Illawarra’s Friendly Neighbourhood Spidey with characters set to appear at the upcoming Shell Con Mania. Photos: Supplied.
Shellharbour is about to become a cosplay and pop culture hotspot with the launch of Shell Con Mania this August.
Created by Calderwood superhero-for-hire David Hunter, aka “Illawarra’s Friendly Neighbourhood Spidey”, the event promises an interactive twist on the traditional comic con experience, featuring cosplay competitions, immersive exhibits, and even an after dark party — all while supporting charity KidsWish.
Drawing from 25 years attending comic conventions like Supanova Comic Con and Oz Comic-Con in Sydney, David began to see smaller regions embracing cosplay events.
“They started to get more local, so in the last few years there’s been things like Comic Gong in Wollongong and Gamma Gong at the University [of Wollongong],” he said.
“I just figured, with the team we have now that we’ve grown over the last almost four years, we can do something similar and have it come from a place of experience.”
He said through his hire-a-superhero business Illawarra’s Friendly Neighbourhood Spidey, he did cosplay entertainment and event management, with everything from birthday parties for one- to six-year-olds to fundraisers for charity organisations like KidsWish and events like Illawarra Convoy.
Among his stable of characters are Spider-Man, Spidey Gwen, Miles Morales, Deadpool, Batman, Captain America and Thor.
David said he wanted to create an interactive event that went beyond traditional pop culture gatherings after seeing those smaller events.
“A lot of the events are fantastic, but especially with the smaller ones there’s just a few stalls and the awesome cosplay and that’s about it,” he said.
“We’re trying to make this a little bit different and make it more interactive, so we have more things for you to do when you walk in the door.”
The one-day event will feature about 50 exhibitors, with a 360-degree 4K video camera booth for those wanting to take photos of their cosplay with special effects, a massive photo wall complete with a professional photographer on hand, classic 80s pinball machines to play, and an interactive LEGO display.
David said a highlight of the event would be a cosplay competition with categories for kids, teens and adults, giving them a chance to step on stage, show off their cosplay, and win prizes and awards.
“This isn’t just another event,” David said.
“It’s to support the Illawarra community and to bring something new and exciting for people to be involved in.”
However, the day doesn’t end with the convention – with Shell Con After Dark at The Shellharbour Club for over 18s set to offer cosplayers a chance to network and celebrate, with proceeds further supporting KidsWish.
“We wanted to stick to the Shellharbour region because Wollongong already has their own Comic Gong,” he said.
“We didn’t want to interfere with that – we definitely want to be a companion piece, not a competitor.”
He said cosplay was a growing space, with a thriving South Coast cosplay Facebook group revealing the extent of local interest, on top of large numbers of Sydneysiders who travel down regularly.
“We’re getting a lot of people coming down from Sydney into the Illawarra region,” he said.
“People are coming down here for photo shoots and videos with their costumes at all the local sites, beaches and mountain locations.
“I think it’s getting bigger and bigger.”
Outside of running his business and Shell Con Mania, David works with NDIS clients through Real Life Assistants in Coniston.
So, clients must love getting to connect with the Illawarra’s Friendly Neighbourhood Spidey?
“Well, I hope so, because they have to drive around in my car, which has Spider-Man coated all over the car now,” he said, laughing.
He said as a first-time event, he was grateful for support from Shellharbour City Council, Ross Transport and the many exhibitors.
Tickets are now on sale for Shell Con Mania on 16 August from 10 am to 4 pm at Shellharbour City Stadium.
