CRC 2018 is out of this world!
THERE were certainly some sights to be seen at Enniscorthy’s Riverside Park Hotel as Cosmic Rebels Con took over the main ballroom for a weekend, welcoming all manner of superheroes, villains and otherworldly creatures. The brainchild of Ed Doyle and Brian Thomas, the convention has grown massively from last year’s event and this time around welcomed over 3,000 people through the doors over the course of the weekend.
A real growing success story, the convention offers a great day out for those with an interest in what can be playfully termed - geek culture. That includes everything from comic books, superheroes and Star Wars, to those with an interest in model making and collecting, costumes and even tattoos. There was so much to see and do at The Riverside for the convention that many returned for the second day after attending the first.
The event also hosted a series of fascinating talks and demonstrations from some of the foremost comic book artists and writers in the business, such as 2000AD and Judge Dredd’s Michael Carroll. Also present to sign photos and speak of his experiences working on the likes of Star Wars Rogue One and Doctor Who was actor Matthew Dale.
A big hit with kids big and small were members of the Official Star Wars 501st Legion who were on patrol at the hotel, as was the fearsome Judge Dredd himself and there were plenty of photos taken with both over the weekend. Perhaps one of the most fascinating aspects of the con was the level of creativity among those in attendance when it comes to designing their own costumes. The intricate attention to detail that went into faithfully recreating superheroes, villains and characters from assorted comic books and games was incredible. One major talking point at this year’s event was a full scale model of The Riverside Park Hotel under siege by an army of the walking dead constructed by Noel McCormack. The intricate model proved a hit and was a real conversation piece not only for those in attendance, but among all the staff at the hotel too.
The event was free of charge for those in attendance, but donations were collected for The Jack & Jill Foundation raising a total of €1,300. Ed and Brian were blown away by the support the event, still in it’s infancy, has received and they are already looking at new ways to grow it further. They wished to thank everyone who came along and contributed to the event’s success.