Superheroes, assemble: MCM Comic Con returns to London

Thousands of superhero fans are descending on London for Comic Con, as “cosplaying” surges in popularity.

Costume play involves dressing up as characters from comics, films and books and adopting their personalities.

MCM Comic Con London, the UK’s largest pop culture event, returns to the ExCel Centre in east London from today until Sunday, featuring talks about upcoming films with directors and actors, screenings and other events. Last year it was attended by more than 133,000.

Cosplay groups are also reporting a surge in members. Zoe Kenney, 26, is a journal editor from Balham and a cosplayer in her spare time. She dresses up as characters such as Harley Quinn, played by Margot Robbie in 2016’s Suicide Squad. Describing her first Comic Con, she said: “I felt like I’d found my people … it was OK to be different. It’s escapism.”

From October 26- 28, 1 Western Gateway, E16 1XL, ​for information and to buy day tickets, visit mcmcomiccon.com