We sent our intrepid explorer Sam a.k.a GameOnScorpio to the MCM London Comic-Con! Keep reading to find out how he gets on!
What is Comic-Con? Comic-Con is more than just an event of browsing stores and seeing celebrities. It’s about meeting new people and making new friends.
It is a time and place where people can be whoever they want to be or just be themselves and be accepted regardless. A place where, no matter your background, gender, nationality or age you are accepted and people come together.
After covid, the London MCM Comic Con was back in full swing this year but with a few changes. Gone were the wrist bands for entry as these were now replaced with passes on lanyards. What also made a nice change from my personal perspective was the long queues to get in (the joys and benefits of a press pass).
Sadly, it would seem that this time around there was also less on show. As a gamer, I was looking forward to coming across some indie companies that often go to these events to show off their games and build interest. This was not to be the case this year as the only game being shown in the entire event was Genshi Impact, a mobile action RPG.
That being said, there was a section this year call Side Quest where people could sit down and play a range of retro games on their original systems from Pong to Time Crisis. But if you were after a more traditional approach to gaming, the Side Quest area also had tabletop games where you could relax and learn a range of different games including of course, Dungeons and Dragons.
There was however a huge range of things going on this year and the event floor was broken down into the following areas:
The Treehouse
The Treehouse was an area for all the family. If you had young children with you then this was the place to be to keep them entertained. There was a range of activities including face painting, mug decorating, masking making and comic creation! Not only this but different interactive sessions and entertaining performances covered the entire weekend.
Side Quest
As mentioned previous, this was the area which covered retro gaming. Pull up a chair and play for free on one of many classic consoles or PC games. Some retro, some not so (I still don’t class the original XBox as a retro console but maybe I’m just showing my age). I saw many titles here that I’d played in the past (including some I hadn’t) but titles that popped out to me were Duck Hunt, Time Crisis, Super Mario Bros, Tekken… the list goes on.
Part of Side Quest was also the Tabletop Realm where you could play a range of different board games. It didn’t matter your age as there was something for everyone, and if you wanted to go on an adventure then there was also Dungeons and Dragons!
Pop Asia
If you’re a fan of ESEA pop-culture, then Pop Asia was the area for you! Amazing food, shows, workshops, you name it. Workshops included origami and Manga drawing should you wish to flex those creative muscles.
But if you wanted to pick something up from a particular artist, grab a certain type of food, find some classic games, or look for that new item for your cosplay, then there were hundreds of stalls for you to browse around and find just that. There were some amazing and talented artists at this year’s event showcasing their work and selling prints, comics, toffee… even a Die Hard meets zombies comic!
There were a range of talks and panels across all three days, including photo ops and autographs, should you wish to join the queues and pay the price. It was truly a great way to meet celebrities and hear their views on different topics.
Of course, Comic Con wouldn’t be complete without the Cosplayers and they didn’t disappoint. The passion they have for their craft, and the time and effort they pour into their outfits are truly remarkable. To then come to these events to meet old friends, to make new friends and be truly accepted for who they are, with no discrimination is what these events are all about. The MCM Comic Con is always an event by the fans, for the fans.
Did you enjoy the weekend as much as Sam? Let us know your favourite areas in the comments below!
Disclaimer: Press tickets were received in order to write the article
YouTube | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Discord | Podcast