Founded in 2015 by Andy Kleek, Monopoly Events is a Manchester-based event organizer. Driven by his passion for prop building, vintage toys, and ‘80s nostalgia, Kleek created a company guided by the motto “by the fans, for the fans”. Its portfolio includes three types of events: Comic Con (traditional, multi-fandom pop culture conventions), “For the Love of...” (genre- and fandom-specific immersive events), and Comic Con Mania (one-day, family-friendly conventions).
Comic Con North East is part of the Monopoly Events Comic Con brand, which includes Comic Cons in Birmingham, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Manchester, Aberdeen, Newport, Lisburn, and Telford. It is one of the newest additions to the company’s portfolio of events and was first held in May 2023 as part of Monopoly Events’ expansion into new regional markets.
Comic Con North East follows the same format as the other Comic Cons in the Monopoly Events lineup. It combines events featuring celebrity guests, such as Q&A panels, autograph sessions, and photo ops, with cosplay and interactive fan experiences. There is also a vendor and artist area with merchandise.
The star guests from movies, television, streaming, gaming, anime, and sports entertainment are, of course, the main attraction for many convention-goers. The 2025 lineup, for example, included Sacha Dhawan (Doctor Who), Tommy Flanagan (Sons of Anarchy), Jason Flemyng (X-Men: First Class), Jack Gleeson (Game of Thrones, The Sandman), Jonathan Hyde (Jumanji), Nick Moran (Harry Potter), David Morrissey (The Walking Dead), Jemma Redgrave (Doctor Who), Matt Ryan (Constantine, Arrowverse), and Natalia Tena (Harry Potter, Game of Thrones), as well as Peggy, the dog actress known for playing Dogpool in Deadpool & Wolverine.
The Cosplay Championship and Masquerade also attract many fans. The Cosplay Championship is open to cosplayers who have made at least 75% of their costume themselves. The Cosplay Masquerade is a more casual event open to all cosplayers, including those wearing store-bought costumes. Cosplayers can participate in both events but must apply separately for each one.
In addition to the celebrity and cosplay events, Comic Con North East features retro and modern gaming areas, a large vendor, trader, and artist hall, set and prop displays, and many other attractions for attendees of all ages.
Like all Monopoly Events conventions, Comic Con North East offers several types of entry tickets, as well as tickets for autograph sessions and photo ops. Autograph and photo op tickets are not valid without an entry ticket. Saturday, Sunday, and weekend tickets are available for purchase in several price/age groups: regular entry (ages 10+), concession entry (ages 5–9), and toddler entry (ages 0–4). Although toddler tickets are free, they still need to be “purchased” for attendance management purposes.
Photo: comicconventionnortheast.co.uk
