It's official, the Geekdom has expanded its empire in the Desert
city. As the 3rd year of Middle East Film and Comic Con concludes this month at
the Dubai World Trade Center, kids of all ages, shapes and characters came to
celebrate what is turning out to be the biggest pop culture festival this side
of the world.
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| I love seeing the Arab geek crowd, they're awesome. |
Like most things in Dubai, it didn't take the organizers
much time to step up their game, the Comic Con grew from this mid-size-day-in-the-marina
event mostly showcasing homegrown stuff, to this proper huge convention with
international players bringing in the big guns, and by big guns, I mean the
full set of official Iron Man costumes in a gallery that greeted us at the
entrance.
With the international panel led by Hollywood boy wonder
Seth Green, who I know from Buffy, the Vampire slayer days, (yes I’m that 90s-kid),
it will be no surprise if next year’s con will bring in more A-list geekiness.
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| Stark enterprises has opened a branch in Dubai. |
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| Sandstorm troopers! |
Of course, no Comic Con in any galaxy will ever be complete
without a trace of the legendary Star wars.
Stormtroopers were everywhere this year, turning into
sandstorm-troopers, and the rest of crew like good ol’ Darth Vader and Yoda found
themselves right at home in traditional ghutras and kanduras, that you would
think maybe George Lucas spent some lost years of his adolescent in the Middle
East.
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| Arabization of Star Wars in full swing. |
I can go on and on about all the cool things about the comic
con, but what I find interesting in the Middle East Film and Comic Con is how
they seem to have adopted a western concept and neatly folded it into their own
unique identity so seamlessly (and so quickly) that even though it might not be
in the same league (yet) as the original San Diego convention, it will always
be a unique affair, and somehow we are all lucky to have it right next door.
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| Gundam as Dubai Police by Brownmonkey's Dogboy. Coolest toy at MEFCC 2014. |
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| Master Yoda by Filipino artist Lewis De Mesa. He was actually one of the first few who came up with Arab Star Wars prints back in MEFCC 2011. |
So as I contemplate on wearing a costume for next year, (the
way I always do every year but never really get on it), I also realize the
greatest part of this whole thing for me, and perhaps all the other
kids-at-heart out there, is the
opportunity to forget about being an adult for a while, put on my favorite sneakers
and play outside with the strange kids from the neighborhood.
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| Hello old friend. Till we meet again! |
Till next year MEFCC! May the force be with you.
