Comic Con Cape Town 2026 brought four days of film, gaming, cosplay and anime to the CTICC, with international guests, Artist Alley, competitions and a growing local pop culture scene.
Comic Con Cape Town wrapped this past weekend, drawing thousands of fans to the Cape Town International Convention Centre for four days of film, gaming, art and cosplay.
From meet-and-greets with international guests to packed gaming arenas and a busy Artist Alley, the event once again showed how broad the local pop culture community has become.
The guest line-up
A big part of the draw remains the international and local talent.
Voice actors Christopher Sabat and Jason Liebrecht were among the headline names, meeting fans and speaking about their work across major anime titles. Evanna Lynch, best known for her role in the Harry Potter film series, also drew steady crowds across her appearances.
There was also a strong showing from the cast of One Piece, including Steven John Ward, Callum Kerr, Jazzara Jaslyn, Martial T. Batchamen and Tyrone Keogh. With the series filmed locally, their presence felt closely tied to Cape Town’s growing role in global production.
Artist Alley
Artist Alley remained one of the most consistent parts of the event.
Rows of local illustrators, painters and makers sold work directly to the public, with everything from lino prints and ink drawings to digital art and watercolours. For many visitors, this is where the event feels most personal, with direct access to the people making the work.
International comic artists, including John Romita Jr. and Ron Marz, were also part of the line-up, offering signings and meeting fans.
Cosplay and competition
Cosplay ran across all four days, building to the main competition final on Sunday.
The level of detail stood out, with participants working across sewing, sculpting, painting and performance to bring characters into a physical space. Cosplayer The Colour of Ductape took the top spot in the final.
Gaming and tabletop
The gaming arena stayed active throughout the weekend, with tournaments, free-play zones and brand activations running side by side.
Winners included Zaid April in Telkom’s eDiski tournament and Jaiden J in Red Bull’s Golden Letters challenge. Elsewhere, tabletop gaming platform Unplug Yourself introduced new players to formats like Dungeons & Dragons and the Pokémon Trading Card Game.
Anime and animation
Anime had a strong presence, with a dedicated stage running daily programming. This included fan competitions, panel discussions and workshops, alongside a steady stream of cosplay tied to popular series.
Alongside the main event, the Cape Town International Animation Festival hosted screenings and workshops, extending the focus beyond fandom into production and storytelling.
Looking ahead
This year’s event again highlighted how Comic Con Cape Town continues to grow, both in scale and in the range of communities it brings together.
The next edition is set to move to CTICC 1 in 2027, pointing to further expansion.
