James goes Back to the Future as he meets his sci-fi heroes

17 September 2025

NORTHERN Ireland was invaded by a galaxy of stars from TV and film recently – and I was there to witness it.

Comic-Con ran at the Eikon Exhibition Centre near Lisburn for two days earlier this month and was a hugely enjoyable event for all the family.

Probably the biggest star there was Christopher Lloyd, best known for playing Doc Brown from the Back to the Future and Uncle Fester in The Addams Family.

From the iconic Doctor Who series, there were no less than four Doctors, including Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy and Paul McGann.

Doctors’ companions included Janet Fielding, who played Tega, Sophie Aldred, who played Ace and Nicola Bryant (Peri Brown).

Also there was Tony Robinson – better known as Baldrick in Blackadder – and The Royle Family’s Ricky Tomlinson, who gave me the thumbs-up.

Rubbing shoulders with them were Graham McTavish, who played Dwalin in The Hobbit film trilogy, and Paul Anderson, one of the stars of Peaky Blinders and Sherlock Holmes:A Game of Shadows.

One star that I was specially to meet was the voice actor, Philip Glasser, who voiced Fievel Mousekewitz in the American Tale films.

There were other big names, who you may have or may not have known, depending on your age and interests. There were WWF stars and actors from anime and computer games.

Alongside the guests there were stalls selling hand-crafted gifts that you wouldn’t find on the high street.

Comic-Com can be expensive, particularly if you are bringing family along, but its worth paying the fee if you want to get your photo taken by a professional with some of the stars, because you may not get to see

them again. I am pleased I got a photo with Christopher Lloyd and the Doctors.

A lot of visitors of all ages went dressed up as their favourite characters. I met a women who won third place in a competition with her Anne Boleyn costume, which she made by hand from scratch.

If your would like to see more of what I got up to at Northern Ireland Comic-Com you can see the short news report on my YouTube channel, Irish Media Boy.

Plans are already underway for Northern Ireland Comic-Con 2026. I wonder who they will bring along?

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