Imagine, if you will, me writing about London! I know it’s a big stretch of the imagination, but all of us have that bent towards the unimaginable. We are, after all, sci-fi people.
As per usual, I had a lovely vacation in London back in late May, early June. I did go to comic con at the Excel Centre and took some photos of some really good costumes, met up with some friends, had a really good time. There are other cons in London and the UK; this was the first one I attended with my best mate years ago, before I started writing to Amazing Stories, so it has a place in my heart. You can see previous con coverage https://amazingstories.com/2023/06/comic-con-london-may-2023/
https://amazingstories.com/2022/10/mcm-comic-con-london-may-2022/
https://amazingstories.com/2019/07/london-con-may-2019/.
In addition to the con, I decided to look into what else was of interest to a geek/nerd like me. There are quite a few things in and around the city of London of interest to all sorts of genres in the sci-fi realm. Here are a few of the things I found.
Forbidden Planet – Mecca for the sci-fi enthusiast. Most everything from every major – and some minor – fandom there is. Books, action figures, t-shirts, collectors’ cards, and most anything anyone could want for their collection. It’s two floors of sci-fi heaven. https://forbiddenplanet.com/
The Shard – The Shard has been called a miracle of engineering, a vertical city on its own. There are many buildings that dot the skyline of London that have that type of high-tech look straight out of a sci-fi movie. Some have even been compared to a character or two. See if you can spot them.
The DLR – What’s not to love about an electric train that drives itself. And you can sometimes be lucky enough to get the front seat and pretend that you’re driving the train! Not to mention that the train line runs through some of the most modern architecture and scenery. The trains run in and around the Docklands area of east London. I’m familiar with it from taking it to comic con at the Excel Centre – and yes, I have nabbed the coveted front seat on occasion.
Science Museum – So much to do and see in this museum. A whole day is not out of the question when visiting.
https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/home
The Cinema Store – This place was nirvana for the really hardcore fan of horror, sci-fi, and action films. Sadly, it has since closed. Hopefully they will be able to reopen, and I’ll be there when they do.
ScfiCollector – Scificollector has been in business for nearly 30 years. Their original shop was on London’s Strand, but they are now located in Hemel Hempstead. Scificollector sells a range of products, including Doctor Who diecasts, Torchwood action figures, and Adventures of Merlin action figures. Star Wars, too. They also sell general toys and t-shirts. I got my Clockwork Orange T-shirt there! If any of those are your areas of interest, certainly pop into their shop and give it a look.
https://www.scificollectorshop.co.uk/
There is also a Sci-Fi-London Film Festival. This year it is/was September 14th. They accept short sci-fi films. If interested, here’s their website with all the information for submissions and such – https://filmfreeway.com/SCIFILONDONFilmFestival.
Hope you enjoyed this jaunt through London’s Sci-Fi world. Keep on Geeking!
