Push Admin

First-ever Comic-Con Asia confirmed for 2018

Article (news)

ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/entertainment/09/14/pacquiao-comicon-091417.jpg?ext=.jpg"/><figcaption>Daiana Menezes (left), dressed as Wonder Woman, and Senator Manny Pacquiao (center) help launch Comic-Con Asia 2018. <em>Photo from the event&#x27;s Facebook page</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>There&#x27;s a new pop culture convention in town -- and it&#x27;s promising to bring a mix of international and regional guests for Filipinos fans to meet. </p><p>Comic-Con Asia 2018, which was officially launched to the press on Wednesday night, is scheduled for March 24 to 25 at SMX Convention Center in Pasay City. </p><p>The event is being planned by Pauline Laping of PSL Entertainment Production, who is also the CEO and director of Miss Global Philippines, together with Nam Entertainment Group. </p><p>It is being billed as a new convention for lovers of all things anime, comics, gaming, cosplay, TV shows, and movies. </p><p>The lineup of guests was not unveiled, but a teaser (seen below) highlighting competitions, talks with industry professionals, workshops from experts, and panel discussions was shown. </p><figure class="op-interactive"><div id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1_Container"> <ivs-player id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-vid="1449899" data-ivs-floating="1"></ivs-player> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/iframe-parent.js"></script> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script> </div></figure><p>Filipino boxing icon and senator Manny Pacquiao, who has starred in his own superhero film, &quot;Wapakman,&quot; back in 2009, has been tapped as the event&#x27;s ambassador. </p><p>Describing it as a chance for local talents at the spotlight, he said: &quot;Maraming itong matutulungan at mabibigyan ng opportunity.&quot; </p><p>The decision to tap Pacquiao to promote the event was <a href="https://komikerodotcom.blogspot.com/2017/09/comic-con-asia-2018-and-why-im-not-going.html?m=1">criticized</a> by well-known comics artist Gerry Alanguilan, whose work &quot;Elmer&quot; was nominated for Best Graphic Album in the 2011 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award, considered to be the Oscars for comics. </p><p>He said that he will not be attending the event, citing Pacquiao&#x27;s <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/halalan2016/lifestyle/02/17/16/pacquiao-posts-deletes-bible-verse-on-gays-put-to-death">controversial statement</a> about people in same-sex relationships being &quot;worse than animals.&quot; </p><p>&quot;If people have no problem with this, then by all means, attend and participate,&quot; Alanguilan wrote in his website. &quot;I am NOT advocating a boycott. I am simply saying that I will not be going.&quot;</p><p>&quot;My decision shouldn&#x27;t affect anybody or cause anyone to freak out and bring down lightning from the heavens. It&#x27;s just another event I won&#x27;t be going to, simply for personal reasons,&quot; he added. </p><p>There&#x27;s no set date on when Comic-Con Asia 2018 will release its lineup of guests, but it already has an official Facebook page that fans can follow. </p><p>This will be the first edition of Comic-Con Asia 2018, which doesn&#x27;t appear to be tied with any international conventions, adding to the growing lineup of pop culture events in the country. </p>

<p>There's a new pop culture convention in town --and it's promising to bring a mix of international and regional guests for Filipinos fans to meet. </p>

There's a new pop culture convention in town --and it's promising to bring a mix of international and regional guests for Filipinos fans to meet.