The Comic Con experience can be intimidating if you’re new to it, especially once you consider all those booths, tables and stages to choose from. But fear not. There’s a schedule of workshops, signings and photo sessions posted up on the con’s official website (mefcc.com), and we’ve got tips from Ben Caddy, managing director of ExtraCake, the agency behind the MEFCC, on what not to miss this year.
— The opportunity to meet a celebrity.
“It’s a once in a lifetime thing. Take the time — sometimes, it can be a bit daunting because the queues can be long, but I think it’s worth going and getting a signed photo or a picture taken with a celeb, because that really is a unique experience.” Fees charged for individual photo sessions or signings are often decided by the celebrity; they will range between Dh100-230, Caddy estimates.
— Visit the artist alley.
“That’s where all the regional talent is. There’s 218 tables this year, selling everything from T-shirts to comic books to artwork to everything in between. So you get the chance to really buy something that you wouldn’t find anywhere else.”
— The video games area is going to be packed again this year.
“We have all sorts of tournaments, for those who are more advanced gamers right down to things that really anyone can just try. We’ve also got retro gaming in there for the older crowd — even a live Pac Man zone, which should be funny.”
— The Tumbler.
“We’ve got the Batmobile replica this year — so you can have your picture taken in that” — and buy it, if you’ve got a spare $1 million.
— The epic cosplay competition on Friday, “which is total madness and just gets bigger and bigger and bigger every year”.
— “We’ve partnered with a company called Line — they’re a mobile chat app. If you install the Line app, we’ll be sending out updates every single hour. We’ll send out notifications to let you know what workshops are happening, who’s signing, and any special promotions.”
Tickets for MEFCC start from Dh100 for an early-bird one-day pass (either April 10 or 11; Dh130 on the door). The MEFCC runs from noon-10pm on April 10-11; April 9 is reserved for VIP ticketholders (Dh500 in advance). Visit mefcc.com/tickets.
