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Dave Sinclair will be taking no prisoners when a festival celebrating comics, video games, TV, film and all facets of modern popular culture returns to Leicester.

Comic Con is back again this weekend, with fans applying the finishing touches to costumes ranging from Star Wars characters and Marvel superheroes to video game protagonists.

But Dave, from South Wigston, is ready to take on all comers.

And he’s going to stand out. Just a bit.

Because, in what’s believed to be a world first, the 56-year-old will be marching into the Athena venue as the fearsome Rogal Dorn, Primarch of the Imperial Fists Space Marine Legion – aka The Vigilant. The Praetorian of Terra. The Unyielding One.

“Leicester Comic Con brings together some of the country’s most enthusiastic Cosplayers (hobbyists who where costumes to represent a particular character)," said Dave, a former soldier who now runs his own production company, Corporate Motion TV.

“I’ve been photographing and filming cosplayers and living history enthusiasts for quite a few years now but made the decision this year to become a cosplayer myself.”

Dave said he has been waiting for Leicester Comic Con to make his big splash as Rogal Dorn, billed as “one of the greatest heroes” in the history of the Imperium of Man, a galaxy-spanning interstellar human empire in the fantasy role play and tabletop game Warhammer 40,000.

He added: “If you imagine Star Wars, then he’s got the gravitas of a Darth Vader character.

“And I didn’t want to turn up as a Thor or Spiderman. There’s plenty of them.

“I wanted something different.”

His appearance as Rogal Dorn could also be a first.

He said: “I’ve done my research and spoken to a number of people in the field who would know, and I’m pretty confident mine is the world’s first Rogal Dorn cosplay costume.”

Dave is keen to stress the his is not the official Rogal Dorn, whose copyright is owned by Games Workshop, but more a tribute to the character.

The suit, which is made of EVA foam, was created by designer John Davies, from Bridgend, South Wales.

The foam was cut from designs traced on A4 paper using a hot knife and the armour plates glued together with a “hot glue of doom” before being painstakingly painted and finished.

(Image: Andy Douglas)

Dave said: “It took a few months to make and, although I said I wouldn’t reveal how much it cost, it is the price of a small car.”

“John’s known as the ‘foam wizard’ among cosplayers and has done a fantastic job.”

He added: “I’ve been so excited about picking up the costume and wearing it for the first time I could hardly sleep.

“It’s almost 8ft tall and involves stilts so my wife Karen has to help me get into it, but putting it on for the first time felt absolutely epic.”

Leicester Comic Con can’t come quickly enough for Dave.

“I can’t wait,” he said. “I could’ve worn the costume at the recent London Comic Con but have held it back for Leicester.

“It’s such a great family event and Athena is the perfect venue.

WWhat better place to forget your day-to-day problems and relax with friends and other like-minded folk.”

It will be the fourth time Athena, the former Art Deco Odeon Cinema in the heart of Leicester’s Cultural Quarter, has hosted the festival.

(Image: Andy Douglas)

Attractions include cosplay contests for adults and children; a Big Geek Market; table-top gaming zone; a Harry Potter zone; superhero body painters; drawing workshops; full-size film props, and a retro gaming zone.

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