Southampton Comic Con

Saturday 16th May 2026

1. Why I Went

I have set myself the target of attending an event to play TTRPGs every weekend throughout 2026 (or until my funds run out).

I could find no dedicated TTRPG or other tabletop gaming events on this weekend. Southampton Comic Con was one of a number of general “genre” conventions thrown up by my research.

I wrote to offer to run my “Choose Your Adventure” set-up of drop-in TTRPGs. No fees either way. Just give me a table and six chairs and I’d do the rest.

Surprisingly, I received a reply. They said it sounded like a good fit, checked to see if there was space available, and booked me in.

If I’m honest, travelling from Birmingham to the South Coast for a short one-day event, 10am to 4pm, is not a very cost-effective use of my time. But I didn’t have anything else to do that weekend. I also figured that if I could get my feet under the table with this Comic Con organisation, I might be allowed to visit other events to fill gaps in my convention diary.

2. The Shape of the Convention

The convention was actually in a leisure centre in Eastleigh, five miles outside Southampton. In the main sports hall, as so many of these events are, the gaming events I call “Expo”-type events, for example.

It was quite easy to get to. The local buses are prompt and efficient. There was a short 10-minute walk from the bus stop to the hall. Again, from my experience, this is also common.

I was sent an exhibitor’s pack in the week running up to the event. This included arrival and set-up times for traders, with some basic rules on general conduct.

I arrived early and queued up with the traders. I just had my banner and a wheely suitcase with my gaming stuff in. It was fascinating to see their collapsible trolleys, shelving units, and boxes of trade goods.

When I reached the sign-up desk, my name wasn’t on the list of traders, but the main organiser remembered me and came over personally to sign me in and escort me to my area. There were four tables at one side of the hall. I assumed it was a general gaming area and that I had one of the tables, so I set up. It emerged that I’d been allocated all four tables and twenty-four chairs!

Eventually, I set up using two tables: one to display the genres on offer and the other to actually play on.

Because I was so early, I was set up and ready to go, with nothing to do, over an hour before the event was due to start. It was fascinating to see the venue change from an empty sports hall into one filled with dozens of trade tables.

There were three celebrities due to attend the event: “The Cat” from Red Dwarf, “Admiral Ackbar” from Star Wars, and “Kate Stewart”, the actress Jemma Redgrave, from Doctor Who. Their signing table was right next to my gaming table. Fortunately, there was a gap of a few yards between us to allow access to an external door.

In the event, I didn’t see Cat arrive. I presume he was engaged elsewhere. (This kind of thing happens at Comic Cons.) I think Admiral Ackbar was present, but I wouldn’t recognise the actor.

Jemma Redgrave was there, though. She arrived promptly before the event started, without fanfare, and found her signing desk. I watched her work throughout the day and she was amazing, giving people time and attention, doing an on-stage interview, an extended photo session with fans, and barely taking a break. I know this was a British character actor doing her job, but I was very impressed.

Once the doors opened at 10am, the event started to come to life. If there was an overall feel, it was young people cosplaying happily, bumping into and mixing with other people with the same interests, with a big side order of parents (of all ages) having a safe place to bring their children (of all ages) for a fun day out. There were lots, and lots, of opportunities for unforgettable photographs.

3. Games Played and Games Run

As always, things were slow to start. When I offer my drop-in games at conventions, I rarely get a game before lunchtime.

I am not a naturally sociable person, and I do find approaching people to invite them to play games a bit of a struggle. My tables were off to one side, with quite a big gap between them and the trade tables in the middle of the hall, which made this even harder than normal to overcome. Add in the fact that so many people passing were dressed as Furries, Mandalorians, Ewoks, etc., and I did feel a bit out of place.

Unusually, I did get one morning game: a father and son wanting a superhero game.

Because the tables were slightly away from passers-by, they didn’t pick up extra players during play as they usually do. Games with two players stayed as two players, with only one rising to three during play.

Because most of the games were with two or three players (I had one game with four), they were mostly finished in a shorter time than my usual hour. So I’m not going to describe each in detail as usual. Everyone seemed satisfied, though.

In total, I had five games in the six hours of the convention: three superhero, one science fiction, and one Dungeons & Dragons-type.

So the day was a success, though I would have preferred slightly larger groups.

4. Play Reflections

I suppose I should have expected so many people to ask to play a superhero game. It was a Comic Con, after all!

To be honest, I’ve been using the same superhero adventure, Superheroes versus Dinosaurs, for many years now. It’s an adventure somebody else designed for one of my games, and I adopted it because I loved it. I tend to overthink things and couldn’t design something so simple and headlong myself. But I think it’s time for me to retire it and replace it with one with a bit more story.

The science fiction adventure is good but, since it is a general one and not based on an existing franchise, I think I could refine it and download some images to show players to draw them more into its setting.

However, my “Choose Your Adventure” set-up continues to deliver.

5. Cost, Time, and Value

It cost me nothing to get in as an exhibitor. An adult ticket was £9 in advance or £11 on the door. Children were cheaper and there were family tickets.

My travel cost me two advance single tickets for a total of £26.50.

My decision to make a weekend of it in Southampton was irrelevant to the convention costs. The journey was two and a half hours, so I could have made this a one-day event.

I do not think there was any lager on sale at the venue.

6. What I Took Away

If a Comic Con has space for me, if it can give me a table or two and six chairs, my “Choose Your Adventure” drop-in TTRPG games are a good match for the event.

However, the organisers get no direct income from my presence, as I am not paying for a stand. They receive only the indirect benefit of being able to offer another free activity to their attendees. So I really need to work on the promotional image and text they can add to their website.

Short one-day events like this, especially ones lasting only six hours from 10am to 4pm, don’t really suit my needs. I prefer longer ones, preferably two-day events. But they’ll do at a pinch.

If you’re looking for a fun day out and you’re interested in all sorts of genre activities, not just comics, Comic Cons like this one can have a lot to offer.