the awesomeness that was the MEFCC.

Recognize this?

I bought the One Ring at the Middle East Film and Comic Con (MEFCC) in Dubai last year. It's the ring I'm going to put on my husband's finger the day I get married.

I attended the Con again this year. It. Was. Epic. I bought some more merchandise this time, an Avengers tee for my sister and a two sizes too big Captain America one for myself (that I usually wear on the Friday morning runs to motivate me not to give up), and a couple of Superman coasters.

I'd initially planned to leave by 5 PM and head to Dubai Mall to watch the fountains and maybe visit the Underwater Zoo again, but ended up leaving after 7 PM. I had to tear myself away; I needed to leave the emirate with at least one pair of shoes (and I did) since I have such a hard time finding my size in the wretched malls here.

A narrative of my experience at MEFCC 2013 was published in bazaar magazine's May issue. Yes, I realize it's June. I apologize for not enlightening you earlier. I still expect you to read the piece and this post and share your thoughts on both. I care more about your thoughts on the article though. Just sayin'.

There was a limit to the number of pictures that could accompany the article. Scroll down for more photos for your viewing pleasure.

Max Landis! Safe to say I was crushing on him along with half
the girls in attendance.

If you've watched Chronicle and liked it, this is the guy that wrote the script. He was supposed to hold a scriptwriting workshop but for some reason it didn't happen. That was disappointing.
He is however, officially the coolest person I've ever met, and also the only person that can get away with saying 'Holy Tueldo!' without sounding like a dweeb. I was too tongue-tied to make any coherent conversation, but he was nice enough to take pictures with me!

Unbelievable the number of people
that freaked out on spotting them.

This artist's signature was adding in stormtroopers
to her paintings!

Way cooler than the Batman statue that stood beneath it.

Last year I spotted a guy clutching an actual Death Note
(Not the manga! THE REAL THING! Or as real as it can get.)
Couldn't get it off my mind for weeks.

Stormtroopers in a rendition of the Beatles' Sergeant Pepper's
Lonely Hearts Club Band. Painting by the same artist
mentioned above (don't know her name, sorry!).

He was so in character, that when someone
remarked, "It's Jack Sparrow!", he said:
"It's Cap'n Jack Sparrow, love."

Zero from Code Geass. He bowed when I thanked him for
posing for a photo. Threw me off completely.

I love this chick's cosplay.
No idea who she's cosplaying though.

The spectacular venue.

Yet again.

Can you spot Mario and Luigi? And the Akatsuki?

Interesting project. The first is a comic for kids on Ali Kashwani,
an Emirati martyr that died protecting the island of Tunb.
The second is a take on the Arabian Nights.

Young Emirati artist's renderings.

I liked this best.

It gets pretty crowded at the Con and if you're interested in meeting and greeting the celebrities, then investing in VIP tickets makes sense, as that allows you to enter earlier. There was a press conference (which wasn't stated specifically) in one section of the venue and I was an idiot not to head there earlier while exploring. I only encountered Max Landis, Warwick Davis and Manu Bennett as it was ending, I've no idea where the rest of them were holed up (when they weren't in the autograph section—you had to pay to get photos and autographs...something I refuse to do). I would have liked to see Ioan Gruffud (from watching him depict Horatio Hornblower back when I was a kid) but I stopped caring after I witnessed Manu Bennett's jaw-dropping, rib-tickling Haka demonstration. It was HILARIOUS! Read my piece to get the lowdown. 

And then share your thoughts here :)