The Rise and Decline of MCM Comic Con

[@jackdalton3499]

Yeah ticket prices going up & actual lack of comics at a Comic Con have been my biggest reasons for falling away from MCM. I agree with the shelf life of each con as well; once it’s done it’s very much over. Great video mate glad to see you back🎉

[@Abominatrix650]

Thank you for this video. Very informative. I've been hearing for a while now that MCM isn't quite what it used to be and it's been hard for me to understand why. I don't know if I'll be going at the end of this month but I know I'll definitely be going to MegaCon in January, at least. I wanna experience the supposed authenticity and have never been before. Nice to hear more from you besides Primeval content! People like you are an underrated beating heart of geeky/nerdy stuff!

[@cheesecakeman999]

I’ll never forgive them for scrapping Manchester… Let’s hope that Megacon becomes a rising Phoenix in the UK Con scene

[@nickjames6282]

Went yesterday and it was brilliant. Ticks the nostalgia boxes.

[@IridescentAria]

This video really did a good job of summarising everything and showing what's different now. I've always LOVED MCM, it was the best con for meeting people and finding new artists. Now though? I can't even justify attending for a weekend anymore, its too expensive and not worth the money. I wish they would improve the con and get their shit together, but I don't have much hope. I think while it was a natural progression, it could have been handled so much better and its a shame to see the more community driven side of things get neglected.

[@PearlWorldOrder]

I just feel like for the actual cost of going, there’s nothing to do at mcm. If you’re not a top tier Cosplayer and people don’t want you at shoots or whatever you’re just walking around an expensive shopping centre which you’ve already overpaid for in the first place.

[@Trauson]

The first time I went to comic con was in 2017 (So I guess I just literally joined at the actual declined according to your video.I was used to the cons in Spain I documented it and I rather found it bland and void of activities and other things to do outside from loitering around and seeing how expensive are fansings and meeting the celebrities... I was so dissapointed because I got bored and luckily some people I knew from Spain came that year and I hanged around with them. I think its too overpriced for what they offer which is just literally a place where people can go and hang around in cosplay nowadays... (or at least my vision) and seeing now the same merchandise with different prices along every store. So far ive been hearing a lot about cons in Germany and France Becoming even better than MCM and also there is the one at Barcelona which has WAAAY more to do so far that they even have an extra day there. I feel bad because I really love to go to cons and Cosplay but I if my other alternatives of sourrounding cons are paying a lot of money for train tickets or supporting dodgy characters hmmm.... Btw The Cosplay Elitism its something worldwide not only focused in Comic con xd. But yeah in the end I just come to the con enjoy my cosplay around hang with a few of my friends here and try to meet new people with the same hobbies xd

[@DrHADLEY]

Hit the nail on the head there - for a lot of people, cons are just a place to go to hang out with friends. Which is ALSO something that can be done entirely for free... and I bet convention organisers are praying we don't find that out! I've started to hear very good things about cons on Germany too, I might have to check one out!

[@Trauson]

@@DrHADLEY I was about to go to the one in Leipzig , ticket prices for the entire weekend were like... 20 €... something like that then accomodation wasnt that hard like 150 € for like 5 days in Leipzig and the plane tickets were like 30 with Ryanair and then the train like 10 € or something like that. I was going with a girl I know from Germany but they cancelled it due covid concerns and I got my opportunity stripped away. There is also Mex in Berlin and Dokomi in Dusseldorf... If you are a Londonder and you get ahead of time you can get very good flight prices for far cheaper than a weekend ticket for MCM Comic Con.

[@tomasc0202]

@@Trauson If you like anime than i can suggest Animecon and Abunai in the Netherlands. These 2 are running for a long time now and they have not a commercial feel compared to comic cons in general. I went this year for the first time and they still get that 'authentic feel'. They are also organised in a small venue and have no more than 10k visitors in a weekend. I feel like anime conventions in the Netherlands and maybe in Germany too are way less commercial and focus more on the visitors themselves, like a lot of live shows (sometimes even music artists from Japan perform there), multiple cosplay shows, lots of workshops, good and not too expensive food and overall no overcrowding. Some conventions are still organised by no profit organisations. Anime is also not that big here, it's still niche. But i'm not sure if that will be so in 5 years. Now that is has become mainstream in the USA...

[@tomasc0202]

Comic cons however. Like FACTS in Belgium and Dutch Comic Con in Holland are much like MCM except that they don't have a big guest line up. It's usually just 5 or 6 actors and you are lucky to get a big name so now and then. Atleast the price is decent. 30 euro for a weekend and discount on tickets when you do a cosplay. I haven't been to many German conventions yet but i am going to German Comic Con soon. I expect it to be very similar to MCM. Huge guest line up and expensive tickets. 42,5 euro for a day.

[@Trauson]

@@tomasc0202 Thats why I want to go to cons in germany xd I feel like a con should be focused more on the visitors than just being a full marketing stunt

[@eiluneofthestars]

My issue with MCM at the moment is that it appears to have become a curiosity to the general public. Cosplayers used to make up most of the attendees that I can recall (I've been going for over 11 years now) and now its far less but there are PLENTY of people there for a day of shopping and that's all. Inside the con hall is where you go wander around and buy stuff, and outside the front of the con is where everyone hangs out and you'll have a bit more actual fun. The improvement to guest appearances was great, however I have to say the most recent May MCM guests were really quite lacklustre to me, and then there were covid cancellations on the day as well. The biggest issue with the most recent con was the AMOUNT of people. Friday and Sunday were alright but Saturday was INSANELY busy - you couldn't get lunch, you could barely move, and there was certainly no way to feasibly stop people for pics because you'd be swept off in the crowd in seconds. I am fine with the price increase if they were to REDUCE the number of tickets sold. I would happily pay the increased price for a less packed and more open con hall for an overall better experience. Somehow, I doubt they'll be doing that and I don't expect to see any positive changes for next time. Speaking as someone travelling a long way to pay a lot for hotels, travel and entry tickets, I wish they would take onboard feedback from attendees. I would love to even try other conventions but I do love the scale and popularity of MCM - it's hard to know what other cons might be worth trying. Would love to see a video roundup of European cons and info about them.

[@lolime1159]

The change of leadership at MCM has really killed the enjoyability for the most part. I've also been going for nearly ten years and it's such a different experience. I think it's also important to note that for most people, it's just an excuse and location to meet up with distant friends ad hang out in a controlled environment.

[@RedZOriginal]

There was no body pillows man

[@mariotaz]

Pretty much g

[@deavaleria]

Been going to London mcm since 2017, only con I ever go too. I know the place like the back of my hand which comes in handy given my mental disorders. I've never experienced any dissemination towards my disabilities, no matter what I'll still keep going as I cannot deal with change as big as this

[@MadamBellaCosplays]

I hope they realise huge rise the ticket price is going to continue to see falling numbers. Cosplayers generally dont have a lot of money after hotels and after making costumes. Guess only time will tell but I'm having less and less friends attend it with me due to rising costs and getting nothing for that cost aside entry to a building to spend more of your money! Guess I'll wait and see if October is any good!

[@SteamedIguana]

It's really interesting to see what cons are like over in Europe! Especially the biggest one, I've seen you talk about MCM but I never really knew much about it, so you had me hooked from the get-go. This was an awesome deep dive, can't wait to see what you've got coming next!

[@MissShellah]

Love this, very informative and is nice to hear someone speak about how it used to be (nostalgia haha!), but also not absolutely pick apart the newer version of MCM. Definetely has it's issues but I guess it had to grow somehow. Will be interesting to see how it evolves further... Thanks for sharing this video, really enjoyed watching! 😁

[@TheDarkVictini]

Started going to conventions on October 2021 and I loved the atmosphere of meeting people with similar interests whether it is a big community like Genshin or a small community like RWBY! Got me into cosplaying casaully too. Met alot of people too! But I loved this video and yeah the security sucked especially on saturday.

[@scorpzgca]

This is a really good video on UK conventions, London MCM is defintely my favourite convention to go too

[@drmadstudio6441]

As a convention goer of 10 years, MCM holds a special place for me. More particularly, MCM Manchester Comic Con. It was the very first convention I ever went to. I can still remember lining up in the queue to get in, and meeting my first celebrity guest, Warwick Davis. For years afterwards, I continued to attend the convention. Until ReedPop took over the MCM brand, and decided not to have it held in Manchester anymore. With London and Birmingham being the only places left, which are too far for me. I've always tend to stay local when it comes to comic cons, it's cheaper and it saves me a lot of time, hassle and money. Not to mention traveling anywhere these days by car, train, or plane is not cheap, and this cost of living doesn't help either. Hardly anyone has disposable incomes, compere to when I first started. Personally, I'm sad to see they've gone down the wrong route. But despite the rise and decline of MCM, at least I can look forward to other conventions within my neck of the woods. Regardless if they're independent, or big major league ones. It has given me the chance to meet so many well known or less known guests. Some of which are no longer with us, which makes me grateful for the time I've spend. Whatever happens next from this point on, I will forever cherish those memories attending MCM Manchester.

[@DrHADLEY]

MCM Manchester was MY first and Warick Davis was also the first guest I met, are you my alt account?

[@drmadstudio6441]

@@DrHADLEY Or maybe I'm you from a parallel universe lol 🤣

[@aaronb6929]

Nice to see you back dude! Very good points raised here

[@missmoth2588]

I am an American but came here when I was in my 20s, fell in love, and stayed I find after living here for as long as I have I prefer things over here. American doesn't mean bigger and better. In fact most Americans these days are not so fast to pretend that is the case at all anymore.

[@RetroBreak]

Great video, just came back from MCM October (yes it’s no where near as good as it was back in the early 2010’s) and started watching this, thanks for including my Play Expo video footage! It is indeed still going on, I just made a video on the Blackpool one a few weeks ago!

[@juniorjr.]

I've been going to London Comic Con since 2010 when the Futurama cast was there but it has been sinking low for years when it was MCM and Reed Pop took it over. One time I went there, I was speaking to someone who used to go there for years and noticed how often the artist alley gets shrinked in favour for the mainstream movie and TV show stuff that gets pushed, and at least one third of the show floor is dedicated to street food vendors. When it comes to Comic Con in the UK, the London Comic Con is arguably the best one in the country, also the after party can get wild, but the others aren't as big or great in comparison. Speaking of the after party, Reed Pop would try to do their own after party events and they honestly look lame compared to the party at the bar right next door to the Con. I'm a veteran in London Comic Con but honestly its years can be very hit and miss depending who's going to be there, much like who's going to play at a music festival and if that interests you or not.

[@SC-gr8pz]

I still like going to mcm but honestly I went to a smaller local con and it was a lot nicer, more relaxed and I could talk with artists and sellers a lot more :) still enjoyed mcm though

[@ErikNWalker]

Nice to see you again! It's been a bit.

[@XenoCosplay]

Great video! I’ve been going to MCM since 2014 and it’s been… interesting watching it change (RIP Manchester 😔)

[@DrHADLEY]

Manny was my first con ever 😞 #dicksoutformanchester

[@pamelapendleton3621]

Thank you fo the video! I have never been Comic Con but always wanted to go, this information has really helped me know what to expect x

[@kat9886]

I hadn't been going to mcm from the beginning but i had been going a number of years, and I dont think I'll be going again. I went for one day in may and it was so different, so many stalls missing that i would always go to, traveling man, cex, all the anime, and i remember when they had huge gaming sections, PlayStation VR, kingdom hearts demo, gaming booths to try out games i never would've picked up if I hadn't seen them at con. Now its a grey floor with a few shops all selling pop and bandai and thats it. I'll miss cosplaying there but it doesn't feel worth it for nearly £100

[@Horcrux_maker]

There used to be a really great con that ran in Milton Keynes, used to be in the shopping centre then moved to the football stadium, was small enough that it never got *too* busy,for a con anyway,but still big enough that there was still good guests,so many good memories...Getting choked by Kane Hodder,Charisma Carpenter liking my hat

[@deanhumphries7878]

The trouble with MCM Comic con now is that after many years of going I am starting to get really Bored with it I just can't understand how there are so many stands that have nothing to do with a comic con conversations. There is a total lack of good Horror stands and I have to say not many comic stands,

[@SheriffAssholio]

A few years ago, I once thought that I had to go to MCM London at one point. But now, that con just doesn't interest me anymore (especially after attending 2 Comic Cons in the USA)

[@TheatypicalLife]

So my comic con life began in 2013 with MCM Birmingham, back then they really were all the things you say. A great way to socialise, make friends who have similar interests and truly express myself. To 14 year old me, this was massive! As the years went on they all became very samey and in recent years I'd even call MCM events harrowing. The last one in Manchester before the pandemic being the absolute worst for me

[@TheMarineGamerIGGHQ]

Last Comicon the comic village was NOTICABLY smaller and less varied than 3 years ago. Things we were looking forward to go see and buy were not there AT ALL

[@stephanielynnette]

Thank you for making this video!

[@finnbalor8021]

Actually think Monopoly Events has started to become a dominant player in the UK Conventon scene getting popular celebs for tv, film and wrestling and same with the Wales Comic Con people. And of course Showmasters still has London on lock. MCM being taken up by Reed conventions have put it to the back burner and it doesnt help that they announce some of the bigger guests last minute

[@razeeey_8354]

Amazing video. My first ever con was MCM Dublin back in 2015, back before ReedPop bought the rights and cancelled it, was so sad to see it decline over the years

[@CrossHire1]

Nice lil video! Made me feel nostalgic. The CEX stand 😅 Always rant about that one

[@kiakirkland6046]

As a trader at conventions, I usually try and book two tables but for MCM in May it would have cost me £1000+ as a small business, its not something that I can afford like that. As for October, the past two cons, I've not even been considered for a stall. They're more focused on the 30+ stalls that are selling pop figures

[@DrHADLEY]

Jesus I had no idea they charged so much, that makes total sense now..

[@kiakirkland6046]

@@DrHADLEY For Megacon in Manchester the cost of two stalls is around £690 which is much more manageable as I don't have to pay through the nose for travel on top of that

[@Airlim]

A very interesting video, I know I have footage from the con like 10 years ago etc, I used to go to the con both times a year but it's so expensive now. Really interesting video and really enjoyed watching it

[@yuiyuigahama8467]

they got rid of the Glasgow one which was very popular now a new company called Acme now do Scotland Comic Con but sadly they cant pull to get the big name animes VAS that MCM London can get

[@leatea167]

Totally agree with you. It's a shame so many people have been priced out and that they've cut the other cons just to they can have ridiculously overpriced guests at London. Hoping MegaCon will grow into a good replacement.

[@BalrajTakhar-u7u]

They never listen to feedback so it would seem. They always send online e-mail questionnaires and photographers for years have asked for a dedicated area or better internal lighting. The people who attend though from around the world are great but the organizers just seem interested in squeezing out as much money as they can from everyone who goes without any improvements. Saturdays for example are stiflingly overcrowded after 11am when general ticket buyers turn up.

[@beardsbooks9325]

Recently my biggest issues with MCM is how they badly over sell their cons, its how many people can we pack in vs a limited number like a lot of other cons.

[@ChristopherLowe1994]

Con-tent. haha, puns 🎉 great video mate 🔥

[@smash469]

back when I went It was mainly an anime Con, picked up Naruto ultimate ninja 4 before it released on the ps2, dope day

[@els236]

since "the rona", MCM London has been a shit-show. they are massively overselling tickets, especially for the Saturday. people can barely move, stalls are having hundreds if not thousands of £££ of merch stolen - so many MCM-official bootleg stalls and also so many stalls selling stuff with ridiculous markup (seriously, some figurines that are £30 from official websites being sold for like £120). tickets have been put up (as you say) from £30 for the whole weekend to £35 for a single day priority. security staff are completely overwhelmed to the point they don't even bother doing any sort of bag search now. people being refused disabled access because their wheelchairs or canes are "just part of their cosplay". according to people who went on Saturday last week (I went Friday), there were even brawls breaking out in some of the hotels and cafés near the DLR station. it's BAD now.

[@NiGHTSflyer129]

You had me agreeing throughout the video. The comparison to the Epcot Creations shop is perfect.

[@Fergit_]

I worked MCM for a couple of years and I never saw it as empty as this footage

[@animeintheuk]

wow what a good video I am pretty sure vid fest area was still running in 2019 it was super small by then also loved the anime league dig

[@animeintheuk]

do remember one mcm them having a huge marvel stall think it was just after reed pop took over kind of sad they never had a marvel stall again

[@asecrettree3710]

My claim to fame is being in a black butler conga line at 14 years old back when MYM Buzz was a thing back in the day. Also MCM hate the north now. I know Manchester ain't the funkiest place but jeez MCM really did say it was gonna go get some milk and never returned.

[@asecrettree3710]

To add to my comment, I remember when Reedpop took over and their first con was MCM Birmingham November 2017 And I remember how honestly crap and empty it was. I am 99% sure the kids area was a vacant space with a single inflatable minion. It was on the other end of the convention centre so everyone walked through that 15 minute plus corridor for the first time pretty much, with those escalators that are always out of service. And the overall con was vacant. I also think the overall demeanour of con goers has changed, but maybe that one is just me.

[@hayley2987]

I loved MCM Liverpool, what a boss couple of years😭

[@binaphobia3879]

capitalism ruins everything yet again 😒 great vid tho! crazy how different things are across the pond. great to have you back btw💕💖

[@cutegenie7476]

Thanks so much including pics of my stall at MCM last year 💖

[@thisentirethingwasamistake]

MCM Belfast was a joke, the first two years were great, but the company really tried to bust the local conventions like the Northern Irish juggernaut of Q-Con that had been running for 20 years PRIOR to MCM Belfast, out of the scene. They took the event out of the Kings Hall within Belfast city and into an expo hall well out of the way and many people, especially minors, couldn’t get to it. Honestly this is just a trend of english companies treating Belfast and the Northern Irish convention community like a joke or a mini-con. Which is why we gravitate towards University/Local run cons more, because the people that run those actually care about our community.

[@psychoticgamez6654]

It is a sad decline like for me the last good one I personally went to was 2017 mcm Manchester and that was a rough one for me but I did love it but it really fully felt like it went downhill from that year

[@carneychaplin4718]

Have you not heard of London film comic con? I’ve been to both and London film is far better

[@RedZOriginal]

This year was proper whack. No body pillows. It felt very dry - markets upon markets. If not for the community it would’ve been terrible. Not many games or tech expos.

[@amancalledkev]

It used to be fun in previous years, but it just seems to have declined in more recent times.

[@Billacookie]

as a dealer i really wouldnt hype up Megacon... after the birmingham fiasco ..,

[@torypigeon4285]

oooh what :,)) what did megacon do...

[@mr.michealjackson2209]

I miss mcm Scotland

[@Highground19]

I went out of cosplay on the Friday of MCM May so I can check out the stalls and honestly? They were just meh. This is why I’ve only started going for the experience and to enjoy the time with other cosplayers.

[@DrHADLEY]

I've been going cons for 10+ years and it's taken me an embarrassing amount of time to figure out its literally the exact same stalls at all of them

[@VampTheLostSoul]

Sadly I had a table for years as a self publsihed mangaka now they acitiyly pushing small cratours aside in favor for indertsy and artist with huge followings. Even tougth artist sould for creators of all sizes. I know move to other cons since. I miss Gary and his team

[@sxmmy1013]

King 👑

[@chart4638]

rip mcm midlands

[@apocolex93]

After cancelling the Harry Potter and the cursed child panel because of the vile bullies that was me done. Cowards.

[@pressqforquinn]

Love this duuuude! Glad to see you back! I hope you're doing well! 💖