Comic Con Antwerp 2019

It seems Belgium can’t get enough of the Comic Con recipe. Antwerp is the third major city that received a visit of this two-day event this year. Brussels and Ghent hosted the event in March and May respectively. The event provided a mix of cosplay, gaming, comics, food, and merchandise.

The Antwerp event took place in the Waagnatie, the area is under full development as it an old part of the harbor. The venue was relatively easy to reach but could have used more signs to the parking area. Antwerp does have a wide range of public transportation options on Saturday while Sunday is a little more difficult due to lesser options

Before reaching the entrance one had to pass by the food court which is slightly unlucky as both the entrance and food court were very crowded at times. The narrow entrance and one lane ticket row caused a bit of a traffic jam, however, once you received your stamp you could always leave and reenter through a secondary lane solely for this purpose. The friendly staff did make up for the waiting.

Upon entering the event you were greeted by the very recognizable flying car from the Weasley family in Harry Potter. You were now in the first of two giant hangar-like rooms of the event. The rooms were connected by a hallway on each side. The tables were positioned well and left plenty of room for people to move through, which made the event wheelchair and baby stroller accessible. This was also a plus for the cosplayers as their costumes, weapons, and accessories often take plenty of room.

Both rooms hosted a plethora of vendors, you could find something for everyone: comics, games, figurines, mugs, posters, replica weapons, LEGO, food, and much more. The toilets were located in the first hall close to the entrance, while not very well indicated they were kept clean, which is not always easy on large events. The first hall also hosted the autograph desks and this Comic Con had several actors and artists who sold autographs and photoshoots including Anthony Daniels, Jimmy Vee, Brian Herring, Jake The Snake Robberts, Austin St. John, and Mark Williams.

The second hall housed the cosplay stage where they gathered if they were not roaming the halls. This was an ideal spot if you wanted to ask a cosplayer for a photo. Next to the stage, you could also play several games, be it tabletop or digital. You could find both retro consoles like the Nintendo 64 as well as modern VR games here. You could try several trading card games as well as a one-hour Dungeon and Dragons session. The second hall also housed the Lego area where the builders showed you their impressive collection and models.

Throughout the event, you could also find some free photobooths and a mechanical bull in the form of a broom from Harry Potter.

Conclusion

Comic Con Antwerp was a nice event on a decent location, only a little more guidance to the parking would have made it better. The event was not too crowded making it ideal for children as well as being wheelchair accessible. A good variety of vendors, decent food, while not numerous, they provided a good mix between burgers and French fries to oriental food.

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Comic Con Antwerp 2019, 10.0 out of 10 based on 1 rating
Rex


I am an Illustrator/Artist who studies Concept Art and Game Design in my free time. Designing things is in my blood and I am always very curious in making games. Motivated and dedicated to become better in every way I can. You only live once and I intend to fully enjoy it! As for gaming itself I do prefer to play the following games: FPS, RPG, Action Adventure Games, Fighting Games, Hack and Slash.

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