Comic book fans have flocked to London this weekend to don masks, dye hair and brandish fake weapons for one of the biggest cosplay conventions of its kind in the UK.
Stalls selling merchandise, food, artwork and, of course, comic books, have been crammed into the Business Design Centre in Islington, London, for the annual Super Comic Con, which has in previous years been reported to be the largest comic book-focused convention in the UK.
Fans have showed off their creativity by dressing up as video game and comic book characters – from Captain America and Batman to Samus Aran and Harley Quinn.
Guests paid £39 for a standard entry ticket to the three-day event, with the biggest enthusiasts paying extra to secure early entry in the hope of meeting their comic book publisher idols or to make sure they get their hands, claws or hooks on their favourite merchandise first.
Costume accessories varied wildly, from face masks and wigs to hot pants and body suits, as guests pushed their creative boundaries in a bid to flaunt the most impressive outfit.
Two prizes were set to be handed out during the weekend, for best individual/group cosplay and best under 16s cosplay.
But there are limits to the fun, with a strict set of rules denouncing any costume that is not ‘family-friendly’ and does not offer a suitable amount of ‘body coverage’.
Forbidden items include knives and explosives, which some people will have been hoping to use as part of an authentic set of props – but, surprisingly, fully functional firearms and replica guns are allowed so long as they come with a brightly coloured safety tip.
Standing out: This comic book fan, dressed as a generic zombie, was one of hundreds to flock to London this weekend to don masks, dye hair and brandish fake weapons for one of the biggest cosplay conventions of its kind in the UK
Still going strong: Skeletor, a popular villain from the 1980s He-Man comic books and animated television series, has been back in mainstream media recently after appearing in a MoneySuperMarket advert
Pulling out all the spots: Cosplayer Eline, from the Netherlands, sported a blue wig (or boldly dyed her hair) to complete her look as Ladybug from Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir, a French animated series and comic book
Got the blues: Keen cosplayer Fried Fairy poses as Samus Aran from the Metroid series of video games
Looking sharp: A cosplayer known as Foxtail donned her supervillain Harley Quinn costume for the three-day event
Classic double act: John Ralls as Robin (left) and Sean Campbell as Batman upped the ante with their on-point outfits
Posing for a snap: Damian Hammond looked smoking as Killer Croc
Take your pic: This photo shows just a few of the vintage comics for sale at the convention
Quinntessential characters: The 1990s animated supervillain Harley Quinn was a popular choice for female cosplayers, including Clair Hart (left) and Mina Strand (right) – while Claudia Piazza opted for a Poison Ivy costume
Fearsome threesome: The trio pose on the steps of the Business Design Centre in Islington
Puddy Geeks as Captain America, Ash Lewis as Bucky Barnes and Holly Bubbles as Belle at the London Super Comic Con
Stars and stripes and fishnet tights: Puddy Geeks as Captain America
Ena Wilson puts the final touches to her costume as Pris from Blade Runner
Costume accessories varied wildly, from face masks and wigs to hot pants and body suits, as guests pushed their creative boundaries in a bid to flaunt the most impressive outfit
. Two prizes were set to be handed out during the weekend, for best individual/group cosplay and best under 16s cosplay
Family affair: The annual event welcomes families – allowing for cute pairings such as this Spider-Man and his mini-me
Pumped: Among the many excited prodcut sellers at the event was this balloon artist, pictured finishing off Spider-Man
Forbidden items include knives and explosives, which some people will have been hoping to use as part of an authentic set of props. Hopegully this cosplayer dressed as Jason Voorhees from Friday 13th blunted his blade to play by the rules
Looking dead cool: One guest opted to dress as the classic Marvel Comics character, Deadpool – complete with toy unicorn
So much choice: Buyers check out the comic book hoard in the hope of finding a good deal on vintage items
Blending in? Not all guests chose to dress up but many were keen to take the opportunity to get out the masks and face paint
Blood-suckingly good: Alucard the vampire and his companion Seras Victoria from the Hellsing Manga series by Kouta Hirano