Im Bane and Im WINNING!

The place: Design & Business Centre, Islington, London
The Event: Kapow! Comic Convention

I stalked the comic lined aisles of  Kapow! like a predator looking for my next victim.

'Hey... Bane... Can we get a pic with you?'
CRACK!
I must have broken the back of nearly a hundred people over the weekend. Happy smiling faces as they dangled over my knee like broken ragdolls.

No one was safe. Women, children, the socially inept...

By the second day I had already cemented my reputation and it preceded me.
'Hey... Bane... Can you break my back?'

Aaah, it was veritable music to my ears, and happily I broke backs for a second day.
I honestly dont think there was much of the weekend that I didnt come out of character.The mask hardly came off. I went to the pub and ordered drinks as Bane.

I went to the corner shop as Bane. And to my wifes chagrin I refused to take it off at bedtime.
There was a moment between me and the Landlady at O'Neils on Saturday evening, when she asked me to remove my mask.... I simply gave her the steely Bane stare and said:
'Do you know who I am woman?'
'Ill take it off for you...', she retorted.
And preceded to peel my mask off and dangle it infront of me. It could have been a Mary Jane and Spidey moment, and I must admit I did feel a touch of romance wash over me... But alas. I am Bane, and there is no room in my life for such things. Oh yeah, and my wife probably wouldnt have appreciated it.
The culmination of the weekend for me, was winning the cosplay parade. My stage performance left me feeling giddy and crapulent, and I lumbered from the stage doe eyed, grinningly inanely and cooing gently to myself.... under my Bane mask.
When I went up with the five finalists and was announced as the winner, Im sure I left my body for a second, and hovered... looking down at an achievement that a month ago was the stuff of fantasy and reserved for my daydreams.
I had gone to a Comic Convention.... dressed as Bane.... And I had won the coplay parade...

If I was younger I probably would've jizzed my pants. Being older and wiser I thought it would be better if I didnt, and I was right. A limited edition Tron box set XBox360 thingy was mine and the promise of VIP tickets to next years event. But more than anything the sheer joy of attending the weekend and meeting the people I did was kudos enough.
I knew a fair few people there. Dom, John and Dexter were legends. Claude was his usual inimitable self. Staff from Orbital and GOSH looked rosey cheeked and plump of fetlock. But I finally got to meet the people that had made everthing possible. HA:UK, thats Heroes Alliance UK for those of you not up on your acronyms. They are a group of super-powered humans, affiliated the Make A Wish foundation and do sterling work for charity. I love each one of them, and have decided to have their babies.

My special thanks goes out to Fran, Joe, Paul, Callum, Nick, Holly, Emmy, Ryan, Kate, Clare, Anais, Claire, David, Lee, Gareth, Max, Gemma, Drunkley(?), Stewart, Celia, Matt, Chelsea.... I really hope I havent missed anyone...
Please share my glory by watching the 2 videos of the cosplay parade:


Here are three of my favourite photos. One of me and a kid dressed as Batman, one of me showing that Bane does have a soft spot for Batman, and one done for me by my friend Chris.

Please continue to tune into my blog as normal service has now been resumed.
Big D out.