Armageddon is nigh.
New Zealand’s largest pop culture convention is en route to the capital, after a successful outing in Hamilton.
“There’s all the indicators that it’s going to be a killer weekend,” Armageddon Expo director Bill Geradts said.
He said films like Spiderman, X-Men and Ironman had made being a geek more socially acceptable and ticket sales were up by 10 per cent from this time last year.
He expected an attendance of up to 25,0000 over the three-day event.
Geradts was particularly happy with this year’s guest lineup.
“Last year we had 11 dwarves from The Hobbit. How the hell were we going to beat that” he said.
“Then we got the three Arrow guys including [New Zealander] Manu Bennett [also of Spartacus and The Hobbit fame], then at the last minute we got pretty much the entire cast of [New Zealand vampire film] What We Do In The Shadows, including Jemaine Clement – and they’re turning up in costume!”
Other guests will include five cast members from the Supernatural TV series, Christopher Judges from Stargate SG-1, Doctor Who’s Frazer Hines and J-Pop performer Chii Sakurabi. Various Hobbit dwarfs will also attend.
Geradts said Armageddon was New Zealand’s ComicCon – a fun, high-energy event where fans could dress up and mingle with each other, as well as their on- screen idols.
“People go to events all the time but tend to go in, look around and leave – there’s no emotion to it.
“Armageddon is an experience that people wait for, plan for, dream of. As a result, that pleasure and sense of happiness just permeates everything.”
Attendees could also look forward to celebrity guest panels, autographs and photos, as well as signings with animation artists, a zombie alley and a Cosplay contest.
Cosplay, short for “costume play,” had been an increasingly significant aspect of recent Armageddon events.
Geradts spent the Hamilton event dressed as John Snow from Game of Thrones.
Armageddon has been taking place annually since 1995, with events in Christchurch, Dunedin and Hamilton already this year. Armageddon, Westpac Stadium, Saturday, May 31, till Monday, June 2, 10am till 5pm. Tickets from Ticketek.
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– The Wellingtonian
