The Little Binger

For geeks and pop culture fans in the Philippines, AsiaPOP Comicon Manila or APCC is undoubtedly one of the most-awaited time of the year. And that is for a good reason. It is when everybody can embrace their quirks and express their love for comics, anime, toys, movies, and TV shows! As for me, this year is my third time in a row but this time, I did not just attend as a fan. I attended as a fan and as an accredited media! That’s right, I got passes and exclusive access to the cool stuff at the event! Warning: this post will give you #FOMO if you did not attend this year. Let’s start looking back at  the 4 FOMO-Worthy Moments from AsiaPop Comicon Manila 2018!

1. Toys and Games
   
   What good is a pop culture convention without toys? From tiny action figures to life-size toys, characters from different pop culture titles were on display at the halls of SMX! I particularly loved the Marvel ones. However one that stood out was the part that exhibited life-size figures of local superheroes such as Lastikman and Darna! 
   
   
2. The Netflix Booth
   
   For the second time in a row, Netflix stole the spotlight with their booth! To be honest, it’s more than a booth. It is an experience in itself. The interactive displays took inspiration from Netflix shows such as Stranger Things, Iron Fist, and Riverdale! If last year, Pop’s gave away milkshakes, this year they had a yearbook-themed photobooth. Josie and the Pussycats also performed! Meanwhile, at the Stranger Things section, guests flew back to the 80s with arcade machines! This one hooked me because, hey, games! 
   
   But do you know what my favorite part of the exhibit is? The Iron Fist section! There is a 180-photobooth wherein we have to punch the floor, and pose like Iron Fist! Big dick energy, y’all! 
   
3. Meet the Creators 
   
   APCC is not just a day for pop culture fans. It is also a moment for artists to display their works! Illustrators, writers, and creatives showed their works during the event. The great thing about it is fans even have the chance to have their items signed by the creators, themselves! On top of that, there were also merch for collectors. Personally, I enjoyed collecting witty stickers to put on my laptop. 
   
   
4. Hall N: #NetflixAPCC Experience!
   
   This has got to be the highlight of my 2018 AsiaPop Experience. In the past two years, Marvel’s Hall M was my main reason for attending but now Netflix took that spot. And for a good reason. Netflix brought to the country the showrunners and actors from their top shows. 
   
   Hosted by Nikko Ramos, Hall N gathered us all to the main hall. Each guests were welcomed with loud roar and applause from the fans starting with Castlevania showrunner Adi Shankar and Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters producer Takashi Yoshizawa. Had I known that Castlevania is going to be that good, I would have bingewatched the series on Netflix prior to the event. As a special treat to us, Shankar gave us the first and exclusive look at the trailer for Castlevania season 2! 
   
   Next up, Retsuko from Aggretsuko filled our craving with some rage dance. Shortly after her rather cute performance, Nikko welcomed on stage Marvel and Netflix’s Luke Cage showrunner Cheo Hodari Coker and stars Mike Colter and Mustafa Shakir. At this point, I lost my collective cool because I just love Luke Cage so much! And his physique is such a goal, okay? lol 
   
   And lastly, the attention turned to Marvel and Netflix’s Iron Fist! The series’ upcoming second season received the hype as showrunner Raven Metzner and star Finn Jones graced the stage! The two talked about what to expect in season 2 and promised better and bigger sequences for fans to enjoy. To top it all off, they ended the panel with a big surprise. And by a big surprise, I mean a screening of Iron Fist season 2 pilot!

This year’s AsiaPop Comicon promised a bigger and better geek convention for Filipinos and that they delivered! My geek heart is overwhelmed and I honestly cannot wait to see and experience what they have in store for us next year. Are you excited as well, Bingers? Let’s talk about it! Or share your #APCC2018 experience in the comments!

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