For those who wanted to rekindle their inner child, ‘Daraz Presents Toycon 2017’ held from September 23-24 at Drik Gallery was the perfect location. Being Bangladesh’s first ever toy convention, it was not just an event but an epoch-making movement. Daraz online was the title sponsor while Za'n Zee Ice Cream was the co-sponsor. With hundreds of current and vintage hard-to-find toy collections, comics, movie memorabilia, transformers, model kits, superheroes, play-sets, character toys, action figures, posters, lego, comics and magazines, barbies and much more, it was indeed a memorable event. Radio Dhol, Daily Sun, Brandmyth Digital, RollOut, TGS, Toylet, Star Cineplex, Dhaka Comicon and Multimedia Kingdom were the partners of the event.

It was one of those geek conventions that are sure to touch your heart. As soon as someone entered through the gate, he/she stepped into a whole new realm. Every corner of the venue evoked the visitors’ childhood days. The first floor was mainly dedicated to exhibits while stalls and goodies took up most space on the other floor. Whether you are a DC or Marvel fan, you could not help but be amazed with all the toys and action figures exhibited to their full glory. One such avid collector, Mamun, who had his toys exhibited in the event said that he has been collecting since 1992. “This is quite like a stress relief. After a whole day of work, when I stand in front of my collection- all my fatigue disappears. It’s great to see my collection here at the Toycon,” he shared. There were collectibles and memorabilia dating back to the 1950’s. The multiple collectors were not just showcasing toys, they were showcasing their prized possessions- toys that they had carefully preserved over the years from dust, wear and tear for the emotion attached to them. Some of these toys were quite rare not to mention quite expensive. However, to these collectors- these are priceless. The feelings attached to these made the ambient there very vibrant. There was also a stall for caricature. Toy photography and stop motion videography were something that are sure to get jaws dropped. There was also a booth where you could get your photo taken.

On the second floor, there were goodies that you could buy and proudly possess. Whether you are a Star Wars fan or can relate more to Suicide Squad characters, whether you love WWE or simply want something cute such as stuffed toys or witty t-shirts- this was the perfect place for you.

There was everything related to toys you could possibly ever want. Toylet, Rollout, ToyMoy, Knock, Saadi's Collectible's, DCCCB, Graceology, Kraftz, Geekaroo, Worthy Toys, Action Collectible's, Different Colors and Sketch were few of the names that brought your favorite action figures and pop culture merchandise. There was also a food and refreshment corner by Cookups. Naim and Nafis from Toylet said they began their journey in 2014. “It was mainly an online store but we soon opened a branch in Gulshan 2 opposite to Dutch club,” said Naim. “There is such a huge demand for pop culture merchandise in Bangladesh now. We are very happy to be in this event,” said Nafis. Shishir from Geekaroo said, “You can say I am one of those kids who never grew up. I started importing toys from different countries with the purpose of selling but I loved most of these so much that I soon kept many of them for myself. At Geekaroo, you will find toys imported from USA, UK, and a few Asian and European countries.”

The organizer of the event, none other than one of the pioneers of Comicon culture in Bangladesh, Saadi Rahman expressed that Toycon was a dream he has been nurturing for over a decade. “It takes place all around the world. Now that the pop culture scene is booming in Bangladesh, I thought that it was the right time.” Even so, pioneering anything has its share of risks and Saadi faced the same. However just like everything else he had achieved, Toycon was a massive success.  Everyday of the event was simply packed. On Saturday, there was hardly any space to stand. His wife, Tasmia Chowdhury , who is also a passionate comic fan said it was an absolutely thrilling experience. “There were so much people that at one point the air-cooler stopped working,” she said. “Kids came with parents and it turned out that most parents became as much as or even more excited than the kids.” Tasmia is also an enthusiastic collector and showcased some of her rare vintage Barbie collections at the event.
Finally, Saadi, organizer of the event, has expressed his desire to organize a Toycon at least once every year.