Con-fused About Hawai‘i’s Pop Culture and Comic Conventions?
Here’s a guide to help you sort through the events this year.
By James Charisma
Published:
A decade ago, the only comic convention in town was Kawaii Kon, dedicated to Japanese manga and anime. Today, there are nearly a half-dozen conventions in Hawai‘i for fans of every assortment of pop culture imaginable: Hollywood blockbusters, cult television shows, indie comic books, tabletop and video games, fetish fashion brands and collectibles. Most events are held at the Hawai‘i Convention Center in Honolulu but convention fever has spread across the Islands in recent years, expanding to include Maui and Hawai‘i Island as well.
At any given con, you’ll find an assortment of artists, both emerging amateurs and industry pros, selling their wares at the “artist alley” or dealer’s room; gamers competing in tournaments against one another; enthusiasts in costumes (everything from handmade armor to maid outfits to fursuits) and the photographers trying to get them to post for a snapshot.
Interested in visiting one of these events but no clue what the difference between any of them is? Here’s our guide to navigating Hawai‘i’s pop culture conventions, what’s happening at each and what you can expect:
February: Amazing Comic Con Aloha (formerly Amazing Hawai‘i Comic Con)
Photo: Courtesy of Amazing Comic Con Aloha
What It Is
After postponing its August event last year due to Hurricane Lane, Amazing Comic Con Aloha kicks off comic convention season in Honolulu with a three-day event this weekend. This high-energy convention was the first to combine the artist alley, dealer’s room and stage for guest speaking panels all in one giant exhibit hall at the convention center, resulting in a sprawling ground floor hub of activity that never slows down. Amazing Comic Con Aloha’s focus on pop culture, comics and collectibles attracts guests of all ages; you’re as likely to find high schoolers excited about the upcoming Marvel movies as you are to find old school Bronze Age comic guys grousing and attempting to haggle with dealers over the price of vintage X-Men comic books.
“There’s something for everybody at the show, whether you’re a die-hard comic fan or you just want to have a fun time over the weekend,” says Jimmy Jay, founder of Amazing Comic Con Aloha. “We’ve got exciting events throughout the entire convention for families, including a special children’s costume parade on Sunday and the opportunity to play video games with Charles Martinet, the voice actor of Mario, up on the big screen.”
When and Where
Feb. 22 to 24, 2019
Hawai‘i Convention Center, 1801 Kalākaua Ave.
Honolulu, O‘ahu
Special Guests
Shazam actor Asher Angel; Arrow and the Hobbit trilogy actor Manu Bennett; Star Wars actor Daniel Logan; Green, Pink and Red Power Rangers Jason David Frank, Amy Jo Johnson and Steve Cardenas, respectively; original Avengers: Infinity War comic artists Jim Starlin, George Perez, Ron Lim and Joe Rubinstein (gathered for the first time ever); Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles co-creator Kevin Eastman; Powerpuff Girls and Harley Quinn voice actress Tara Strong; and Charles Martinet, who voices the world’s most famous fictional plumber, Mario. Yippee!
Cost
It’s $60 for a general admission three-day pass, or $25 for a day pass on Friday and Sunday and $35 for Saturday; children ages 10 and under are free.
Add-on fan packages (to meet specific guests and get autographs or photo ops) begin at $60 and go up to $150. VIP tickets, offering early access to rooms and events plus exclusive artwork and a specially-designed lanyard, are $150.
April: Kawaii Kon
Photo: Tien Enga
What It Is
Hawai‘i’s first locally originated comic convention of its kind and the largest, with an estimated attendance of more than 12,000 guests in 2017, Kawaii Kon is still the de facto event for otaku, fans of anime, manga and Japanese pop culture. Kawaii Kon attendees skew slightly younger—a lot of middle schoolers up to twentysomethings—but all are welcome, especially if you’re in costume. You’ll find a sea of colorful wigs and elaborate dressed cosplayers enjoying the events, such as J-pop concerts, film screenings and even a dance party called “butishake.”
“Kawaii Kon began as a passion project among friends wanting to create a place for anime fans to gather and celebrate their mutual love for all things otaku,” says Courtney Ahmed, Kawaii Kon director of events. “[Kawaii Kon has grown] to include the biggest tabletop gaming event space in Hawai‘i; an artist alley that hundreds of artists from across the U.S. apply to be part of; and hosts of anime industry companies that bring worldwide announcements and premieres.”
When and Where
April 5 to 7, 2019
Hawai‘i Convention Center, 1801 Kalākaua Ave.
Honolulu, O‘ahu
Special Guests
Voice actors Steve Blum (Cowboy Bebop, Call of Duty, Star Wars), Nobutoshi Canna (Naruto, Sonic the Hedgehog), Jason Marsden (A Goofy Movie, Spirited Away), Michael Sinterniklaas (Venture Bros., Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), Stephanie Sheh (Sailor Moon, Resident Evil), plus Japanese musician and fashion designer Mana.
Cost
It’s $65 for a general admission three-day pass, $55 for a two-day pass; or $40 for a day pass on Friday and Sunday and $45 for Saturday; children ages 10 and under are free with a paying adult.
VIP tickets, which include a 3-night stay at Ala Moana Hotel, plus early access to cool happenings, head-of-the-line privileges and reserved seating, costs $860. For hardcore Kawaii Kon fans, you can also skip having to purchase tickets every year and just pick up a lifetime membership for a cool $4,500. That’s a lot of anime.
August: Comic Con Honolulu (formerly Hoku Con)
Photo: Tien Enga
What It Is
As Kawaii Kon grew and began receiving requests for programming that would appeal to wider audiences (similar to how San Diego Comic Con shifted from being a comics-only event to the media blitz it is today), the event’s coordinators decided to launch a spinoff all-genre convention in 2014. “A number of our directors are also big comic book fans … at that time, no other [similar] pop culture conventions existed on O‘ahu,” says Courtney Ahmed, who’s also the director of events for Comic Con Honolulu. “We’ve expanded to [host] the biggest video game tournaments in Hawai‘i, as well as the largest PC gaming area, thanks to our partnership with PC Gamerz.”
Today, Comic Con Honolulu focuses on comics, movies, sci-fi and other assorted geekdom, with a particular emphasis on video games. Guests in recent years have included voice actors from the game Overwatch and head writers from Blizzard Entertainment.
When and Where
Aug. 2 to 4, 2019
Hawai‘i Convention Center, 1801 Kalākaua Ave.
Honolulu, O‘ahu
Special Guests
Kick-Ass co-creator and current Superman comic artist John Romita Jr., artist Michael Allred, Eisner Award-winning colorist Laura Allred, Ghost Rider and Amazing Spider-Man comic writer Howard Mackie, and famed Marvel and DC illustrator Mark Brooks.
Cost
It’s $65 for a general admission three-day pass, $55 for a two-day pass; $40 for a day pass on Friday and Sunday and $55 for Saturday; children ages 10 and under are free with a paying adult.
September: Hawai‘iCon
Photo: Courtesy of Hawai‘iCon
What It Is
This four-day convention at the Sheraton Resort in Kona gathers science-fiction actors, fantasy novelists, comic writers and artists, as well as scientists and science educators, for a more laid-back approach to traditional conventions. Hawai‘iCon guests are welcome to attend speaking panels and visit the artist alley—or take a swim and see otherworldly creatures right outside in the Pacific Ocean. The intimacy of the event (with only 1,500 to 2,000 average attendees) and the chill venue allows for fans to have closer contact with visiting celebrities. Special tickets are available for con attendees interested in joining guests at group dinners or diving alongside manta rays.
It’s a convention that celebrates sci-fi, and the real science behind it. “[We bring] together some of the brightest science minds in science fiction and fantasy to discuss the real-world applications of fictional ideas,” says Hawai‘iCon 2019 CEO and convention chair Jessica Gauthier. “As a STEAM education organization, we aim to teach as well as have fun so every panel, workshop and event has an element of both learning and entertainment.”
When and Where
Sept. 26 to 29, 2019
The Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa at Keauhou Bay, 78-128 ‘Ehukai St.
Kona, Hawai‘i Island
Special Guests
Lord of the Rings and Indiana Jones actor John Rhys-Davies; Star Trek: Voyager actor Garrett Wang; Warehouse 13 actor Eddie McClintock; sci-fi and fantasy fiction authors Robert J. Sawyer and Terry Brooks; comic artists Arthur Suydam and Renee Witterstaetter; and longtime Star Trek science consultant André Bormanis.
Cost
It’s $129 for an adult four-day pass; $50 for a child four-day pass (ages 6 to 12); $30 to $50 for an adult day pass (depending on the day); and $15 to $25 for a child day pass (depending on the day).
It's $499 for VIP membership, which includes early access to various places and events, complimentary cocktails and credit towards photo ops or autograph signings. It’s $120 to snorkel with manta rays and cool guests. (If you’re on Oahu, it’ll also cost a flight to the Big Island.)
October: NEET Honolulu
What It Is
If you were to take a comic convention’s artist alley—where a mix of amateur and professional artists alike set up booths to display their original work, create commissioned pieces of art and sell specially made merchandise such as prints, comics, buttons or clothing—and create a one-night event centered solely around it, you’d have NEET Honolulu. The name of the event is an acronym meaning “not employed, educated or in training.” Although traditionally more of a derogatory reference to young people in Japan who have opted out of attending college or working, the convention’s organizers have chosen to embrace the title as a term of endearment.
Held annually at the Japanese Cultural Center, this convention’s focus is on local artists and vendors selling works and promoting their brands, which can include food: Specialty vendors at NEET offer gyoza, okonomiyaki and more. (It’s a welcome change from the fixed menu selection at the Hawai‘i Convention Center.) In addition to the booths, there’s traditionally an itasha show on the JCC roof, showing off racing vehicles with images of anime characters emblazoned across the hood and sides. Like Kawaii Kon, NEET Honolulu’s audience is geared toward more of a high school and college crowd, but Japanese manga and anime enthusiasts of all ages are welcome.
When and Where
October 2019, TBA
The Mānoa Grand Ballroom at the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai‘i, 2454 S. Beretania St., Fifth Floor
Honolulu, Oahu
Special Guests
Local artists, crafters, cosplayers and anime/manga enthusiasts.
Cost
TBA. In 2018, tickets were $5 in advance online, $7 at the door on the night of the event.
October: Maui Comic Con
What It Is
A comic convention that focuses specifically on, well, comics. Founded in 2016 by Maui Comics and Collectibles owner Alika Seki and Kenneth Gardner, Maui Comic Con is an annual two-day event at the University of Hawai‘i Maui College in Kahului dedicated to bringing comic industry legends out to meet local cartoonists and enthusiasts. With support from the Hawaiian Comic Book Alliance (whose members include Pineapple Man creator Sam Campos, Mana Comics publisher Christopher Caravalho, and Honolulu Star-Advertiser and “Local Kine” greeting cards illustrator Jon J. Murakami), convention attendees can look forward to live drawing sessions, a comics-heavy artist alley, plus Q&As and panels on the main stage hosted by Maui’s own NERDWatch podcast members. If you’re an emerging artist looking to hone your drawing skills or a comic fan hoping to connect with some big names in the comics world, this event is for you.
“We also have a partnership with UH Maui College to do an educational preview day the Friday before the convention, where our headlining guests and local arts educators do a preview curriculum for visiting high school students who are bussed in for the day,” says Maui Comic Con co-founder Seki. “Maui Comic Con is free to the public and is a completely locally created convention.”
When and Where
Oct. 26 to 27, 2019
University of Hawai‘i Maui College, 310 W. Ka‘ahumanu Ave.
Kahului, Maui
Special Guests
The headlining guest is Marvel and DC comic writer and artist Eric Powell, creator of cult comic series The Goon, celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. There will also be local artists, including Kukui Project creator Todd Bernardy, Bandit comic creator Kaci Horimoto, M comic creator Dwayne Acoba, Maui cosplayer Night Darling and Wailuku Elementary teacher and mural painter Noble Richardson.
Cost
Besides a plane ticket to Maui (if you’re on another island), Maui Comic Con is free. The price is right!
Read more stories by James Charisma
