Fife sci-fi fans can set their phasers to “fun” after plans were unveiled to host the region’s largest comic book convention.
Fife Cultural Trust is preparing to get in on the boom in cult entertainment by staging its first ever comic convention next summer.
Set to be the largest event of its kind ever staged in Fife, “Kingdom Con” is still in its early stages of planning, however the event is expected to take place at the Rothes Halls in Glenrothes on Saturday June 10.
Service development team leader for libraries at Fife Cultural Trust, Yvonne Melville, who is leading the organisation of the event, said: “Everyone at Fife Cultural Trust is really excited about this event, which we hope will bring some of the UK’s top comic creative talent to Glenrothes and also attract visitors from all over Scotland and even further afield.”
Having started as a celebration of comic book culture, today’s conventions have grown to incorporate various other cult interests, such as science fiction, video blogging, computer gaming, collectables and other forms of entertainment.
Hugely popular in the United States, where the format originated in the 1960’s, today shows are staged across the globe, with the lucrative events recurring in towns on an annual basis.
Preparations for Kingdom Con are still at an early stage, but organisers are keen to ensure that the event will feature everything all die-hard convention fans will expect, such as comic workshops, activities, photo shoots, autograph sessions, panels, and stalls selling memorabilia.
Two top graphics designers have already been secured for the event, including Fife’s own Gary Erskine, who is established on the convention circuit for his ink sketches of famous comic characters.
In March, Dunfermline hosted its first convention, attracting 2,500 enthusiasts to the Glen Pavilion.
With a larger venue, organisers of the “Kingdom Con” will be hoping to establish an event that can pull in an even larger numbers of fans.
