Abu Dhabi, UAE – Sandstorm Comics, Abu Dhabi’s first dedicated comic books studio, achieved a significant milestone by showcasing five of its upcoming publications during its participation in New York Comic Con (NYCC) earlier in October, where it sponsored NYCC Artist Alley, which hosts over 500 independent international comic artists.

Through its participation in this prestigious international platform, Sandstorm highlighted local Emirati comics talents by unveiling three of the studio’s releases written by Emirati creators: “Realm” by Mohammed Al Qadi, “Life of a Shoujo Weeb” by Zainab Al Rumaithi, and “Solarblader” by Mohammed Abedin, in addition to “Mirage King” by Umair Faizullah from Pakistan, and “Wrath of the Feral” by Soroush Barazesh from Canada, confirming the commitment of Sandstorm Comics studio in Abu Dhabi to achieving its vision of investing in upcoming talents and bringing them to the world, in addition to the studio’s pioneering contribution in supporting the creative ecosystem in Abu Dhabi.

These publications are part of a larger initiative, which includes a collection of comic books scheduled for international publishing in both Arabic and English by the end of 2024.

Sandstorm, a comics studio that is part of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, seeks to develop local talent, invest in creativity at the national level, foster the growth of creative content creators, and employ comic books as platform to showcase unique stories from the Arabian Gulf region. Sandstorm has made its own distinctive mark as the first Arabic-language publishing house to sponsor the Artist Alley at New York Comic Con, the renowned annual gathering of popular culture, which brings together more than 500 independent professional artists to showcase their work and engage with their fans.

Commenting on the participation, Mo Abdeen, Editor-in-Chief of Sandstorm, said: “We are proud to achieve a new milestone as the first Arab publisher to sponsor the Artist Alley at the New York Comic Con, an inspiring space that brings together the best talents and creators from around the world in the field of comics. Our participation highlights the UAE’s pioneering potential in this dynamic field of art and demonstrates our commitment towards developing it by presenting new voices and stories to readers around the world, in addition to strengthening partnerships that affirm Abu Dhabi’s position as a global hub for comics, cultural growth, and the creative arts.”

Sandstorm Studios’ booth at NYCC attracted over 5,000 visitors, and its team hosted a panel discussion on the comics industry and creative community in Abu Dhabi, as well as their expansion and the various opportunities available to comics creators in the emirate. Sandstorm also participated in NYCC Retailer Day, providing fans and industry professionals with a glimpse into the innovative content the studio is developing in Abu Dhabi. The studio also invited the international creative community to submit their comics scripts through the website sandstormcomics.com, in addition to organizing a series of book signing sessions with Sandstorm artists, writers, and art directors at the convention.

Based in Yas Creative Hub, Sandstorm Comics Studio is a key component of the emirate’s 10-year strategy to fostering greater connectivity and collaboration across the emirate’s cultural and creative industries, as it works to enable comics creators to leverage the synergies created by the success of these sectors, enabling collaborations with a select group of storytellers, artists, experts, visionaries and global experts working across the cultural and creative industries.

For more information about Sandstorm Comics, please visit: sandstormcomics.com