JEDDAH: Excitement is building among comics fans as the second installment of Saudi Comic Con (SCC) is set to sweep over Jeddah from Thursday (March 22-24). Last year’s SCC, the first event of its kind in Saudi Arabia, drew in more than 22,000 lovers of comics, manga, anime and film. Cosplayers dressed as their favorite characters, Marvel superheroes were sighted on the ground, artists met and networked, while children and adults basked in the all-encompassing presence of Star Wars and manga figures around the hall. The three-day convention is an initiative sponsored by the General Entertainment Authority (GEA) and organized by Time Entertainment. It aims to give comic fans a place to plant their roots, to support local authors and storytellers, and provide entertainment, coinciding with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030. “This year’s Comic Con is bigger, better and will hopefully witness an increase in attendees," Time Entertainment told Arab News. “It will be more engaging, especially toward local artists as we’ve given them greater exposure.” This year’s event promises fans a flurry of new experiences with three international stars: The Vampire Diaries’ Ian Somerhalder, Narcos’ Wagner Moura and Vikings’ Gustaf Skarsgard. Netflix will hold a public event for the first time in Saudi Arabia, while famous DC universe characters will make an appearance, including Batman, Superman, Green Lantern, the Joker and the Flash. There will be many competitions, including a gaming league on Thursday, and a cosplaying competition on Friday for males and females who will be able to participate in separate sections to showcase their talents. Obada Awad, Time Entertainment CEO, said there was a huge demand for such an event: “Saudi Comic Con is a phenomenon that changed the entertainment scene in the country and paved the way for different types of entertainment in the Kingdom,” he said. Notably, SCC received the award for Best International Event held in the Kingdom in 2017 from the GEA. For more information about the three day event, visit http://www.saudicomiccon.com/index_en