Dublin Comic Con Summer 2025 Review

By Owen Quinn author of the Time Warriors, Zombie Blues and more. Photos copyright Owen Quinn

Dublin Comic Con keeps the heart of it alive and allows you to be exactly who you want to be and swim in what you love without prejudice.

Here we go again as the team behind Dublin Comic Con lands to bring us a new star filled weekend. Thousands of fans flocked to the Convention Centre to meet their celebrity favourites, meet up with friends and dress up as their favourite characters. Families of all types and ages come for a family day out. And what I learned from my visit was, you actually never know what’s round the corner.

I’ve been coming to Dublin Comic Con since the very first show out at Swords and it really has come a long way. Overlooking the River Liffey, the Convention Centre has been home to DCC for some years now. Yesterday was a melting 21 degrees but what a beautiful day in more ways than one.

Conventions are an escape from every day life and a chance to meet the stars of the shows you love, meet old friends and make new ones. For me. I went in my wheelchair because of an injury and immediately met an old friend I had either missed at other shows or waved at in passing because they were busy. But we stay in touch by Facebook and Instagram.

And it didn’t stop there.

I met and more importantly, managed to talk to, many old friends. While I was there to tick off bucket list celebrities, it was also a chance to actually reflect and see how far this show really has come.

And I can say, hand on heart, not only as a lifelong fan of sci-fi and horror but now a disabled person, I left on such a high that Dublin Comic Con remains the king of the castle. I remember the days when there was nothing for fans here. I got so jealous that my cousin was going to meet a Dalek in her school because that sort of thing was a magical experience for everyone else in the world except the Irish.

I also remember begging my Dad to take us to meet Dave Prowse as Darth Vader in Belfast when the Empire Strikes Back came out which he did but being the only geek in a sporting household meant the galaxy was literally, far, far away. And sadly, Dave Prowse turned up as the Green Cross Man and was was very rude to us kids.

Now, I’m doing dodgems with two R2D2s and Chopper. I’m getting patted on the head by Chewbacca because I’m bald. I’m standing in the doorway of the Tardis, still wishing the Doctor would tap me on the shoulder and say “Come with me.” Jedi are handing me their light sabres and Mandos are letting me hold their weapons. I can sit in a bar with the Gremlins. I can visit Ray’s Occult book store from Ghostbusters and see up close and personal, the new bikes from the upcoming Tron: Ares. I dared look into an alien egg and face down a face hugger. I faced the Grim Reaper, got to hold owls and spent time with working guide dogs to which you could donate. I also got to be a Klingon captain and wield the Dark Sabre from Mandalorian. That is one action packed day. Weeks can pass and I don’t do that much.

These latter two things are as much a part of the convention as any cosplay or set. Because events like Dublin Comic Con, actually, there are no other events in Ireland as a whole that can touch Dublin Comic Con., are vital for fans.

Any disability or mental health concerns or just every day worries about how to make ends meet, fade as you enter this world and make no mistake, the team behind this, work bloody hard to deliver to all ages and types. This is a world of imagination where young minds are opened and middle aged ones like me can reminisce and go, “God, I remember that” (I had to correct someone yesterday who mistook the Space 1999 comlock and guns as those from Blake’s 7. Yep, I heard the voice in my head say, you’re such a nerd!)

But it could open kids up to shows long gone that fall into the sci fi world they love. It’s a world that is ever expanding but what a journey.

Dublin Comic Con keeps the heart of it alive and allows you to be exactly who you want to be and swim in what you love without prejudice.

This, for me, was the strongest line up I’ve seen in a while. I don’t mean the previous line ups over the years are anything but good but this one felt really special somehow and it wasn’t until later in the day, I realised why. I cannot fault any of them.

Saturday only guest Jamie Campbell Bower rocked and was so down to earth. This, by the way, applied to everyone. Sometimes, you get rude guests who don’t really care. I can name a few but wouldn’t like to speak ill of the dead. I might have mentioned one earlier dressed as the Green Cross Code man…….oops. Others are still alive though. I have never experienced this at DCC to be honest but something was super special yesterday.

I was supposed to meet the walking Dead’s Ross Marquand a couple of years ago but had my leg amputated the month before. I had seen him in the distance at Walker Stalker in London but now, I finally got to meet him. I was blown away by how pleasant he is and how he looks after fans.

And it’s not an act from anyone.

They are genuinely happy to see people. Kingpin himself, Vincent D’Onofrio was such a pleasure to speak to and we chatted about him living in Belfast for six months when filming Full Metal jacket. The suicide scene remains terrifying decades later because of that expression on his face before killing himself. If ever there was a shot of true mental breakdown and someone in dire straits, this was it. And it stands to this day.

I have to tell you a story which just typifies the laid back Irish spirit. On seeing Vincent in the flesh, it wasn’t a “On my god, it’s Kingpin!” reaction from two ladies. it was “God, look at the weight he’s lost. he looks really well.” And that was the atmosphere yesterday. We take celebrities in our stride and they got to do the same because they saw it through chatting to people. Not fans, people.

Hitman himself, David Bateson, came dressed as the iconic character including the barcode on the back of the head. John De Lancie is a true gent and that mischievous smile never fades. Sure, where else would you get it?

Dublin Comic Con is expanding to a Horror con in November and a new show in Cork later this year. Based on yesterday, I have full confidence in them to keep setting the bar. Ruts are easy to fall into but they aren’t in one at all and it’s because they keep their pulse on what fans want. I saw lots of new cosplays I had never seen before which gives me such hope and joy and only reinforces this is refreshing without our even noticing. The best example of that was a Superman and Jor El duo. I have never seen a Jor El before anywhere either here or across the water. i took photos. And we chatted. We got to know each other and that sums this all up for me. I also saw the Grim Reaper who hopefully I won’t really meet for a long time, a very, very long time. He killed Spiderman don’t you know?

This was supposed to be a review of the latest Dublin Comic Con but it’s more than that. it’s a review of DCC as a whole. Generation after generation keep coming because it is a magical event. Whether it be the three year old dressed as Superman or me at my age looking round and thinking how wonderful this is. As a kid, I was bullied for being a freak because I wasn’t into sport (I was a champion kick boxer and swimmer at one point). Sport in those days only included Gaelic and soccer but sci-fi and horror are as much a part of me as my family are. Nowadays, you’re a freak if you’re not into it. And ironically, that statement just doesn’t apply now. Everyone loves the movies and television and gaming. It’s part of our culture. So we are all part of it. I was just born too early which probably makes me a trailblazer. Well, that’s the story I’m sticking with lol.

There were some people moaning about not getting into the photoshoots for Jamie on their first attempt even though they had bought tickets for it. But that was simply them being impatient and not seeing the big picture. For such a huge one day guest, they had to limit the number to each session but they made damned sure everyone got what they paid for. Have a little patient people and look beyond yourself.

Dublin Comic Con delivered in the summer of 2025.

I am so happy to see they keep pushing against expectations to bring something new and fresh which is not always possible due to many factors that the public will never be aware of. Kudos to the gentleman that created the brand new Star Wars display, all hand made and some animatronic. I never even saw anything like that at Star Wars Celebration.

I left Dublin a very happy man yesterday and that feeling has not left me today, Sunday, as I write this. It just makes me even more impatient for the next one. Well done folks, great to see you again and a reminder that in these dark times, there is still magic in the world.

And here’s something you might not think of. We go home happy but I can guarantee you that there will not be celebrity that heads home tonight and won’t be thinking to themselves, “Wasn’t Dublin Comic Con brilliant? I had such a great time. “

I bet if you were speaking to Jamie Campbell Bower last night, he would have told you the very same thing. Till next time.