Calling all sci-fi fans, film buffs, comic collectors, anime enthusiasts, gamers and cosplayers! Following last year’s record attendance, MCM Manchester Comic Con returns to Manchester Central bigger and better than ever. Running over a full weekend for the first time, the show takes place on 19-20 July, playing host to everything from hot new games to costume competitions to talented comic creators. Here’s a taste of what’s on:

2K GAMES will be previewing Borderlands: The Pre Sequel, the third instalment in the acclaimed Borderlands series, and Turtle Rock Studios’ sci-fi shooter Evolve.

JAGEX GAMES STUDIO will be giving visitors a taste of much anticipated browser-based MMO Transformers Universe as well as popular fantasy MMO RuneScape.

TOP COMIC CREATORS: The sold-out Comic Village will be home to a wide range of talented artists and writers over the Comic Con weekend, including John McCrea, Martin Griffiths, Lee Townsend, John-Paul Bove, Jack Lawrence and Lee Bradley.

SPECIAL GUESTS: Red Dwarf stars Chris Barrie, Robert Llewellyn and Hattie Hayridge – aka Arnold J. Rimmer, Kryten and Holly the Ship’s Computer – will be joined by Judy Pascoe, making her first ever comic con appearance. A noted Australian novelist, Judy entered Red Dwarf lore as the mechanoid form of Camille, actually a shape-shifting green blob, in Season IV’s homage to Casablanca.

SPECIAL GUEST:  James Cosmo from Game of Thrones, Highlander, Braveheart, The Chronicles of Narnia, Trainspotting, Merlin and Troy.

SPECIAL GUEST: As well as playing Churchill in Doctor Who, Ian McNeice’s credits include HBO hit Rome, Valkyrie, A Life Less Ordinary and  Ace Ventura.

SPECIAL GUEST: Kai Owen is most famous for starring as Rhys Williams in Doctor Who spin-off Torchwood. Other credits include Waterloo Road and Being Human.

SPECIAL GUEST: Primeval stars Andrew Lee Potts and Hannah Spearitt. Andrew played palaeontology student Connor Temple in both Primeval and Primeval: New World, while former S Club 7 star Hannah appeared as zookeeper Abby Maitland.

SPECIAL GUEST: Leading voice actor Vic Mignogna has appeared in a host of anime series, including Fullmetal Alchemist, Bleach, Soul Eater and Dragon Ball Z.

SPECIAL GUEST: Top anime voice artist Bryce Papenbrook plays Eren Yeager in Attack on Titan, Kirito in Sword Art Online and Rin Okumura in Blue Exorcist.

SPECIAL GUEST: D.C. Douglas is best known for his voice acting roles, appearing in games such as Resident Evil 5, Mass Effect 2 & 3, Tekken 6 and Eternal Sonata.

SPECIAL GUEST: Ross Mullan recently appeared as a White Walker in hit fantasy series Game of Thrones. Other credits include Doctor Who and Clash of the Titans.

RAMPAGING ROBOTS: Robots Live rumble into town, bringing metal mayhem to Manchester in the form of the 100kg stars of much-loved TV show Robot Wars.

OTHER ATTRACTIONS at MCM Manchester Comic Con include a retro-gaming zone; onstage talks and panels; leading UK anime distributor Manga Entertainment; Yu-Gi-Oh! tables; the colourful costumes of our Cosplay Masquerade and, of course, more retail stands than you can shake a lightsaber at!

MCM MANCHESTER COMIC CON takes place from the 19th-20th July. Tickets can be found here. More information can be found on their website or you can check out their Facebook or YouTube pages.

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