Press Start. Play. The Middle East Film and Comic Con (MEFCC), the annual pop culture event, is back from April 3 to 5. And this year, it’s got a new home at the Dubai World Trade Centre.
“We had to move because our old home for the last two years, the Dubai International Marine Club, Mina Seyahi, could not fit us any more,” says organiser Arafaat Ali Khan.
Not just limited to comic book lovers, the event will cater to anyone, of any age, interested in videogames, TV, film, books, music and, of course, cosplaying — dressing up in costumes.
Because there will be so much to do, here are tabloid!’s top things not to miss at the MEFCC:
The celebrities
Max Landis, the writer of the cult supernatural hit film Chronicle returns this year. Joining him will be Canadian hottie Taylor Kitsch, best known for his roles in John Carter and Battleship; Giancarlo Esposito, who played Gus in the hit TV show Breaking Bad and Seth Green, known for his role in the Austin Powers films and on the TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer, besides being the creator and voice of Robot Chicken.
Scottish actor Sylvester McCoy, who played the seventh doctor in the long-running British science-fiction series Dr Who in the 1980s, and wizard Radagast the Brown in Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit series, will also attend. Superhero film Spawn’s star Michael Jau White, Thai martial artist and actor Tony Jaa, known for the Ong-Bak films, will also be there. Besides panel discussions, these stars will have their own autograph and photograph sessions. You’ll need to buy coupons to get into those.
The artists
One of the highlights of the last two Cons, the Artists’ Alley will feature local artists showing off their skills as well as 25 internationally-known artists. Names include American voice actor Christopher Robin Sabat, graphic novelist and comic book creator Nicolas Wild, illustrator Erwann Surcouf, founder of Anime studio Gainax, Hiroyuki Yamaga, Anime artist Mamoru Yokota and the illustrator and co-creator of one of the world’s most popular graphic novels and iconic characters, V for Vendetta, David Lloyd, among others. If you are an artist and still want to book space, there’s already a waiting list. Send an email to bookings@mefcc.com to see if you can still get in.
The exhibitions
Collectors, this is your turf. One of the highlights of the weekend will be the participation of Metropolis Collectibles, one of the world’s largest vintage comic book dealers and online vintage comic auction house ComicConnect.com.
Metropolis Collectibles’ co-founder, Vincent Zurzolo, will bring with him the first Superman comic, Action Comics 1, the first Batman comic, Detective Comics 27 and the first Spider Man, Amazing Fantasy 15, all valued at more than $1 million (Dh367 million) each. They will go under the hammer if you’ve got a few million dirhams to spare.
A Storm Trooper helmet created by UK artist Damien Hirst will also go on display along with versions of the helmet created by 20 UAE-based artists at the ‘Art Wars’ exhibit. It’s the idea of the film’s prop designer, Andrew Ainsworth, who will attend.
The performances
Joining UAE bands on stage for the party will be Japanese singer Miou Fujinaga, who’s known for fusing traditional songs with contemporary music. Edgy Dubai band The Boxtones will also bring their pop rock vibes and so will the city’s very own rock band Nikotin.
The legend
Legen — wait for it — dary. Stan Lee, the man who created Spider Man, The Incredible Hulk, X-Men, Iron Man ad The Fantastic Four will participate in a video conference during the MEFCC. Check the event’s website for how to get in on this because once in, you will also get a chance to win a trip to fly to Los Angeles to dine with the legend himself.
The workshops
Want to find out if you’ve got it in you? A series of workshops will kick off on Thursday and will run throughout the event. These include classes by clay animation experts, digital painters, game developers, special effects make-up artists, acting coaches, manga artists, comic book illustrators and of course, cosplay professionals.
The movies
Vox Cinemas is hosting the movie club this year, which will include screenings of the documentary film Chris Claremont’s X-Men, on how the billion dollar blockbuster was rescued from the brink of cancellation thanks to one writer, the Girl and It by Mohammad Fikree and others running throughout the three days.
…and the cosplayers
One of the most well-attended each year, the cosplay competition this year will feature judges; the American professional cosplayer Yaya Han, Dubai-born Australian cosplayer Madeleine Rose, and Jacky Dosai, the founding editor of CosMode Magazine, dedicated to everything cosplay. Get creative and go to the MEFCC website to fill in your form. Prizes are bigger and better this year, say organisers.
Did you know?
The MEFCC this year will have its own celebrity gift lounge. Lumin, the guys behind gift lounges at the Dubai International Film Festival, Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Weekend and Abu Dhabi Film Festival have put together a mix of international and regional brands for the stars to be pampered with. These include goodies from Koton, Speedometer, New Era, T-Junction, Jashanmal Bookstores and Vox Cinemas. This one’s not open to the public, but just for the stars. Sigh…
The tickets
Tickets to the MEFCC are available in the form of VIP passes at Dh500, weekend passes at Dh160 and one-day passes at Dh85. VIP passes grant entry for Thursday, April 3, between 4pm–8pm; Friday, April 4, between 12pm–10pm and Saturday, April 5, between 12pm–9pm. Weekend passes are only for Friday and Saturday, while one-day passes can be bought for either Friday or Saturday. Thursday activities between 12pm-3pm are reserved for school and university bookings (at a discount) and are not available to individuals. Tickets are available at ticketmaster.ae. For an updated schedule, go to mefcc.com.
How to do the con
It’s going to be one hectic weekend. To make sure you get the best out of the MEFCC and have a great time, here are some dos and don’ts:
• Buy tickets ahead of time to guarantee attendance
• Check deadlines on registration for events or competitions so that you don’t miss out on your favourite activities
• Wear comfortable shoes and clothing, you’ll be standing, walking and jumping a lot
• If you have a power hungry phone, carry a battery extender — and bring a spare battery or memory card for your camera.
• Plan what you will be doing before arriving and have a back up plan so that you aren’t disappointed.
• Bring a backpack for all the awesome merchandise you can buy or win, and for some healthy snacks and water to sustain you.
• Don’t lose your badge or pass — it is your key to everything.
• There are a lot of panels, workshops, movies and trailers at the event. Plan what you want to see and make sure you queue up or book your space well in advance or you will not get place.
• Some exclusive previews will require you to hand in your mobile at the Movie Club counter.
