FOR IT’S third year, AsiaPOP Comicon Manila (APCC) 2018 is bringing three content showcases from Marvel, Netflix, and Disney, promising exclusive sneak peeks of future projects alongside the presence of some of the shows’ biggest stars at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City from July 27 to 29.
“Undoubtedly APCC Manila 2018 is turning out to be the biggest of all APCC editions so far as we have raised the bar with a great mix of talent from different fields and Asia’s first ever combined exclusive content showcase from Marvel, Disney, and Netflix,” Abdulla Mahmood, director for marketing and international business development, Al Ahli Holding Group, said in a press release.
Among the stars gracing this year’s pop culture convention are Finn Jones (who plays the titular character in Marvel’s Iron Fist series produced by Netflix, and played Loras Tyrell in HBO’s Game of Thrones), Mike Colter (who plays the title character in Netflix-produced Marvel’s Luke Cage), Tye Sheridan (who played Cyclops in the 2016 X-Men: Apocalypse and Wade Watts in 2018’s Ready Player One), and Osric Chau (who plays Kevin Tran in CW’s Supernatural).
Mr. Chau revealed that he is also shooting his self-produced film, Empty by Design, in the Philippines. The film will revolve around people who try to “reconnect with their roots, culture, and find the feeling of home they didn’t find anywhere else in the world,” he said during a press conference on July 25 at the Conrad Hotel in Pasay City.
Hall M, Marvel’s showcase, will see Marvel VP for Creative Development Stephen Wacker deliver world-exclusive previews of upcoming titles. Hall N, Netflix’s showcase, meanwhile, will feature the realistic sets of Netflix shows such as Stranger Things and Riverdale.
Netflix will also be hosting a special Marvel panel with Mr. Colter, Luke Cage series creator Cheo Hadari Coker, and Mustafa Shakir who plays Bushmaster. Another panel is dedicated to teasing the second season of Iron Fist and will feature Mr. Jones and series creator M. Raven Metzer.
Disney’s Hall D, the first in the world, is said to feature exclusive looks into upcoming features.
For APCC’s Artist Alley, expect the presence of Brian Muir, a 48-year veteran sculptor who is known for creating the Darth Vader helmet and armor in the Star Wars series; Lan Medina, who has worked in Vertigo/DC Comics’ Fables which won 14 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards (the industry’s Academy Awards equivalent); and Whilce Portacio who has worked in X-Men and X-Factor.
Also in this year’s lineup of artists are Alex Sinclair, Mike McKone, Phil Noto, Amanda Visell, and Michelle Valigura.
For the cosplayers, APCC Manila will be attended by Canvas Cosplay, Leon Chiro, Vera Chimera, and Yugana Senshi Uon while anime fans will see Adi Shankar and Takashi Yoshizawa, producers of Castlevania and Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters, respectively.
Tickets for APCC Manila 2018 are available at the SM Tickets website (www.smtickets.com) and all SM Ticket outlets. Ticket prices are P650 (one-day pass), P950 (two-day pass), and P1,150 (three-day pass).
For more information, visit asiapopcomicon.com/manila and its corresponding social media pages. — Zsarlene B. Chua

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