A mainstay on the South African comic book and gaming calendar, and affectionately named the "Home of the Super-Hero", Gallagher Convention Centre will be playing host to this year's ICON convention, now in its 25th edition. Happening next month, it will also coincide with the Youth Day long weekend from 16-18 June.  

The full schedule for the event has not been released yet, but organisers have already detailed some of the things they'll have in store. These include more than 40 different panels, discussing everything on the local geek scene, from comic book creators, cosplay, photography and of course gaming in all its guises (console, PC, tabletop).

Added to this, a number of international guests have been invited, with world famous cosplayer Linda Le (Vampy Bit Me) already confirmed for attendance. Other guests include gaming industry insider James Stutter, whose additional accolades also involve being a published author and co-creator of the Pathfinder Roleplaying game. As far as local guests go, one of our favourite comic book creators, Sean Izaakse, will also be in attendance, with tech analyst Arthur Goldstuck set to be a panellist too.

In terms of additional entertainment, ICON has something special on offer for those that are weekend ticket holders, with six of SA's best comedians hosting a show on the Saturday evening (17 June).

Tickets are currently on sale, with single day passes ranging from R60 to R120, weekend passes costing R250 and VIP passes going for R995. The latter is for those wanting to make the most of the ICON experience, and includes some ICON-branded swag, as well as fast passes for many of the attractions.   

If you're aiming to attend ICON over Youth Day long weekend, doors are open from 9:00 to 18:00 on the Friday and Saturday, and 9:00 to 17:00 on the Sunday. Organisers have promised more information on events for ICON, so watch this space.