Inside Playgrounds: Abu Dhabi's Community-Driven Celebration of Pop Culture and Collecting

Playgrounds was built around a simple idea: to give collectors and fans a place to meet, trade and share the things they care about. Presented by Sandstorm Comics, the Abu Dhabi event brought together communities around comics, manga, trading card games, toys, cosplay and other areas of pop culture. Much of the floor was made up of independent sellers, artists and collectors, with visitors moving between tables to browse, buy and exchange items. Mo Abedin, editor-in-chief at Sandstorm Comics, says a community-led character is central to Playgrounds.

“What’s really important about Playgrounds is really the birth of the pop culture scene from the community’s perspective in Abu Dhabi,” he says. “Right now, we have a lot of pop culture events that are run by companies, but this one is really driven by the community itself.”

Trading cards were a major part of Playgrounds, with collectors browsing binders and discussing cards directly with vendors. Sandstorm launched in 2022 as the UAE’s first dedicated comic book studio and is based at Yas Creative Hub. The company supports local writers and artists through professional development, mentorship and partnerships with international publishers and creators.

Trading cards were among the most visible interests. Visitors browsed binders filled with Pokemon and other cards, while sealed packs and boxes lined shelves behind sellers. Buying, selling and trading were a major part of the event. That exchange is at the heart of a swap meet, where collectors bring items to sell or trade directly with one another. Such gatherings are an important part of collector culture, giving enthusiasts a chance to compare collections, discover hard-to-find pieces and trade with those who share the same interests.

Playgrounds also builds on a format that has already drawn large crowds in the UAE. Sandstorm was title sponsor of Sandbox Swapmeet in Dubai in May, when more than 16,000 visitors attended over four days to enjoy comics, manga, anime, gaming, trading cards, retro toys, art and cosplay.

One of the most distinctive items on display was a 2023 Pokemon Old Maid Pikachu card featuring hand-painted artwork by Rosa La Barbera and authenticated by PSA/DNA. It was presented inside an elaborate stone-covered frame with a matching chain. The vendor said the complete ensemble is valued in the millions of dollars, although that figure could not be independently verified.

Elsewhere, collectors browsed figures, plush toys, key chains and handmade pieces inspired by popular characters, while other tables were given over to artists, prints and comics. Abedin says the range of interests is one of the main ideas behind Playgrounds. “As you can see, all the different kinds of interests, all the different kinds of hobbies, comics, manga, TCG, Beyblade, Tamiya, everything is here right now,” he says. “That’s why we call it the playground. It’s a place where people get together and really share and enjoy the things that they love.”

“What we wanted to do is integrate the culture as a whole because, again, this is an ecosystem that uses all different kinds of media, from comic books and trading cards to toys and merch,” Abedin says. “We want to really bring that to light in Abu Dhabi.”

The three-day event at Manarat Al Saadiyat, which ran at the weekend but is intended to become a regular event, also included trading-card and video-game tournaments, cosplay, an artist alley, interactive activities and live entertainment. The inaugural event attracted families, with children and parents moving around the hall together and stopping at different stalls. Abedin says that this is one of the things that has stood out most to him. “My favourite thing about walking into Playgrounds, honestly, is seeing children dragging their parents around,” he says.

Playgrounds also gives Sandstorm a chance to place its own comics alongside the international franchises that have helped shape the interests of many visitors. Sandstorm graphic novels were displayed at the event, with artwork that draws on manga and comic-book influences while featuring characters and settings connected to the region.

Abedin says he has been making comics since he was about 11 years old, with manga becoming a particular passion. “The way that we look at it is we want to create inclusive stories that originate from here, that feature people and the culture of this country,” he says. Japan and South Korea are examples of places that built pop culture industries around their own stories and identities, and Abedin wants to do that for the UAE as well, creating stories featuring familiar names, places, and everyday experiences.

Anime, manga and Japanese trading-card culture had a strong presence at Playgrounds, alongside Western comics and other collectibles, bringing diverse communities together in one space. Abedin summarizes the variety simply: “There is no cool space. It’s all super subjective, but we can all agree on one thing: this is where the culture and the community want to be.”