Posted in: Comics, Recent Updates | Tagged: Comics, cosplay, Dan Mallier, entertainment, Kit Summerfield, Leamington Spa Comic Con, neil gibson

Stormtroopers Pounce On Main Street – Independent Cons Grow In The Midlands With Leamington Spa Comic Con

Published Tue, 21 Oct 2014 17:00:00 -0500

by Hannah Means Shannon

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Leamington Spa Comic Con 2014

By Olly MacNamee

With nearly 1000 people through the doors of this inaugural crowd funded fan event, I would say Leamington Spa Comic Con was a resounding success and brought a splash of colour and vibrancy to this rural English town at the weekend.

Situated right in the centre, located as it was in Leamington Spa's historic Pump Rooms, and right across from Leam's picturesque public park, organizer Dan Mallier (pictured with cosplay competition winner, Kit Summerfield) could not have wished for a better venue. A decadent setting, beautiful autumnal sunshine and a hardcore legion of cosplayers, comic book fans and the causal passer-by added up, over the course of the day, to an event that put a smile on everyone's face.

The independent comic con is growing here in the Midlands (often organized at great physical, mental and economic expense by a small few comic lovers, like Dan) and each one I have been fortunate to attend in the short time I have been writing for Bleeding Cool has been heartily welcomed and attended by a broad range of readers. The continued success of such provincial cons seems to point to a buoyant and sustainable fanbase here in the UK with a passion to get involved and try new things. And, with many children in attendance events like this may well be where the next generation of comic book readers emerge from, when done correctly. And this was.

With a selection of local artists in attendance sketching merrily away at their tables, as well as a wide range of independent publishers, local comic pop-up specialists Comics Etc. whom we have featured before, and several talks scheduled throughout the day (such as friend to BC, Neil Gibson, from TPub who spoke on '5 Ways Comics Can Help You in Work and Study') there was always something to do, and people to speak to. All the publishers I spoke to over the course of the afternoon had experienced a wonderful day out and many could not praise Dan and his team highly enough. They were more than happy to be there, chat to fans or just make new acquaintances and shoot the breeze with all and everyone. TPub even sold out of all their copies of Twisted Dark vol.1 which is impressive when you consider the locale for the event.

What stood out the most for me was the genuine passion and drive from both sides of the tables. I confess that as it had recently been my birthday, I was a little tender to say the least as I arrived Saturday afternoon to a con in full swing having only crawled into bed nearer to dawn that very morning, but even my cobwebs and thick head were soon a distant memory as I was infected by everyone's' delight and energy.

The moment you arrived along one of Leamington Spa's main streets you could see in the distance the strangest of views, members of the 501^st UK Garrison regaled in Stormtrooper uniforms ready to pounce and pose with young and old in an ever-playful fashion. Strange, because of the Georgian and Edwardian architecture that served as a backdrop to the whole day's events. People came and people went, but for one and all it was a day of celebrating comics, cosplay and the community that seems to grow and grow with each event such as this one.

Olly MacNamee teaches English and Media, for his sins, in a school somewhere in Birmingham. Some days, even he doesn't know where it is. Follow him on twitter @ollymacnamee or read about his exploits at olly.macnamee@blogspot.co.uk. Or don't.

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