If you’re even remotely interested in speculative fiction (sci-fi, fantasy, superheroes, most comic books and videogames, etc.) chances are you’ve come across the name San Diego Comic-Con. Мedia often portrays it as the Mecca for not only comic book enthusiasts, but fans of fiction in general. Visitors can interact with the celebrities they admire, buy merchandise from their favourite films or TV shows, play games that haven’t been released yet or merely take photos with attendants wearing elaborate costumes. The benefits for professional visitors are even greater, as they get to sell their products directly to an audience of hundreds of thousands, advertise to exactly the right demographic of fiction fans or gain valuable feedback on products still in the kitchen.

Originally, entertaining a mere 300 people back in 1970 (including famous Marvel writer and editor Stan Lee), today San Diego Comic-Con has grown to accommodate an audience of over 167,000. The attendants collectively spent 62,922 nights in hotel rooms throughout the four-day expo. It’s truly the ideal place to be, regardless of whether you’re a fan or a big creator. There’s just one problem, though – as its name implies, San Diego Comic-Con takes place in California, US, which is an ocean away from millions of comic book fans in Europe. The long distance, alongside the US’ notoriously strict border control, has turned off many fans of comic books, superhero films and genre TV. They can, unfortunately, do nothing, but dream about visiting one of the biggest centres for nerd culture in the world.

What many don’t realise, however, is that there’s plenty of comic cons much closer to home, in various European cities. Granted, comic books have always had a place in European trade fairs. For example, the popular Frankfurt Book Fair has an entire section dedicated to comics and genre fiction. But we’d like to shed some light on the ones exclusively dedicated to speculative fiction, such as…

German Comic-Con

While this trade fair may not win points in originality when it comes to its name, it is certainly a spectacular event. The German Comic-Con was created by exactly the kind of fans we mentioned above – disgruntled pop culture geeks who hated that the US had a place dedicated to them while Germany did not. So they banded together and decided to organise their own, picking the name to demonstrate their comic book trade convention will not be just an inferior copy. But rather a proper German version of Comic-Con, with stores, cosplay, celebrity guests and everything else that makes that event so beloved.

Today, German Comic Con takes place four times a year in three different cities – Munich, Berlin and twice in Dortmund. Each of them gets more than 30,000 visitors every year, alongside a slew of celebrity guests like Chuck Norris, Lena Heady, Anthony Head and Michael Rooker. Fans can participate in Q&A panels with them, gain their autographs and take photos of them – and of course, explore the stands of hundreds of shops and creators from Germany and beyond. While initially starting as merely a fan convention, it’s fair to say that German Comic-Con has matched its American counterpart in every way, and in some has even surpassed it.

London Comic-Con

If you’re a speculative fiction fan, the chances are that in the past you’ve searched for London Comic Con hotel bookings. After all, it’s one of the biggest trade fairs in London, gathering more than 133,000 people annually. At this rate, it wouldn’t be too long before it surpasses the San Diego version, and with good reason. The fair grows larger by the year, with thousands of exhibitors filling most of ExCel London’s 100,000 square meters. These include big shops where you can buy products from foreign and local markets such as toys, games, films and, of course, comic books, as well as smaller stands where various media creators (YouTubers, bands, etc.) can sell their merchandise.

London Comic Con is notable among its counterparts for being the host of the prestigious EuroCosplay Championships, bringing together the 30 best cosplayers in Europe (each representing a different country) and crowns one winner among them. Cosplay is a big part of the atmosphere at the convention, and you’re bound to encounter people dressed as their favourite comic book and film characters no matter where you go. And while it may be a bit surreal to be drinking a coffee next to Darth Vader, Ned Stark and Sailor Moon, it only shows the great passion that London Comic Con’s attendants – and organisers – have for the media they adore.

Comic Con Amsterdam

Comic-Con Amsterdam may not have the high attendance of London Comic Con, nor the multiple editions of German Comic-Con, but make no mistake – it carries the spirit of San Diego just as well as they do, at a fraction of the cost. Indeed, tickets for the event cost less than many spend for a week’s worth of coffee, and even the exhibitor prices will be less than some of the items available for sale at the stands! But regardless of the low entry fee, they still somehow ensured that Comic-Con Amsterdam has a slew of celebrity guests. Actors from popular films and shows such as “Game of Thrones”, “Star Wars” and “Highlander”, as well as numerous acclaimed comic book artists are frequently attending the expo.

As usual, visitors will be able to participate in Q&A sessions with the various celebrities, get their autographs and browse the many stands to buy exclusive items and souvenirs. Cosplayers will be walking around the fair and join in photo shoots and special events, and when you need to take a break, you can relax at the gaming area to play some new and classic games. Despite its smaller size and scale, Comic-Con Amsterdam is just as much of a Comic-Con as its big brothers, and if you can’t afford to go to San Diego, you really have no excuse not to experience the magic of Amsterdam!

Are you excited to visit your next comic convention? Let us help you with the planning, as Fair Point can assist you in finding the best accommodation options regardless of your destination - the UK, Germany or the Netherlands. And if you are a business owner, we can help you book the stay of your entire team. So pack your bags and let’s organise your next adventure together.