It is every nerd’s fantasy to meet their favorite hero in person, and when I saw someone dressed in an obscure green tunic at this year’s Middle East Film & Comic Convention, I knew my moment had come. Comic Con was filled with unique Middle Eastern-inspired comics and art, as well as a healthy amount of B-list celebrities — no offense to the Sean Astin fans.

NYUAD’s Hall Council sponsored students’ trip to the convention. The day began with an inspiring show of costumes worn by students, proving that no matter the level of serious academia at our university, we still know how to pull out our anime swag. When I arrived at the conference, I felt as if I was Neo going into the Matrix, but instead of men wearing suits and sunglasses, I was being followed by colorful anime characters. These characters awaited you at every twist and turn, but they meant no harm. Like me, they were once ordinary residents of the UAE, but they had chosen to become extraordinary heroes for just one day. Your reward for finding the hero of your choice was getting your photo taken with an absolute stranger dressed in costume, without anybody asking questions.

The true intellect of the students came to light during the Question and Answer sessions with celebrities. We resisted our fanboy and fangirl urges to squeal in the presence of great men like Warwick Davis and Alan Tudyk and instead we asked the hard questions. These sessions gave great insight into the true personalities of celebrities like Davis, who played Professor Flitwick in the Harry Potter films but said that if he was a bit taller, he would have liked to play Snape.

In comparison to the Comic Cons of Japan and the United States, the Middle East Film & Comic Con was humble and delightfully unique. It provided an intimate setting between fans and celebrities and displayed a side of the Middle East I did not know existed. It just goes to show that no matter what corner of the world you find yourself in, there is always someone in waiting, ready to swap their everyday life and clothes for spandex and a cape.