How Comic Con Is Shaping Subcultures in Uzbekistan

Comic Con has already become something of a summer tradition in Tashkent, growing bigger and more ambitious every year. New guests, cosplay contestants, photo zones and plenty more keep drawing people to the event. For the so-called “non-conformist” crowd, it has become a place where they can finally be themselves and feel at home among like-minded people. In this article, we take a look at this year’s festival and explore why subcultures matter to society as a whole.

The geek culture festival was held for the third consecutive year. This year, it took place on 15 and 16 August, once again at Humo Arena. According to the official website, the festival attracted 14,327 visitors, with people also travelling from neighbouring countries such as Kazakhstan and Russia.

This year, the festival took over two spaces: the ice arena and the main hall. The latter hosted the headliner and invited guests, along with the group and solo cosplay competitions.

This year, the organisers also had an unexpected surprise in store: a gaming culture festival called Game Con.

Guests and Headliners at Comic Con 2026

This year’s headliner was Shawn Fonteno, the likeness and voice of Franklin in GTA V. Special guests included Alina Kovaleva and Dmitry Vdovenko from My Metal Family, Randy Havens, known for playing Mr Clarke in Stranger Things, Kristian Nairn, who played Hodor in Game of Thrones, Dobryak, Chyorny Kabinet, as well as voice actors Balfor (Alexander Rusakov) and Vsevolod Kuznetsov.

For me, as a My Metal Family fan, seeing Alina and Dmitry was a real treat. I had been waiting to meet them for a long time, and finally getting the chance felt like a dream come true. I love the animated series because I am a big fan of rock music and alternative culture. Thanks to the show, I have also discovered a number of rock bands and songs.

The creators of the series turned out to be incredibly warm, kind and easy to talk to. Even when they were asked questions they had already answered in previous interviews, they remained open and happy to chat. There were also a few spoilers about what is coming up, some of which will feature in the second season. Here’s a little secret: there may even be a feature-length film about Victoria. But that is not confirmed. And here’s another spoiler: Heavy will get a girlfriend named Angelica, who is a huge K-pop fan. The audience was also curious about Gustav, Glam’s father, and Ches’s mother. The creators said that Gustav’s story will be shown from a different perspective, while Ches’s mother will most likely get her story in the comics.

In my view, Alina and Dmitry should have been the headliners. None of the other guests drew anything like the same queue at the autograph session or had the same level of audience engagement. They seemed to attract more attention than anyone else.

Game Con and First Impressions

For the first time since the festival began, visitors could take part in amateur cosplay. No advance accreditation was required, and anyone in costume could sign up. Places were limited, with 50 people taking part. The competition was held in the Game Con zone.

The difference between amateur and professional costumes is often barely noticeable. Some people put a huge amount of work into creating their costumes but are nervous about performing in front of an audience, while others make their costumes with the stage in mind. Amateur cosplay, however, is much more relaxed. There are no strict rules, and participants could simply register at a set time during the festival. They were ordinary festival-goers, and no special preparation was required, as the format was essentially a catwalk.

The official cosplay competition is a different story. Participants have to follow a set of rules laid down by the organisers, covering everything from costumes to stage performances. Accreditation is mandatory, and applications are reviewed by the organisers in advance. Places are limited, and participants need time to prepare their performances. Solo performances usually last between 20 seconds and one minute, while group performances tend to run a little longer, around two to three minutes.

As we mentioned earlier, Game Con was also part of this year’s festival. This time, it was included in the Comic Con ticket. In the future, the organisers plan to turn it into a separate festival dedicated to gaming and video game cosplay.

Previous festivals had a dedicated area for fans of computer games, Nintendo and Sega console games, as well as those familiar 2D games featuring the Mario brothers and Mortal Kombat. This year, I did not see anything quite as extensive when it came to retro gaming. There were, however, tables where visitors could sit down for a game of Dungeons & Dragons (D&D).

I had pictured the arena a little differently. Based on my experience of previous years, I expected to see plenty of vintage computers and old-school games. The area was primarily intended for game developers, but there were very few of them.

What I did enjoy was the sword-fighting zone, which was back again this year. Visitors could not only handle real metal swords weighing 1.5 to 2 kg, but also use them to spar with an opponent. It was a chance to get a little taste of fencing. The Witcher fans, in particular, were delighted.

The Witcher fans were in for another treat: special guest Vsevolod Kuznetsov, the voice of Geralt of Rivia, was also at the festival. He has also voiced Altair in Assassin’s Creed, Jim Raynor in StarCraft, Voldemort in Harry Potter and Puss in Boots in Shrek. Needless to say, no one left without an autograph.

I missed the amateur cosplay competition because of the schedule. The creators of My Metal Family were performing at the same time, and there was no way I was going to miss them. In my view, the cosplay competition should not have been scheduled for the same time slot. The audience was left having to choose between two equally interesting parts of the programme.

Comic Con Tashkent Cosplay 2026

The main stage hosted both group and solo cosplay competitions. The contestants put together incredible costumes and sets, while also showing off their acting skills. The performances were lively, dynamic and full of colour. In my humble opinion, they were the best performances of the festival.

Compared with previous years, I would call this year’s performances absolutely brilliant. In the past, I often skipped the competitions because they lacked energy and the performances seemed flat. I understand that the contestants are not professional actors or dancers, but I always felt that something was missing: a little more spectacle, scale and dynamism. In Uzbekistan, putting on something truly ambitious can be difficult, both financially and practically. There are still relatively few people specialising in costume crafting, although there are plenty of people involved in sewing. This year, however, things were different. Some contestants appeared in carefully sewn costumes, while others had gone all out with their crafting. It was also striking to see more and more people turning up in costumes from the notoriously complex Warhammer 40,000 universe.

My personal highlight was the group cosplay performance. It was incredibly striking. The contestants had chosen characters from the Chinese animated series based on the novel Heaven Official’s Blessing: the Green Ghost Qi Rong and the Ghost Fireflies. One of the unexpected pleasures was seeing performances set to songs from the cult animated film Anastasia: Rasputin’s “In the Dark of the Night” and “Once Upon a December”.

That performance completely stole my heart. I was genuinely rooting for them, but sadly, they did not win. They did, however, take the top spot in my personal ranking. Second and third place are impossible to separate, so I am calling it a tie between the contestants cosplaying characters from the Chinese novel Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation, and Lord Shen and the Wolves from Kung Fu Panda 2.

I absolutely loved the peacock costume. I also have to mention the acrobatic elements in the performance. We had not seen anything like that before. The “Dream Team” clearly worked incredibly well together. You could tell they had been preparing for more than a few days. They looked confident on stage and managed to convey all the right emotions. That was particularly impressive considering how difficult it must have been to move around with such a huge tail.

And I cannot leave out Di and Lif from My Metal Family. The contestants danced on stage, and the whole performance had exactly the right energy for the characters. The dance itself was great, but next to some of the more elaborate costumes and stage performances, this particular number fell slightly short.

Despite the nerves before going on stage, every participant is a winner. Stepping onto the stage in front of a huge audience and giving it 200 per cent takes a lot of effort, and that alone is a victory. I admire every single one of them.

I also want to say a few words about the solo cosplay. One of the contestants, Akira, took to the stage despite the pain of an injured leg. That takes not only courage, but real determination. The whole hall was cheering her on. Now that is what I call fan spirit!

Winners of the Cosplay Competition

There were a great many contestants: 48 in the solo cosplay competition and 20 teams of between two and six people in the group competition.

The cosplay competition was judged by experienced cosplayers Mary Miyako, Nix, Mr. Evil.

The winners of the main cosplay show were Lyubanko and Aki Marso as Scarlet Witch and Agatha Harkness from Marvel; Vinni as Mima Kirigoe from the anime Perfect Blue; Vladizart as Harley Quinn from DC; Elester Elle as Dark Justiciar Shadowheart from Baldur’s Gate III; and Dio as Eivor from Assassin’s Creed Valhalla.

I am genuinely delighted for all the winners. The judging here is on a completely different level. The judges look at the quality of the performance, acting, costume-making and, most importantly, how convincingly the contestant embodies the character.

The Geek Festival as Part of Subculture

Subculture is part of almost everyone’s life. It is a cultural phenomenon that has been studied since the 1920s, and geek culture is an integral part of it. Comic Con and its fandom fit naturally into this picture.

The geek festival attracts more than just young people. It has become a family event, too. For two days, the boundaries between everyday life and fantasy seem to disappear. Anyone can transform into a favourite character from a comic book, anime, cartoon, film or game. The community warmly welcomes everyone.

Costume as a Form of Self-Expression

People spend very different amounts on their costumes. Some put one together from whatever they have to hand and spend as little as possible. Others create elaborate costumes not only for themselves, but with a competition win in mind. Preparation can cost anywhere from 1,000,000 soums upwards. Some people buy ready-made costumes, ordering them from online marketplaces or experienced cosplayers. The difference in price and quality can be substantial. Creating a costume can take a month, depending on how complicated it is. In some cases, it can take two or three years. What starts as a creative passion can eventually become not only a favourite hobby, but also a modest source of income.

We have already written more about cosplay in our article:

Cosplay in Tashkent: Dressing Up to Become YourselfFrom the first masquerade balls to costume battles at Comic Con, HD Magazine traces how cosplay in Tashkent has grown from three people meeting in a park to a community of thousands of heroes in armour and wigs.mag.humodoc.com

Why Do People Want to Transform into Heroes?

Transforming into a character is not simply about wanting to become someone else. It is about a sense of freedom, and the chance to be whoever you want to be, here and now.

Today, events like these, known as Cons (short for “convention”), have become an integral part of subculture. They bring together geeks from different fandoms: anime fans, gamers, fantasy enthusiasts and comic book collectors.

A geek festival does not place restrictions on its guests or participants. The only exception is that some countries may have specific rules for cosplay competition contestants. Otherwise, the message is simple: come as you are, wear what you want and be whoever you want to be.

The Role of Subculture in Society

Subculture is not simply a way of attracting attention. It is about communities built around shared interests and the support they offer one another. And, most of all, it is about being yourself.

Older generations across the CIS tend to view subcultures with scepticism, and Uzbekistan has its own challenges. We spoke to Comic Con attendees to hear their views on how subcultures are perceived in Uzbekistan, what society can gain from having a diversity of subcultures, and whether people should feel free to express themselves.

— How do you think subcultures are viewed in Uzbekistan today?

I think it is fairly positive, because our cosplay community is constantly growing. Festivals are held at least twice a year. I think that will have a positive effect on how people see us.

Grenka

Many people are against cosplay. They think it promotes non-traditional values. But it is simply a form of self-expression and creativity. There are plenty of people over 30 who make their own costumes, craft their own props and sew their own outfits. They put a lot of work into it.

Elizabeth

I understand where the rejection of something like cosplay comes from in our country, because we have had some unpleasant incidents. Still, I hope that in the future cosplayers will be able to walk down the street without worrying about disapproving looks. It is a form of creativity, just like painting. You are simply expressing it in a more tangible form, through costumes, props and wigs. It is all part of your own creative work. I hope people will come to understand that.

Monica

— Are subcultures beneficial to society?

It's hard to give a definite answer. There are activist movements that work to clean up and protect the environment, help animals and support people with health conditions.Those are subcultures too. I think we should judge them not as a whole, but by the people within them. There can be a bad apple in any subculture, but that does not say anything about the subculture itself.

Daler

I think subcultures are valuable because they give people a chance to come together, form communities and find like-minded people. It gets us out of the house, helps us meet new people and creates opportunities for events and exchange. Today, we have a lot of international guests here who will be performing on the main stage, which is also a plus for tourism in Uzbekistan.

Dinara

— Why do you think it is important to give people the freedom to express themselves through subcultures?

Self-expression is not just about how young people present themselves to others. They have interests and ideas that they can bring to life. And, honestly, I find it inspiring that people are willing to express those ideas outwardly.

Samira

Yes. People can have a creative mind but not necessarily have a way to express it beyond their appearance. I think it is a good thing when people express themselves through their subculture. It gives every generation room to grow.

Rina

I completely agree with Rina. Self-expression gives people freedom. It is a way of expressing their creativity, and it can be valuable to everyone in their own way.

Lilin

Needed or Not? Drawing Conclusions

As someone who is part of a subculture, I am happy to see more and more people becoming part of this community. Geek-culture festivals are about more than self-expression. They are also a way for people to grow, develop their confidence and find their place in society. Creative people are thinkers, seekers and innovators. But they can also be shy, hesitant to go out in costume and afraid of being judged. When someone finds a place where they are understood, admired and accepted, they begin to feel more confident.

For many people, Comic Con has become a place where they can simply be themselves. They do not have to pretend or hide. They come here to relax, socialise, make new friends and discover something new. I would also add that Comic Con has been held in the United States since 1970. I had always dreamed of going to one, so I am happy that we now have Comic Con in Uzbekistan too. Yes, it is not on the same scale yet, but this year’s event was a great success. I believe the bar will be raised even higher with every passing year. Personally, I am already looking forward to next year.

Subcultures bring together creative and talented people, and Uzbekistan needs them. They are a sign of cultural diversity and healthy competition within society. And competition, as we know, can encourage everyone involved to develop and improve. That is why subcultures should be allowed to flourish rather than face obstacles because of isolated negative incidents elsewhere.

There is one more significant moment from this year’s Comic Con that deserves a mention, and it was a particularly romantic one. For the first time in the history of the event in Uzbekistan, one of the cosplay contestants proposed to his girlfriend immediately after his performance, right there on the main stage. As far as we know, it is the only proposal to have taken place at Comic Con in Uzbekistan so far. So the festival is not only about a love of creativity. It is also about love between people. As the host put it: “Miracles happen at Comic Con!”

Wishing you plenty of love and miracles, too!

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