Having fun is political in Saudi Arabia. In a country where 60 per cent of the population is under 30, unmarried men and women at tgi Fridays must dine in separate areas divided by a concrete wall. The cinema is banned. Crews of bearded muttawah – religious police – comb the streets and malls for misdemeanours, such as women driving.

Yet there’s a small but significant shift taking place in the kingdom. Earlier this year, Comic Con came to Saudi Arabia and locals were let loose to take selfies with Lycra-clad superheroes. It sounds innocuous to…

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