Dublin Comic Con 2019 reviewed

Dublin, Comic Con, 2019, reviewed

By Joseph Learoyd

On the weekend of the 9th 10th and 11th of August 2019, the streets of Dublin were once again lined with spandex and polystyrene as hundreds of anime, film and comic book fans swarmed on Dublin’s Convention Centre on Spencer Dock, North Wall Quay to share their love of all things geek. As a member of this community, I couldn’t miss the chance to be with my costumed brethren, and so headed across the country, to the site to experience it for myself.

The con was one that brought cosplayers, fans and artists together in one place, allowing for a melting pot of superheroes and people with an undying passion for the medium. Across the six floors where the con was held, we were treated to a whole host of stands and events. Interactive sets allowed for the fans to experience sitting in Kirk’s captain’s chair on the Enterprise or sitting in a movie theatre with the Gremlins. This chance to take photos with friends and laugh over a mutual enjoyment of a franchise is one that allows us to band together at such a venue.

As I sat in that Captain’s chair, acting calm and composed for my friend’s camera, jumping with excitement inside like a kid at Christmas, I couldn’t help but admire the sheer influence that comics and anime have had on the community. Iron Man walked past Luffy from One Piece, two Star lords were taking selfies together and the Ghostbusters were talking to a little Kylo Ren. The room was full of cosplayers, some amazing costumes, as people dressed as their favourite characters, many of which were taking photos together and enjoying the moment.

Upstairs the guests occupied their booths as crowds of eager fans queued to meet their inspirations. From Buffy’s Charisma Carpenter to The OG Incredible Hulk, Lou Ferrigno, and many more, autographs were signed, photos were taken and fans had the chance to watch and engage with Q&A sessions in one of the centre’s many auditoria. The talks given across the weekend ranged from “Horror in Japanese comics” to UFO’s to animation showcases. There was something for everyone.

I remembered the various freelancers who were at the con, signing copies of their latest piece of art proving that passion in the industry means everything on the road to development. Colours filled the room as beautiful snacks and plush toys decorated stands. Boxes full of decades of comic books and graphic novels were for sale from enthusiastic vendors, having spent years gathering knowledge of the medium.

Exploring Virtual reality headsets and games such as “guess how many toes in this jar” (not real ones, it was a horror themed section), two scenes so vastly different that worked hand in hand. That was the beauty of this event. Everyone was so different, yet we were all the same. We all gathered, we all appreciated the culture that has developed and grown over the years.

People commissioned artists to draw their favourite characters, others had lightsaber battles and some sat, enjoying the company of friends. I remembered seeing two people run to hug each other, exclaiming that “It had been so long since they had seen each other,” and “Great to see you back here again.” This event had brought people together.

Thinking about it, that was what made this event so special, it was in place as an artform itself, an expression of the human imagination, remembering the greats, Stan Lee decorations on display, actors reminiscing about the past, us enthralled, hanging on every word, eager to know what would come next. It was solidarity within a community.

It was weird and wonderful and an experience that one would never forget. If you have any interest at all in the media of comics or anime or film, then you need to check out a con sometime, and if you do, why not let your first be the Dublin one? You won’t be disappointed.

I remembered smiling, happy that I had the chance to experience this, witness it all with my own eyes and walk amongst a group that once shunned by society for their interests, has been allowed to grow and thrive. That was a comic con. That was a love for comics and it was gorgeous.

Then I had to get out of the chair. Turns out some children were next in line and they wanted to be Kirk too. The Enterprise had a pretty quick turnover when it came to captains, it seemed. It was okay though, because as I took off that Star Trek Jacket, revealing my Deadpool T-shirt underneath, I knew that I was heading off to my next adventure at Dublin Comic Con.

Bio

Joseph Learoyd is a recent computer animation graduate. An aspiring animator and 3D modeller, he has loved animation for as long as he can remember, always looking to create new and exciting experiences. His online animation portfolio can be found here

https://www.artstation.com/josephlearoyd

His Linkedin is here https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-learoyd-0399a8159

Twitter: @JosephLearoyd

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