The Comic Con Africa cosplay competition features four exciting categories, each celebrating a different aspect of cosplay mastery. The prestigious Comic Con Africa Champion title is awarded to the overall winner, recognizing the best of the best in craftsmanship, creativity, and performance. The Masters Champion spotlights seasoned cosplayers who demonstrate exceptional skill and attention to detail in their builds. The Champion of Needlework celebrates outstanding work in sewing, fabric manipulation, and intricate costume designs, while the Champion of Armour honors those who excel in crafting impressive, durable armor pieces. Each category showcases the diverse talents within the cosplay community, making this competition one of the highlights of the convention.
Call me Gabi. I’m a lecturer, designer, and researcher passionate about the intersection of costume, performance, and gender. I hold a BA in Fashion Design from LISOF and both my Honours and Master’s degrees in Theatre and Performance from Wits University. My Master’s research explored how costume performs gender in female stand-up comedy—what I call Womedy. I currently lecture full-time at STADIO, specialising in Pattern Making and Digital Pattern Design. My work investigates how fabric, form, and performance can challenge ideas of identity, while inspiring students to think critically and creatively about the role of design in shaping cultural conversations.
Fashion is my craft, cosplay is my joy, and magic is just part of the process. I believe in the power of costume to transform not just appearance, but confidence, identity, and storytelling. Whether it’s a perfectly fitted bodice, an intricately constructed prop, or a spellbinding accessory, I’m passionate about empowering creators to bring their visions to life. My work blends the precision of garment construction with the imagination of character design, and I’m constantly inspired by the dedication, creativity, and community spirit that define cosplay. For me, every stitch carries intention, every detail tells a story, and the magic happens when craft and creativity meet.
Since 2008, Noluthando has earned acclaim for her innovative set and costume design, blending photography and video in her work. Recent projects include The Piano Lesson (Joburg Theatre, 2025), Shaka Ilembe Season 2 (Art Director, 2025), and The VISITORS (Market Theatre, 2023).
She’s been nominated for Best Art Direction at the Royalty Soapie Awards (2023) and won Best Achievement in Art Direction at the SAFTAs (2022). Noluthando has worked internationally in theatre and film, including the feature film Disconnect 2 (Kenya) and an opera in Switzerland.
Trained under top mentors and experienced across Europe, Africa, and the US, she continues to collaborate with leading artists, pushing creative boundaries in theatre, film, and installation art.
Raised in Johannesburg, Roman studied Fashion Design at LISOF before honing his skills in Antwerp’s global fashion scene. Returning home, he launched his own experimental menswear brand.
In 2020, seeking deeper artistic freedom, Roman shifted to visual arts, using textiles and innovative techniques to explore sustainability, identity, and gender through the lens of posthumanism. His work is known for vibrant colors and intricate patterns.
As of 2025, Roman exhibits internationally, mentors emerging creatives, and champions sustainable practices, embodying the power of creative reinvention.
Since 2013, Majed AlKanderi has made a powerful impact in cosplay as a skilled cosplayer, designer, and influencer. Known for his creativity and attention to detail, he has earned numerous accolades in local and international competitions.
Majed is also a respected international cosplay judge, sharing his expertise at major events worldwide. As a prominent representative of Kuwait and the Middle East, he has showcased regional talent at events like the World Cosplay Summit (2018), Middle East Cosplay Summit (2023), Gamescom Cologne (2024), and India Gaming Show (2025).
Through his passion and dedication, Majed continues to inspire, educate, and elevate the Middle Eastern cosplay community on the global stage.
Is a Cape Town based, full time fabricator and cosplayer with over 13 years experience in the costume industry. He enjoys gaming, anime, movies, trading card games and anything geek related. In between working on his own costumes and projects, he creates digital tutorials and educational content to help share knowledge to other artists on a global platform. He has won numerous Cosplay competitions, along with the title of Comic Con Africa Crown Champion in 2022 and the 2nd place winner in the Crown World Finals held in Chicago in 2023.
