Wednesday 29 October 2014

Working Mum: All dressed up with one particular place to go

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GUEST BLOG
By Tabitha Ronson

It was a last-minute arrangement, and one that I had mixed feelings about, but MCM London Comic Con turned out to be an absolute blast.

I managed to get some tickets to the Sunday of the three-day event as I knew it would be Master A's Nirvana.


A world of comic book heroes, computer games and people dressed up as their favourite characters - what's not to like for a six-year-old boy?

However, I can't say the ultimate Geek Fest was going to be my idea of a fun Sunday outing.

When we arrived at Excel it was like entering another universe. People of all shapes and sizes, race and age, were milling around, sporting wildly creative costumes and colourful garb.

Although on-trend dressed in a pair of jeans, cowboy boots and a poncho, I felt rather out of place in this bizarre world.

Master A, who was dressed as Cole from Lego Ninjago, was like a kid in a candy store - he didn't know where to look first. His eyes on stalks, he kept pulling at my arm and pointing out all the wonderful characters around us.

"Mummy, there's Green Lantern ... Batman... Harry Potter... a Storm Trooper... Jack Frost... Harley Quinn..."

He didn't seem to notice that several of the Batmen had missed rather a few gym sessions or that most of the Robins were girls.

In fact, that was notable about the event - it was non-judgmental. Everyone could be who they wanted to be. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, with an overwhelming feeling of camaraderie.

All around people were chatting to one another, all appreciating the effort that their contemporaries had made with their costumes (or Cosplay as its official known).

What was particularly charming was that not one person whom my son asked to be photographed with refused. Instead, they chatted with him, asking him about his costume and character, telling him about their own, before happily striking a pose with him.

Working Mum, thanking all those wonderful people who attended Comic Con for making the world seem a more wonderful place to a little boy.