Armageddon Expo is a New Zealand owned and operated pop culture convention that holds multiple events around New Zealand in cities including Auckland, Wellington, Tauranga and Christchurch. The event, run by Beyond Reality Media Premier Event Management, has been running continuously since 1995. It has evolved from its roots of comics and trading cards to showcase computer and video gaming, animation, film and television, cosplay, comics, live wrestling, and retailers selling pop-culture merchandise.
The convention hosts celebrity guests from the worlds of movies, TV shows, animation, cosplay, YouTube, comics and gaming. Event attendees can meet guests, purchase autographs and photo opportunities as well as watch panels featuring the guests. Armageddon Expo is one of the largest public conventions held in New Zealand.
History Founded by William "Bill" and Adele Geradts, Armageddon began in Auckland, New Zealand on the weekend of 2 December 1995, at the Avondale Raceway. In 1997, the expo added a Wellington event, followed in 1999 by an event in Melbourne. Over the next 17 years, Armageddon held events in Australia sporadically. In 2007, the first Christchurch Armageddon event was held; Armageddon has also hosted events in other cities in New Zealand including Hamilton, Manukau, and Dunedin.
In Australia, two events were held in Adelaide and Sydney in 2011. Starting in 2007, annual events were held in Melbourne until 2014 when Beyond Reality Media handed management of its Australian Armageddon Expo to First Contact Conventions, after which the event was renamed to The Australian Movie & Comic Expo (AMC Expo).
After four annual events at Claudelands Arena (now Globox Arena) starting in 2012, Armageddon's Hamilton event was discontinued in 2015 due to high costs in the Waikato region. A single event was held in March 2016 at the Vodafone Events Centre (now Due Drop Events Centre) in Manukau, but did not continue at the venue.
In 2019, in the wake of the Christchurch mosque shootings, Armageddon changed its policy on weaponry and military attire, banning all realistic depictions. The new policy received some public criticism, however it was generally well-accepted.
Armageddon was expected to celebrate its 25th birthday in 2020, but event plans had to be altered due to the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand.
Armageddon Expo purchased the Auckland-based horror amusement attraction Spookers in 2020.
Highlights Current show events include: Celebrity Guest Panels, autograph and photo sessions. The Cosplay Contest. Exclusive Screenings Trivia Contests Cosplay Parade E-Sports Gaming and Card Tournaments
Armageddon hosts a variety of stalls run by companies from around NZ and internationally, with merchandise including comics, gaming, trading cards, anime, steampunk and memorabilia sales. At each event, there are numerous NZ and overseas comic creators and artists also selling their products.
Venues and guest appearances
1995–1999
DatesLocationComic GuestsTV/Movie GuestsAnimation GuestsCosplay GuestsOther GuestsDecember 2–3, 1995Avondale Raceway, AucklandAugust 25, 1996Freemans Bay Community Centre, AucklandMarch 9, 1997Freemans Bay Community Centre, AucklandAugust 17, 1997Freemans Bay Community Centre, Auckland24 August 1997Victoria University, Wellington21–22 March 1998Alexander Raceway, AucklandKurt Busiek, Mark Waid, Devin Grayson28–29 March 1998Wellington Raceway, WellingtonKurt Busiek, Mark Waid, Devin Grayson3–4 October 1998Aotea Centre, AucklandJoe Kelly, Steven Seagle, Chris Bachalo29–30 May 1999Aotea Centre, AucklandWarren Ellis, Grant Morrison Claudia Christian (Babylon 5), Chase Masterson (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)5–6 June 1999Melbourne Expo Centre, Melbourne, AustraliaWarren Ellis, Grant Morrison Claudia Christian (Babylon 5), Chase Masterson (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)
2000–2009
DatesLocationComic GuestsTV/Movie GuestsAnimation GuestsCosplay GuestsOther Guests18–19 March 2000Aotea Centre, AucklandArthur Adams, Joyce Chin, Jeph Loeb Jeremy Bulloch (Star Wars), Lani Tupu (Farscape)10–11 February 2001Aotea Centre, AucklandBrian Michael Bendis, Walter Simonson, Louise Simonson, Diana SchutzTeryl Rothery, Don S Davis, Peter Williams (Stargate SG-1) Virginia Hey (Farscape), Colin Baker, Katy Manning (Doctor Who), Ted Raimi, Kevin Smith (Xena: Warrior Princess)Sean Schemmel & Christopher Sabat (Dragon Ball Z)26 May 2001Aotea Centre, Auckland Invitational event: Buffy The Vampire SlayerJames Marsters, Emma Caulfield, Brian Thompson15–16 September 2001Aotea Centre, AucklandRoy ThomasWayne Pygram (Farscape), Marjean Holden (Crusade (TV series))Sean Schemmel (Dragon Ball Z)Che Fu23–24 November 2002Michael Fowler Centre, WellingtonBradley Kahl and Christian Gossett (Team Red Star) Sandi Finlay (Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones), Amanda Tapping, Teryl Rothery, Don S. Davis (Stargate SG-1)Mariah Martin (Amazing Nurse Nanako), Kyle Hebert (Dragon Ball Z)Salmonella Dub12–14 April 2003Aotea Centre, AucklandJohn Cassaday, Mark Bagley, Christian GossettSandi Finlay (Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones), Amanda Tapping, Teryl Rothery, Don S. Davis (Stargate SG-1)Mira Furlan (Babylon 5), Gil Gerard, Erin Gray (Buck Rogers in the 25th Century), Brent Stait (Andromeda), Anthony Simcoe (Farscape), Tony Amendola (Stargate SG-1), Kenny Baker (Star Wars), Robert Picardo (Star Trek: Voyager)20–22 September 2003Michael Fowler Centre, WellingtonMark Bagley, Christian GossettPeter Mayhew (Star Wars), David Prowse (Star Wars), Garrett Wang (Star Trek: Voyager)Kazuko Tadano, Hiromi Matushita, Christopher Sabat (Dragon Ball Z), Veronica Taylor (Pokémon), Darren Dunstan (Yu-Gi-Oh!), Jonathan Ross (Yu-Gi-Oh)16–18 April 2004Aotea Centre, AucklandAlex Maleev, Marc Silvestri, Brian Michael BendisJohn Rhys-Davies, Bruce Hopkins (The Lord of the Rings), Mark Ferguson, Lawrence Makoare, George Takei, Anthony Montgomery (Star Trek), Corin Nemec (Stargate SG-1), Xenia Seeberg (Lexx)Eric Vale (Dragon Ball Z), Wayne Grayson (Yu-Gi-Oh), Megan Hollingshead (Pokémon), David Kaye (Transformers Armada)25–26 September 2004Queens Wharf Events Centre, WellingtonStuart Immonen, David FinchJohn Rhys-Davies, Sean Astin, Andy Serkis, Thomas Robins, Sarah McLeod, Jed Brophy (The Lord of the Rings), Cirroc Lofton, Penny Johnson Jerald (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)Stephanie Nadolny (Dragon Ball GT), Dan Green, Wayne Grayson (Yu-Gi-Oh!), Joshua Seth (Duel Masters/Digimon)16–17 April 2005Queens Wharf Events Centre, WellingtonScott LobdellConnor Trinneer (Star Trek: Enterprise), Ray Park (Star Wars/X-Men), Daniel Logan (Star Wars), Devon Murray (Harry Potter), Raelee Hill, Rebecca Riggs (Farscape)Amy Birnbaum, Jonathan Ross (Yu-Gi-Oh!), Milton Lawrence (Duel Masters), Sean Schemmel (Dragon Ball Z)22–24 October 2005Aotea Centre, AucklandChristian Gossett, Mark Waid, Michael Turner, Francis ManapulGates McFadden (Star Trek: The Next Generation), John Rhys-Davies (The Lord of the Rings), Richard Hatch (Battlestar Galactica), Torri Higginson, Rainbow Sun Francks (Stargate Atlantis), Cliff Simon (Stargate SG-1), Dean Haglund (The X-Files), Julie Caitlin Brown, Robin Atkin Downes (Babylon 5), Nicole DeBoer (The Dead Zone), Jay Laga'aia (Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones)Joshua Seth (Duel Masters), Dan Green (Yu-Gi-Oh!), Sonny Strait (Dragon Ball Z)29–30 April 2006Queens Wharf Events Centre, WellingtonGeoff Johns, Phil JimenezJohn Schneider (The Dukes of Hazzard / Smallville), John Billingsley (Star Trek: Enterprise), Claudia Christian (Babylon 5), Jewel Staite (Firefly/Serenity)Mike McFarland, Sean Schemmel (Dragon Ball Z), Rodger Bumpass (SpongeBob SquarePants), Brian Beacock (Battle B-Daman)21–23 October 2006Aotea Centre, AucklandArthur Suydam, Gary FrankRachel Luttrell (Stargate Atlantis), David Nykl (Stargate Atlantis), Colin Cunningham, Tony Amendola (Stargate SG-1), Summer Glau (Firefly/Serenity), Mira Furlan (Lost), Clare Kramer (Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Bring It On), Tom Lenk (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Kevin Weisman (Alias)Kevin Conroy (Batman: The Animated Series), Darren Dunstan (Yu-Gi-Oh!), Jennifer Hale (Powerpuff Girls), Vic Mignogna (Fullmetal Alchemist), Steve Blum (Cowboy Bebop)14–15 April 2007Christchurch Convention Centre, ChristchurchBrian K. Vaughan, Jimmy Cheung Avery Brooks (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine), John Rhys-Davies (The Lord of the Rings), Don S. Davis (Stargate SG-1)Maile Flanagan (Naruto), Susan Eisenberg (Justice League), Crispin Freeman (Hellsing), Carolyn Lawrence (SpongeBob SquarePants)21–22 April 2007TSB Arena – WellingtonBrian K. Vaughan, Jimmy CheungBilly Dee Williams (Star Wars), Doug Jones (Hellboy/Fantastic 4), Aaron Douglas (Battlestar Galactica), John Rhys-Davies (The Lord of the Rings), Don S. Davis (Stargate SG-1)Susan Eisenberg (Justice League), Crispin Freeman (Hellsing), Carolyn Lawrence (SpongeBob SquarePants), Maile Flanagan, Yuri Lowenthal, Tara Platt (Naruto)19 August 2007Auckland