WANTAGE'S sci-fi overlord has revealed he is zooming ahead with plans for the town's second ever comic convention.

Toy shop owner Steve Taylor says this year's fantasy festival on Sunday, December 3, will be 'bigger and better' than last year's inaugural outing.

Mr Taylor, 46, was speaking as he celebrated international Star Wars Day, May the fourth, with Return of the Jedi actor Michael Henbury at an in-store signing on Saturday.

Film fans young and old came to meet the star, who played Taboo the Ewok, and get their photo taken with a Star Wars Storm Trooper.

Looking ahead to the second Wantage Comic Con Mr Taylor said: "This year we should have double the number of people – I'm aiming for about 1,000.

"I've got eight actors and actresses already booked, 36 trade stands, a retro gaming van and Storm Troopers coming back on their BMX bikes."

The carnival of counter-culture will once again be held at the Beacon hall in Portway.

Last year's comic con saw hundreds of people from across Oxfordshire and beyond, many of them in full costume, pack into the hall to meet film stars, pick up rare toys and collectibles and joining geeky gaming sessions on retro consoles.

Mr Taylor, who runs Toy Planet Collectors in the Arbery Arcade, said his festival had been able to ride a wave of renewed interest in all things sci-fi and fantasy which has also seen the the inaugural comic cons take place in Oxford and Didcot in the past two years.

He said: "It's the whole sci-fi film industry: over the past five years Marvel and Disney have been pumping out the big franchises and we've had a Star Wars film every year.

"I think a lot of it is down to dads passing on their fandom to their kids, and I think a lot of collectors are reliving their youth.

"When they step in my shop it's like stepping back to when they were kids.

"I get people from five years old up to 70.

"I think geek has also become very popular due to tv shows like the Big Bang Theory."

Wantage mayor Steve Trinder said the first comic con had been 'a fantastic thing' for the town and done a great job to bring people in.

To keep up-to-date on announcements search on Facebook for Toy Planet Collectors.