Show Report: Vienna Comic Con 2025

 

Heyhey, I spent the past weekend at Vienna Comic Con (VIECC) at exhibition centre Vienna. My third year there, I was invited by WoW/Keepers Club to join their area, run painting workshops, etc.

This is my picture report of the weekend; very light on material on tabletop wargaming/miniatures, but heavy on everything else.

At first I wasn't sure if I should write a report of that show for the aforementioned reason, but this year I took time to take some pictures and edited them, so I could just as well put them online. I managed to do two photo tours on the first day - the first right before VIECC opened its gates, that's why some of my photos look weirdly depopulated.

Just like in prior years, I was sat right next to Bibo, who displayed his lovely and very creative dioramas. He made a video which gives a much better impression of the hall we were in than my photos:

This was my home for two days:

WoW/Keepers club brought three X-Wing tables (always extremely popular), as well as a Star Wars Armada table and Marvel:Crisis protocol. Very much staying on topic for the event with their games.

Also present in the area: The Old World (which I sadly couldn't spend any time at) on day#1, Age of Sigmar on day#2....

...and some boardgames, because you can never go wrong with board games.

Our neighbors (in mind and in proximity) again was Wulpertinger club, with reinforcements from Katzelsdorf on day#1. 

Ulricson's excellent Trench Crusade table:

One Page Rules (Grimdark Future):

Dystopian Wars / Armoured Clash

On day#2, the table would have gone empty due to a last-minute drop-out due to other commitments. So Rotfuchs cleverly brought his Heroquest set along. Because that always works.

Also on day#2, one of the OPR tables was replaced by a Song of Ice and Fire demo table.

At the other side, our WoW/Keepers area was flanked by CARD Club Vienna, running games of Magic:The Gathering, Locarna and Weiss-Schwarz.

Also: A pocket-sized demo game of Halo! :-D

In the same hall, we had the lovely display (and participation) area by my dear friends of Gundamore club:

They were nice enough to have some of my models on display.
The rest were in my own display over at my stand.

Just as last year, they were mighty popular.

Lego! 

(man for scale)

Each year I see them set up and break down that monster. It can be taken apart into segments which fill a LOT of boxes.

I think that this is the new 1.000,00 € death star kit.

Lovely (and huge) Star Trek models!

A few more impressions:

Aye, Perry Rhodan! I don't know much about the world,
but I appreciate old stuff which never breaks into being
'the big thing'. Also: I saw author Leo Lukas, who not 
only writes for Perry Rhodan, but also wrote my favourite
Shadowrun novel AND the Austria/Switzerland sourcebook
back in the day.

Hey, I know these people! I'll be at Harucon 2026.

Each morning, the Star Wars cosplayers (maybe the 501st Legion? Probably.) paraded across all the halls.

..exposing my old travel camera's slightly sluggish autofocus. :D

Only noticed the little support wheels on the dress when I edited the photo. 
And I pretty much spent the weekend next to  the Star Wars folk! Anyway, 
very cool.

Other things from elsewhere:

I had a good chuckle when I saw Austrian Mail Service
trying to shill NFT-stamps years ago. Turns out, they
still do that. Also: 'crypto island'. Yikes. 

I took a photo of the Umbrella emergency vehicle, as
suddenly Saruman the White was standing next to me, 
doing the same thing. I recognized the huge crossover 
potential and asked the First of the Istari if I could take
 a photo of him taking a photo of the Umbrella car. 
The chairman of the White Council appreciated
the idea and agreed.

The 'Creators Stage', on which teams of content creators
took turns guessing the correct price of toasted almonds.
Hosted by another content creator. 

Video game combat! People playing fighting games impress me.

A look at the other big hall, the traders' area (and artists alley):

By nature, I don't love pre-painted things. I'm not even a big 
fan of the impact the EVAs had on robot design. I do love
Neon Genesis Evangelion of course; it's important on 
many levels. And I do dig how these figures here are posed.
Just looks super rad, right? HOWEVER, shouldn't that be
EVA-01 and EVA-02 rather han 00, when displaed doing
synchronous things? Ok, I'll shut up now.. :P 

Hobby Base Vienna! A lovely new supplier for gunpla kits 
here in town. I ordered from them recently; recommended.

VIECC is always a great experience. Two days of frantic work, but loads of  lovely interactions. Running these painting workshop things with people of all levels of experience is always good fun, and I just enjoy the atmosphere of these shows. Despite the HUGE number of people, it always feels relaxed and positive. Thanks to WoW/Keepers for letting me help out at their club area, thanks to the people who painted with us and to everybody who stopped by for a chat.

Very much looking forward to next year!