Our First Time at Birmingham Comic Con 2022!

A weekend full of pop culture madness? Sign us up! 

On Friday 11th November 2022, we attended the first day of MCM's Comic Con in Birmingham. 

The MCM Comic Con in Birmingham took place all weekend at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham and is a celebration of comics, anime, science fiction, fantasy and gaming and is the perfect opportunity for fans of all things pop culture to come together.

As first timers to Comic Con, as a team we were really intrigued and excited to see what the day had in store for us. 

From Stormtroopers patrolling the halls to Daleks everywhere, we spent the morning walking through the different halls and browsing all the different retailers, artists and stands that made up the space over the weekend. 

One of our favourite sections to explore was the Artist Alley. This area showcased various different artists and creators' work that was just incredible! The talent these artists have is like nothing we have ever seen before and it was so fascinating to look at.

After we had a look at all the different stands, and not knowing where to look when it came to all the different cosplayers, we then went and listened to the "An Introduction to Quidditch UK" talk - which gave us a real insight to the full-contact sport. Did you know that Quidditch was a real sport? No we didn't either!

After finding out everything we needed to know about Quidditch, we then headed over to the Quidditch UK stand to have a go ourselves.

After just a few minutes of playing, it turns out we're actually pretty good at Quidditch! (Must've been that Harry Potter magic) We were THAT good we were even recruited to join the team...not what we expected from a day spent at Comic Con!

As huge Stranger Things fans, it was great to see so many people showing their love for the show. I think we underestimated just how loved Eddie Munson is, because everywhere we looked there was somebody dressed up as the metal-loving leader of the iconic Hellfire Club!

It was also so cool to see groups of friends recreating some of the iconic looks from Season 4. It only made sense for us to take a picture with them.

On the topic of Stranger Things, we even spotted some photo ops for Stranger Things fans (like us) to fully take advantage of and have us feel like we were a part of the iconic TV show. So, of course we had to make the most of the opportunity and snap a picture in front of the alphabet wall in our Stranger Things Christmas Jumper. 

One of our favourite communities is the Wizard World community, so it only felt right to dress for the occasion and represent the wizard community ourselves by wearing our very own Harry Potter Gryffindor Replica House Gown along with our Danielle Nicole Hedwig Backpack.

Whilst shooting content in our House Gown, we even bumped into a fellow wizard! 

Who said wizards from houses couldn't be friends?

Cosplay is evidently a huge part of Comic Con. Every corner you turned, we saw cosplay enthusiasts everywhere! Just from looking at the schedule for the whole weekend, there were several competitions and workshops taking place for those who love cosplay to take part in. A cosplayers dream if you ask us!

Whilst we were there we even managed to watch the 'Casual Cosplay Showcase' which allowed fans to have their own moment showcasing their costumes in front of a crowd of like-minded people. 

With the festive season now in full swing, when we walked past the ICONIC Mr Grinch, we just had to stop and take a picture with him. Turns out, he's not so mean after all.

Let's talk about the retail stands...Well, there was a LOT! It was quite overwhelming to be honest as there was so much to look at and if you're a fan of a lot of different licensees then you most definitely would be spoilt for choice with what to buy. From clothing and apparel to toys, collectibles + prints, there was so much to choose from. Whether you're on the hunt for a certain Funko Pop that you've been searching for or are just after some new merch, Comic Con is the place for you.

Oh and of course, with every Comic Con comes some celebrity guests!

Birmingham's line-up of guests included Harry Potter star David Bradley, Star Wars star Andy Secombe and Maggie Robertson from the Resident Evil game series.

It's clear to see that MCM Comic Con is solely a convention made for the fans.

It was amazing to see so many licensees being represented not only by retailers and business owners but most importantly, by the fans. It was so fun walking around and seeing so many different communities and fandoms coming together. 

SO many people put so much time and effort into their costumes and it even made us want to dress up ourselves. So inventive and creative!

There really is something for everyone to enjoy and get involved with at Comic Con. Whether you love 90s cartoons or are really into superheroes, we guarantee you there is something that you, your friends or even your kids would love!

From just attending Comic Con on Friday, we could tell that it was going to be an unforgettable three day celebration of pop culture for everyone who attended. 

It reminded us that there really is no better feeling than sharing what you love most, especially with those who can share the love and appreciation with you.