Blog Entry: Metro Comic Convention

08/11/09

Metro Comic Convention

Every now and then I like to enjoy a geek weekend all to myself. Often, my self appointed task during these events is to observe and record the social interactions that occur when geeks of varying interests are gathered into a temporary enclosure filled with a plethora of geeky paraphenalia. For instance did you know that the geek sub-species, the cosplayer, will stop in it’s tracks whenever a camera is pointed at it? It will hold it’s pose for several minutes until the threatening camera weilders lose interest. The pose it assumes can be either of two types, either the awesome I-am-a-bad-ass-with-a-huge-sword/bat/baton/stapler position, or the I-am-an-achingly-cute-schoolgirl/catgirl/scantilycladgirl-and-you-can’t-resist-me-pose. Both are equally effective in calming would be predators.

Cosplayer assumes the I-will-kick-your-ass stance.

 

Cosplayer assumes an I’m-too-cute-don’t-hurt-me pose

The sub-species called Toy Collector, however, often arrives at these events loaded with wads of cash, on the hunt for the elusive prey named the bargain which is rumored to only show it’s face at events, or the legendary, hard-to-find which is as the name suggests, hard to find at retail. There is also the show exclusive which aren’t native to Philippine shores and must be imported via questionable means. Since the toy collectors are often well represented, competition for these three items is often bloody. In past events the hunt for the hard to find has often led to a life or death struggle between two or more collectors (or harsh invectives anyway).

A favorite of collectors, the “Bargain”

The elusive “Hard-To-Find” shows up regularly at conventions

“Exclusives” often must be imported, since they are not indigenous to the Philippines

Another group of geeks would be an off-shoot of the Toy Collector sub-set, the Statue Collector. These geeks often have Toy Collectors in their ancestral tree, but gravitate more and more toward high-end products with higher value and quality. This year’s comic con provided them with a veritable smorgasboard of local talent to wolf down. Halimaw, HobbyMaster, Fatboy Studios, The Art Department, and IamNinoy all had a selection for their patrons. I was lucky enough to catch these shots as I moved through the crowd.

Sasquatch by Halimaw!

Silver Surfer and Archangel by Hobbymaster

Hulk by Fat Boy Studios

Gambit by Fat Boy Studios

Deadpool by Fat Boy Studios

Selene by The Art Department

Ninoy by Iamninoy

Not to be outdone by their Statue Collector cousins, the Customizers were also out in force. These geeks will take a pre-produced figure and with their advanced tool-using abilities, create something all together different. Some of their work was displayed at the convention and made the other sub-species drool with envy.

Cory doll

Polgas action figure

Ghostrider Munny

Giant Stickfas Snake Eyes

Voltron Munny

Ironman Munny

Original action figure

Gillian Anderson? doll

But when it all comes down to it, the Metro Comic Con is the natural watering hole of the Comic Book Geek. According to popular thinking, this species is perhaps the origin of all geekdom and individuals belonging to it often display a collective memory that resembles the way some human cultures pass on their ways through oral history. By sharing the same stories, Comic Book Geekdom has grown to encompass most of the other species, with Comic Book Movie Geeks, Comic Book Toy Geeks, Comic Book Statue Geeks and Comic Book Cosplay Geeks.

The Metro Comic Con didn’t skimp when it came to providing for their patrons, with various panels, shows, tables with artists and writers, signings, sketches, and several big exhibitor tables from Comic Odyssey, Planet X, Fourth Wall, and Druid’s Keep, with a ton of back issues and comic book story arc sets. Many comic book artists also attended to promote and sign their work.

Panel on cartoon dubbing in the Philippines

Buyers at the Planet X table

 Buyers at the Planet X table

 Creators of “Who Can Save Us Now?”

A creator signs his work

The Comic Odyssey table

 The Comic Odyssey table

Lan Medina sketches at The Comic Odyssey table 

Sandy at The Comic Odyssey table

Pugad Baboy table

Another comic exhibitor table

Fourth Wall’s Table

Comic Artists doing what they do best

Sketches were just 20 Php apiece

Eric of Fourth Wall Comics

The fabled female fan!

 The room on the first day

The two day event was highly enjoyable, and despite some negative comments I’ve seen around, I felt it showed a lot of promise. Though lack of funds prevented me from bringing home some of the more prestigious prizes (Red Hulk, Ironman Man & Maria Hill 2-Pack, Statues!!!), I was able to bag a few trophies, including another copy of Books 1 and 2 of Trese, signed by Budgette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo (woot!), a copy of Skyworld: Apocrypha by Mervin Ignacio and Ian Sta. Maria, a 6″ Dawn McStatue from Edmond, a surplus 25th Anniversary Scarlett sans accessories and a Wall-E stuffed toy from 2Rats, and a Sigma 6 Kamakura with flame gear from CADS (I think).

Suffice it to say, I can not wait for next year’s. And this time I’ll bring cash instead of a camera.

Metro Comic Con hauls (Transformers courtesy of caloocan6th of CybertronPH)