Even though Mumbai was mercilessly skipped when they sat down to plan Enrique’s itinerary, the city is breathlessly waiting for October 20^th, for its annual Comic Con.

Err, Comic what?

Well, Comic Con, the famous comic book convention which is being held tomorrow in Mumbai.

Wait, comic book what?

The comic book convention where all comic lovers adjourn! It’s especially famous in the States, where they invite all cool people like Matt Groening.

Erm, Matt who?

Matt Groening! The famous illustrator of….. Wait. This is getting us nowhere. Let us start at the beginning. 

Until last year, India was a total stranger to the wonder of Comic Cons. Yes, we knew all about the huge conventions held in cities like New York especially for comic aficionados. Yes, we helped our American cousins solve the million dollar question of whether to dress as the Hulk or the Joker. But watching sitcoms was about as close as we ever got to the real thing. That is, until last year, when Jatin Varma decided to introduce the concept here and the rest, as they say, is history.

Mind you, when we speak about conventions, we don’t mean a tame book club type meeting. Nah, we are talking about a full scale extravaganza, with an army of comic book enthusiasts dressed as their favourite characters, heatedly discussing about how the Dark Knight Rises could have ended better, along with a volley of established comic artists exchanging notes on all things comic.

And this year, the organisers have gone a step further and named it the Mumbai Film and Comic Convention (MFCC); thus celebrating both the comic and filmy spirit of the city. Here’s what lies in store at this year’s MFCC:

·         Setting the bar a notch higher, MFCC boats of an amazing line-up of workshops and seminars. From workshops on how to create your own comic strip to sessions with established comic artists to debates with renowned members of the film industry to special magazine launches, the convention has enough workshops to send your inner comic nerd into nirvana.

·         Your desktop figurine collection missing that perfect Bane model? Well then, make sure to stock your wallet before you set out, ‘coz Comic Con is the last word when it comes to comic merchandise. Ladies, this is the one time of the year when your guy will be the one dragging around shopping bags the size of a minivan, (Indeed, past experience has taught us that even the most mature of guys turn into awestruck teenagers when they pass by the Marvel booth) so make the most of it!

·         This brings us to the best part – the cosplay! In keeping with tradition, all attendees deck themselves as their favourite comic characters, be it Super Mario or the creepy serial killer from Scream. In fact, we have friends who start shopping months in advance, just to get the perfect lenses for their Naruto impersonations. This year, the organisers have thrown the floor open to film characters as well, which means that there will be an awful lot of Gabbars and Dons wandering about the town this weekend!

You don’t have to have read every Marvel comic cover to cover to call yourself a comic book fan. Whether you doted on the Tinkle Digest as a kid or it’s the Archie’s column in the paper that you never skip, this one’s purely for the love of comics!