It’s been a while since I last went to a ComicCon and quite honestly, I didn’t really plan to go to this one. Nathan and the kids were going with some friends from church and I planned to finish work, hang out nearby and go home with them. Which meant I got to catch the DLR from this impressive-looking station front, instead of some covert-looking doorway at Bank:
But when I got to Custom House, there wasn’t a lot there. The way out of the station took me straight into the loading bay of the ExCeL, so I thought I might wander up to the door and see how much tickets were. That wander was more like an epic hike – I was in sight of the next station along by the time I got there – so I gave up on turning around and just kinda paid and drifted in. Without ever intending to, I was at ComicCon. In workwear.
I might have stood out a little. Most other people there were wearing superhero outfits, catsuits or giant robot costumes. Once I’d found my family, lounging on beanbags in the kids’ area, I caught up on some of the people they’d met already. Here they are with the Avengers. I think Hawkeye was pleased that Roo was also dressed as Hawkeye.
Later on, Eva found her perfect place – in the middle of a pile of princesses:
I wasn’t sure how Eva would take to ComicCon, as I thought there would be more Judge Deaths, less Meridas. But it turned out there were plenty of both:
I also wasn’t sure what you do at ComicCon but there was a lot going on. Signings, with some Dr Whos of my childhood:
Live drawings, stalls full of toys, light sabre classes. And a lego table:
And obviously, the kind of geeky conic stuff that Nathan likes. I took Eva round the pinkest and fluffiest stalls while he and Roo went to the 2000AD stand. And then we all went for energising coffee and cake at the in-house Costa. ..it’s tiring work schlepping round the ExCeL. Did you know it’s massive? No wonder the length of it spans two DLR stations. And we definitely didn’t get to see everything – there was an inflatable wigwam that Eva reayyyyyey wanted to go to, but it was 5ish already and a long way home.
Turns out it’s even longer if you wander round Bishopsgate in a kind of post-ComicCon haze for a while and then end up at Nandos. I’m glad I went, especially as it meant Nathan wasn’t wandering around Liverpool Street with the kids on his own. But also cause it was more fun than I imagined it would be. So many people made an effort to dress up and there were some excellent costumes. Just don’t make me read any comics…
