Oz Comic-Con 2026

Driving out to attend Oz Comic-Con got me reminiscing about past experiences at the convention. Everything from friends made, to celebrities sighted, and yes, even the swag I've looted over the years. The last time I attended was in 2022. And now on this picturesque morning, the kind only Sydney can seemingly conjure up in September, I was trying to put my finger on what was so different this year. Why did I have that Comic-Con spring back in my step? The answer, which also happened to shatter my nostalgic stumble down memory lane, came when the shriek of DAD!! came from the back seat, as I had yet again violated some aspect of toddler law. 

This would be my daughter’s first Oz Comic-Con. She was ridiculously excited for it, although she had no notion of what it even was. She was more than likely just excited because her dad was. After years of seeing families attend the Con together, I was finally able to tick this one off the to-do list. 

For our first step into a much larger world, it didn’t disappoint. My daughter fully decked out in her Ewok costume (shamelessly recycled from this year’s book week) and I, dutifully dressed as a middle-aged blogger,  set off to take it all in. And as it does every year, it hit me. That sense of energy and play which can only occur when an entire tribe congregates to raise flags of fandom. Saying it loud and proud in their nerdy best. By far still my favourite thing about Oz Comic-Con, is seeing everyone draped in their costumes. I don’t mean the semi professional cosplaying types. I mean the average Joes rocking everything from those niche references to an obscure comic that only 12 people have read, to folks wearing a retro Marvel t-shirt. It all counts, and it definitely adds to the flavour of the day. 

As we cruised the showfloor, I felt that beautiful pang that these are my people, and I hope that my daughter feels the same pull one day too. I want a life for her which is filled with the best aspects of pop culture and for that matter, the best aspects of fandom. Those safe spaces where you can find the people who love the shit that you love, without it becoming a jaded culture war of left vs right. And yes, quite possibly Oz Comic-Con isn’t even that place for folks, but it always has been for me. At the height of the experience, it’s like the 90s internet came to life. A Wild West of Avatars and way too much Star Wars trivia, mixed with the Easter show. 

Old friends were seen. The highlight was seeing former Geek of Oz contributor Christof Bogacs and buying a copy of his latest graphic novel Lex Luthor: Diabolical Genius (written by Christof, Art by Valerio Chiola, letters by Saida Temofonte). Years ago Christof and I would scurry around the showfloor recording god-awful prop-and-stop interviews with comic creators. It was a proud day to see him in his booth. Although I Didn’t have the heart to whip out my phone to ask him who his Top 5 influences are as an author… 

Am I giving Oz Comic-Con too much credit for what it is? Probably. Could the thing do with a coat of paint to freshen it up? Sure. But it’s a fixture on the calendar that I hope we never lose. I can’t wait to take my daughter back next year. And just like every year, I've promised I'll finally pluck up the courage to actually dress up as someone. Although I'll more than likely dust off the middle-aged blogger costume once more. 

This year I came home with a signed copy of a novel from a dear friend and Superman Pop Vinyl who my daughter is adamant is Batman. I also came home with a full heart and renewed energy to share stuff with like minded folks. 

As nostalgia and overjoyed dad stuff tends to get me, it got me thinking about what we’re doing with Geek of Oz. We’ve had several identities over the years. Across the crew here at HQ we cover most film releases for the year. We sample the vast majority of gaming and we stay up to date on the comings and goings of comics. Not easy for us gentlemen of a certain age. Hence the middle-aged blogger costume. We’ve dabbled as reviewers, podcasters, free loaders and everything in between. I’m most proud of what we do when we’re making connections with people over the stuff we’re all consuming. That’s our strength as a community. I would love to hear from people in our community about how you re energize your fandom. Hopefully it’s as simple as throwing on a classic movie, firing up Goldeneye on the 64 or dusting off an old trade paperback. 

Maybe, just maybe, the secret is as simple as taking your kid to Oz Comic-Con. Hopefully see you there next year.

- Stu