The first of 2016’s two MCM London Comic Con geek-fests takes place over the late May bank holiday weekend.
Tens of thousands of people will descend upon the ExCel venue in east London for the huge pop culture festival.
If you’re thinking about going along – and if you’re a proud nerd who’s a fan of films, TV, anime, comic books and games, you’d be mad not to – below are 11 highlights of what’s in store at this month’s event.
And if you want more of a taste of what’s in store, check out the gallery of pictures above showing last year’s gatherings.
Jesse Eisenberg
The movie star, who recently played supervillain Lex Luthor in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice will be at the event on the Sunday.
As well going up against the Man of Steel and Caped Crusader, Eisenberg has previously taken on the role of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg in The Social Network.
The Big Bang Theory
There’s a double treat in store for fans of the smash hit sitcom, with two of its stars London-bound.
The show is known for its geeky themes, so it’s entirely apt that Kunal Nayyar (Raj Koothrappali) and Melissa Rauch (Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz) will be there to meet fans, also on the Sunday.
Superhero series
Lotte Verbeek
Three stars of Marvel and DC superhero series currently being shown on telly will be among the special guests at the show - Elizabeth Henstridge (Agents Of SHIELD), Erin Richards (Gotham) and Lotte Verbeek (Agent Carter).
Adventure Time
Jeremy Shada, who stars as Finn in the Adventure Time cartoon, will be meeting fans on the Saturday and Sunday, while his pop-punk band Make Out Monday will also be performing on Comic Con's Fringe stage.
Lost and found
Fans of hit fantasy-noir drama Lost Girl also have good reason for heading to ExCel, with Kris Holden-Ried (Dyson), Rachel Skarsten (Tamsin) and Zoie Palmer (Lauren) from the supernatural series' cast all set to appear.
Crime-fighters
NCIS: Los Angeles stars Eric Christian Olsen and Daniela Ruah will be on the case at MCM London Comic Con, meeting fans of their military cop show on the Saturday and Sunday.
Anime premiere
The European premiere of new Sunrise anime film Mobile Suit Gundam The Origin III will take place, with the series’ mecha designer and producer, Mika Akitaka and Osamu Taniguchi, signing autographs for fans and presenting a panel on the Saturday.
Cosplay contest
Photo: Darren Nana
Visitors dressing up as characters from the big or little screen or pages of their favourite fictional works is always a big part of comic con – and this year it will be taken to a new level.
The UK qualifiers for the World Cosplay Summit will take place at the event for the first time, on the Saturday.
A team of two will be selected from among Britain's best cosplayers to represent their country at the final in Japan.
Comic book guys
Renowned comic book artist and writer Dave Gibbons will be sitting down in front of a live audience with Robert Milazzo (of New York’s Modern School of Film) on the Saturday.
The UK’s first comics laureate, Gibbons’ is known for his award-winning graphic novel The Originals, while his Watchmen collaboration with writer Alan Moore is the best-selling graphic novel ever published.
Throughout the weekend, the Comic Village will be buzzing with more than 200 artists and writers meeting fans and showing off their work.
Far-out East
For some musical entertainment that can best be described as ‘a bit different’, comic con is the place to go.
Band-Maid, one of Japan’s hottest up-and-coming all-girl rock acts, will be making their European debut, performing live, meeting fans and taking part in Q&A sessions.
Japanese vocalist and online sensation Amatsuki will be giving his first ever UK performance. Attending all three days, the J-pop star will also be signing autographs and taking part in an on-stage Q&A.
Getting physical
If you like the ‘sport’ of competitive video-gaming, whooping and cheering as human adversaries battle in virtual words, MCM London Comic Con has you covered as well.
In celebration of the Warcraft The Beginning movie being released, MCM eSports will host its first Heroes of the Storm tournament.
Events for players of new first-person shooter Overwatch and arcade beat-em-up Street Fighter V will also take place.
MCM London Comic Con runs from May 27-29 at ExCel London. For more info visit www.mcmcomiccon.com/london/
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here