00:05Comic-Con Capetown
00:06Thousands of fans packed Comic-Con Capetown this weekend.
00:09From gamers and anime lovers to collectors and cosplay creators.
00:14This used to be a comic book convention and for most people here it still is.
00:20But it's also become a 25 billion dollar global industry.
00:25In Africa the market is smaller but it's growing fast.
00:29And this convention is at the center of that shift.
00:32It's our fourth year and we've had a sell out every single day.
00:36Pop culture is really expanding in so many ways.
00:39And it's not just about comic books which is where it all started.
00:42But then it's your films that are made out of comic books.
00:46And then it's the dress that they're wearing in that film for instance.
00:50So it literally is an all rounded pop culture event.
00:54And increasingly global brands see Africa as the next frontier.
00:58Chinese pop culture companies are now entering the market with collectible toys.
01:03Blind boxes are very new to the world.
01:05Very new to South Africa.
01:06This blind box industry is worth 25 billion roughly globally.
01:10That's more than Natal.
01:12Labubu was the centerpiece.
01:14Now it's moving on to the other four.
01:16Characters like Labubu have become instantly recognizable among fans.
01:21What is so special about them and why are they unique?
01:24I think it's because of the style and how cute they are.
01:28They're very popular with like especially people my age or even a bit older.
01:32And the young ones, they're very adorable.
01:34The Comic Con is not only about buying merchandise.
01:38Chinese born cosplay pioneer Yahya Han says the passion is what transformed cosplay into a global industry.
01:46I've been making costumes and going to conventions since 1999.
01:50I've made over 400 costumes and it's, it's just, that's the foundation.
01:56That's the passion.
01:57And I think cosplay in general would never have gotten to be an industry if it wasn't for the success
02:04of fandom.
02:05So, you know, starting with the superhero movies and then video games.
02:12I think that's another sector that really boosted cosplay.
02:15For many fans, creativity is the attraction.
02:19With costumes often designed, built and customized by the fans themselves.
02:24It's a creative endeavor for people that might not necessarily know their place in the world.
02:30It's an unusual group of people, but when everyone's here, they're all the same and they're all alike.
02:35I feel like coming to Comic Con, it like lets you be yourself.
02:39Like it lets you be open to like not being scared of how people judge you.
02:44What started as a comic book convention in the 1970s has evolved into a global pop culture industry.
02:53Comic Con Cape Town is no longer just a fan gathering.
02:57It's becoming a signal of where Africa's creative economy is heading next.
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