MCM London Comic Con | |
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Birds eye view of guests at MCM London Comic Con, May 2017 | |
Status | Active |
Genre | Speculative fiction |
Venue | ExCeL London |
Location(s) | One Western Gateway, Royal Victoria Dock, London Docklands, London |
Country | United Kingdom |
Inaugurated | May 2002 |
Most recent | 25–27 October 2024 |
Next event | 23–25 May 2025 |
Attendance | 133,156 in May 2016 |
Organized by | ReedPop |
Website | https://www.mcmcomiccon.com/london/en-us/home.html |
The MCM Comic Con London (formerly known as the London Movies, Comics, and Media Expo, London MCM Expo, and MCM London Comic Con) is a speculative fiction fan convention held at the ExCel London twice yearly since 2002, usually on the last weekend in May and October. The convention primarily focuses on comic books, video games, sci-fi, cosplay, anime and popular media.
History
The London Movies, Comics, and Media Expo was founded in early 2001 by Paul Miley (ScifiShows) and Bryan Cooney (Wolf Events).
The convention is held twice each year, usually on the last full weekend of May and October. There have occasionally been exceptions to this, such as May 2009.
The event started as a single day and expanded to run across three days, attracting attendance and involvement of representatives from Universal Studios, Twentieth Century Fox, MVM Entertainment, Manga Entertainment, All the Anime, Marvel Comics, and NEO magazine.
The Movie Comic Media (MCM) Expo Group organises the London, Birmingham, the Midlands, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Belfast, Manchester, Liverpool, Scotland, Stockholm, Malmö, Copenhagen, Belgium, and Hannover MCM Comic Cons. On 23 October 2017, ReedPop acquired MCM and all of its events throughout the UK.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the October 2020 MCM London Comic Con was cancelled. It returned on 22–24 October 2021 with new safety measures in place.
Show features
Exhibit hall
The MCM London Comic Con has a large floor-space for dealer stands and exhibitors which include media companies such as film studios and TV stations. There is also a theatre space that includes a large stage with projection monitors on either side and seating for approximately 1,000.
Guests
Guests from popular media are commonly invited to the show. They take part for a variety of reasons. Often, this is to promote their latest product or production whether it be movie, TV or print. Sometimes it can be to raise awareness and funds for a charity or cause important to them. It is common to see television and film personalities selling autographs and interacting with their fans both in person and on stage during question and answer sessions. Along with panels, seminars and workshops with comic book professionals, there are previews of upcoming television and feature films, and portfolio review sessions with video game companies.
Autographs
The event also includes an autograph area where big names in movies and TV sign items for the public.
Cosplay
Ticket holders are allowed, and in many cases encouraged, to take part in cosplay. Cosplaying has become one of the most popular parts of the show. This can be to show off the costumer's latest work, to show devotion to their favourite characters or engage in role-play with other cosplayers in the same series, as well as to meet new people with mutual interests. The show also hosts the EuroCosplay championships which take place every October with one of the UK qualifying entries being decided at the May event.
Comic Village
Comic Village is an area of the show that is co-ordinated by Gary "Wheels" Howe, a member of the MCM Expo Group. This area has approximately 200 tables, where amateur as well as professional artists, writers and publishers sell their comics as well as prints. It also has a signing area where big names in the comic industry come and sign for members of the public. Previous guests include Gail Simone, Kevin Eastman, Frazer Irving and Antony Johnston.
MCM Fringe Festival
In 2010, MCM Fringe Festival was re-vamped and given a new logo. The main purpose of Fringe is to allow cosplayers to organise photoshoots, meet-ups, picnics and get-togethers. Organisers are more easily able to create their own event within the Expo and broadcast it. At the same time, the rest of the Expo attenders can search the website and decide to go to it. Photoshoots will be more successful and likely to attract more people from the same anime or game to take part. Previous events have included picnics, dances and video gaming tournaments.
Eagle Awards for Comics
Main article: Eagle Award (comics)The Eagle Awards were founded in 1977 and were the longest-running fan-voted awards for the comic industry. They were held at the MCM London Comic Con each May from 2010 until 2012, after which they were renamed the MCM Award in 2013. In the following year, 2014, the Eagle Award was presented under its new name – first The Stan Lee Eagle Award and then the True Believer Comic Awards – at the London Film and Comic Con. They have not been awarded since.
VidfestUK
VidfestUK is an area of the expo dedicated to online visual media, such as animations, vlogs and various web series. Notable guests include YouTube partners such as TomSka and MrWeebl.
MyM magazine
Now defunct MyM magazine does not have a presence at the event.
Location and dates
See also
References
- ^ McIntyre, Alex (31 May 2016). "MCM London Comic Con celebrates record-breaking weekend". Wharf.co.uk. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
- "ReedPOP Acquires UK's Largest Pop Culture Conventions". Forbes. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
- Arrant, Chris. "REEDPOP Acquires United Kingdom's MCM COMIC CONs," Newsarama (23 October 2017).
- "ReedPOP acquires MCM Comic Con". Fusion Corporate Partners. 23 October 2017. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
- Johnston, Rich (30 June 2020). "MCM London Comic Con October 2020 Cancelled". Bleeding Cool News And Rumors. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
- "MCM Comic Con Returns To London". That Hashtag Show. 25 October 2021. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
- Morris, Steve (25 May 2012). "The Final Eagle Awards have Landed". Comics Beat. Archived from the original on 6 June 2012. Retrieved 25 May 2012.
- Spurgeon, Tom (25 May 2012). "Your 2012 Eagle Awards Winners". The Comics Reporter. Retrieved 25 May 2012. - "Stan Lee Backs Revived Eagle Awards", Downthetubes.net, 25 April 2014.
- "True Believers Awards Launched as Revamped 'Eagle Award' Site Vanishes", by John Freeman, at Downthetubes.net, 9 June 2014
- "True Believers Comic Awards announce 2014 winners" by Kevin Melrose, at CBR, 14 July 2014
- "London Movie Comic & Media Expo 2005 Information". Fancons. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
- "London Movie Comic & Media Expo 2005 Information". Fancons. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
- "London Movie Comic & Media Expo 2006 Information". Fancons. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
- "London Movie Comic & Media Expo 2006 Information". Fancons. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
- "London Movie Comic & Media Expo 2007 Information". Fancons. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
- "London Movie Comic & Media Expo 2007 Information". Fancons. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
- "London Movie Comic & Media Expo 2008 Information". Fancons. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
- "London Movie Comic & Media Expo 2008 Information". Fancons | Eddxworld in Animation Classic. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
- "London Movie Comic & Media Expo 2009 Information". Fancons. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
- "London Movie Comic & Media Expo 2009 Information". Fancons. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
- "London Movie Comic & Media Expo 2010 Information". Fancons. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
- "London Movie Comic & Media Expo 2010 Information". Fancons. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
- "London Movie Comic & Media Expo 2011 Information". Fancons. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
- "London MCM Expo 2011 Information". Fancons. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
- "London MCM Expo 2012 Information". Fancons. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
- "London MCM Expo 2012 Information". Fancons. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
- "London MCM Expo 2013 Information". Fancons. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
- "London MCM Expo 2013 Information". Fancons. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
- "MCM London Comic Con 2014 Information". Fancons. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
- "Record crowds join the stars at MCM London Comic Con!". Retrieved 12 November 2015.
- "MCM London Comic Con 2015 Information". Fancons. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
- "MCM London Comic Con 2016 Information". Fancons. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
- "MCM London Comic Con 2017 Information". Fancons. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
- "MCM London Comic Con 2017 Information". Fancons. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
- "MCM London Comic Con 2018 Information". Fancons. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
- "MCM Comic Con London 2021 Information". FanCons.com. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
- "Guests". MCM Expo Ltd. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
- Gregory, Elizabeth (24 May 2023). "MCM Comic Con London 2023: what's on, special guests and more". Evening Standard. London. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
- "Guests". mcmcomiccon.com. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
- Editor-in-Chief, Chris Arrant (27 October 2023). "London's MCM Comic Con reveals 2024 return dates (Go ahead and ask off from work)". Popverse. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
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External links
- Media related to MCM London Comic Con at Wikimedia Commons
- Official MCM Comic Con website
- Official MCM Expo Group website
- MyM on MCM Buzz
- event site website
- SyFy.co.uk – London MCM Expo Review 2009
- Forbidden Planet review & MCM Expo Pics and round up... 2010
51°30′27″N 0°1′47″E / 51.50750°N 0.02972°E / 51.50750; 0.02972
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