Spring marks the return of Belgium’s biggest Comic Con at Flanders Expo Ghent. As always, we headed to FACTS to see how this edition holds up. After all these years, is it still worth it? Let’s dive in.
Geek Market
At the heart of this edition sits the massive geek market, dominating the central hall and drawing in most of the crowd. If you’re hunting for collectibles, this is where you’ll spend most of your time. This year, there’s a noticeable rise in Pokémon and retro gaming vendors. If that’s your niche, FACTS remains one of the better places in Belgium to browse and buy. Prices vary, so it’s still worth comparing as you walk around, but overall things felt reasonably fair, especially in those categories. Beyond that, the range is broad. You’ll find merch from manga, anime, and K-pop, alongside book stands that invite you to slow down and dig for something new. That variety is what keeps the market interesting. It’s no longer just posters and t-shirts. There’s a stronger sense of curation now, and this year in particular felt more balanced and intentional. There’s genuinely something here for everyone, which also means one thing: don’t expect to leave empty-handed.
Artist Alley
This year the Artist Alley was on point with lots of crafts starring every single fandom you can expect to see at a convention like FACTS. A lot of 3D printing seems to have taken over but still the better artists did their best and put effort into polishing their pieces to the point where you asked yourself if it was 3D printed to begin with. Other artisans still offer more traditional crafts and the work put into those are equally impressive to say the least. Wether your looking for fantasy clothing or even homemade mead or butterbeer straight out of your wizarding fandom, there’s definitely something that’ll put a smile on your face and even entice you into buying something to put into your own “cabinet of curiosities” at home!
Also, never underestimate what a LEGO-master can do with your favourite fandom! We’ve seen some authentic parent-kid wonderment at the LEGO stands in the village!
Gaming
As a gaming outlet, we always look for a strong video game presence, but it’s worth setting expectations early. Compared to the Fall edition, the Spring edition takes a more low-key approach. Don’t expect major publishers like Nintendo to dominate the main hall this time. Instead, the focus shifts to smaller setups. There’s a modest Red Bull booth offering a few competitive titles, while most of the gaming content is tucked away deeper in the venue. That’s where you’ll find a solid selection of retro consoles, paired with a surprisingly strong lineup of pinball machines. The recently released Pokémon pinball machine stood out in particular and easily became one of the highlights in this area.
Gaming isn’t front and center during this edition. It’s something you have to seek out rather than stumble upon. But once you do, there’s still enough here to spend some time with, even if it lacks the scale and impact of the Fall show. Outside of playable setups, video game merchandise is everywhere throughout the broader geek market.
Cosplay
As always at FACTS, the heart of the con is cosplay in all its iterations. From newcomers wearing their first onesies to the usual masters in the pro scene, everyone was present, and everyone was equally welcome at FACTS. We’ve seen tears of joy from the amateurs after their very first catwalk to the exciting bewilderment in front of the main stage. It’s a wonderful place where everyone sharing this hobby feels at home and strives to improve on their skills at the many stands to learn about what’s new in the cosplay world! Here we also noticed how 3D printing is changing the scene. Faster and more efficient crafting means more time to improve on details and getting your cosplay ready faster. It’s not cheating but rather a tool to make even more impressive cosplays. And there’s one thing that’ll never change, the look of excitement in a fan’s eye when having their picture taken with their favorite hero. Whether it’s one of the many Hollywood guests or a brilliantly performed cosplay of your Marvel heroes!
Conclusion:
FACTS never disappoints, and this Spring edition is one for the books once more. It’s no surprise it’s Belgium’s biggest Comic Con to date, as there’s always something for everyone here.
