THE GALLERY: MCM Comic Con @ NEC 19-20.11.16

MCM Comic Con @ NEC 19-20.11.16 / Michelle Martin © Birmingham Review

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Words & pics by Michelle Martin 

A favourite pastime to end an eventful year. It’s been a peculiar one.

I’ve once again donned a new cosplay for the weekend’s MCM Comic Con Birmingham – held at the NEC on 19th and 20th November. This time it’s a Vulcan Commander in Starfleet (AU), or as a friend mentioned, Spock’s wife.

For the first time (instead of hiding behind by my camera) I was approached by fans of my chosen cosplay asking for photos with me. A new territory that was nerve racking, but one I grew to quite enjoy.MCM Comic Con @ NEC 19-20.11.16

Although I did get more questionable looks from some middle aged, old school bikers – puzzled by hundreds of people dressed as a Twisty the Clown inspired Predator, Rick and Morty and a seven foot Totoro. The hall next door was hosting Motorcycle Live.

But thousands turned up for the MCM Comic Con at the NEC; the convention sold out weeks before, with both general and priority tickets snapped up by eager fans.

For me though, highlights of this year’s event were spotting Mythbuster Adam Savage and his NYCC incognito Totoro, a very accurate Negan cosplay, and the Marvel vs DC photoshoot at the giant NEC sign at the entrance.

All in all the photoshoots were far more organised this year, following the bad organisation last March for the DC Comics shoot. The lead photo (above) is by far one of my favourite shots in almost four years of attending conventions, even if it was from an unusual angle. Another photographer commented that if your knees aren’t dirty, you’re not working hard enough.

(I’ve also realised this year why cosplayers assemble in groups; travelling to the NEC on your own is very awkward in a military uniform with half shaved eyebrows and abnormally large Vulcan ears)

See everyone in March 2017 for the next MCM Comic Con at the NEC. But in the meantime, here are some pics for THE GALLERY from the November con.

MCM Comic Con @ NEC 19-20.11.16 / Michelle Martin

MCM Comic Con @ NEC 19-20.11.16 / Michelle Martin © Birmingham Review

MCM Comic Con @ NEC 19-20.11.16 / Michelle Martin © Birmingham Review

MCM Comic Con @ NEC 19-20.11.16 / Michelle Martin © Birmingham Review

MCM Comic Con @ NEC 19-20.11.16 / Michelle Martin © Birmingham Review

MCM Comic Con @ NEC 19-20.11.16 / Michelle Martin © Birmingham Review

MCM Comic Con @ NEC 19-20.11.16 / Michelle Martin © Birmingham Review

MCM Comic Con @ NEC 19-20.11.16 / Michelle Martin © Birmingham Review

MCM Comic Con @ NEC 19-20.11.16 / Michelle Martin © Birmingham Review

MCM Comic Con @ NEC 19-20.11.16 / Michelle Martin © Birmingham Review

MCM Comic Con @ NEC 19-20.11.16 / Michelle Martin © Birmingham Review

MCM Comic Con Birmingham returns to the NEC on 18-19th March. For direct event info, including programme updates and online ticket sales, visit www.mcmcomiccon.com/birmingham

For more on further MCM Comic Con events across the UK, visit www.mcmcomiccon.com

For more from the NEC, including full event listings and online ticket sales, visit www.thenec.co.uk

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BPREVIEW: MCM Comic Con Birmingham @ NEC 19-21.03.16

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Words by Olly MacNamee

MCM Comic Con Birmingham 2016 will be hosted at the NEC between 18-21st March. For direct event details, including online ticket sales, click here.

And while I am unconvinced that a two day jamboree calling itself the MCM Comic Con Birmingham, at which comics and comic book creators have a minimal presence, is truly a comics focused convention – it is nonetheless a great celebration of all things geek inspired.Main with web colour bcg - lr

And it draws a crowd. If Anime’s your thing, they’ve got it covered. American candy? Ditto. Cool collectibles (or are they really toys for grownups, I wonder?) yep, covered. Comics..? I’ll refer you to my previous statement on that matter.

But there are a lot of indie creators at MCM Comic Con Birmingham this March that will thank you for taking the time to read their self published comics. So look out for local talents such as Sammy Borras – creator of Giant Rhinos In Space and Coventry’s own GeeBees comic series, and support your local artistic talent in the same way we’re often asked to support our local independent stores.

MCM Comic Con Birmingham takes up its two-day NEC spring residency with a high level of TV, film and gaming celebrities (both past and present) in attendance. MCM favourites, Red Dwarf’s Robert Llewellyn and Danny John-Jules, will be there – along with anyone who may have played a Stormtrooper, Jawa, or even farted in Star Wars offering to autograph your photos, collectibles and whatever else you may have with you. For a price, of course.

MCM Comic Con Birmingham @ NEC 19-21st MarchBut the big guest attraction this time round, and trying to top Lee (The Bionic Man) Majors’ appearance back in November, is Lindsay Wagner – TV’s The Bionic Woman. And for the younger audience at MCM Comic Con Birmingham, who might be scratching their head at this point and asking themselves ‘…who?’, there’s also the pull of Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate voice star Paul Amos, who lends his voice to Jacob Frye in the game.

The main pull however, for me and for other guests I’ve witnessed, are the cosplayers and their amazing costumes. And watching from afar it is clear they tend to know each other; I have certainly seen the same masked men and maidens doing the rounds up and down the country when covering different comic conventions in the past.

But there is no doubt that the cosplayers add an essential element to the MCM Comic Con Birmingham, one that elevates the event to something more than just a cash cow for the bigger exhibitors. Although, it is debatable how much they spend when there. I mean to say, where would Spider-man or Harley Quinn keep their money? Those costumes are tighter than Scrooge.MCM2015_Birmingham_webportal

So bring your camera (do people still have these, or just phones?) but always ask politely for a snap. And be careful, many of these costumes can be very fragile and could well represent many months of hard work (and financial expense) from the cosplayer for it to look so good.

But overall, my advice would be to go to MCM Comic Con Birmingham on Sunday 21st March if you want to avoid the throngs. It’s also the best time to grab a bargain too.

MCM Comic Con Birmingham comes to the NEC between 19-21st March. For direct event details, including online ticket sales, visit http://www.mcmcomiccon.com/birmingham/

For more from the NEC Group, including links to full event listings across all venues, visit https://www.necgroup.co.uk/

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