It’s the last day of the AsiaPop Comicon Manila (APCC) today, and we have until 8 p.m. to geek out at the SMX Convention Center.
The annual pop-culture festival is running Aug. 25-27, and this year’s event promises to be the “most inclusive” yet, according to Abdulla Mahmood. He is the director of marketing and international business of Al Ahli Holding Group, the company which has been producing APCC in Manila.
Headliners for this year are Ray Fisher aka Cyborg in the DC movie “Justice League,” and Tyler Hoechlin who plays Superman on the “Supergirl” TV series.
We’re also excited to meet the “Stranger Things” squad: Noah Schnapp who plays Will Byers and Joe Keery who plays Steve Harrington, plus two new Season 2 stars: Dacre Montgomery and Sadie Sink who will be playing Billy and Max, respectively.
Adding local color to the festivities are celebrity love teams Daniel Padilla and Kathryn Bernardo of the telenovela “La Luna Sangre,” and Julia Barreto and Joshua Garcia of the upcoming movie “Love You to the Stars and Back.”
Mahmood said that the partnership with ABS-CBN is a way of “building synergy with the Filipino film and TV producers, and a way of “tapping Filipino influencers to reach a broader audience.”
“We want to highlight that APCC is a platform not only of international artists, but mainly of the Filipino artists and creatives,” he explained.
A one-day ticket is still available for P600 onsite, which lets walk-in participants attend simultaneous events scheduled throughout the day.
Here’s Super’s guide on how to make the most of the Asia Pop Comicon this Sunday.
1. Go early.
On the Main Stage, the Comic Panel will feature rockstar artists Carl Potts, Whilce Portacio, Rodney Ramos and Artgerm at 11:30 a.m., so make sure to secure a good spot.
Tyler Hoeclin will be signing autographs at 10:30 a.m., and will have a meet-and-greet session at 11:45 a.m.
2. Visit Hall M and Hall N.
Hall M is a Marvel Showcase so exclusive that guests have to sign a nondisclosure agreement to get in (bring a valid ID). It promises to show “never-before-seen clips” of tightly guarded Marvel secrets.
Hall N is the Netflix setup, and is probably the best place to chill. It features a recreation of key “Stranger Things” sets: the Upside Down with the monstrous Demogorgon, the Hawkins Lab, and the iconic Byers living room with the creepy, colorful alphabet lights.
Beat the crowd and score a free milkshake at the “Riverdale” booth, and get your sexy winged eyeliner done by the “Orange is the New Black” crew.
3. Join the workshops.
Japanese animator and “Macross” creator Shoji Kawamori will be holding a workshop at the second level of SMX at 2 p.m. Limited slots!
Obsessed with makeup? NYX cosmetics will present the “Makeup Magic” seminar at 5:30 p.m., also at the SMX second floor.
4. Say hi to Simone Legno.
The creator of the quirky Tokidoki pop-art empire will have a signing session at the Autograph Area at 11:30 a.m. He’s very charming and approachable, take our word for it.
5. Get your “Game of Thrones” fix.
Sky Cable will be presenting the “Game of Thrones Pageant” which will be a cosplay contest on the Main Stage at 5 p.m. We’ll take this as an appetizer for the “Game of Thrones” Season 7 finale to be shown the next day.
6. Stay for The Cage Awards Ceremony.
The Cosplay Authority Global Challenge (The Cage) has been screening cosplay entries for the Open Category and Kids Category since early this year, and they will be announcing the winners at 7 p.m. as a grand finale of the APCC.
7. Pack light and bring cash.
There are lockers available at P200 that may be shared by two persons, but it’s always best to bring a small bag since it’s a huge, multilevel venue, plus a foldable shopper.
Always remember that the APCC is a mecca of merch where one can buy comics, consoles and games, shirts, toys, contact lenses, accessories and loads of other fandom finds—so prepare your wallets and self control.
Visit asiapopcomicon.com.
