helm of India’s beloved pop culture carnival.

    Announced on 10 April 2025, the move marks the end of an era that began in 2011 with a dream to bring cosplay, comics, and chaos to the masses. But fans, fret not—this isn’t a full-throttle exit. The OG team will continue in an advisory and strategic capacity, lending their nerdy wisdom as the brand evolves under new leadership.

    The changing of the guard comes on the heels of Nodwin Gaming’s acquisition of Comic Con India in January 2024, pegged at a neat Rs 55 crore.

    And what a power-up it’s been.

    Since then, the event has gone from geeky niche to national juggernaut—adding Kolkata, Ahmedabad, and Pune to its roster alongside legacy cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad.

    What started as a scrappy fandom gathering in 2011 has morphed into India’s largest pop culture festival, drawing over 200,000 fans and clocking a jaw-dropping 330 million in digital reach. Jatin and his team didn’t just build a convention; they built a community. A multiverse of creators, cosplayers, fans, and fandoms stitched together with passion, panel discussions, and Deadpool sightings.

    “Their passion for storytelling, comics, gaming, and cosplay built a platform that connected creators and fans alike,” the company noted, in a tribute that hits right in the feels.

    As Nodwin prepares to roll out a new core team, expectations are sky-high. The mission? Keep the soul of Comic Con intact while dialling up the digital, the dazzle, and the drama for India’s next-gen pop culture brigade.

    An official update on the next phase of leadership is expected soon.

    So long, Jatin and crew. Thanks for the panels, the Pikachus, and the passion. The fandom salutes you.

  • Mumbai Comic Con wraps up with a bang!

    Mumbai Comic Con wraps up with a bang!

    Mumbai – The city of dreams, Mumbai witnessed an exhilarating weekend of the year for all things pop culture. Comic Con India brought pop culture enthusiasts from across the city for its last of this season’s event. The event served as a haven for cosplay enthusiasts and spectators alike, offering a gateway to a world where fantasy and reality collide. The weekend was filled with interactive activities, games, and an array of merchandise, keeping the spirit of Comic Con soaring high.

    Presented by Maruti Suzuki Arena, powered by Crunchyroll and in association with Android, Mumbai Comic Con 2024 treated every attendee to an exclusive copy of Spiderman-India (No.1 Issue) comic book, in collaboration with Marvel Comics. The event showcased comics in a big way with a slew of upcoming publishing houses and Indian artists like Indusverse, Holy Cow Entertainment, Acid Toad, Garbage Bin, Bullseye Press, Bakarmax, Art of SAVIO, and Abhijeet Kini  and many more along with International guests Jason Loo and GUY Delisle graced the event. The event saw immense love pouring in for popular movies, games and comic book characters like Itachi, Luffy, Goku, Deadpool & Wolverine, Spidermans, Batman, Viper (Valorant), Victor (Pubg shooter), Subzero (Mortal Kombat), Franklin (GTA), Xiao, Zhongli (Genshin Impact), Brimstone (Sage) and so much more.

    The venue buzzed with excitement as new comic book launches took center stage, including Karejwa by Bakarmax, Monday To Friday by Corporat Comics, Ghosts of South India by Abhijeet Kini, Minnal Murali by Tinkle Comics, and the announcement of Suppandi’s birthday by Google Android. Art Guy Rob conducted a captivating session igniting nostalgia among audiences.

    A special panel on Demon Slayer, featuring voice-over artist Natsuki Hanae, stole the spotlight, while the dynamic duo Rohan Joshi and Sahil Shah delivered yet another hilarious session of Binge-O-Clock. Popular rapper MC Altaf set the stage on fire with his rap, and the cast of Lakadbaggha also made an appearance. DJ Kazu and Shahrule kept the crowd grooving with their electrifying beats and rap. The talented comedian Harsh Gujral brought laughter to everyone with his wit.

    Speaking about the thrilling weekend celebration, Comic Con India founder Jatin Varma said, “The excitement and enthusiasm that the celebration brings along with boundless creativity and passion of pop culture enthusiasts at Comic Con, fills me with immeasurable joy. Each edition of Comic Con has been a rewarding journey, and Mumbai, as the final stop, embodies the vibrant spirit of our community. The infectious energy witnessed at our shows creates memories that last a lifetime. I am grateful to our audience for their unwavering support and participation and eagerly anticipate more unforgettable moments in the editions to come.”

    MC Altaf shared, “Mumbai Comic Con is very close to my heart as it’s my home turf.  Performing here was a memorable experience that I will always cherish.”

    Comedian Harsh Gujral said, “This is my first Comic Con experience. I think the energy in the audience was exceptional. I was scared in the beginning to perform in the open, but I was really surprised. People were enjoying the entire event while also paying attention to all the various performances happening and that’s what I loved the most. The vibe and energy of the audience was commendable.”

    Comic artist and cartoonist Jason Loo said, “Working with Marvel comics is always a dream.  I’m always amazed at every project I do, I get to draw or write this character today like Thor or Captain  America; this is awesome, and Mumbai Comic Con has been overwhelming. It has exceeded all my expectations with the high energy and enthusiasm of all the fans. I’ve never been shown this kind of love before in any kind of show. I would definitely like to be back for another Comic Con in India.”

  • Anime fans gear up! Crunchyroll amps up the anime experience at Comic Con Mumbai

    Anime fans gear up! Crunchyroll amps up the anime experience at Comic Con Mumbai

    Mumbai: Attention all anime enthusiasts and Manga fans! Crunchyroll, the ultimate home for anime worldwide, is excited to bring the immersive and vibrant world of anime to fans during Mumbai Comic Con. Spanning over two fun-filled days, 20 and 21 April, Crunchyroll will host several activities and engaging sessions.

    Demon Slayer World Tour Mumbai Panel: Join us for an unforgettable panel discussion on 20 April evening featuring Natsuki Hanae, the Japanese voice behind Tanjiro, and Yuma Takahashi, Aniplex Producer of Demon Slayer. Get a sneak peek into one of the most followed anime series, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba!

    *As part of the Demon Slayer World Tour, following the panel discussion, Crunchyroll is also organizing a separate super special fan screening of ‘Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba -To the Hashira Training-’ that will include an exclusive fan greeting with Natsuki Hanae and Yuma Takahashi! To attend the screening, fans can register on this Link.

    Feel the beat with DJ Kazu: Don’t forget to wear your dancing shoes as DJ Kazu will spin the hottest EDM, J-Pop and popular Anime beats on both days. Having sheer persistence on J-POP/Anison since the release of his first work, “J-Popper Legend,” he has been known as the #1 J-POP/Anison DJ with CD sales of over 2.0 million in total. On April 20th, catch him at the Crunchyroll booth at 12:30 pm and 3 pm, and on April 21st, don’t miss his performance at the Crunchyroll booth at 12:30 pm and the main stage at 5 pm, each session lasting 30-45 minutes.

    Prove you’re a real Anime Fan and Win Goodies!: Do you think you’re an anime expert? Test your anime knowledge at the Anime Trivia session at the Crunchyroll booth and stand a chance to win exciting anime merchandise such as JUJUTSU KAISEN Character Cards, Postcards from JUJUTSU KAISEN and Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, a One Piece Sticker Sheet, and a Shangri-La Frontier Paper Fan.

    Get into the JUJUTSU KAISEN ACTION: Step into the exhilarating world of JUJUTSU KAISEN and fight against curses! Experience the interactive game inspired by the JUJUTSU KAISEN universe, where fans can challenge themselves to battle against curses in a thrilling showdown. Don’t miss the opportunity to put your skills to the test and emerge victorious!

    Take advantage of this anime extravaganza, courtesy of Crunchyroll at Comic Con Mumbai. Mark your calendars and join us for an action-packed celebration of anime and manga culture!

  • Nickelodeon to unleash immersive experience at Comic Con International San Diego

    Nickelodeon to unleash immersive experience at Comic Con International San Diego

    Mumbai: US kids broadcaster Nickelodeon will invite fans to dive into an immersive experience at Comic-Con International: San Diego 2022 from 22-24 July 2022. It will showcase the depths of Bikini Bottom, imaginations of babies, a new generation of Transformers robots, the hallways of Monster High, the elements of Avatar and more. 

    Headquartered at its 1,800 square-foot booth on the convention center floor, Nickelodeon will celebrate fan-favorite characters and shows with panels, talent signings, activations, exclusive products and interactive design elements featuring: SpongeBob Universe (SpongeBob SquarePants and its two original spinoff series, The Patrick Star Show and the Paramount+ Original series, Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years), the Paramount+ Original series Rugrats and Transformers: EarthSpark, plus Monster High: The Movie, Avatar: The Last Airbender and more.

    Every day of the convention, Nickelodeon’s booth will feature: a 16-foot-tall Bumblebee of Transformers: EarthSpark photo opportunity and AR experience; an immersive “Monster High: The Movie” activation, where fans can compete against the clock to match objects to lockers; an eight-foot-long underwater television from The Patrick Star Show that fans can step inside; a Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years photo opportunity; a Rugrats photo opportunity; an Avatar: The Last Airbender-themed retail area featuring a custom t-shirt station and exclusive collectibles; costumed-character appearances; and autograph signings with the voice casts and producers from SpongeBob Universe, Rugrats, Transformers: EarthSpark and Avatar: Braving the Elements podcast.

    Nickelodeon will present four panels: Nickelodeon’s Rugrats: The Babies are Back!, an exclusive look at the all-new series; SpongeBob SquarePants: Dive into SpongeBob Universe!, a deep dive into the iconic franchise; Introducing Transformers: EarthSpark!, an insider event that celebrates a new take on the global franchise; and Avatar: Braving the Elements – LIVE!. This will offer a behind-the-scenes look at how the James Cameron directed movie was brought to life.

  • Myntra presents world’s only virtual Comic Con

    Myntra presents world’s only virtual Comic Con

    MUMBAI: After the roaring success of the first-ever online Comic Con launched in May this year, Myntra has returned with a bigger, more immersive and engaging edition of one of the country’s greatest pop cultural celebrations. The second edition of this adventure-loaded virtual convention is being held in association with Comic Con India between the 25 and 27 of November, offering millions of fans, especially those living beyond Tier 1 cities, experiences similar to the offline Comic Con held in metros.

    The in-app immersive comic experience from Myntra, offers six different universes for fans including, Justice League, Avengers, Star Wars, Cartoon, Earth and Time Travel. The event has a range of engagement activities, including, quizzes, crosswords, spotting the difference and more, to challenge the true fan’s knowledge of the universe. There is rich content for comic fans to explore and interact with, alongside the biggest fanboy inventory ever, comprising 10,000 styles across apparel, footwear, accessories, super hero action figures, comic books, Game of Thrones collectible books, superhero bobble heads, posters, mugs, home furnishing and even a chance to win passes for the San Diego Comic Con. Another interesting aspect of this edition is the personalized scorecard which is displayed on users profiles and helps them track their progress as they explore the multiverse.

    Over 80+ brands, including Myntra’s ‘Kook n Keech’- the go-to brand for comic star studded merchandise which houses the largest collection of licensed products from Marvel, DC, GoT, Cartoon Network, Star Wars and Disney, will be available along with YK, Bioworld and others. Some of the popular superheroes and characters include, Superman, Batman, Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk, Deadpool, Harry Potter, Mickey Mouse, Spiderman and Wonder Woman. In the second edition, Myntra has also on-boarded key brands like The Entertainment Store, giving people across the country access to their merchandise.

    Speaking on the occasion, Myntra Jabong head Amar Nagaram said, “Myntra is focused on providing its customers new and unique experiences and the virtual Comic Con is the latest in our efforts to engage our customers and give them access to the best of brands and comic merchandise. Pop Culture is catching up rapidly across the country and that is where the concept of an online Comic Con makes absolute sense, as it not only helps us reach and engage with a large fan base, but also underscores the brand’s culture and proposition.” 

    The current edition is also being promoted extensively on social media with themed content- like a superhero chatroom, engagement contests, influencer promotion and more. Myntra has also partnered with Comic Con India to have a shoppable kiosk with self-checkout in the offline Comic Con events in key cities. The most popular superheroes on Myntra over the last one year, across genres were, Captain America, Avengers, Iron Man, Deadpool & Punisher.

  • Brands ride on Comic Con’s super powers

    Brands ride on Comic Con’s super powers

    MUMBAI: “Comic Con didn’t run profitably for us for the past four years, but with how things went this year, we are hoping to break even and touch profit very soon,” said Comic Con India founder Jatin Verma, as the curtains came down on the biggest comic  gala in Mumbai.

     

    With Mumbai Comic Con 2015 enjoying a footfall of over 30,000, Verma’s wish doesn’t seem far off, which is saying something in a country where the culture of Comic Conventions has a long way to catch up with its international counterparts. 

     

    This year even though approximately 5000 more people turned up at the event compared to last year, ticket sales isn’t  the only factor to the convention’s commercial success this year. Comic Con 2015 has been able to get several brands on board.

     

    “This is the first time we have actually brought in sponsors on board. For the last few years we didn’t really pitch ourselves to sponsors, because even internationally Comic Con is not presented and driven by any brand. That is because conventions in US market are not as rare. But knee jerk reaction to such an event in India is different. Therefore, we had to amend our business model and expand our sources of revenue by actively creating outright sponsorships. We created a special team within our advertising and sales department that actively sought out sponsors.”

     

    Bringing in Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 was the biggest turn round for this year’s Comic Con, says Verma. Maruti Suzuki as the main sponsor fit the bill as 60 per cent of the people attending fall under the automobile brand’s target consumer base.

     

    “There are quite a few brands on board with us this year but our biggest sponsor for this year is Maruti Suzuki. We have exhibitor tie up with Myntra. We have also tied up with Ola, where in return for our partnership, the cab providers offer free rides to anyone in Mumbai to attend Mumbai Comic Con 2015,” Verma adds.

     

    Additionally the event also saw attractive booths from AXN wherein the channel showcased its popular shows that enjoy cult following in an interactive way. The anticipation for the seventh installment in the epic franchise series, Star Wars: The Force Awakens could also be seen as several brands rode the Star Wars bandwagon throughout the event.

     

    What puts brands at an advantage with their association with the convention is the ability to reach out to their target consumers through Comic Con, is the niche crowd that comes to the events in great number. 

     

    By associating with Comic Con, brands get to make an impactful impression on consumers by presenting them an opportunity to connect with their favourite character, series or creator. Something that Comic Con calls, “Give your brand super power.”

     

    “We get close to 150,000 people coming to the conventions across the country in a year. The demography that visit Comic Con spend Rs 2000 – 3000 on an average whenever they attend. From the middle class to upper middle class and above, those who visit are mostly young college goers and professionals in their mid and late 20s. Moreover, on an average they spend 6 to 7 hours at the event. Therefore, in return for their association with Comic Con, they not only get over a lakh of eyeballs, they can bond with their consumers by riding on the fanfare the visitors have for their super hero,” says Verma, adding that what separates Comic Con from a general promotion at a mall is the consumer engagement.

     

    “Be it a start up or a well established brand, it is a great opportunity for them to connect with an audience that is focused and ready to engage. Especially going by return on investment (ROI) when you compare the cost of getting that engagement, Comic Con gives brands such eyeballs much cheaper,” he adds.

     

    While Verma doesn’t reveal exact figures of the convention’s sponsorship deals and other brand partnerships, he does give an estimate on the total revenue that is covered by sponsorship. 

     

    “The contribution of the sponsors towards the entire expenditure to setup Comic Con entirely depends on the brands on board. While in general it would be 15 per cent, but an associate sponsorship contributes around 30 per cent of the total cost,” he shares.

     

    The cost also includes marketing cost incurred by the organisers for the convention. In terms of promotions, Comic Con naturally went digital heavy, as the target group are active netizens. “We don’t have a huge budget for marketing, so we had to use the resources we had at our disposal. Luckily we have a good ecosystem in place that helps us get more visibility. We rely a lot on on-ground activations and word of mouth to reach out to our target group,” Verma says.

     

    However, having said that he shares that a considerable amount of the total budget was kept aside for marketing. “We keep about 20 to 30 per cent of our total spends on marketing, and sometimes even more depending on the city we are in,” he adds in parting.

  • Comic Con India plans workshop for aspiring YouTube stars

    Comic Con India plans workshop for aspiring YouTube stars

    NEW DELHI: Comic Con India has planned a series of events as a precursor to the Delhi edition of Comic Con India 2015.

     

    A Cosplay workshop was held over the weekend and now writer Anant Singh and violinist Ford Seenws will conduct a Special Workshop on how to be the next YouTube Star. This workshop is for those who wish to create and make their own videos go viral.

     

    The event has been organized in association with Chaayos at their restaurant on 18 October in Hauz Khas Village for all aspiring minds who have the spark to be the next YouTube star.

     

    The workshop takes participants behind the scene on how Seeuws, the surfing violinist and Singh started their journey on being popular YouTube creators.

     

    Singh is a writer, who has worked across many mediums (print, online, comic books and film). He is the recurring anchor and brains behind the Golden Kela Awards. He has been writing, directing and acting in videos for YouTube ever since there has been a YouTuber. He currently works with The Viral Fever (TVF) along with writing for Bollywood.

     

    Seeuws popularly know as the surfing violinist specialises in short vlogs, violin, film sketch and YouTube videos. He has a popular YouTube channel by the name of the Surfing violinist, which has 28,163 subscribers and 4,274,028 views. 

  • Comic Con second edition in Hyderabad to feature seven comic launches

    Comic Con second edition in Hyderabad to feature seven comic launches

    NEW DELHI: Over 100 exhibitors, including artists, writers and creators from all over the country are converging on the city of the Char Minar, Hyderabad, for the second edition of Comic Con India.

     

    With ALTO K10 as associate sponsor, Hyderabad Comic Con will take place on 12 and 13 September at Hitex Exhibition Centre.

     

    Apart from the biggest Cosplay (Costume Contest) contest in the city, the show will witness seven exclusive comic book launches namely  Shaitaan by Holy Cow Entertainment, Item Dhamaka – Godsmack part 2 by Aayumi Productions, Tinkle & Tobi by Sai Animation, Vrica by ICBM Comics, Legends of Yuck Man by Smarak Swain.

     

    Famous international personalities like Matt Melvin who is author of Cyanide and Happiness and The Last Nerds; Miya Tomoko and Moe Tsurumi who are professional Japanese Cosplayers, and Kevin Hamric who is director of VIZ Media will be attending and will meet their fans.

     

    The show is spread over 40,000 sq feet. The main stage area at the convention will feature 24 hours of programming. 

     

    Comic Con founder Jatin Varma said, “We at Comic Con India are excited to come back to our favourite city, Hyderabad. The convention in its third year, is bigger and better than before. We have a stellar guest and content line up and can’t wait for the fans to come over and join us for the show! We hope to make it their best weekend of the year!”

     

    Cosplay, one of the major attractions at Comic Con India, will continue to give assured prizes to everyone in costume. There are five categories: Comic book/graphic novel; Animated Series/Movie; Manga/Anime; Sci-Fi/Fantasy; and Gaming. One winner in each category each day will get a prize. In addition, one lucky winner out of the chosen five will get a chance to win a golden ticket to Thailand.

     

    Comic Con India brings a special treat for all the tech and gaming enthusiasts in Hyderabad this year. There will be exclusive Experiential and Gaming Zones at the event. The Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 Experience Zone will have art installations and gaming. Smaaash Virtual Reality Zone will have a special gaming experience for the fans. The zone will feature a mix of virtual reality and other interactive games. The fans can come and enjoy the games free of cost. EA Entertainment Gaming Zone will be hosting sessions taking fans behind the scenes of some of their most popular games. 

     

    Other exclusive Experiential Zones at Hyderabad Comic Con include Nodwin Gaming’s Comic Con India Live Zone & Roboland Zone. Comic Con India Live will bring the Comic Con experience to the audience at home Live. This will be a live twitch broadcast of the event.

     

    At Roboland, Sci-Fi will become Reality. Roboland will have awesome line up of Robots developed and created in India, and they will be performing some stunts for the fans.

     

    Comic Con India is making a new addition with YouTube Stage. YouTube will be creating a fan experience zone at the show. The stage will feature popular YouTube stars and will give the fans an opportunity to interact with them. The stage will also feature YouTube merchandise, which fans can buy at the event.

     

    Fans will find an “Artist Alley” at the HCC 2015, which is a zone exclusively featuring artists from all over India. It will give fans an opportunity to interact with artists, illustrators, designers working for comics and related fields. The alley will

     

    feature artists like Nikhil Gulati, Saumin Suresh Patel, Reshmi Chandrashekhar, Milan Preet, Manasa Madhuri, Garima Shukla and many more. Well known creators like Vivek Goel from Holy Cow Entertainment, Aniruddho Chakraborty from Chariot comics and Prasad Bhatt from Graphicurry will be at the show as well.

     

    The event will have a unique fan-made costumes and models booth called Station Cafe, where there will be customised Iron Man Suit, Captain America’s Lemurian Star and Thor’s Mjolnir on display. Here fans can buy DC & Marvel, Masters of the Universe and other Replicas – Wood & Metal Castings and Lathe Fabricated of Superman, Batman, Thor’s Mjolnir, He-man’s Power Sword etc.

     

    Exclusive merchandise by Indian merchandisers, including Comic Con India Store, Wacom, Bewakoof Brands, Hysteria, Wear Your Opinion, Chulbul, Silver Carvings, Captain Kyso, Macmerise, Planet Superheroes, Being Hyderabadi, Lazy Ninja, Graphicurry, Hangout Store, Urbanzaa, Bushirt, and Comic Gadget will be available. 

     

    The main participants for the Hyderabad Comic Con include Amar Chitra Katha, Orange Radius, Pop Culture Publishing, Campfire Graphic Novel, Holy Cow Entertainment, HarperCollins Publishers, Aayumi Productions, Raj Comics, Red Streak Publications, and Scholastic India.

     

    Comic Con India is part of the Reedpop family of events, which is dedicated to producing world-class celebrations of popular culture around the world with events like New York Comic Con, Oz Comic Con, Shanghai Comic Con, Star Wars Celebration among many others. 

  • Lionsgate partners Comic-Con to launch online video service

    Lionsgate partners Comic-Con to launch online video service

    MUMBAI: As part of its ongoing commitment to deliver branded content to online audiences around the world, Lionsgate has partnered with Comic-Con International: San Diego on a subscription video-on-demand service that will launch later this year.

     

    The new service will launch with a broad portfolio of content including original short-form content created exclusively for the channel’s subscribers, films and television series from Lionsgate and other studios designed to appeal to the diverse interests of Comic-Con’s fan base as well as exclusive archived footage from Comic-Con’s 45-year history. As part of the new channel, the two companies will also work closely to make the Comic-Con International Independent Film Festival (CCI-IFF) a 365-day-a-year online event.

     

    Last year 17 of the top 20 North American box office blockbusters had a presence at the Comic-Con Convention along with iconic television series such as The Walking Dead and American Horror Story. Comic-Con International has grown from 300 attendees in the basement of San Diego’s US Grant Hotel in 1970 to well over 130,000 fans from around the world last year, marking its evolution into a staple of popular culture and the longest-running comics and popular arts convention in America. Badges for this year’s Comic-Con sold out in 60 minutes.

     

    “We’re thrilled that the biggest pop culture event of the year will become a year-round digital channel for Comic-Con fans and audiences around the world. The fan base for the kind of films and television series showcased at Comic-Con has grown exponentially, and a subscription video-on-demand service is the ideal platform to capture the magic and excitement of the Comic-Con experience year-round as well as the perfect vehicle for Comic-Con fans to discover new content,” said Lionsgate president of worldwide television and digital distribution Jim Packer.

     

    Reflecting the tremendous interest in the diverse roster of comics, films and television series showcased at Comic-Con International each year, the two companies plan to roll out the new service beginning with the US later this year.

     

    “From the beginning of our discussions, nearly two years ago, we have been extremely impressed with Lionsgate’s embracing and understanding of fan culture. Working with our Lionsgate partners has been an exciting exercise in finding great ways to expand our horizons to deliver the unique magic of Comic-Con and the celebration of comics and popular art to our fans 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and around the world,” said Comic-Con director of marketing and public relations David Glanzer.

     

    “As a next generation studio, Lionsgate has grown up with Comic-Con, and their fans are our audiences. We’re excited by the opportunity to expand and enrich the world of Comic-Con for existing fans and extend it to a whole new global audience with a channel distinguished by its imaginative curation, depth and diversity of content and fierce loyalty to the Comic-Con brand,” said Lionsgate president of interactive ventures & games Peter Levin.

     

    Originally showcasing comic books, film and fantasy literature, Comic-Con has grown to also encompass science fiction, horror, animation, anime, manga, toys, collectibles, video games, interactive multimedia, webcomics, fantasy novels and other aspects of pop culture. In addition to San Diego Comic-Con International, the new subscription video-on-demand service will also have exclusive access to the archives of sister convention WonderCon.

     

    The new Comic-Con International channel is the third streaming service to be launched or announced by Lionsgate as the company continues to build its suite of online platforms to deliver content directly to consumers. Lionsgate also recently launched the Lionsgate Entertainment World platform with the Alibaba Group in China and has announced the planned launch this summer of Tribeca Shortlist, a subscription video-on-demand service for film aficionados in partnership with Tribeca Enterprises.