Wow, one-hundred shows done and dusted?! And we’re already gearing up for our 101st in Melbourne and 102nd on the Gold Coast; there’s really no rest for the wicked! But on the back of our massive penultimate and centennial shows in Adelaide and Brisbane, we reached out to YOU, the most amazing Supa-Fans a convention could have, because we wanted to share your favourite memories of Supanova!
Sorry that we couldn’t share every single submission (or we’d be here all day!), but here’s a handful that we particularly loved!
First we asked, “What brought you to Supanova for the first time?” For some of you, it was the guests!
Dirga with Stan Lee!
“Brought a rare comic series (Blood Red Dragon) for Stan Lee to sign. He lit up when he saw the books and said “I haven’t signed any of these before!” – Dirga
“My old support worker, Ellie, and I went to Supanova for the first time because I am a huge Wolf Creek fan and I have always wanted to go to Supanova and meet my favourite actor John Jarratt, and he was really nice.” – Allan
“Meeting John DiMaggio, it was truly a special day meeting him and also falling in love with conventions.” – Supa-Fan
“Lucy Hale and Holly Marie Combs back in 2016, I came for the celebrities and had such an amazing experience that I fell in love with conventions and cosplay.” – @Sea.shellcosplay
“Massive Back To The Future fan. Never thought I’d ever get the chance to meet any of the actors. When I saw Christopher Lloyd was coming I dropped everything to make this happen. Thanks to Supanova for making this happen!” – Supa-Fan
“A train. In all seriousness though, it was Amber Benson. My friends were huge Buffy fanatics and I was only a casual fan at the time but I enjoyed her panel a lot and appreciated her and the show a lot more because of it.” – Betty
A very special mention to everyone who answered some form of vehicle or public transportation brought them to the show. Some of you got some really awesome stuff signed too, we’re so jealous! But what’s your favourite thing you’ve had autographed?
Sabine with Julian Haig!
“My Uhura dress that mum sewed for me.” – Tina14
“At Supanova 2022 – Melbourne, I had the joy of meeting Julian Haig. When I walked into the Photo Booth for my picture with him, I immediately held up some playing cards. I asked if we could do his iconic speakeasy casino scene in Riverdale, and he did not hesitate to do so. We both had a few chuckles and we just couldn’t take it seriously! During the signing session, Julian was super stoked and even took a photo of our picture together in the photo booth to post on his social media as his ‘favourite photo of the weekend’. Julian was incredibly friendly and took his time with me to reminisce about everything Riverdale and his other great projects. My absolute top memory from Supanova!” – Sabine
“Meeting Peter Capaldi, I gave him a little velvet pouch which he was going to give to his assistant, but I asked him to look first. It was a guitar pick with an engraving of a part of his last speech in Doctor Who. He smiled & put it in his pocket.” – Pam
_timey_wimey__cos with Peter Capaldi and Pearl Mackie, and that is THE signed guitar!
“In 2018, when Peter Capaldi came to the Gold Coast for that year’s Goldnova, I went to see him for both a Photo and Autograph. When I got to the Autograph table and he was signing my 12th Doctor Funko Pop. I was telling him how I look up to him, how much I loved his take on The Doctor in Doctor Who, and how much the show means to me. When he finished signing the Pop he looked at me and asked if he could look at my guitar prop so I handed it over to him. When I did, not only did he play a little bit on it he also signed it (personalised) too. Honestly one of if not the best guest experience I’ve ever had at a Supanova convention.” – @_timey_wimey__cos
We love having the opportunity to bring people’s heroes out to our shores! Giving you all the chance to meet the people that made the things that made you will always be rewarding, and even more than that, it’s amazing to see communities from those things spring forth and thrive! Still, Supanova is far more than just our Supa-Star guests! Or, to put it another way, all of you are the real Supa-Stars, including all of our Supa-Hero volunteers, without whom, we couldn’t have this awesome event!
“I was assigned Front of House and was on Door Duty, watching everyone come through the door as excited as can be. The elaborate costumes, the nervous parents, the couples out on a date, the youngsters in their Disney costumes, who I’d curtsey while saying “Welcome, your majesty.” It was worth it for the appreciative looks the parents gave. I would ask the Cosplayers about their costumes and appreciate their hard work and dedication as the effort for a single day/weekend was jaw dropping.” – MrsM
Supa-Star mother-and-daughter volunteers Marcia and TJ!
“I started volunteering about seven years ago I think. We started volunteering as a Mum and daughter thing and just loved it. The other vollies are amazing and the people and costumes are so wonderful.” – Marcia and TJ
“I was having lunch in a designated volunteer area near my station and I heard a tiny voice yelling “thank you for your hard work over the weekend,” and that tiny voice ended up belonging to Millie Bobbie Brown as she was walking to her panel.” – Brendan
One of the most beloved hobbies on the convention circuit, if you’ve got an itch to stitch, you might be a cosplayer! Each year, thousands upon thousands of costumed Supa-Fans come through our doors to show off their handywork. So we asked, what’s been your favourite cosplay experience?
“I spent my early-con-years just attending maybe one convention a year, just as a patron. I loved seeing the cosplayers and all the costumes and I always wondered why they would attend the whole weekend and all day. What did they do?! Well… Brisnova 2017 my wife and I attended and it was there I decided to actually talk to some of the cosplayers. That ignited a fire in me that isn’t looking like going out any time soon. My wife thought I was crazy when I said to her on the car ride home that day that I was going to attend Goldnova 2018 in costume. She thought I was mad. Fast forward to Goldnova and we went all out. Two 7-foot space marines and a Sister of – Battle invaded Supanova. The reception we got was beyond phenomenal and the staff were so incredibly helpful and inviting. Honestly it was so amazing it became addictive.” – @becosplayforge
“I first visited Supanova on the Gold Coast in 2015 when I heard Robin Lord Taylor, Christopher Lloyd, and Dolph Lundgren were coming to the Gold Coast. I went there to mostly meet them and do a bit of shopping, but the biggest sight was seeing how much time and effort people put into their cosplays and a lot of them were incredible. What originally was going to be a place to meet celebrities and to buy memorabilia and novelty items turned into being a part of the cosplay community nine years on. The rest is history.” – @christophersharry84
@memoirsofabeardedcosplayer holding space for the lyrics of Defying Gravity!
“From making Viking armour out of cardboard boxes in year six, to hand sewing dresses the journey has been so rewarding and enjoyable! I’ve learnt so many new skills and made lifelong friends.” – @_ghost_bat_art_
“Seems intimidating with so many talented people at events, but everyone is so supportive and welcoming within the community. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Remember everyone starts somewhere. And Cosplay is Costume Play, it’s meant to be fun.” – @razorleaf_cosplay
“From the early days of op shop outfits and cardboard costumes, I’ve graduated to full foam armour and complex sewing techniques and even creating my own patterns.” – @Queen Bustle
“Someone recognized my Ghostbur cosplay and asked for a photo and I was so excited I almost cried.” – @alex.c0spl4yss
We’re sensing a pattern here! All we do is provide the venue, but you’re the ones that inspire each other with your dedication, skills, and hard work. Even though you’re dressed up as someone else, that is authenticity. Just think, someone cosplaying right now might be doing so because of you! And we bet we can prove it. Here’s what you guys had to say about what cosplay has done for you over the years.
“I am more confident as a person and I am able to sew and design now.” – @Hendomancosplay
“It was so exciting! I made eye contact with someone cosplaying the same character, and we ended up hanging out the whole day, and are now really good friends!” – @_ghost_bat_art_
“I met my now-husband at Supanova. He was working a Magic the Gathering store and we realized we had mutual friends. Had dinner that night, he became one of my closest friends, and now we’re married with five kids. Our youngest son’s middle name is Nova in honour of where we met.” – Jeshika
“It’s a nice feeling when someone recognises your costume and I love making people laugh or smile!” – @rachioactive25
Natty as the Eleventh Doctor, inspiring the young Whovians!
“I met the woman I married six years ago in a queue for Goldnova, we’ve cosplayed together ever since.” – @matchymatchypair
“I cosplayed as the [genderswapped] Eleventh Doctor before Thirteen was even an idea. A young girl grabbed her dad’s hand and said “look, it’s the Doctor. She even has her sonic.” It made me so happy knowing that’s the world she is growing up in.” – Natty
“Meeting my fiancée through Cosplay at Supanova, I couldn’t think of a happier memory.” – Supa-Fan
“My favourite Supanova memory definitely has to be meeting my now wife, waiting in line for my very first cosplay competition in my first ever cosplay! 11 years, 2 children and a house later Supanova will always hold a special place in my heart!” – @animeniacscosplay
“I didn’t think anyone would recognise me, but someone called out the name of the character I was cosplaying and asked for a photo! That made the rest of my day!” – @ValCosplay
“My first con I went as Mitsuri and the cutest little girl also dressed as Mitsuri ran up to me and we got the cutest photo.” – @sarah.living05
Keep inspiring, impressing, and being kind to each other, you’re doing great! Out of all the responses we received, there was another trend that stuck out even more than cosplaying.
“It was my second ever con, my friends invited me and encouraged me to start cosplay again!” – @_ghost_bat_art_
“Hearing about it from friends and wanting to finally get to experience a convention and cosplay.” – Emma
“Friends dragged me.” – @memoirsofabeardedcosplayer
@animeniacscosplay, one of our Supanova love stories ❤
“A group of friends. We cosplayed as Captain Hammer’s fan girls.” – Natty
“One of my friends decided to drag me along, I was nervous at first but very quickly got lost in a whirlwind of cool costumes, amazing stalls and so many special guests!” – @ValCosplay
“Friends who have been to Supanova previously and were excited to share the experience with me.” – Supa-Fan
“One of my mates forced me to go, now I can’t get enough of it.” – Samuel
“A day out cosplaying with my daughter.” – 3GGG
“The joy of cosplay and meeting friends.” – @Hendomancosplay
Shoutout to all the friends that dragged someone along, you are the glue that holds Supanova together! ‘Wanting to share something cool that you love’ is Supanova distilled to its very essence, in fact we’d go as far as to say that it’s the whole point! Over the previous 100 shows and 22 years, you’ve consistently opened our eyes to the cool stuff you love, and we hope that we’ve been able to share something new and cool with you as well! Here’s to another 100!
Lead Image by @snaphappyian via @_ghost_bat_art
Photo by Jody Kisbee! What a shot!
