Social media has been abuzz with discussions on Cosplay (Costume roleplay), comic book illustrations, 3D character creations and fans looking forward to meeting celebrity guests.
Nissan Manga town, a geek out zone, the legendary Stan Lee, vintage comics village, and an exclusive workshop on clay modeling: These do not sound like anything out of a normal convention now, does it? Then it must be Comic Con! The Middle East’s most sought after multi-genre pop culture festival Middle East Film and Comic Con (MEFCC) is here. The convention will begin on Thursday, April 3 at the Dubai World Trade Centre Convention Center and will end on Saturday, April 5.
Social media has been abuzz with discussions on Cosplay (Costume roleplay), comic book illustrations, 3D character creations and fans looking forward to meeting celebrity guests.
Entering its third year, the MEFCC has become a regional hub for comic books, science fiction and other fantasy genre lovers.
Ben Caddy, CEO, ExtraCake — organisers of MEFCC — said: “We have come a long way since the first event in 2012. The event’s growth has been phenomenal, especially when you consider it is just our third year and we’ve moved to a venue the size of the Dubai World Trade Centre. Our original venue for the first two years was great but we were just bursting at the seams last year. With 15,000 visitors at the first event and 21,000 last year, we are expecting 30,000 fans at our new venue this year.”
Caddy added: “We have also seen the number of international exhibitors and artists who are coming down for the con grow. Word is obviously spreading in the industry and Dubai is becoming the destination for every kind of event, including pop culture now.”
The line up of celebrity guests this year is impressive with the icing on the cake being a video conferencing session with comic book legend Stan Lee. He is the creative force behind Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, and The Avengers to name a few.
Caddy said: “The list of features and activities is potentially the best we’ve ever had and it’s difficult to pick a handful to talk about. For the first time, comic book fans will have the opportunity to ask those burning questions that they’ve always wanted to know the answer to but never had the chance from Stan Lee.”
Other celebrities’ include Hollywood A-lister Seth Green, Canadian actor Taylor Kitsch, American actor, director, and producer Giancarlo Esposito (best known for his portrayal of Gustavo ‘Gus’ in AMC’s Breaking Bad).
Gaming will also take a great precedence at the Comic Con. “We also have the launch of the PLG Grand Arena, giving gamers the chance to compete in a professional tournament environment. They’ll be bringing in some championship level tournament teams as well including Team Klarity and Team Alliance, making the game zone an absolute must see for gaming fans in the region.”
Collectibles fans can look forward to Metropolis Collectibles. They will be bringing down one of the largest and rarest collections of vintage comics the Middle East has ever seen —worth over $1 million. “Whether you’re an investor, comic lover or just a visitor at MEFCC, this is going to be a sight to behold,” said Caddy.
Like every comic convention, fans can look forward to Cosplay. Cady said: “Our legendary cosplay competition is back and we have well over 100 entries already and it’s still growing as devoted cosplayers try to finish off their costumes on time. The main stage area is also going to have numerous performances from regional and international bands and musicians as well as interactive elements with our celebrity guests.”
By Dhanusha Gokulan
