From One Side Of London Spring Comic Con 2023 To The Other

I’m hanging out at Showmasters London Spring Comic Con 2023, at London Olympia. This isn’t one of their big Summer Of Winter London Film And Comic Con shows, it’s smaller, more intimate, on one floor of one of the halls only, but it is packed full of love as ever. A smaller audience and a smaller film & TV profile also make it a lot easier to get around.

I also just found myself hanging out with Brian Blessed as he performed parts of I Claudius to his Flash Gordon co-star, Sam J Jones in the Green Room, Eventually, he had to leave to go to a signing. As the doors slammed, Colin Baker – who starred alongside Brian in the Doctor Who story Mindwarp – commented “hasn’t it gone quiet?” It had a bit.

Also a shout out to comic creator and Star Wars actor Pau Scorpi who has a) fallen foul of her newfound fame with some rather over-obsessed fans, which meant Showmasters had to add her to their security list, and b) was assaulted by a very different foe, when she choked on a tomato the night before, and didn’t want to make a fuss to get any help… Pau, we love that you have adopted so many English ways, please don’t add the “not wanting to make a fuss” fatality trope. And now, because you have been so good, From One Side Of The Show To The Other... a bit juddery and blurred, I know, but it should give you a little flavour, yes?

Frank Skinner was here too, not as a guest, but as a punter. Always fun to see the man. And yes, I now want to see the upcoming movie Polite Society. A lot.

The London Film and Comic Con and the London Comic Con focus on films, cult television, gaming, anime, cosplay, and comics, and are organised by Showmasters Ltd and currently held at Olympia London near Hammersmith and Earl’s Court. They began in 2004 from the same company that organises the Autographica and Collectormania events. The convention holds a large dealers hall selling movie, comic, and science fiction-related memorabilia, and original film props, along with guest talks, professional photoshoots, autograph sessions, cosplay events, and displays. It is also the show that it is quickest for me to get to, and there’s a Boris bike stand, next to the Olympia tube station, right there!

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