Manchester Comic Con is back! This Saturday and Sunday, Manchester Central (formally the G-MEX centre) will host the convention of the year which is sure to attract pop culture fanatics from across the North West and indeed the world…
If you’re in Manchester this weekend and you witness The Hulk driving his Ford Fiesta, or the Joker sitting next to you on the tram – you’re not going insane, that’s how you know it’s Comic Con Weekend. Manchester is fast preparing for it’s much anticipated summer invasion. Here at Zavvi, we love everything about Comic Con – it’s explosive, excitable, colourful and communal feel keeps us revisiting each time it strikes the UK, and the US in-fact. Additionally, it gives us all the chance to cosplay our favourite heroic characters. Cosplaying is a huge part of the Comic Con experience so if you’re planning on attending, make sure you’re outfit it one point…and don’t be camera shy. Expect a lot of group selfies. Check out his video by the Two Geeky Guys showcasing the last year’s best alter-egos, time to get inspired…
Whoever you’re planning on appearing as, please make sure you follow the official guidelines regarding convention costume, weaponry and props. It’s important everyone remains safe. View the guide here.
What is Comic Con?
A concept first conceived in San Diego 1970 , the Golden State Comic Book Convention was arranged by just seven individuals passionate about comics. After growing each year and taking the world by storm, Manchester Comic Con was the first showcase outside of London in the UK. First hitting the north in 2011, it was originally trialed as a one day event. The demand was huge. To date, it’s doubled in length and is currently only hours away from all tickets completely selling out. So, what is it about Comic Con that people love so much?
Comic Con is the convention for everyone – it has no niche, specialism or narrow market. Last week, over 130,000 people attended the distinguished event in San Diego, the place of its birth. There are countless reasons why the event is so treasured; firstly, it’s habitually a place of exclusivity. Trailers are relived here, films and games releases are announced, and special limited edition products are sold at the worldwide gatherings. Merchandise such as exclusive Comic Con Funko Pop! Vinyls are often available. The top ten most valuable Funko products are all indeed Comic Con exclusives; The San Diego Comic Con Darth Maul Pop! being the most valuable reportedly being traded for over $1200 earlier this year.
Image Source: Brucecho
Comic Con is the perfect place for any geek to add to their ever-growing loot, it’s the ultimate one stop shop for all things collectible however; if you’re not into geek culture, there’s still tons to discover and get involved in. Don’t let an absent love of superheroes or gaming turn you away. Furthermore, fans don’t just have the chance to be their heroes, but the chance to meet them too. So, who’s going to be at Manchester this time round?
Who’s going to Be There This Weekend?
- Luke Pasqualino – Skins, The Musketeers
- Tamla Kari – The Musketeers, The Imbetweeners
- Alexandra Dowling – The Musketeers, Game of Thrones
- Peter Davison – Dr.Who, Law and Order: UK
- Ian Beattie – Game of Thrones
- Roger Ashton – Gangs of New York, Game of Thrones
- Ian Gelder – Torchwood, Game of Thrones
- Ian McElhinney – Taggart, Cold Feet, The Tutors, Game of Thrones
- Warwick Davis – Willow. Star Wars, Harry Potter, Life’s Too Short
- Robert Llewellyn – Red Dwarf, Scrapheap Challenge
- Terry Molloy – Dr.Who
- Jesse McClure – Storage Hunters
- Sean Kelly – Storage Hunters: UK
- Andrew Lee Potts – Primeval
- Chris Parsons – Star Wars
You can book your photo sessions with any of the above celebrity guests here. Prices for these sessions start at just £15, with £25 being the most expensive price.
What Else to Expect?
Comic Con Manchester will be split into four main ‘zones’. If you’re a Comic Con veteran, you’ll know these like the back of your hand. For those hitting up the event for the first time, here’s the lowdown…
Image Source: Brucecho
- The Comic Village: The Comic Village consists of, surprise surprise, all things comics! Here you can mingle with creators from countless publications. You’ll also see artists, writers and find a wide range of rare, new and special edition collectables. Who knows, you may just find that one edition you’ve been searching years for.
- The Dealer Stalls: Every piece of merchandise you can think of, you’ll find it here…and more! Action figures, statues, Pop! Vinyl, posters, books, replicas, clothing and just about everything else. You can spend hours, and thousands, sweeping through the stalls here. It’s great this weekend’s Manchester event co-insides with payday weekend. Wave goodbye to your healthy looking bank balance, you won’t be able to resist.
- MCM eSports: This year, it’s the Street Fighter 4 tournament. There are still a few spaces left for you to sign up for Saturday’s competition, you can do this here. The game will be played on PS4 and players are able to bring their own gaming pads if they wish. Sunday will host a free-play, so go on down and show off your skills in a fun, non-competitive environment.
- MCM Main Stage: This is where the magic happens. Make sure you keep your eye on the main stage; the big names, announcements and reveals will all take place here. Expect a whole lot of fun, and a whole lot of surprises this weekend.
Zavvi at MCM Comic Co Manchester
This year, as always, Zavvi will be manning a stall at Manchester’s MCM Comic Con! We had a blast in London a few months ago, and can’t wait to be back. Earlier in the year, we surprised lovers of the ZBOX with our Comic Con edition for just £5.
Come see us at #ComicCon this year for a special ZBOX, for only £5. We're at stall 731 if you want to say hello! pic.twitter.com/xpwDpFdQqf
— zavvi (@zavvi) May 27, 2016
Who knows what special offers we’ll have this time round? There’s only one way to find out. Hit is up at his weekend’s event. There are a still a few tickets left so ensure you don’t miss out on the event of a year, you won’t regret it. There’s also still plenty of time to get an outfit ready – you can’t go wrong with the bed-sheet ghost look can you? See you there.
MCM Comic Con Manchester, 30-31 July 2016 at the MCM. For more information, visit the official site. Weekend tickets are completely sold out however, general entry tickets for Saturday and Sunday are still available. Please remember to print your tickets prior arrival.
Saturday July 30: 9am-6pm, Sunday July 31: 10am-5pm. Last entry is 4pm both days.
Featured Image Source: Brucecho
