ComicBuzz Chats MCM Comic Con with ReedPop

We got to sit down and talk with Annie Byrne, Content Manager at Reedpop, about MCM Comic Con’s entry into the literary world.

Hi Annie, it’s great to have you here with us.

Could you tell us about ReedPop?

ReedPop was launched in 2006, and has since become one of the largest producers of pop-culture events in the world, as well as a media company. ReedPop is responsible for massive events across North America and Europe, including: New York Comic Con (NYCC), Star Wars Celebration, EGX and MCM Comic Con.

 
For any of our readers who are unfamiliar with MCM Comic Con, how would you describe it?

MCM Comic Con is a fan convention held twice yearly at the ExCeL London, usually on the last weekend in May and October, as well as every December in Birmingham at the National Exhibition Centre. The convention has been running since 2002, and is dedicated to being the UK’s ultimate geek and pop-culture event, attracting over 100,000 visitors to each London event and 40,000 to Birmingham. MCM Comic Con brings together fans, celebrity guests, authors, artists, exhibitors and cosplayers from across a wide range of fandoms with activities such as writing workshops, meet and greets, panels, and more.

ReedPop recently made an exciting announcement at the London Book Fair; could you tell us about the announcement? 

We recently exhibited at the London Book Fair to meet with publishers face to face (you can’t beat live events!) to showcase our offering, our audience and the potential opportunities for authors to launch their books at MCM Comic Con. 

We have undergone a huge literary expansion at our shows, including increasing our author guest line up (on panels, workshops and book signings) from under 10 authors per London event pre 2020, to showcasing 60+ in May 2023 and 80+ in October 2023. We have also launched Writers Block as a new feature area, comprising the Creator Stage, The Hangout (for community events including fanfic sessions, book clubs and workshops), author signings in partnership with our official bookseller Forbidden Planet, and Writers Block tables; where indie and self-published writers of prose books and novels exhibit and meet fans. 

Reading behaviours and bookish habits have changed over the years, especially since COVID, from what, how and where we read, even with who. As this evolves, so do we, to serve and cater not only to fans, but also to authors, artists and publishers the very content and moments to remember. 

 
What has the feedback been like to the announcement?

The feedback has been phenomenal as more authors and publishers are increasingly seeing our events as a platform to launch new releases, meet new audiences and grow the communities they’ve built. They are able to engage attendees with author signings, creative workshops and meet-and-greets, as well as take advantage of our digital reach with cover reveals and chapter releases. 

How long has the team at ReedPop been working on this entry into the literary world?

Over the years, we’ve showcased authors at our events but only in a small way. Last year we made a great effort to make a big splash in the literary world; not only offering more authors a platform to launch their books and meet fans, but expanding our reach to YA, to horror, crime, romance, fantasy, sci-fi, comedy and non-fiction readers. 

As hundreds of thousands of pop culture fans from every fandom ascend on MCM, we’ve also seen an increase in attendees looking for inspiration and paths for career progression across the pop culture industry. From finding an agent, to pitching that first chapter and having portfolio reviews with experts, we run a workshop programme along the main panel schedule to inspire those budding writers and artists. 

With the increase of adaptations from graphics novels, games and books hitting our screens, it’s been great to see the fan reaction to a holistic approach we’ve adopted in terms of tying authors, creative teams, cast and content together in panels and interactive sessions. 

Can any author launch their book at MCM Comic Con?

We’re always on the lookout for a diverse range of authors and genre, whether you’re a debut or it’s your twentieth published book! Our new Writers Block exhibiting area is open to authors looking to build their brand, meet new fans, and sell their work – no matter the genre; it is specifically for writers of prose books. 

What unique benefits would an author get from launching their book at MCM Comic Con?

It’s all about connecting with fans and creating a community with like-minded people. 

At MCM, authors can be part of the conversation on stage within our literary panel programme, share their expertise in workshops and boost their brand by launch their books on the showfloor in Writers Block. Whether it’s an exclusive sneak-peek panel, or cover and chapter reveals across our social platforms ahead of the show, we can help authors get fans excited for their next release.

We’re the best weekend of the year for hundreds of thousands of fans, a safe and inclusive space to be yourself, and the perfect place to get your books in front of an engaged and diverse audience. 

Will authors be able to launch their book at the MCM Comic Con London in May or will it be later on down the line?

We have a full lineup of authors already for MCM Comic Con this May; launching new books, appearing on panels and workshops, exhibiting and signing books. We’ll be accepting applications and pitches for October’s MCM Comic Con straight after the May event. Keep an eye on our website for more information! 

If our readers would like to find out more information about ReedPop or MCM Comic Con, how can they do that?

They can head to our website www.mcmcomiccon.com, sign up to our newsletter and stay up to date with announcements across our social channels, X https://twitter.com/MCMComicCon, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. 

Any message for ComicBuzz readers who may be working on their own comics?

I encourage them to come to MCM Comic Con! Aspiring writers and artists have so many opportunities at MCM Comic Con, more than ever before. From character design, to creating the perfect villain, AI ethics in comics, portfolio reviews and comic guest spotlights, our comic panel and workshop programme is ever evolving and developing to offer fans more. 

We want to say thank you to Annie for chatting with us.

Shabbir