Even the late cancellation of several big name stars due to fears over the Coronavirus couldn’t dampen the spirits of the thousands of fans who descended on the Liverpool Exhibition Centre for three days of geek heaven.
There were plenty of megastars who did make the trip, though, including the star attractions David Harbour (Hopper in Stranger Things), Elijah Wood (The Lord of the Rings) and Melissa Joan Hart (TV’s original Sabrina the Teenage Witch), and there were plenty of happy faces on the people who had the chance to meet their heroes.
As the Monopoly Events Comic Cons continue to grow, the use of the space changes too. There are still the famous builds and attractions the company has become famous for, but this year, the panels were moved to the adjacent building. This allowed for a more comfortable viewing experience for fans and no doubt a better environment for the guests. The quality of the sound in the auditorium was spectacular. Before, the Q&A sessions had been held in the middle of the main hall, but this new arrangement added a new element to the day, and the expansion of the games area upstairs on the terrace gave fans much more room to enjoy their day.
If you didn’t want to take the trip across the bridge to the panel halls, the main Q&As were shown on the large screens in the main hall, allowing no one to miss out on the fantastic talks. Elijah Wood went down a storm, naturally, and the reunion of three cast members of Sabrina the Teenage Witch brought a massive crowd of fans too.
As well as the usual traders, there was plenty to do and see, even if autographs or photos are not your thing. Whether it was archery, axe throwing, VR experiences or Jedi training, there was something for everyone.
The only problem could come from the thought of how Monopoly can top this event. We know from the past that they always try so we’re keen to see what next year will bring for the Liverpool show. In the meantime, we can look forward to For the Love of Horror and For the Love of Sci-Fi in Manchester later in the year.
