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Plans for the kingdom’s first ever Comic-Con are in full swing, with fans of comics, movies and games bubbling with anticipation for the coming extravaganza.
The event will take place on March 16 and 17 at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir and feature numerous special guests as well as a plethora of stands, stalls and exhibitions.
Amongst the confirmed celebrities are WWE legend Daniel Bryan, Game of Thrones actor Jerome Flynn and Stranger Things actor Joseph Keery.
The organising company, Dallah, consists of Sohaib Tarek, Salman Bukhari, Khalid Bukhari and Omar Turk.
Khalid said: “This is the first ever Bahrain Comic-Con and we’ve been working on this for the past two years. We’ve been to numerous Comic-Cons around the world to conduct research and see how they run, including San Diego and London.
“This is the ‘Godfather of all Cons’ with regards to comics, cosplaying and more. Finally, we’re delighted to bring it to Bahrain!”
Comic Con is an international event that was first staged in the US city of San Diego in California in 1970. Since then it has evolved into an annual event held in major cities around the world.
The foursome are reluctant to reveal everything planned for the big event, which is held under the patronage of Shaikh Mohamed bin Salman Al Khalifa, although they have teased a number of surprises.
There will be a showcase of new movies, including premiere trailers of upcoming blockbusters. There will be video game stalls for guests to try out the latest games, plus a cosplay competition and a display of more than 600 collectibles with figurines from numerous Disney properties such as Marvel and Star Wars.
Physical attractions include a zip-line and a mountain climbing area. There will be plenty of activities for younger children too and a food festival featuring more than 15 stalls.
Omar explained: “Our primary goal is to put Bahrain on the Comic-Con map. We’ve already received calls from all over the world, not just the GCC but the UK, Brazil, and Spain to name a few!
“We’re hopeful such a big event will bring a positive recognition for the country and people will go back and spread the word about how amazing Bahrain is.”
Tickets are available now, with a day pass BD10, a two-day pass for BD15 and VIP tickets which cost BD80. These are limited to 500 and will offer ticketholders a chance to take pictures with the celebrities and receive a goodie-bag.
They can be purchased from You Make We Bake in Juffair, Ice Games, Euphoria and Ravens Nest.
Salman said: “We want Bahrain Comic-Con to be a place for people to connect and have fun through their shared love of comics, films and more. It doesn’t matter what age they are as long as they have fun!
“Finally, we’d like to thank our partners Vox Cinema, Tamkeen, and Zain, without whom this wouldn’t be possible.”
GULFWEEKLY has teamed up with Dallah to offer FREE tickets to Comic-Con Bahrain. Visit GulfWeekly’s Facebook page for details on how to enter the contest.
