GMA Brandtalk
Tracking
Archives
Apart from Stan Lee: What awaits at ComicCon Asia 2018
Mired in controversy since it hit the public’s collective conscious, ComicCon Asia 2018’s narrative is a truly fascinating — and admittedly divisive — one. And with the unveiling of its first set of announced guests, the hype for the upcoming pop culture convention, which will be held at the SMX Convention Center on March 24 and 25, 2018, has effectively been dialed up to 11.
True rewards for True Believers
During her opening remarks at the ComicCon Asia Media Launch held at the Heritage Hotel in Pasay on Wednesday, event organizer Pauline Sofia Laping promised that ComicCon Asia will “bring excitement beyond the usual [convention] experience.”
And as far as drumming up excitement goes, superhero fans and pop culture enthusiasts would likely agree that ComicCon Asia won’t find a more Marvel-ous guest than this: none other than the co-creator of Spider-Man, the X-Men, and the Avengers, comics scribe Stan Lee.
The announcement had already been teased earlier this week on the event’s official Facebook page. Should this push through, Stan Lee’s visit to ComicCon Asia would mark the prolific superhero writer’s first-ever appearance at a major convention in the Philippines.
READ: Stan Lee coming to PHL for ComicCon Asia 2018
While The Man might be the main attraction of this convention for many fans, the announced guest list includes tons of names that would certainly appeal to con-goers from all walks of geek life.
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers fans will get the chance to meet Walter Jones, who played the original Black Ranger, Zachary “Zack” Taylor, on the show. NBA superstar Ray Allen will also pay his fans a visit, in celebration of the 20th anniversary of his film, "He Got Game".
On the cosplay front, the lineup includes cosplayer and props maker Chad Hoku (Hoku Props) from California, Vietnamese cosplay sensation Linda Le (Vampy Bit Me), Austrian cosplayer Nana Kuronoma, Budapesti cosplay star Anna Redei (Enji Night), and Filipino cosplay photographer Jay Tablante.
Look, listen, and learn
The organizers have planned a series of activities scheduled for the duration of the convention, including numerous cosplay panels and tutorials, a cosplay competition entitled Cosplay Match-Up, and the official launch of Project X: The Search for the New Pinoy Superheroes.
Meanwhile, comic book fans will also get to see their favorite Pinoy artists at the convention. Illustrators Harvey Tolibao and Carlo Pagulayan will be heading up an art workshop and sharing pro tips and techniques with budding local artists.
A post shared by ComicCon Asia (@comiccon_asia) on
Also invited to share their knowledge and experience in their respective industries are Walt Disney’s Visual Development Artist Armand Serrano and Ian Sta. Maria, comic book artist and Senior Concept Artist at LEGO.
Serrano will talk about how he brought characters from Mulan, Lilo & Stitch, and Big Hero 6 to life, while Sta. Maria will conduct on-screen demos of his artwork while sharing tips on conceptualizing and designing futuristic characters.
Toy enthusiasts and collectors will get a glimpse of the creative design process through the eyes of award-winning toy customizer and creator Jesse Yu (a.k.a. J*RYU). Those looking to light their creative spark may find inspiration via the scheduled talks from Spongecola frontman Yael Yuzon and entrepreneur Carlo Calimon of StartUp Village.
An in-depth roundtable discussion on the comic book industry in Asia will be spearheaded by Temple University professor Dr. John Lent, creator and publisher of the International Journal of Comic Art. The panel will include comics experts Toni Masdiono from Indonesia, Nguyen Thang Phong from Vietnam, Jerry Hinds from Singapore, and Adi Nazri from Malaysia.
The launch was capped off with a not-so-surprise appearance by the event’s official ambassador, Senator Manny Pacquiao.
“Done deal”
At the post-launch press conference, the organizers confirmed that Lee’s appearance was “a done deal.” Laping confirmed that Lee had already signed a contract with ComicCon Asia to finalize his participation.
The organizers are expecting at least 20,000 attendees at the two-day event. Special items and collectibles will be auctioned off during the event, with proceeds going to the families of policemen and soldiers who fought in Marawi.
They also teased more announcements in the coming days, including the possibility of bringing the voice actors from the popular game Overwatch to the convention. — LA, GMA News
For more information on schedules, guests, and ticket prices, visit the official ComicCon Asia website (www.comiccon.asia).
