An inaugural fantasy and comic convention drew large crowds and filled the Killeen Civic and Conference Center on Saturday. Hundreds of people walked the many aisles of artwork and comics, many dressed in the costumes of their favorite characters.
Among those attending Giganticon was Killeen resident Domonique Robinson, along with his wife and two nephews. Unlike many others, Robinson did not engage in what is called cosplay, which is the practice of dressing up as a character from a movie, book or video game.
“I’m not one to dress up and all that, but I love it,” Robinson said, a big smile on his face.
Robinson explained that she took her nephews to the Bell County Comic Con in Belton last month and said Giganticon was a “perk” of being in Killeen.
“It’s always been difficult for us because if there is (an event) it’s always in Houston or Dallas or maybe Austin if we’re lucky,” he said.
With the event over two days, Robinson said he will also attend on Sunday.
Donna Joseph and Brian Fletcher, two of Giganticon’s four owners and business partners, said they were pleased with the response from the Killeen community.
“The community has really come out and supported us and got behind us,” Joseph said as dozens made their way to the convention center.
When the doors opened at 10 a.m. Saturday, Fletcher said the line waiting to get in wrapped around the building, but an efficient system helped speed up the process for attendees to get in.
Fletcher estimated the event draws 4,000 to 5,000 people over the weekend.
Everything about the arrangement of the event was meticulously planned, he explained. Organizers began marketing the event on social media months ago.
“You try to create the experience that they have,” Fletcher said.
As people walked toward the convention center, they were met with the sight of numerous outdoor bounce houses, food trucks, and a couple of archery lanes. Inside, the lobby had people dressed up to add energy and buzz, and finally, inside the hall itself were aisles of vendors.
Along the back wall, people had the opportunity to meet celebrities who starred in a certain movie or TV show.
One of the celebrities Giganticon booked for the inaugural event was Brian Prince, who appeared in the 2018 film “The Predator,” “Black Panther” and AMC’s “The Walking Dead.”
For Prince, he fell in love with playing what he called the “creature” role when he did “The Predator.”
“That’s when I realized I wanted to work with creatures,” Prince said. “So creature work is the kind of thing where you wear a suit and prosthetics. And basically… it makes me act more like a monster and less like a human.”
Prince’s first appearance was as a “walker” or zombie in “The Walking Dead.”
“I got shot in the face and it was one of the fastest jobs I’ve ever done and one of the most fun I’ve ever done,” he said.
Prince described mingling with fans at conventions like Giganticon as “validating.”
“You get a lot of validation and feedback from people that what you’ve done means a lot to them,” she said. “And then also meeting people who, when they meet you, it’s like spending the day. And that’s a really good feeling for me just to be able to have a conversation with someone and take the time to talk to them.”
Giganticon continues Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm at the Civic and Conference Center, 3601 SWS Young Drive in Killeen.
