Over the weekend of July 30th/31st, we had the privilege of attending Manchester Comic Con 2022. Thanks to the great people at Monopoly Events, we were afforded a pair of complimentary press tickets and were delighted to be able to attend this great, family friendly event, that truly offers something for everyone and more besides.
The event ran like a well-oiled machine, as the long queue to be the first into the venue was expertly reduced by extremely courteous and professional staff. With our group being augmented by our 7 year old son, the way that we were able to get onsite in such a quick manner was a blessing!
With two huge rooms packed full of stalls offering an array of merchandise, comics, clothing, food and memorabilia, one could truly spend a very long time exploring the wares of the retailers. Covering all genres from anime to film, comic books to gaming, it is safe to say that every taste was catered for with a very diverse range of options to spend your money on!
Speaking of diversity, the celebrity guests in attendance covered a wide spectrum of genres. Stars of the big and small screen were here, from iconic stars such as Lee Majors and Lindsay Wagner to cast members of hit tv shows such as Cobra Kai, The Walking Dead, Superman & Lois, Lucifer and Teen Wolf. Also, stars from the Lord Of The Rings trilogy and my own personal favourites, the cast of Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory! Suffice to say, this Wonka fan boy was in heaven!
As is always the case with conventions, the level of cosplay excellence was certainly high. The sheer amount of work that must have gone into the costumes on parade was incredible, and we certainly enjoyed taking in the fruits of everyone’s labours, as seen below in this wonderful gathering on the main stage. Comic book characters, video games icons, Disney princesses and Star Wars legends. All that and more was to be found walking the halls.
One of the highlights of the weekend was the guest panels, expertly curated on the main stage by SoCal Val. Every celebrity guest was happy to take a break from signing autographs and posing for fan pictures and come take part in a live Q&A session, fielding questions from their fans. The panel by Zachary Quinto was a real standout, as he eloquently answered some great questions, including one from yours truly! This interaction with the fans is what these events are all about in my opinion.
Overall, Manchester Comic Con 2022 was a highly enjoyable 2 day event that we were glad to attend. All the events ran to time, the venue was well laid out and easy to navigate and the welcoming atmosphere was one of inclusion and fun. Roll on 2023 and what is next to come!
