Comic Book Guy: London Film & Comic Con

Let’s face it, by now the towel has been well and truly hurled into the ring. Hollywood didn't return the phone calls; it remained firmly on the hook and the buzz was, effectively, mute. This past weekend saw London Film & Comic Con go by with little hint of industry showcases, no breaking news, no sneak peaks; the PR machine didn't even come to the building, let alone leave.

But this may be a good thing. As San Diego Comic Con finds itself embroiled in articles regarding its own lack of industry interest, perhaps the time has come for the Cons to return to their roots. Thanks to box office belly-flops such as Scott Pilgrim, which were heavily pimped at SDCC last year and failed to break the box office, the big studios have been rather shy to make their presence felt this year.

Perhaps they’re coming to grips with the fact that guys who dress as Stormtroopers do not represent the market share of cinema audiences, but rather, just the loudest. So with less of a marketing grind to worry about, it may be time to embrace the true nature of Comic Con by geeking out, just a little.

This is what LFCC had in mind. With appearances by Doctor Who's Amy Pond, Doc Brown from Back to the Future and a whole host of convention mid-carders, it was time to get back to basics. No day long queues to see the Hollywood stars, ticket prices a fraction of its transatlantic cousin and a more relaxed atmosphere allowed this con to focus on exactly what it should. A good example of substance over style.