The MCM London Comic Con took over the ExCel London, bringing together fans and artists for a weekend of spectacular fun and expression of self.
The convention hosts thousands of people from all over the world who celebrate pop culture and dress up or ‘cosplay’ as their favourite characters, while also providing a platform for independent artists to showcase their work and increase their following.
Attendee Sophia Thomas emphasized the joys of cosplaying and how it enhances the experience, urging first time Comic Con goers to dress up and express themselves fully by creating their own costumes just as she did this year.
Thomas, cosplaying as No Face from the 2001 Studio Ghibli film Spirited Away, said: “Comic Con is not just about the different fandoms, it’s also a safe space and a beautiful expression of identity.
“There’s a wide range of art, from cartoons to extreme realism and supporting the artists who work so hard is very important.”
In addition to breath-taking art, Comic Con celebrates a wide range of current and upcoming video games.
A staple of this year was Persona 5 Royal, a 2020 role-playing game developed by Atlus and distributed by Sega, released on Microsoft Xbox and Nintendo Switch earlier in the week, having been a PlayStation 4 exclusive until now.
A huge number of cosplayers donned the attire of the game’s silent protagonist Joker.
Exclusive demos for unreleased games were also available for gamers to try out.
James Moriarty, going as Goro Majima from the Yakuza video game series, was ecstatic to play the newest entry of the franchise which will be released in February.
He said: “This is my seventh time at Comic Con and it’s always been a great day out.
“I love previewing the new games that are coming out, walking around and admiring all the art and cosplays.”
He advocated for newcomers to try their hand at cosplay and left a relatively simple message: don’t be afraid to get weird.
Adjusting his eye-patch to see better, Moriarty said: “There are people with every conceivable interest here, be they big names like Marvel or Star Wars or 90’s B-movies, or the most obscure of anime.
“Don’t be scared to get dolled up into your whackiest cosplay and just take the chance to express yourself.”
Despite their enthusiasm, both Moriarty and Thomas agreed that the convention has been getting more expensive each year.
The autograph section reflects this trend.
An autograph with voice acting legend Troy Baker(The Last of Us, BioShock Infinite) would set you back £30 while a selfie would cost you a staggering £50.
London MCM Comic Con will return to the ExCel London on the weekend of 26-28 May for another weekend of cosplay celebrations, art and beautiful expression.
Featured Image Credit: Ivaylo Statelov
