Conventions can sometimes be a Pandora’s box: you never know what you’ll get. Stepping into the venue, you’re greeted by a sea of stalls, artists, collectibles, costumes, and celebrities. For first-timers, it can be a bit overwhelming. For a seasoned convention attendee like myself, it felt like a homecoming.
Supanova returned in full force to the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre on November 8th-10th, delivering on its superstardom and splendour. Though some celebrity cancellations made for some initial unease heading into the con, it was rectified by ‘one day only’ celebrity appearances that helped calm and ease attendees.
Every year, I swear more and more stalls open up at Supanova. Which is great, because there are some very unique items on sale which may not be available online. Or, if they are, the shipping would be ridiculous.
Speaking of stalls, in the same vein of expansion, Artist Alley continues to deliver quality artists and their assortment of works. Why some of these artists aren’t on stage or doing live demonstrations of how they create some of their unique pieces, I’ll never know.
Our friends over at MWave had a strong presence this year, with a site dedicated to their extremely impressive Gaming PCs, plus playable PCs on hand to showcase their power live and in living colour. Nearby, tabletop gaming was alive and well, with Warhammer battles and painting classes taking place, which was quite a feat to watch and behold.
Quickly rising through the social media trending ranks, Pokemon trading cards were a hot commodity to both purchase and play. Close behind were Magic: The Gathering and Yu-Gi-Oh, with players of all ages competing to be crowned champion.
Cosplay is always a hot topic for Supanova, and there was no shortage this year. Seriously, it was hard to find people NOT wearing a costume. There were photoshoots, booth attendees, local cosplayers and even a Cosplay Competition to suit all of your costumed needs.
As for celebrity appearances, Supanova Brisbane delivered arguably its best lineup in years.
Led by a massive gathering of Lord of the Rings actors (Billy Boyd, Sean Astin, Kiran Shah, Stephen Hunter, to name a few), the group were flanked by the Colonial Marines actors from the Aliens franchise, Power Rangers Sally Martin and Adam Tuominen, X-Men icon Rogue voiced by Lenore Zann, Agent 47 David Bateson from the Hitman franchise, not to mention icons such as Rena Owen and Christopher Lambert.
Another attraction added this year was ‘Dr Doom’s Throne’ from the upcoming Avengers Doomsday movie. The throne sat near the convention entrance and was hot property all weekend, with attendees lining up for their turn.
Supanova continues to lead the way for Australian conventions, giving a showcase to artists, actors, attendees, and everyone in between. The volunteer staff should be commended for how well equipped they were to handle all situations. While most attended to the featured celebrity guests, those few on the convention floor were very knowledgeable about how to navigate the convention chaos best.
As Brisbane bids farewell to Supanova’s 2026 run, we can comfortably say it’s been a packed year for conventions, both new and old. Though Supanova still reigns as the forerunner, many new conventions are emerging, providing more avenues and showcases for creators and celebrities alike.
We at MKAU Gaming are proud to report live from these convention floors, and we’re thrilled to see Australia create some of the best opportunities for upcoming talent and established nostalgic characters.
See you all in 2027!
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