Capes and Claws Clash at Cardiff Film and Comic Con 2017!

Every year, Showmasters hosts the Film and Comic Con in Cardiff, a massive gathering of fans, craftsmen, traders and celebrities within the O2 arena. The event is usually held twice a year, over 2 weekends; one in March and one in October. We sent Sean, our resident expert of all things geek up to Cardiff to see what it was all about and get a taste of the Comic Con experience.

After arriving at the Motorpoint arena and acquiring my press pass I entered the convention and was met with a grand sight; a large room filled to the brim with people dressed as all sorts of characters from many different films, games, comics and cartoons. My eyes were bathed in a sea of colour, lost in a perfect storm of masterful craft, love for the material and the real sense of camaraderie between those enjoying themselves at the event.

The arena was somewhat divided into a series of corridors, divided by many different stalls, selling items for con-goers to purchase. From action figures to Japanse sweets, t-shirts to signed photos and even swords there was a wide range on offer for fans to splash their cash on. Not the greatest place to go if you have problems with impulse buying, I can confirm.

With the room so crowded and full of people and stalls, navigating the area got a bit difficult sometimes, and I can imagine that anyone with a fear of large crowded places and groups would feel a bit uneasy at the convention but luckily all of the people I spoke to there were very kind and welcoming, always open for a nice chat.

It was very enjoyable to walk among such a large gathering of passionate fans who were interacting with each other and doing what they loved. It was a very enjoyable experience, a stark contrast to the often dismal and uninteresting scenery of the plain streets outside. It’s both refreshing and manic to try and navigate your way through the bustling crowds of consumers and cosplayers, all scrambling to gaze at the enticing displays or make their own way through the arena. It can be rather overwhelming at first, especially if you attend during the afternoon, when it’s at its most busiest but you get used to it eventually, especially if you go as a group of friends.

If you have an interest in costumes, meeting people, appreciating craftsmanship or even just looking for merchandise to buy then I can’t recommend it highly enough. Your feet will be aching by the end of the day but your mind will be full of happy moments and memories enough to make up for it!

See below for a full gallery of all the photos.