Marvel, DC comics, anime, sci-fi and fantasy fans came together for an epic gathering to celebrate all things geeky and fun at MCM Comic Con at the ExCeL centre London this Halloween weekend.
From celebrity panels, meet-and-greets, merchandise stands, gaming hubs, competitions and cosplay, the event was a haven for the pop culture-obsessed.
London's MCM Comic Con is one of the biggest in the UK and attracts more than 100,000 visitors each year.
The convention, which is held twice annually, in May and October, featured some major stars taking part in panel discussions. They included the cast of the HBO and BBC One TV series His Dark Materials, based on Philip Pullman’s popular trilogy; Tom Sturridge and Mason Alexander Park from Netflix's The Sandman, based on Neil Gaiman’s celebrated graphic novel; Michael Sheen from Amazon Prime Video's Good Omens, based on the novel by Gaiman and Terry Pratchett; and stars from Doctor Who and Smallville.
Scroll through the gallery above to see our pick of the best cosplay outfits at London's MCM Comic Con 2022
Aside from celebrities and industry insiders discussing the latest shows, movies, comics and gaming news, cosplay is a massive part of every comic con convention.
Whether heroes, villains, sidekicks, aliens or monsters, fans went the extra mile this year to dress up as their favourite or memorable characters from some of pop culture’s classic and newest shows and films.
From a Stranger Things Demogorgon, Marvel superheroes such as Iron Man and Captain America, and anime characters such as Sukuna from Jujutsu Kaisen to Disney and Star Wars characters, all were present and correct.
There were myriad characters from The Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones, as well as from their prequels, released this year as The Rings of Power and House of the Dragon.
Fans even dressed up as political personalities, such as former UK prime minister Boris Johnson.
The Cosplay Central stage hosted panels about costume showcases, competitions and getting started, and better photography.
Cosplay competition at Middle East Film and Comic Con 2022 — in pictures
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A woman in cosplay poses with Batman at the Middle East Film & Comic Con 2022 in Abu Dhabi. All photos by Antonie Robertson / The National, unless specified otherwise -
The judging panel of the cosplay competition. -
A woman in cosplay performs on stage. -
A cosplayer with a horse head mask. -
The audience turned out in full force to watch the cosplay competition. -
A cosplayer as the Marvel superhero Iron Man. -
Symbiote x Chainsaw Man. -
A young girl participates in the cosplay competition. -
The event took place at the MEFCC Mainstage, which is outdoors. -
A girl cosplays as DC superhero Wonder Woman. -
The judging panel featured regional and international cosplayers. -
Even though not everyone entered the competition, there was still plenty of cosplay on display on day two of the Middle East Film & Comic Con. -
A cosplayer in a menacing outfit. -
The children who competed in the Kids Cosplay competition were all winners and received swag bags. -
Sylar Serag, as Bazelgeuse Armor from 'Monster Hunter', won first place in the Best Craftsmanship category. Photo: Middle East Film and Comic Con -
Ashwani Kapoor as Samurai Vegito Blue from 'Dragon Ball Z' took second place in Best Craftsmanship. Photo: Middle East Film and Comic Con -
Mohamed Farahat as Banbaro from 'Monster Hunter World' took third place in Best Craftsmanship. Photo: Middle East Film and Comic Con -
Sabie Cipriani as Nico Yazawa from 'Long Live! School Idol Project' was first in Best Performance on Stage. Photo: Middle East Film and Comic Con -
Mohammed Hasan, who goes by the cosplay name Themed Injection, won third place for Best Performance on Stage as Heath Ledger’s The Joker. Photo: Middle East Film and Comic Con
