Get Ready for MCM Comic Con

Lining up for the show. Photo © Rob Tysall Pro Photography.

Heroes and villains will be out in force at the Birmingham NEC from 1 – 3 December when MCM Comic Con opens its doors again to fans of cosplay, pop culture and the world of entertainment.

There is so much going on, it’s hard to know where to start. Comic Con is a show where the visitors are as fantastic as the celebrity guests in their cosplay costumes, dressed up as their favourite comic book character or star from film, TV or video game. Comic Con is a great day out for all ages, and very often entire families turn out in their amazing Cosplay outfits which might be anything from Steampunk to the Simpsons, or zombies to Storm Troopers. And the amount of effort and attention to detail that people put into their costumes, just has to be seen to be believed. At the end of each day cosplayers can enter a fabulous masquerade line-up to see if their outfit has impressed a panel of judges.

A show for the whole family. Photo © Rob Tysall Pro Photography.

As always, the show brings together talented comic creators – craftspeople making unique accessories and collectables; you’ll discover singers, musicians, directors, prop and scenery makers, make-up experts, actors, writers, illustrators and artists. Row after row of stands cater for fans of anime, manga, retro toys, steampunk, gaming, film and TV, memorabilia and much more. You’ll find posters, books, comics, original artwork, sculpture, autographs, clothing, handmade jewellery, film props and official merchandising. Artist Alley is where you'll discover the best independent artists and comic creators and Writers block is your one-stop for everything bookish! Throughout the show there are opportunities to win prizes through quizzes, cosplay and crafts.

Gamers seeing what's new. Photo © Rob Tysall Pro Photography.

There’s masses of entertainment going on with live theatre where talks and panels provide visitors with the opportunity of hearing from and seeing a range of celebrity guests. You can book your slot to have a paid photo/autograph with your favourite celeb. Amongst those appearing over the three days are Erika Harlachar (Hunter X Hunter), Jennifer Hale (Metal Gear Solid), David Hayter ( Metal Gear Solid), Griffin Burns ( Genshin Impact), Roger Clark (Red Dead Redemption) and many more.

If you’re a keen gamer there will be new games to try your hand at and maybe even meet some of the game designers. There will be free to play consoles, retro machines, competitions and more. Be sure to seek out Gaming the Mind’s stand which is a charity dedicated to improving mental health in the video games community. Established in 2015 and run by mental health experts, Gaming the Mind combine healthcare expertise with passion for video games and geek culture. Head over to the Tabletop area too for your fill of board games.

See great cosplay. Photo © Rob Tysall Pro Photography.

Present at the show once more will be the UK Garrison which is a renowned not-for-profit UK costuming organisation comprising three distinct clubs sharing a passion for building movie accurate costumes, raising money for charity and putting smiles on faces. And if you dare - venture into the new attraction - the Haunted House, a new stage hosting with ghoulishly good programme of content over the weekend.

Fabulous Steampunk. Photo © Rob Tysall Pro Photography.

Another stand that’s bound to attract lots of attention is Project Dalek with practically everything imaginable from the Doctor Who Universe. Additionally, you can immerse yourself in the wonderful world of Steampunk with the Ministry of Steampunk. And don’t miss the Elite Wrestling Entertainment which runs professional wrestling shows. EWE Elite will be at MCM all weekend with three live shows per day. Stop by and watch the drama unfold as the EWE Elite fight for pride and honour, and for your entertainment. You can even discover the ancient sport of sumo wrestling, with an appearance and live demonstration from British Sumo Champion, Mandeep Singh Kundi.

Pop Asia for k-pop and j-pop fans, Anime and Manga lovers. DJ Manimal will be opening the Pop Asia stage on Friday 1st December 11am to 12pm, DJ Manimal is an Anime DJ and Performer based in the UK and will be playing the latest Anime theme songs, Kawaii Funk, and K pop classics.

There's so much to see and do, your best bet is to grab your ticket and see for yourself! Full details on the website, and when booking tickets, remember that kids aged 10 and under go free.

https://www.mcmcomiccon.com/birmingham