MCM x EGX Comic Con Highlights and Overview

Comic Con attendees braved long walks across the sprawling ExCel venue to immerse themselves in a weekend of gaming, cosplay, and artistry.

From start to finish, October was packed to the brim with dress-up events. For the first time ever, MCM and EGX joined forces to host the second London Comic Con event, which took place at ExCel from the 25th to the 27th of October. ExCel hosted over 100,000 people each day who came over to celebrate beloved games, comics, and artistry while showing off their own creative apt through elaborate cosplay.  

With priority tickets, which retailed at £41 per person, granting patrons early entry two hours before the official starting time of 11 am. But for those with general admission, there were particular disadvantages to this as the short walk from Custom House Station to the Excel building meant queuing time lasted no longer than twenty minutes.

Earlier this year, Comic Con’s organiser ReedPop announced the first instalment of the Tekken European Cup would be taking place at London Comic Con, meaning we had the privilege of watching plucky players go head-to-head to win the £5,000 cash prize reserved for the UK champion. The atmosphere was tense, to say the very least, as the crowds kept quiet watching competitors strike out on all skills. For those who couldn’t attend the tournament in person, EGX livestreamed the fights on their Twitch channel. 

Other great segments of Comic Con were the Artists Alley and Writers Block, where Con attendees could meet their beloved and up-and-coming artists, actors and authors, in addition to spoiling themselves rotten with merchandise, some of which were exclusive to Comic Con. Exclusive merchandise, including graphic novels like Spider-Man & Deadpool, was available at discounted prices, making it a haven for collectors.

And for cosplayers who may have been dealing with a costume malfunction or two, Comic Con offered a repair store, where anybody could have adjustments and fixes made to their costumes completely free of charge.

One undeniable highlight of the day was the Cosplay Showcase, where 50 cosplayers proudly displayed the results of months of hard work, patience, and a possibly worrying amount of fabric glue. Every cosplay that appeared on stage was met with deafening applause, but the winner of the showcase was a flawless replica of Anne Boleyn from the West End production of Six. Some notable favourites included Katara’s Painted Lady adaptation, Stephanie Brown’s Batgirl and Luminoth.

Overall, Comic Con was a chaotic and colourful experience, packed with activities to delight the nerd in all of us. However, with so much on offer, it’s nearly impossible to check everything off your list in just one day. The next Comic Con in London is scheduled for May 23–25.

MCM’s next Comic Con event will be held at NEC Birmingham from November 29 to December 1.

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