A FREE comic and gaming convention this weekend will "give back to the community."

Newport Comic and Gaming Con will be at Newport Leisure Centre between 11am and 6pm on Saturday and Sunday, replacing the GeekedFest event that was postponed until next year.

Organiser, Shane Richard Jordan, who owns Sin City Comics said: “For us this free event is about giving back to the community.

"It will give people who are teetering on the edge of going to a comic con – but worried they might pay high costs and not enjoy it – the chance to try it out.

“It’s like when you watch a trailer for a film and think ‘that looks okay, but am I going to spend a tenner to see it in the cinema, or just wait for it to be released?’

“This event is free. People can come try it out and they might enjoy it and go to future events, such as GeekedFest.”

The event will be an opportunity for people to don their favourite cosplay, with sweet prizes up for grabs, supported by events and media company, Costume and Play.

“The cosplay will be a mixture of everything, from anime to superheroes, to cult shows and films," added Mr Jordan.

“The prizes are still being sorted, as it’s a replacement event, but one of the main prizes will be tickets to next year’s GeekedFest."

Special guests will include comic artists Dylan Teague – who has done work for the Judge Dredd comics – and Marvel’s Simon Williams and Jason Cardy.

There will also be local talent at the event, with Alex Mines and Darren Coburn-James showcasing Official Topps sketch cards.

Gamers can galore, with retro and modern games on offer, along with table-top and trading card games, including Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh and Dragon Ball Z.

“It’s going to be an interesting weekend,” said Mr Jordan.

“There will be lots of demos, where people can come along and learn to play. If they’re interested we can then tell them about clubs locally.

“It’s an inclusive free event, which is all about community.”

There will be talks, competitions, demonstrations, Lego building, and a bouncy castle, plus plenty of fantastic photo opportunities.

Stormtroopers and Jedis will roam the venue, with props including the Iron Throne from Game of Thrones, Thanos' throne from Avengers: Infinity Wars, and the Batpod motorbike from The Dark Knight trilogy.

The Tardis may even make an appearance, complete with Daleks, making it sure to be an amazing geek-end.

There is a car park at the leisure centre, with parking available nearby in Friars Walk and Kingsway.

The GeekedFest convention will now take place next year, starting on April 27.