For fans of comics, movies, television and everything pop culture, the Australian Movie and Comic Expo is one of the events of the year. Originally operating as Armageddon Expo, the event first started in 2007 and has brought hundreds of celebrity guests, comic artists, voice actors, collectable dealers and more to Melbourne.
This year’s event runs at the Melbourne Showgrounds on October 15 and 16, so we thought we’d give you a little bit of a rundown.
GETTING THERE
The expo is located conveniently at the Melbourne Showgrounds, so driving is of course the first option, with plenty of parking at the grounds (2,000 spots at the showgrounds itself). Being a breezy 15-minutes from the CBD, there are several public transport options including trams, buses and trains. If taking the train, get off at the Showgrounds or Flemington Racecourse stop and walk down. Otherwise, trams run down Epsom and Union Rds.
WHO’S THERE
There’s something for everyone heading to this year’s event, with guest stars from horrors, dramas, sci-fi series and more. The full list is below;
Television/film:
Seth Gilliam, Michael Trevino, Dorian Gregory, Malese Jow, Dean Haglund, Marc McClure, Alona Tal, Lindsey McKeon, Sarah Douglas, Daniel Davis, David Naughton, Brian O’Halloran, Tammin Sursok, Richard Arnold, Daniel Logan, Hunter Page-Lochard and Matt Doran.
Comic:
Larry Hama, Dean Rankine, Ryan K Lindsay, Tom Taylor, Shane McCarthy, Katie Houghton-Ward, Anthony Christou, Maarten & Manuel Bouw, Jeffrey Cruz, Fil Barlow, Helen Maier, Matt Kyme, Marc Noble, Shaun Paulet and Matthew Nicholls.
Animation:
Michael Bell, Linda Larkin
+ more other guests.
COME WITH A PLAN
With so much on offer each day, it can be a bit overwhelming planning out exactly what you want to go and see – but it’s definitely a must when it comes to this expo, especially if you plan on queueing for guest autographs.
Your first point of call is seeing which artists you’d love to see, allowing an hour or so for queueing (yes that long, sometimes longer depending on popularity) and working out what you can and can’t see around it. Seeing the stalls is easy enough to fit in, but there’s also the major drawcard of the cosplay competition which is worth heading along to. There’s also several workshops including a cosplay one on how to style your wigs, make foam armour and working with plastic, as well as a live ‘women talk sci-fi’ podcast. Factor in the replica throne from Game of Thrones, Jurassic Park car and the tribute Delorean from Back to the Future and more and your day is suddenly packed.
FORTE PICKS
Sit on the throne – pretend you’re a Lannister and pose for your mightiest photo. Even better if you’ve cosplayed in the right attire.
Witness the best of the best – the cosplay costume parade (Saturday at 4pm) and costume competition (Sunday at 4pm) are rights of passage when attending the AMCExpo. Seeing the best of the best don their costumes is really something to see. Awards range from best in show to best manga and best female.
Get something signed – a big part of the day is meeting some of the many celebrity guests who have made the trek to the expo. Pick a star (or a few) and get yourself lined up, questions at the ready and your best smile (if you want to purchase a photo as well). We’re all for seeing Daniel Davis the butler from The Nanny – talk about nostalgia!
For more information and to get tickets, visit the website.
When & Where: Melbourne Showgrounds, Melbourne – October 15 & 16
