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The Art and Magic of Comic Con (UK)

My Thoughts and Praises

By Katherine PalmerPublished 7 years ago 5 min read
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London Film and Comic Con 2017

Comic Con carries its own stigma, but that’s okay. A lot of things have labels now, and people are guilty for turning that into part of our society. However, Comic Con simply acts as a base ground where a certain labelled group of people can go and geek out and have a great day together. And I for one are not ashamed of that and nor should I be.

In England, we might not have the grand stage and the huge scale of San Diego, but I’d like to state that we do have our own little magic when it comes to Comic Con. For me, it’s a great day. Usually a train ride away — if going to London, a lovely early 4:30 AM train to get there in time for short queues and the opening of doors, but that’s just part of the adventure of it!

As a geek, you will always have criticisms of how it's run, questioning whether the hosts of the event are actually fans themselves, if they have a favourite Avenger, or have a secret stash of Star Wars action figures hidden under their bed in a dusty old box.

But generally, you become wrapped in the Comic Con fever and overwhelmed by the talent and artistry of the merchandise available, so much so your first thought usually takes the form of, “Damn, I should have withdrawn more money from the cash machine.” Following as a close second, “I wonder how many posters I could possibly squeeze onto my already overcrowded bedroom wall?”

The guest appearances are one of the highlights of the whole event. At my most recent Comic Con down in London, Benedict Cumberbatch was the top billed guest star. Although we tried to get tickets for his signing and failed (which was a bad on the organisers fault, and not us) the clever people at Comic Con figured out Benedict was coming straight from his discussion panel to the signings and there was a conveniently placed door by his signing booth. There, along with probably around 100 other people, we stood and gathered around this door, probably causing havoc with the people flow system of the entire floor, but we all thought it was worth it. Even though I am a decently tall person, I did use the people’s phones ahead of me which were pointed at the door to keep an eye out for any movement. As the tension was rising, one of the Comic Con volunteers stepped into the limelight of the dozens of phones and thanked everyone for coming to see him. I am glad to report he got many a laugh, a small round of applause, and even a wolf whistle thrown in there. When the pinnacle point of the wait eventually turned up, I managed to see Benedict’s hair, a fraction of his forehead, and his raised hand when he waved to the crowd. It was truly a life-changing moment for me.

I joke. But although it wasn’t the most exciting thing to spend half an hour waiting for, it was the wait and the anticipation and the glee of everyone around you. I am happy to say that one my friends who I was with had gained a better position in the mob that had formed and not only got a direct sighting of Benedict but also a video in which a decent screenshot could be taken and I could also take advantage of it and tell everyone I had seen THE Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Strange.

It is moments like these that Comic Con is built around. From my first visit to a Comic Con and having a conversation with Warwick Davies about bowties and the references to Doctor Who, to meeting the Weasley twins and actually making them laugh. I MADE THE WEASLEY TWINS LAUGH!!

For me, however, I am overjoyed by the artwork that is available at Comic Con. Some of the pieces are so expertly done I marvel (see what I did there?) at them whenever I want to procrastinate from my work for a while. At the latest Comic Con, one of my favourite collection of pieces was superhero and general fandom inspired front page newspapers. I myself purchased a Wonder Woman one, using the photo of the team when they hit France. I do admit at one stall I was so overcome with the beauty and the detail of the art that when I handed them over to be bagged and the guy asked if I wanted them signed I just replied yes, not really thinking if he was the artist or not (which I never discovered) but at the time the opportunity seemed too good to miss.

I have not yet ventured into the depths of cosplaying so far, although I have toyed with it in my mind for a while. My first worry is the heat. It can get very sticky and humid in the arena with so many people around the popular spots, but it is not so claustrophobic that there is not somewhere close by and accessible where you can chill and grab something to eat. However, my respects do go out to those who dress head to toe, and even to the Daleks that were spotted moving around the crowds.

I do have great respect for all those who do cosplay and thank them for the many selfies they must have to put up with, and the general experience that they add to each and every Comic Con (The Stormtroopers are the best!).

All in all, there is a real sense of a community at Comic Con which is rare to find elsewhere — or at least in this line of interest, it is the Vatican City of the comic book and fandom religion. You’re all there because you have a passion for something, and the chances are there’s going to be someone else there who shares that passion. From cosplays to guest appearances, to splashing out your cash out on fandom based merch that your heart just swoons over, Comic Con is the place to go for a day to be one with your inner fangirl/fanboy.

Live long and prosper.

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