FEATURE - MCM BIRMINGHAM COMIC-CON 2015

M C M B I R M I N G H A M C O M I C - C O N 2 0 1 5

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THE NEC BIRMINGHAM

FEATURES | Kyle Pedley

Major names from the world of Film, Television and Popular Culture were drawn to MCM's annual Comic-Con event in Birmingham this year, but, as Kyle reports, some of the biggest stars of the show were the costume-clad public themselves...

Devoted fans and enthusiasts from all walks of TV, Film and Geekdom, many in a dizzying variety of incredible costumes and ‘cosplay’, flocked to their nerd-vana this weekend as one of the Country’s biggest entertainment conventions returned to Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre for another highly successful and hugely attended year. For 2015, big names topped the bill for the event, including The Lord of the Rings and Armageddon Hollywood beauty Liv Tyler, former Doctor Who Colin Baker, and the Six Million Dollar Man himself, Lee Majors, all of whom were on hand to meet and greet the thousands of excited fans in attendance.

Having been to several such events, it isn’t difficult to see why MCM’s outings are dubbed ‘The UK’s biggest modern pop culture events’. With over 20,000 tickets sold for Saturday alone, and almost that number once again packing into the NEC’s Hall 5 on Sunday, it was impressive to see that the line-up of guests, diversity and calibre of stalls and attractions and overall experience on hand more than justified the busy attendance and high ticket sales.

At the expansive bricolage of dealer stalls you could pick up everything from a replica Kingdom Hearts keyblade to a trusty ‘Totoro’ backpack, with some of the merchandise standards notably offering some terrific deals for the discerning and astute customer. A particularly niche board game I had tirelessly toiled over the internet hoping to find, for instance, I was able to bag for a bargain price, new and sealed. Any notion that merchandise at an event such as this may be above the asking price was welcomely proven not to be the case - though one would certainly recommend having a thorough look round to make sure other stores aren’t stocking the same wares for a better price!

Outside of the aforementioned headliners, a slew of special guests from all walks of Television, Film and fandom were on hand over the course of the weekend for autographs and photos with fans, including names from the likes of Star Wars, Game of Thrones, Harry Potter and Once Upon A Time. Several of the bigger names, Tyler included, additionally took part in a series of Q&A sessions or hosted talks over the course of the weekend, either on the MCM main stage (inside a whimsical inflated pavilion) or situated in the central hall itself, giving members of the public the opportunity to ask the stars a question or two.

Partitioned away in a special, 18+ only area away from the prying eyes of youngsters, starts of the adult entertainment industry were also on hand to meet and greet in the modestly named ‘Glamour Zone’.

In some ways though, the stars of the show were once again the public themselves, many of whom had gone to painstaking efforts in dressing up as their favourite characters from the world of entertainment, and it was impossible to not be won over by their efforts. From an eerie Scarecrow of the Batman universe bounding around on stilts, a retro Harley Quinn (also of Batman fame) complete with comically oversized mallet, an imposing Space Marine from Games Workshop’s Warhammer 40,000 franchise to terrifyingly accurate recreations of the murderous animatronics from the Five Nights At Freddies hit mobile and tablet games, the artistry, craftsmanship and sheer invention on display was in places staggering. Couple this with the array of official stalls from key franchises from the video game world including Assassin’s Creed, Fallout 4 and Call of Duty: Black Ops III, and a myriad of props and replicas including a handful of impressive Star Wars set pieces, and photo opportunities aplenty were abound at every turn and corner.

As another successful year for Birmingham’s wing of MCM Comic-Con draws to a close, all eyes turn now to their next event, returning to the Midlands in February 2016 at Telford’s own International Centre, after which the group’s London, Manchester and Scotland forays follow. Easily one of the most expansive, attended and entertaining conventions of it’s kind in Europe, and a well-organised, accessible and family-friendly occasion for all ages, one can only begin to start counting down the days and dreaming of the sights, names and fun that will no doubt follow for MCM in 2016. At £10 for an adult on the day, £5 for children ages 11-14 and those 10 and under going for free, their latest Birmingham venture was a very generously priced event and especially accommodating for family units - particularly offering as it did plenty to see and enjoy for both younger visitors as well as the big kid in all of us.

MUSINGS

+ One of the UK's biggest and best Film, TV & Comic Conventions

+ The NEC is a perfect, easily-accessible venue for an event of this scope

+ Liv Tyler a testiment to some of the major names being drawn to MCM events

+ A real breadth and diversity of merchandise, including some great deals

+ A fantastic atmosphere enhanced greatly by the efforts of public and professional cosplayers

+ A genuine 'nerd-vana', a must for most franchise enthusiasts

+ Very affordable, particularly with cheap/free entry for kids

+ Entertaining, free Q&A sessions and talent talks

+/- For those without priority entry, be prepared to queue for the bigger names

- The Liv Tyler Q&A session in particular was a rushed, slightly clumsy affair (through no fault of Tyler's)

(A)MUSINGS (A)TTRACTION (A)DVICE

- PRIORITY ENTRY FOR MEET AND GREETS: Priority entry may cost extra, but it is particularly recommended for the bigger names at future events. Not only do priority entrants get an hour extra to bag up the best bargains and merch, but crucially you get a much better spot in the queues for the bigger talent.

- BOOK ONLINE!: Another time-saver, booking and pre-printing tickets will again save you considerable waiting time, particularly again if you are going to be paying a visit to the higher billed stars of the event.

- ALWAYS ASK, PREPARE TO PAY: Many of the lesser known names and supporting special guests will be free to spend time chatting with guests, talking selfies and the like, but always make sure you are checking any such requests with their handlers and assistants. Please also remember most attendees earn their fee through autograph and photo sales, so avoid asking for any unpaid photos or autographs as understandably the answer will almost always be a no.

- PARKING AND TRAVEL: Specific to future MCM Birmingham Comic-Cons and other NEC events - parking at the NEC costs a hefty £12 per vehicle, and will usually necessitate a 10-20 minute walk depending on which hall the event is in. Alternatively, rail travel to Birmingham International will negate parking charges and is usually at most a similar 10-minute walk from most of the halls and buildings in the complex.

- CASH OR CARD?: Some of the merchandise stands offer card payment, however many do not. Whilst the venue does offer ATM machines, these do charge, so it may be worth bringing the necessary funds along in cash. Which leads us nicely to...

- BUDGET WISELY: There is plenty to see and do for free at MCM Comic-Con events, but it is also easy to spend a small fortune. Bear in mind all photographs and autographs with talent will have a cost which can range from £10-60 per photo/autograph, and these can be checked beforehand on the event's website. Similarly, the food outlets at the NEC are not the cheapest, and there is as mentioned a plethora of merchandise to buy. Budgeting wisely beforehand, planning which guests you would like photos with or autographs from, as well as doing a walk-through of the hall before committing to buying will all likely avoid over-spending.

Run: MCM Birmingham Comic-Con ran from 21 - 22 Nov 2015. Future MCM Comic-Con events are detailed on their website (below)

Tickets: online via official website / Official Website: click

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