In 2013, when Comic Con came to Mumbai, I thought I had hit the maximum

squealing level. I was wrong. I hit the absolute maximum delirious fangirl squealing
level when I heard that Mark Gatiss, co-writer of the popular series Sherlock and
Doctor Who, was coming to India for the 2014 Comic Con. So you can imagine my
decibels when I won a chance of personally meeting him and getting his autograph.
I imagine dolphins were disturbed.
Fandoms of all types converged in the 3 day festival held at the Bombay Exhibition
Centre in Goregaon, from 19th to 21st December, 2014. Eager fangirls and fanboys
were seen in costumes ranging from Wow-that-must-have-taken-forever-to-make
to why-do-you-even-try. Stalls selling art, clothing and fandom related
merchandise were laid out to tempt teenagers into pauperism. A larger- than- life
display of the Marvels Avengers was spread out for fans to take a picture in, beside
a popular Star Wars display. Right opposite was a stall giving out free posters of the
characters Thor, Captain America, Iron Man and Hulk. Posters galore and Comic
books enough to satisfy the geekiest of enthusiast, the sellers did a roaring trade. It
was a homing beacon for all the nerds in Mumbai.
In the last Comic Con, the stalls had been pretty much mobbed. This time, however,
the 3 day period saw a dilution of the crowds, but only a bit. For while last time only
the hardcore fans had come, this year saw a much greater and wider turnout. The
stalls offered a wide range of products catering to many fandoms. The popular
Japanese comics, called mangas, were seen everywhere, in book form, on clothing,
and even posters. Marvel fandom had a heavy presence all over, especially in toys
and figurines. Popular books like Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, The Shiva Trilogy
and others had enough merchandise to appease even the most die-hard fans. And
then of course came the goods of several TV shows, the most popular being Game
of Thrones, Sherlock, and the Big Bang Theory.
While the range of fandoms was great, the range of products was equally
impressive. Aside from the normal T-shirts, posters and figurines, there were several
other creative pieces as well. Shoes painted with the Hogwarts logo, lanterns with a
direwolf cutout, hand painted wallets, badges, caricatures of popular characters,
clocks made from vinyl records, all pointed towards the incredible imaginative
talents on the stall owners. Furthermore, artists had the grand opportunity to
display their works and spread their business. Their works were stylized on
calendars, diaries, bags, even coasters. Some stalls were interactive, such as the
Just Dance By Ubisoft stall, where crowds were seen to be grooving their hearts
out. Several notable brands also made an appearance, such as Kook And Keech,
Raffles, Crossword Bookstore and Granth. Although the prices of the products
were a little high, it was expected, as festivals such as these offer commodities not
usually available. To the teenagers who have a limited amount of pocket money, my
advice is to save up for a few months before, and then splurge on this fest. For
those whose parents are generous, please feel free to buy gifts for your destitute
friends.

In the very center of the hustle bustle was the stage, where sessions launching new
products and hosting talks with celebrities went on perpetually. At one end of the
area was a canteen, which had been remarkably expanded compared to the 2013
Comic Con. At the other end was a small enclosure set up for the VIP guest: Mark
Gatiss.
To describe my experience with Mr. Gatiss would take many pages, and a
bucketload of exclamation points. But Ill spare you and cut it short. After waiting in
a line for about an hour, I got to present my sketch to Mr. Gatiss and had the
pleasure of eliciting a laugh out of him. I had done a caricature depicting him in a
much fatter state, to emphasize on an ongoing joke in the Sherlock series, which
mentioned Mycrofts failed attempts at dieting. While signing my drawing, I got the
opportunity to ask Mr. Gatiss my query- did he read any fanfictions? To this, he
replied a firm NO while looking mildly horrified. I didnt blame him, considering the
outrageous stories fans make up about their favorite character. Thus commending
him on his wise decision, I posed for a photo and exited the enclosure. After a 5
minute jumping and squealing session, my friends and I prepared for the next, and
perhaps the most anticipated session in Comic Con- the skype session with Steven
Moffat and Mr. Gatiss himself.
Since it was the last day for the festival, the small area around the stage was jam
packed with a hundred fans, chanting Gatiss and Moffat a good 10 minutes
before the chief guest even arrived. When Mark Gatiss did arrive, it was to a
thunderous round of applause. When Steven Moffat appeared on the screen, the
cheers nearly rattled the roof overhead. After a brief to and fro with the host, where
Gatiss insisted he was being held prisoner, they got down to business. The talk
started with Doctor Who, with interesting question such as how Gatiss and Moffat
worked together, and whether the idea of a female doctor was feasible or not. Then
as the talk turned towards Sherlock, the crowds shouts betrayed their favoritism.
Again, many subjects were broached, including the controversial topic of
Elementary, a competing American show based on the novels of Sherlock Holmes.
The duo answered these questions quite diplomatically, and yet managed to
assuage the curiosity of a majority of the fans.
Before departing, Gatiss and Moffat entertained some questions, the most
memorable of which was a girl asking what they thought of johnlock. This
question was in lieu of the many romantic suggestions between the leads Sherlock
Holmes and John Watson, but Gatiss neatly avoided the scandalous topic by talking
about the English philosopher, John Locke. Thus, it was amidst a gale of laughter
that Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat bid the fans a jolly farewell.
While Mumbai has many cultural festivals, Comic Con is an international platform
which brings together fangirls and fanboys from all over the world. This festival
promotes global collaboration among the most artistic and imaginative minds this
generation have to offer. I hope that this event continues to expand in India, as it

will offer cultural and occupational opportunities to young Indians on a colossal

magnitude.