SHOWMASTERS FILM AND COMIC CONVENTIONS

SHOWMASTERS FILM AND COMIC CONVENTION MANCHESTER

21^ST – 22^ND OF MAY 2016 EVENT CITY.

Review by Darren Green photography by Annabelle Clark.

Written by Jennifer Clark

Yet again Event City played host to Showmasters Film and Comic Convention in Manchester.  We sent down two volunteers to scope the venue out, review the event and talk to the cosplayers, attendees and the guests. So off went Annabelle and Darren on the Megabus early on a Saturday morning at 6 am to spend the day at the convention.

The venue was very spacious and easy to navigate for someone in a wheelchair. There where spare wheelchairs near to the entrance of the venue along with the toilets which were very spacious and also extremely accessible. For a change at an event like this there was also plenty of room in the aisle to access vendors, making it relatively easy for wheelchair users or families with prams to move around and view the wares on display.

As usual Showmasters offer free carer tickets upon application (good idea to send a copy of a carer’s letter for proof) for their events which allows one person to access the event for free when accompanying someone who needs assistance to attend an event like this due to ill health or disability. Like other events Showmasters have ran there was no area where someone could take a break if over stimulated, over stressed due to sensory overload and no changing facilities were noticed for older children or adults who may need personal care other than the standard baby changing facilities. Also there was no indication of anywhere for someone in a wheelchair or unable to stand for long periods to obtain a slip giving them preference or return time for autographs and pictures.

This ever popular event was very busy with queues lasting all day for guest’s autographs with the line-up including Michael Biehn best known for his role as Kyle Reese in Terminator and corporal Hicks in Aliens, Ken Kirzinger from Freddy Vs Jason, Noel Clarke from Dr Who and Star Trek and Dave Prowse best known as Darth Vader in Star wars along with many others. Staff where plentiful and available at all times coming across as very calm being able to direct you to where you needed to be and how to help with any issues you might be experiencing. Everything at the event was very well signposted so easy to find and as cosplaying is becoming ever more popular Showmasters had set aside an area for people to change and store their bags and was easily accessible for any one in a wheelchair. Both Darren and Annabelle got changed at the venue into their cosplay outfit and set out to brave the  crowds to look into every nook and cranny, interview attendees cosplaying and non-cosplaying and hopefully some guests to find out what they thought of the event, cosplaying and services on offer.

So Darren managed to talk to some fellow cosplayers regarding their views on the event.

He asked what people liked the most about cosplaying and attending the event and the general consensus was the atmosphere and how friendly everyone was, meeting new people who like the same things. Darren then asked how cosplaying made them feel. Again there were mixed answers to this but feeling that they are popular and people like them, giving them the confidence to approach people and ask questions were some of the most voiced reasons. Encouragement all round from cosplayers that he spoke to on anyone who is thinking of attending a Showmasters event in or out of cosplay and for those people who have always wanted to give it a go a resounding try it. I myself have attended conventions ran by Showmasters in cosplay in my wheelchair and have felt part of one big family where you are accepted no matter what.

So With the thumbs up from the cosplayers it was the turn of the general attendees and what they thought.  There was a mixed reaction regarding Cosplayers ranging from families who attend to see the costumes and the children who look forward to coming face to face with their heroes and posing for a picture and think they add to the event to people who thought that showmasters aimed to much towards the cosplaying community and not enough in providing bigger named stars outside of London or getting comic book artists to attend.

They managed to grab two minutes with legend Dave Prowse before leaving for the long lonely ride home on the mega bus. He was asked his opinion on people cosplaying as Darth Vader and cosplaying in general, if he thought it added to the conventions, “Yes it’s great to see someone dressed as Darth Vader and it is very flattering. Makes me feel like I have achieved something if I have instigated them to cosplay as a character I have played. Cosplaying is an accepted part of these conventions and I love seeing all the different costumes people attend in and all the hard work that has gone into making them.”

So as the sun sets over another successful day for Showmasters in Manchester our two intrepid reporters get changed and wearily tread off for the bus leaving fame and their adoring fans behind them to return to real life. When asked their personal opinions of the convention, services, staff and venue it was a huge thumbs up and well worth the early start.  So still room for some tweaking here and there and work on coordination, but definitely on the right path to make these shows more accessible to everyone.

A ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME

****WARNING IF YOU ARE OVER SENSITIVE AND VERY PC YOU MAY FIND THIS A BIT CONTROVERSIAL*******

I have seen a lot of posts by people lately regarding how to address some one who is disabled or what to say /not say to them

 To be honest I find it all a bit silly

 Am not the most Politically correct person out there but as far as am concerned calling me by my name is fine. Honestly I will even answer to "thingy" or "you" even "Fred" just try not to use Jennifer too much as when I get my full name it usual means am in trouble.

I get it, some people feel that being called "wheelchair bound" "disabled" or "handicapped" (too be honest although am not fussed I try to refrain from the last one as it seems a bit degrading). They feel that these terms and others define them or that they are being defined by their disability. I am an amputee because I have had an amputation, but that does not define who I am. Am lots of things (play nice now), am a mother, wife, daughter, student, blogger, Therapist as well. I am however bound to my wheelchair to some degree, without my wheelchair I would not get very far at all or get out so the term "wheelchair bound" is accurate as far as am concerned. Disabled to me is accurate as well there are lots of things I can not do and I am not abled bodied either.

why do people get so bent out of shape by these terms and the use of them?

I have a theory ( and no its not about bunnies! and if you get that reference high five.).

From most (not all and am by no means taring every one with the same brush here), of the articles I have read there seems to be three types of people that find this terminology offensive:

"The do gooder" - People who have never suffered any kind of disability or health concern in their life but think they have the right to voice an opinion on this subject as an expert.

"The world owes me" - People,  who for what ever reason,  have become more and more bitter over time due to their disability or illness. They feel, rightly or wrongly,what has happened/wrong  to/ with them that it is every bodies fault ( I get this to some degree, its not easy to keep a positive outlook going every single day when you feel so useless and / or limited by whats wrong and the world will not accept you for you and most activities or places are not accessible, every one has their off days). But really? The world doesn't owe you jack squat mate! Yes maybe a helping hand now and then to do things or access places.  Use what you have to your advantage, make the most of it and start living because before you know it life has just passed you by.

"My life is over or why cant this have happened  to some one else"  -  People who have ended up with an illness or becoming disabled later in life through no fault of their own. Again I understand. One minute being healthy and able to do any thing or go any where, your future looking bright and shinny and the world at your feet, to within 24 hours having all this ripped away from you. It is a hard pill to swallow. It is also a bloody hard thing to get used to and come to terms with -  fighting pain, depression, friends walking away because they don't know how to react or cope, people staring, suddenly having limits put on as to what you can do, places you can go or even things you can wear.  ( I went through all of this for nearly a year and a half then decided I had enough. Now I wear what I want, I pimp my prosthesis and rock Darth Vader on one of them, wear shoes that make people stare and generally make the world bend to me.) I understand that this takes time , but some people just never adjust, adapt and learn to live with it they are too busy lamenting what they have lost.

How about instead of trying to define what we should and should not be called or what "boxes" "abled" bodied people put disabled people in, or in fact whether or not people should or should not help us with bags or opening bloody doors for us , why don't we just agree that we are just people with a difference? What terminology is used really doesn't matter does it? not unless it is meant in a bullying, nasty, creepy kind of demoralizing way. Unless some one is deliberately putting you down you define who you are, you put the limits on yourself its not a "us" and "them" thing, or at least it shouldn't be. The government have already tried to turn society against us people do not need to be helping them to do that. The next time some one asks what you like to be called make a joke or light of it , it an only offend if you choose to let it. The next time some one offers you help be grateful and smile, the next time some one opens a door for you say thank you you ungrateful git. The barriers are there and they will never go if people start to make other people feel uncomfortable to approach or help, terrified to say anything to us or engage with us or even invite us some where in case they offend, upset or seen to discriminate.

THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS

Nearly at the end of March already, who would believe it. I still maintain that this year will be my year for things to work and the last two month has just been a practice run. Guess we will have to wait and see.
As you are aware if you have been following my blog ( and if you haven't why not? get reading now!), This year has not had the best of starts. However three month in and things may be slightly starting to improve.

Caught up with University work and came out with a first for my Academic Mentor presentation which was great and after my personal development meeting, found out that I might not be as screwed as I thought I was with moving on to the final year. Although if all these health issues and my dads issues had not had to be dealt with what kind of grades would I be clearing? So it is with extreme caution that I apply for my final year of finance for my degree. But what comes next? For most students this would entail a masters or PHD or perhaps getting a job, but what about some one with chronic health issues such as myself? What do I do?Well I guess that is the question isn't it. Like so many others out there in the same situation (OK I admit there are people out there who do take the piss), I really want to work, even if its part time. Here is the problem, even part time I know there will be more times spent off then in and looking at my health issues most employers will take one look at me and will pass me over nor have the time, money or patience to put up with it.
So that leaves working for myself, but what as, how? The Psych Twins was supposed to be the start of that the whole, if Mohammad can't get to the mountain then the mountain will come to Mohammed thing, but with out grants/funding and being able to get contracts its all pie in the sky, a great service I keep getting told, that is greatly needed, but no money to do what we want with it, pay ourselves a wage or hire others.

So where dose that leave me? Well back at the beginning, on ESA, unemployable despite all my skills and training, just take a look at my CV (go on take a look you will find it on my LinkedIn Profile), despite the outward appearance of a withered, useless body ( I sometimes see myself as a female "Jabba The Hut" ) there is a mine of pure knowledge, skill and enthusiasm just waiting to be tapped into. This then leads to the "what's it all for then?" phase. The point at which you relaise that you are of no use, not even to yourself. You need help at home, help to go into education and help to hold down a job (if you could actually get some one to give you a chance) and the government is slowly tearing that all away from you any way.
This then moves into the "isolation" phase. As some one who has numerous illnesses/ health issues, going out socially is not a thing. Even if I had any one who would offer me to go out socially there is the accessibility of the venue and how good or bad am feeling on the day. ( All the offers of being invited places, even by family and friends dropped off after it became apparent that to invites some one out who has to use a wheelchair 90% of the time is just to darn pesky to organize. Especially if it means that one of you have to be responsible for helping said person and good god you might have to change the venue/pub route/restaurant to make sure its accessible etc etc ...you get the picture). So if you take going to university away, I leave the house once a week with my husband...maybe to look around the shops and any drs and hospital appointments. What does that mean realistically? If am lucky I will get out once a week maybe once every two/three weeks. WOW exciting life !

This then leads into the final stage..depression. yep. What more can I say about his phase, well nothing really, its all been said before. You can't see anyway out. Nothing is going to get any better, because there is nothing you can do to make it any better. No diet, exercise regime or will power is going to change those illnesses so you can go out to work, therefore get out more socially, have money to enjoy life, get  mortgage, move up in the world etc etc. No way of being a good little citizen just like the government want you to be. So you are labeled a scrounger, a waste of space, useless and society look down on you, and the government? well they just keep taking benefits away from you making it harder and harder to function on a day to day base, telling you to "get a job" "loose weight" "exercise" "this is how to improve your life and your credit"..we know! but we can't can we no one will let us.

Money wise, am lucky my husband runs his own business which ticks along for us, so things don't effect me as much as some people I know  - disabled and non disabled. I would love to go back to work, hold down a job doing something I would enjoy, bringing home a wage and getting off benefits. I dream of getting  a mortgage and owning my own house, done out to my specification no expense spared, holiday every year never mind twice a year instead of saving for 2 year to go away for  2 weeks (meaning no treats for the kids, no weekend breaks as a couple, no date nights, no family days out, no new clothes , going no where during the summer holidays etc etc).... and yes for those out there who follow my profile on Facebook I save to go to Florida and am well aware there are people who cant afford a weekend away, I did say am lucky.......to have more of a social life with my family and  friends rather then wondering if am getting out the house for an hour or two in the next 14 days.

Who knows maybe things will turn around. Maybe funding will come in and I can finally get The Psych Twins off the ground the way I want too and make a wage that way. Maybe my health will improve and I will get a job or there is some employer out there who will let me freelance as a writer or something and come in when I can for a wage.

Maybe I will become a tv personality and be on political shows and news program or have my own show. Maybe I will become a famous author. Maybe I will get the acting offer I cant refuse because of my unique physique as an amputee. and matronly and northern..yea OK the least of the lot to come true. All I do know is that I will keep on trying, wishing and dreaming. Oh and am getting an electric wheelchair ! so bright side I get to any future Film and Comic Conventions I can play a Darlek....

......................Que Dr Who theme music.........