Star Wars club seeks recruits at Comic Con

Dubai - Among the artists displaying their work, Yasmeen Al Shyoukh said such large pop culture festivals allow female artists to display their work.

With thousands of visitors flocking to this year's Middle East Film and Comic Con (MEFCC 2017) in Dubai, the highlight for Star Wars fans is that their official fan club are looking for recruits!
The 501^st Legion, an international fan-based organisation, are dedicated to construction and wearing of screen-accurate replicas of Sith Lords, bounty hunters, and other villains from Star Wars universe.
Club members, with their own stand at the region's highly anticipated and largest pop culture festival, are looking for recruits to join their ranks for the first time in the region.
Applicants must be at least 18 years old with a documented ownership of at least one qualifying professional-quality costume of a Star Wars villain and interested candidates can apply by visiting 501^st.com and filling out the New Member Application Form.
Among the 501^st legion objectives is to promote interest in Star Wars and facilitate costume use through the building and wearing of quality costumes.
Star Trek fans in attendance at the event this year were in for a particular treat, with a 'Star Trek 50-year exhibition' popup showcasing over 50 pieces of art from 50 artists commemorating the show's first broadcast, way back 1966.
Thousands flocked the second day of the festival, scheduled to continue until Saturday, with organisers expecting over 70,000 visitors over the course of the three-day event.
Many fans took the opportunity to "cosplay" as their favorite heroes, arriving at the event elaborately dressed as their favorite characters, ranging from Marvel Comics superheroes and gaming legends.
But the dominating game that had its characters featured was Overwatch, a new game released in May 2016 by Blizzard.
The sixth edition featured family-themed activities, with a Lego pit that allowed children to have a great and relaxing time and a zipline for action seekers.
On Friday, Fans got face-to-face with their favorite stars, including Game of Thrones and Clash of the Titans' star Liam Cunningham, Anthony Mackie best known for his role as superhero Sam Wilson, aka Falcon, in Marvels Avengersand Captain America movies; and WWE wrestler Kane, the seven-foot giant who was there to meet his fans.
Argo actress Cas Anvar was also there for photo and signing sessions.
Among the artists displaying their work, Yasmeen Al Shyoukh said such large pop culture festivals allow female artists to display their work.
"The pop culture in UAE has been blooming, especially over the past few years and other gaming and anime like games have been a great opportunity for people interested in pop culture," she said, as she displayed her perler beads artwork of different characters.
Al Shyoukh noted that pop festivals allow artists and people of the same interest to meet at one place, which therefore, helps improve talents and make pop culture geeks feel home.
Gathering huge crowds was also a section for tabletop Role Playing Games (RPGs).
Lenwick Hans Dsouza, a passionate tabletop RPG player, said he has been at it for years. Geeky Lizard , a geek store in Dubai's Business Bay, is where he spends most of his weekends slaying monsters and slimy goblins.
"Apart from RPG, I play 'Magic: The Gathering' with the folks down at GeekyLizard. Comic con is something I have been attending to since the last three years. Having such a convention in Dubai is a great experience and a great time to meet fellow geeks and celebrities," said Dsouza.
Over the past five years, the MEFCC phenomenon has attracted well over 200,000 fans, cosplayers, enthusiasts and industry leaders from over across the world and has inspired a new generation of artists and entrepreneurs.
It has played proud host to some of the biggest stars in film and pop culture and this year MEFCC has its sights set on once again offering never-before seen content and promising the most memorable experience for fans.
All about Day 2
- Geeks and cosplayers got the chance to attend workshops on character-building, craft of storytelling, launching their own YouTube channels to film directing and voice acting.
- They also had the chance to hear advice and stories of their favorite stars Anthony Mackie of Avengers and Captain America and Greg Gunberg.
- Tickets to the event are available online through Platinum List and at The Toy Store, Hallmark, and UAE Exchange outlets across the UAE
- A limited quantity of early bird tickets give fans the opportunity to get their hands on the coveted 3-day pass for a special rate until sold out.
- One Day pass costs Dh100
rohma@khaleejtimes.com
sherouk@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE
• Dubai