It is fair to say that comics have always been been popular, but that the proliferation of super hero movies thanks to companies such as Marvel and DC Comics has seen their popularity increase exponentially. No longer just the preserve of what might have been called ‘nerds’ or ‘geeks’, comics have been made cool thanks to the likes of Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson. As a result, Comic Cons have become popular things for people to head along to, with the Guildford Comic Con and Toy Fair held annually in the summer.
What Is a Comic Con?
It isn’t exactly out of the realms of the possible that you know all about what a comic is, perhaps having even read some yourself, but that the Comic Con craze has passed you by. As a phenomenon it can actually be dated back to the 1960s, which was when Jerry Bails helped to form the Academy of Comic-Book Fans and Collectors, which was the first organisation for enthusiasts and historians of comic books. It brought fans together in celebration of the medium, as well as administering the first awards for the industry.
The first conventions saw comic book fans come together and offer love to the people responsible for the comics that they had been reading, with some such conventions eventually organised on a yearly basis. As comic books became more popular, so too did the conventions grow and expend to allow those in attendance to witness the likes of discussions and keynote speeches. Such conventions grew dramatically in the 1970s, thanks in no small part to the fact that adaptions of the comics themselves began to appear on the big and small screen.
Having been mostly based in New York, soon comic cons were taking place in the likes of San Francisco, Washington D.C. and other places, whilst new companies also launched to run their own. Since the launch of the first ones in the 1960s, there have been countless regional and local comic book conventions held around the world. Some of them are solely about the comics, whilst others also include the films and TV shows that have been made about those comics and a number have included something else alongside the comic conventions.
The Guildford Comic Con
Each July the Surrey Sports Park plays host to the Guildford Comic Con and Toy Fair. The event typically opens at 10am and will carry on until 4pm, seeing people coming along to be invested in the comic con culture. That will mean that you will see numerous people dressing up as their favourite characters, hoping to get to know other people who share their interests. The Guildford Comic Con is also being held alongside a toy fair, meaning that many of your favourite toys and games will be on offer for you to look at.
On top of the comic con and the toy fair, you will also be able to take part in some face painting as well as to have a look at some well-known movie cars that will be on display. If you want to get a souvenir to take home with you then you can look to the green screen photo booth for precisely that. There will be a number of exhibitors who will be selling not only comics but also memorabilia from the likes of Star Wars and the Pokemon series, meaning that whatever your comic book interests are they are likely to be served.
An Event for Everyone
Organised by Striking Events, the company’s main aim is to bring comic con events to the public in a fun way that promises good value for money. As a result, Striking Events are taking their version of a comic con to towns and cities around the United Kingdom, meaning that you won’t have to take on the expense of heading to somewhere like London in order to enjoy it. One of their key desires is to ensure that everyone feels welcome at their comic cons, meaning that those of ages and abilities are encouraged to attend.
As part of that, Striking Events do a ‘soft opening’ around half an hour before the full opening time. This is to give those that require a little bit more time and space the chance to enjoy their experience before it becomes too busy and noisy. Anyone who feels as though a more relaxed atmosphere would be beneficial to them is welcome to attend this soft opening, making use of the fact that there will be fewer people and a less stressful environment than when the full gamut of attendees are roaming around the place.
Some people take comic cons very seriously, putting a huge amount of effort into what they are wearing. As a result, the Guildford Comic Con will, as with other Striking Events comic cons, have a costume competition. This is usually broken up into age groups, with those under the age of 13 in one group and everyone aged 13 and over in another. There is a Cosplay Zone, which is normally where you have to head if you want to take part of even if you simply want to admire all of the amazing costumes being worn by participants.