CAMPUS: ENTERTAINMENT: TAMIU Cosplayers host Comic Con
By Cynthia Torres
Bridge Staff Writer
Published Wednesday, March 25, 2026
For possibly the first time in Texas A&M International University history, a Comic Con was hosted by a student organization. On Feb. 23, the TAMIU Cosplayers club held a one-day mini-convention in the Student Center Ballroom.
This was a public event, which included different enthusiasts from all over the city. Comic Con was filled with all forms of cosplay ranging from anime, video games and manga. Previously, TAMIU has been the site host for other comic cons, such as the South Texas Collectors Expo, which held its Comic Con in April 2015, late January from 2016 to 2020 and came back in the fall of 2022 before going on a long hiatus. In the interim, members of the TAMIU Cosplayers decided to fill the needed gap with a student-ran event.
An unidentified high school student browses a plush vendor table at TAMIU’s Comicon on Feb. 23, 2026, in the Student Center Ballroom.
Walking in, guests were greeted by various local vendors and school club booths. They sold items like plushies, collectable figures, Pokemon cards, art and 3D prints. To start off the event, the hosts set up an online anime trivia game, which kept its participants on edge.
Prizes were presented to the top three trivia winners: Jose Bermudez, Eduardo Martinez and Sky Garza. After the winners were announced and awarded, the costume contest began with participants lining up to walk the stage.
As the contestants lined up, they began dancing and laughing. The winners were then announced and awarded; Tony Rodriguez (first-round winner, videogame “Helldivers,” not a TAMIU student), Jennifer Flores (second-round winner, “My Little Pony,” Pinkie Pie, not a TAMIU student) and Misery Garcia (third-round and final-round winner, fur suit costume, not a TAMIU student).
“Hosting an event is no light work,” TAMIU Cosplayers Vice President Daisy Lara said. “The most difficult part was juggling where everything would be a week before the event and how we could keep the excitement with our crowd. The turnout of the event was amazing, I was very surprised [by] how much attraction it had gotten.”
Lara emphasized how she loves hosting events like this. On the other hand, there are mixed opinions about the costume contest.
“I love furries, don’t get me wrong, but ‘Helldivers’ costume guy definitely should’ve won,” TAMIU student Emiliano Villanueva said.
It seems as though other guests also had similar opinions, such as TAMIU student Cristobal Castillo, “The judges were very biased.”
