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Avid gaming fan and movie buff, Kristian Harrison, was filled with excitement for the first-ever Bahrain Comic-Con … and it didn’t disappoint
Crowds flocked over the weekend to the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) to meet their comic-con heroes, partake in a plethora of activities and browse the plentiful stalls.
Many were bedecked in the outfits of their favourite game characters, showcasing their fandom in the growing phenomenon known as ‘cosplaying’
Of course, the highlight of the event was the appearance of WWE superstar Daniel Bryan and TV’s Game of Thrones actor Jerome Flynn, alongside voice actors Chloe Hollings and Charlet Chung of popular videogame Overwatch fame.
It’s clear that organising company Dallah had put a tremendous amount of effort into proceedings, with the circuit’s paddock club and numerous garages turned into a hive of memorabilia, activities, performances and displays.
What I was most excited for was the panels featuring the special guests, so my first port of call on both Friday and Saturday was to attend the Q&A sessions for Bryan and Flynn.
This was a fantastic way to get an insight into the careers of these two men. Flynn was the shyer and more softly-spoken of the two, taking questions from the packed audience with a smile. He spoke at length about his time on the award-winning series Game of Thrones, answering the questions he must have already gone through a thousand times.
However, as is little known in this part of the world, he was once a member of the hugely popular musical duo Robson & Jerome, which landed numerous UK Number One hits in the mid-90s. I didn’t let him forget, asking what it now felt like to be recognised in the street by young men and women, and not their mothers!
Bryan was a more effervescent personality, which no doubt comes from performing in front of a live audience rather than a camera for almost every night of the year. There was a younger demographic in the audience for this one, so there was a more jokey vibe, although he did state he was doing his best to return to the ring (WWE refuse to medically clear him to wrestle due to ongoing injuries), which elicited great cheers from the crowd.
Of course, the best part of the whole experience was getting to meet the celebrities. After waiting in line with other passionate fans, I was especially pleased that we were granted at least a minute with each one, plus the opportunity to get a signed autograph and a picture. I also cheekily asked Flynn to sign my Game of Thrones book!
The rest of my time was spent roaming around the stalls and vendors. I spent plenty of time in the 8-Bit retro section reliving my childhood on Super Mario Bros and Donkey Kong, watched my friend Ali agonisingly finish runner-up in the Tekken tournament, then failed miserably at defeating a 10-year-old on a WWE game!
Only at Comic-Con can you have your picture taken sitting on the Iron Throne, chill on a couch with Deadpool, lie in the Undertaker’s coffin, play a horrifying virtual reality game, discover swathes of memorabilia from your favourite franchises, and much more.
I already can’t wait to see what’s in store for next year!
