2011 Metro Comic Con was held at the SM Megamall Megatrade Hall last 7th and 8th May 2011. It featured toys, comics, indie works, cosplay, and celebrity signing events such as V for Vendetta’s David Lloyd. I managed to drop by on Day 1 to support some friends who were doing a Suckerpunch cosplay group (fantastic work, if I do say so myself), as well as score some comic books. However, I wasn’t able to stay for very long so this will be just a mini-report.
First, the good things. There were a lot more comic-related activities at MCC compared to other local cons (which were more geared towards anime and manga fans) — including booths that exhibited artist-related tools such as software and hardware, as well as art lessons for enthusiasts and serious artists alike.
There were also plenty of booths to occupy merch hunters such as graphic novel, t-shirt, and figure retailers. The comics sold at the indies section — where we ended up spending not a small chunk of change, were of better quality in both art and production compared to other events I’ve attended previously.
However, I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something missing from the con — as if the con had so much potential to be great but fell sadly short. For one thing, there was a lot of empty space that I suspect the organizers were not able to rent out to exhibitors for lack of interest.
For another thing, there appeared to be a lot more people milling around outside the exhibit halls than inside. And although the absence of the typical anime con crush was one of the reasons I genuinely enjoyed myself, I got a feeling from other con participants that they did not think they got their money’s worth.
Call me ruthless, but I think MCC fell short of its potential turnout because of bad luck in scheduling. In between the torrential rains brought about by Typhoon Bebeng, the Pacquaio-Mosley fight, and the fact that one of the biggest events on the local calendar is a mere forty days away, a lot of prospective attendees simply held out. I guess better luck next year? After all, there is nowhere else to go but up.
JPOP Manila 
I don’t even know what that event 40 days from now is! ^^;;;
LikeLike
LOL i’m surprised you sound unsure :DDDDD it’s TOYCON ^^;;;;;
LikeLike
Ya, since I’m planning to go to toy events in the near future, I decided to kick this event & do house jobs & save mulah!! LOL
Glad to know that you enjoyed!!
Thank you very much for this report, I might try going next year!
LikeLike
ゆえっち ちょっとね～ 今年の「トイ・コン」に参加したいの？ OKだったら ５人で２つのブースを割りあって できるかもしれない。 でも 代金は少し高そう～ １人分は３２００ペソ。 どうする？
LikeLike
いいよ～それだったら思ったよりぜんぜん安いｗ
よろしくお願いします！！
もっと詳しいこと分かったらプラークで相談しましょう。
LikeLike
The event also ran alongside Free Comic Book Day from Comic Odyssey at the nearby Robinson’s Galleria. When given a choice to line up for free comics and to pay to enter a con, the choice for most comic book fans was easy. 😛
I went to the con after FCBD, but if it weren’t for the fact that I had friends inside and stuff to deliver, I might have also decided not to go in. The space inside did not have that “must go in” feel and the P120 (small difference from the 100 I was willing to spend on entrance) had a psychological “ang mahal naman” effect.
LikeLike
i’ve heard that the NBS booth was also giving away free comic books at MCC, but when i got there it looked like the news was either a hoax, or the giveaway ended sooner than expected…
LikeLike
Thank you, I really didn’t know. I don’t have any online friends deeply into cosplay. I have online friends who are into komiks so I find out decently ahead of them when Komikon and MCC will be, then several people squeal when Ozinefest is near. The online friends only squeal about ToyCon when it’s 1-2 weeks before the event.
The mis-scheduling to match FCBD hurt the MCC most, I would think.
LikeLike
The mis-scheduling to match FCBD hurt the MCC most, I would think.
it would’ve been brilliant if they held FCBD at MCC — maybe negotiations fell short?
LikeLike
I read that they moved the sched (instead of their usual August) to accomodate David Lloyd’s schedule. I think it was just bad luck that it fell on FCBD, most of their target audience was at Comic Odyssey. 😦
LikeLike
bad luck is bad
and it sucks too, because MCC is like that really big event that could totally impress con-goers, but always manages to fall short 
IDEK… >.>
LikeLike
Hi! I just read your review and agree that there is potential for MCC but not enough oomph for it. It seemed that the people were just milling around and hanging out and there was not much effort to get people to join in the activities ( were there activities anyway?) The space was tiny, and though there was a good turn out for the Artist Alley, it seemed that the whole thing was all over the place. It could have been organized a bit better.
Though I agree that the SUCKER PUNCH LADIES have made it worthwhile for me. 😀
😀
LikeLike
though there was a good turn out for the Artist Alley, it seemed that the whole thing was all over the place
my suggestion to the organizers is, if you already know that a large chunk of your exhibition space remains unsold up to a few days before the con, re-allocate them to those who need it most, like the indie artists…
I agree that the SUCKER PUNCH LADIES have made it worthwhile for me
the girls were planning this for months so it’s really gratifying to see everything turn out so well, and the crowd reaction to the costumes has been nothing but extraordinary 🙂
LikeLike