After some help with UK comic con's

[Dodsy]

Hi all,

Kapow this year was my first every con despite reading comics for as long as I can remeber (20 years easily, I'm 27) and I kinda got the con but from that. From there I went to San Diego for Comic Con and now I'm totally hooked. I know I'm not going to get a con like San Diego in the UK but what options are there and what are the usual main focus? (comics, manga, films, tv, etc). How long do they run for? Where/ when are they usually held?
I'm from the north east so I've heard of Though Bubble but have never been but since travelling isn't really an issue what are my options? After San Diego I don't think I'll get to any more this year but I'm just planning ahead for next year.

[Dan Kelly]

Chronologically there's :

30 July 2011 Manchester Expo
6/7 August 2011 Caption, Oxford (no 2012 date yet)
27 August 2011 Birmingham Comics Cohn
28/30 October 2011 London MCM Expo
19/20 November 2011 Thought Bubble, Leeds
31 March/1 April 2012 Hi-Ex, Inverness
12/13 May 2012 Bristol Comics Expo

Any more?

[CrazyFoxMachine]

Kapow

[Dodsy]

Any one got any thought on which are best?

What do they usually concentrait on? I'm more after the comics side of things then tv, manga, games, etc

[Dan Kelly]

The London and Manchester MCM Expos lean very heavily towards Manga with Comics as a bolt-on

Kapow was an attempt to have a more Film/Comics "San Diego" type event.  I couldn't see anything about next year so left it off the list

Caption is small press ish..

Thought Bubbles star seems to be rising, whilst Bristol seems to be fading after many years as pretty much the only event.

Hi-Ex is organised by our own Richmond Clements...

[Dandontdare]

So far I've done Bristol, Brum, Hi-Ex and MCM Manchester. The latter was shite, unless you're a 14 year old manga cosplayer with no phobias about crowds or confined spaces.

Brum and Bristol were pretty similar to each other - Quite big, hotel-based, large trading halls with a varied programme of talks and panels, definitely comic-oriented and a great social scene in the bar afterwards.

Hi-Ex is similar but smaller, but this just makes it all the more friendly and inclusive, and it still attracts a good roster of guests (with shorter queues!). Very family friendly, lots of boarders from here attending and a lovely weekend all round!

[Richmond Clements]

Any one got any thought on which are best?

What do they usually concentrait on? I'm more after the comics side of things then tv, manga, games, etc

As soon as we get our bottoms into gear and get something organised- Hi-Ex!, obviously...

[grinning demon]

Low Key - But Great Atmosphere
Demoncon 2 (Maidstone) - November 6th
Demoncon 3 (Maidstone) - Date tbc (1st or 2nd Sunday in May 2012)

[HdE]

I'm kinda curious about BC 2011. I just got back from Auto Assembly, which was held at the same venue.

(Specifically, that would be the Holiday Inn in Birmingham City centre. Where I lodged a complaint against one of their bar staff for being unacceptably rude to me about somebody else's behaviour. Classy move, fella.)

ANYWAYS - I dunno if any board regulars here are attending that one? I was gonna try to get down to it, but time and money conspired against me. Hopefully I can make it next time. If there IS a next time, that is.

[Dodsy]

Thanks for the tips guys. Looks like I've missed the majority this year but I'm definatly going to look into checking out some of the more comic orientated one's next year.