Nijicon LGBTQ Comic Con Returns to Philly Area This October

There is a notable increase of interest in comic books, movies, and games in the LGBTQ community, and the annual Nijicon (which translates to “rainbow”) convention, held right in the greater Philadelphia area, attempts to highlight the particular LGBTQ interest in Japanese manga and anime.

“Nijicon was created in the belief that no matter what an individual’s race, religion, gender or sexual identity may be, all geeks should have the opportunity to display their love of comics and entertainment media in a safe environment,” said conference organizers. “While we drive to highlight LGBTQ portrayals in creative media, one of the many goals of Nijicon is to also provide a space where all fans are free to explore new genres of comics and media that they may not otherwise explore on their own.”

The two day festival at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks will feature special guests, panels, vendors, artists, and screenings of LGBT movies, television shows, and anime. Also, a raffle at the event will benefit the Attic Youth Center. All attendees will also get a free copy of the book The Merman: Transformation. Several highlights of the festival include a manga swap room, a cosplay lip sync contest (hosted by Liberty City Kings), and cosplay burlesque.

The show runs October 24 and 25, and tickets, which range from $50-60, can be purchased by visiting the Nijicon website.