MCM Comic Con returned to London this year, bringing thousands of cosplayers, exhibitors and creatives together in one place.
South East Londoner was in attendance to take in the sights and sounds of the world’s largest fan convention and find out what makes it special.
It’s not difficult to know when Comic Con has come to town.
Perhaps you will sit next to Thor on the Central Line, or God of War’s Kratos on the DLR.
And as you enter the doors of London’s ExCeL Centre, surrounded by thousands of people, the scale of the event can be overwhelming
But despite the scale, the undeniable consumerist tinge of it all and the torrid May heat, even an outsider could see how important this event is to those who attend every year.
We wanted to find out more about why nerds from across the globe flock to London each year for the event.
One attendee, Dimitar 23, said: “I like it because it’s a safe space for the weirdos you know?
“The othered people society deems geeky or weird or freaks and it’s a place for everyone to enjoy and get lost in the characters.
“I think that’s particularly why queer people enjoy it so much.
“It gives them the opportunity to be with people who have similar interests, your sexuality or gender identity doesn’t matter when you’re dressed up as a character you enjoy everyone’s just there for what they like.”
Dimitar added that his favourite moment of the day was seeing people dressed in costumes from the anime My Hero Acadamia.
To some though, the day is less profound, as another attendee said: “I just like seeing all the cool things to buy.”
One Exhibitor, who had set up shop to show off their intricate drawings of fantasy worlds, told us: “This place is always so special, I love that it brings so many people together.
“It’s the perfect place to share your passions with like-minded people, free of judgement.”
This seems to perfectly encapsulate what makes the three-day convention so special to so many people.
To them, this feels like home, a place free of the judgement of everyday life, an escape to a place where everyone is equally passionate about the things they love.
Oh, and there are plenty of cool things to buy.
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