Indonesia Comic Con marks decade by pushing local IP towards global stage

Indonesia Comic Con (ICC) has marked its 10th edition with a stronger focus on taking local intellectual property (IP), creators and pop culture talent to international markets.

Held at Jakarta International Expo (JIExpo) from 3-4 October, the event was officially opened by deputy minister of creative economy and deputy head of the creative economy agency Irene Umar, who positioned pop culture events as a potential engine of economic growth while highlighting their role in connecting local talent with wider markets.

The 2026 edition brought together creators and businesses across comics, toys, film, gaming, music, cosplay and illustration through exhibitions, talks and artist showcases. The event also featured the Raya Championship of Cosplay, which opened with a parade of 20 cosplayers alongside 100 free cosplay entries.

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"Through events like this, we hope local talents, from comic artists, illustrators and content creators to cosplayers, can connect with wider markets. The ministry of creative economy is here to provide a platform for every passion that has economic value, and we can see the economic activity generated through events like these," said Umar.

For the creative economy ministry, the event represents more than a platform for fandom and self-expression. It sees the growing pop culture ecosystem as an avenue for job creation, commercialising Indonesian IP and strengthening the country's position in the global creative industry supply chain.

The push towards internationalisation was reflected in ICC's collaboration with the Hong Kong economic and trade office, which aims to facilitate creator exchanges between Indonesia and Hong Kong.

ICC is also developing opportunities around local IP, including superhero character Kapten Sultan, which is open to licensing partnerships and collaborations across industries. The approach points to a broader effort to turn pop culture properties into commercial assets that can extend beyond their original formats and audiences.

Andita Puteri Tirtawisata, director of Panorama Media, said the involvement of local creators reflects the strengthening of Indonesia's pop culture ecosystem, while highlighting ICC's role in developing local IP.

"This year, we are proud to collaborate with the ministry of creative economy, the tourism and creative economy office, as well as local and international creative industry players. The breadth of this collaboration demonstrates that Indonesia's pop culture and creative industries continue to grow rapidly. We hope our industry will continue to advance, grow stronger and gain global recognition," said Tirtawisata.

ICC's international ambitions also extend to cosplay talent. Its Indonesia Cosplay Grand Prix held qualifiers across Yogyakarta, Bali, Palembang, Bandar Lampung and Malang, with the national winner set to represent Indonesia at the World Cosplay Summit in Nagoya, Japan.

Discover what's next in Indonesia's fast-moving digital landscape at DMA Indonesia 2026 on 13 October in Jakarta, where marketing leaders will explore how AI, creator ecosystems, social commerce, and omnichannel strategies are reshaping customer engagement and business growth.

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