The Peacock Head Meltdown (Comic Con ZANABIA)

The Peacock Head prepares for Comic Con the way others prepare for weddings, negotiations, and minor wars—months in advance. Sketches. Fabrics. Mood boards. Opinions. Strong ones. Peacock Heads are admired in Zanabia for beauty, confidence, and the ability to enter a room as if it personally invited them. Comic Con, however, is dangerous territory—because everyone is expressive, and not everyone is watching the Peacock Head. This is where the insecurity begins. This year’s costume was meant to be flawless: layered capes, iridescent colors, dramatic pauses built into the walk. But halfway through the morning, a child walked past without looking. Then another. Someone complimented a Deerhead toaster costume. The Peacock Head smiled. Then twitched. Then spiraled. The meltdown was elegant but undeniable. Feathers fluffed aggressively. Sunglasses went on indoors. Statements like “I’m just observing today” were made—loudly. The challenge? Accepting attention is not love. After sitting down (rare), the Peacock Head removed one layer. Then another. Eventually, just stood there—simple, radiant, unperformed. People noticed again. But this time, they stayed. Comic Con taught the Peacock Head something vital: You don’t have to shine harder to be seen. Sometimes, you just have to be real. 🦚✨