Comic Con Africa 2025 Day Two: Gaming Glory, Star Power, and a Few Flat Notes
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Comic Con Africa’s second day was one for the books. From the moment I walked in, the energy was dialled up to eleven, and honestly, Friday set the tone for what’s shaping up to be one of the most memorable weekends on the geek calendar.
Let’s start with the stars, because wow. Jessie T. Usher, who plays the endlessly questionable A-Train in The Boys, was just epic to see in person. Then Dan Fogler came on, and if you’ve ever wondered whether Kowalski from Fantastic Beasts is just as funny off-screen – spoiler: he’s even funnier. He had the crowd eating out of his hand with behind-the-scenes stories. But the real goosebumps moment? The massive curved screens split open to reveal Misha Collins himself. Castiel, the trench-coat-wearing, heart-breaking angel from Supernatural. Absolute charmer. For me, Misha was a pleasure to see live, but Dan really stole the show with his natural energy, and Jessie just radiated cool. The fact that all three are back on Saturday is the cherry on top.
The brand activations were busy as always. Disney+ kept queues going with their setups, especially the Homer Simpson Hedge, which had people posing like it was the world’s most important photo op. Doritos? Top-tier. Their Crunch Crew activation had me hooked, and bringing Nasty C into the mix? Legendary. That moment lit up the con. The AXE space though… I’ll be honest, I left disappointed. It was basically a copy-paste of last year. Same containers, same video inside, no dome, no attempt to upgrade the graphics. I literally overheard people walking out saying, “Wow, they didn’t even try.” Ouch. Yes, they did have more giveaways, but only if you were willing to jump through a whole circus of hoops like podcast interviews and cosplay competitions – way too much effort for what you actually got back. M-Net’s activation also fell flat for me: you tap your favourite movie on a tablet, and… that’s it. Not exactly thrilling.
On the flipside, the gaming sections completely saved the day for me. I took part in quite a few and the buzz was infectious. Whether it was watching someone’s granny make it to round four of Tekken or the kids bringing serious fire on the RGB stage, the vibe was unbeatable. The competitive esports side with Telkom and Red Bull cranked up the tension, but it never stopped being fun. For me, the gaming zones were the real highlight of Day Two.
Cosplay also delivered in a big way. Casual cosplay competitions are always a riot, and this year the sass, humour, and creativity had me grinning the whole time. Some of the costumes? Next level. And behind the scenes, the pro cosplayers are sharpening their swords (sometimes literally) for the big judging on Saturday.
The aisles were just as lively, packed with mascots like Mario and Luigi, Kellogg’s cereal legends Cornelius the Rooster and Toucan Sam, and plenty more. Kids loved it, and honestly, so did I. The vibe was busy, a little too packed at times, and while I was soaking it all in, I couldn’t help but notice people mentioning that there weren’t as many vendors selling action figures, comics, and collectibles compared to previous years. That said, the ones who were there never had a quiet moment – those stalls were buzzing nonstop.
And I’ve got to give shout-outs where they’re due: the sign language interpreters on stage were incredible again, making the big events inclusive for all fans. DJ Elliot? Still hilarious, still epic, still killing it between sets. Absolute staple of Comic Con Africa now.
So, if Day One was a warm-up, Day Two was where the con found its groove. For me, the gaming sections stole the spotlight, cosplay brought the colour, and the fans themselves reminded me why Comic Con Africa is such a special event. Saturday’s shaping up to be massive, and I can’t wait to see how it all unfolds.
