APCC 2017: Day 2 Highlights

Pop culture fans probably did not get enough of their favorite toys, comics, games, and other pop culture icons here at APCC 2017. Here are some of the highlights of Day 2 at Asia Pop Comicon Manila.

The second day of APCC 2017 opened with a showcase of ABS-CBN’s La Luna Sangre. KathNiel fans and local teleserye enthusiasts met some of the show’s cast members.  They did a photo op, a panel discussion and stunt exhibits for their special segment. La Luna Sangre is the third series in the ABS-CBN line of fantasy shows. This followed Lobo (2008) and Imortal (2010). Folks at FightSaber PH opened the afternoon with amazing lightsaber stunts in their midday performance.

Entertainment geeks were buzzing as more stars for APCC 2017 arrived for the festivities. The super kawaii Japanese idol singer Serena Kozuki had fans geek out with her popular J-Pop tunes during her live performance. She was more magical on stage than she was on screen, with a preppy hop to her step and energy behind her singing. Macross creator Shoji Kawamori arrived in the morning, more than ready to meet long time fans of his work. Fans of Teen Wolf star Tyler Hoechlinand Justice League star Ray Fisher finally got their chance to meet their idols in the flesh. Overwatch‘s Gaku Space was also back today for fans who wanted to meet the man behind the cyborg ninja Genji.

And what’s a convention without cosplay? Popular cosplay icons such as Alodia Gosiengfiao, Haiden Hazard, and Canvas Cosplay continued to amaze fans with eye-catching cosplays. They joined Pion Kim and Jin (behindinfinity) at the Walk of Fame and as Cosplay Global Authority Challenge (CAGE) judge. The fine details of their costumes and props easily made them noticeable in the bustling crowd. Local cosplayers were no slouch either. They brought their A++ game to the CAGE Open Category competition. Others wore wacky and wonderful cosplay on the convention floor, like T-Rex Supergirl!

Be sure to stay tuned for What’s a Geek’s cosplay showcase as our galleries present some of the cosplayers who attended this year’s APCC!

APCC 2017: Panels, Workshops 

AsiaPOP Comicon is known for its panels. APCC 2017 has not failed to deliver. Jason Freeny, Quiccs, and Simone Legno discussed their humble beginnings in their Toy Panel this year. Legno, an APCC regular, described how he started creating his work. He started as a big fan of Japanese culture who did his own thing. People started noticing his work and asked him to create collaborations with big name brands. RJ Ledesma led the panel.Meanwhile, social media influences Cha Ocampo, Janina Vela and Patrice Averilla had their own Social Media Panel. They discussed the challenges and opportunities of building an audience and personality on Social Media.

The first round of workshops opened with American comic book writer and editor Carl Potts. He taught comic book fans, enthusiasts, and aspiring creators how to effectively communicate your comic book story by talking about comic panel flow, scene direction, and story writing. Kontemporaryong Gamelan Pilipino from UP Diliman brought their unique sound to a new audience. Meanwhile, Jin (BehindInfinity) introduced the wonderful world of cosplay to fans. The popular cosplayer taught tips and tricks in the trade that new (and veteran) cosplayers can use to make their cosplaying adventures much more enjoyable.

Fans should stay tuned as more artists and creators will bring workshops and panels to APCC 2017. Shoji Kawamori, Stanley “Artgerm” Lau, and NYX Cosmetics will have their workshops on Day 3 of APCC 2017.

In Conversation: Tyler Hoechlin

Tyler Hoechlin (Teen Wolf, Supergirl) shared a lot of insight to fans in his “In Conversation” session. Fans went wild with Hoechlin’s natural charm during the open forum where they got to ask him questions about his role in Teen Wolf and Superman. Needless to say, everyone absolutely loved him. Joyce Pring headed the session.

Later on, he met in a more cozy setting with the media. We were able to ask him more questions and saw his more humble side. Hoechlin talked about his various experiences working as an actor from age 8 until his iconic Superman role. Watch the video on our YouTube channel! Stay tuned for the link here at What’s A Geek.

Stranger Things, Death Note!

Fans who joined the Netflix panel also got to see the cast of Stranger Things! This was the second time stars from the hit series came to the Philippines. The first guest was Millie Brown (Eleven) when she became a guest for APCC 2016. The lucky convention attendees that were able to enter the main stage hall also had a chance to look at a trailer for Season 2 of Stranger Things. Along with trailers for The Punisher series, and Bright, a movie featuring Will Smith in a modern fantasy setting.

Those who stayed at the Main Stage may have also gotten the opportunity to see a live screening of Death Note: A Netflix Original Film! Stay tuned for our review!

APCC 2017 is the third iteration of the AsiaPOP Comicon series of conventions. Get your tickets now at SMX Convention Center as we still have one more day of APCC goodness!

AsiaPOP Comicon 2017 will be held at the SMX Convention Center on August 25 to 27, 2017.