POPCON x The Shōwa Era

Intro:
The Showa era (1962-1989 AD) was the most extended period of time in Japan, characterised by the most diverse and integrated changes in various aspects such as art, fashion, and culture. The core value of this event is to showcase diversity and fusion through creative exhibitions and markets. In addition to the content exhibition, we also express the core viewpoint of the exhibition through the main visual, which represents the fusion and collision of cultures. This symbolises inclusivity and serves as the foundation for innovation, with a nod to the styles and symbol imagery of the late 1980s, reminiscing about that simpler era.

The concept of POP CON is inspired by the Pop Art of the 1950s, aiming to introduce and familiarise the public with popular culture and artistic forms from different eras through various types of creators. We hope that creativity can become something that brings people closer to life and feels natural. Because of this concept, POP CON was conceived. “Con” is short for “convention,” and the essence of an exhibition is that under a broad theme, it encompasses people and things related to various industries and themes. Through the format of an exhibition, people can understand the complete industry structure and its corresponding culture. Participating exhibitors can also exchange ideas to enhance the competitiveness and future development of the industry. We chose this format to present our event because exhibitions provide such diverse channels for professionals and the general public. Through exhibitions, creators and the public can get to know each other better, and creators have the opportunity to interact and share with fellow enthusiasts.

A “Blank Cover” is a particular type of cover in American comics and one with the highest level of interactive entertainment. It allows creators to draw anything on the cover as they wish. Each one drawn becomes a one-of-a-kind existence in the world, making it highly collectable. Many creators use their creativity on these covers to blend their own characters or make playful parodies of comic book characters. Blank covers come in various colours, not just black and white; they are adjusted according to the characters in the comic. For example, a Scarlet Witch comic might have a red cover, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles might have a green cover, and Nightcrawler might have a purple cover. These types of covers are often used at comic book conventions or artist signing events, and many collectors commission artists to create unique collectables.