ExtraCake PRA, a UAE-based boutique agency specialised in advertising, PR and event management, has announced plans to host a first-of-its-kind pop culture entertainment event in Abu Dhabi next March.

'The Middle East Film and Comic Con,' will be a showcase of cult entertainment and popular culture from various segments of the entertainment industry including but not restricted to science fiction, fantasy films and TV, animation, comic books, anime and manga (Japanese art) as well as pop art, collectables (action figures, autographs etc.) and merchandising, said a company statement.

With this eclectic blend of genres, the event promises to have something for everyone and will feature a number of exciting activities, said a senior official.

'The growth of popular entertainment such as comic books, sci-fi and anime has been significant in this part of the world and is demonstrated by the huge increase of available merchandise, the popularity of genre movies like Iron Man and Avatar and the high quality and volume of regional content creation such as animation, video games and comic books,” commented Ben Caddy, managing director at ExtraCake PRA.

'There are so many fans here who don’t have a regular outlet to express their enthusiasm or meet like-minded people,' he added.

According to Caddy, the event will have a combination of activities for any age whether looking for new collectables, meeting a favorite celebrity (including some of the biggest names from films & TV), taking part in contests or reviewing some of the best local and international genre content.

“This is a dream come true for us as fans ourselves,” remarked Arafaat Ali Khan, managing partner at ExtraCake PR.

“We are fortunate to have numerous parties interested in supporting the event which will mean some great talent attending the show and finally give the Middle East community an international level experience right on their doorstep,” she added.

The Middle East Film & Comic Con will be held at Abu Dhabi’s National Exhibition Centre in March and exhibition space is open for bookings for content creators, animation studios and merchandisers right through to individual artists and collectors.

The event will span a weekend in March and is expected to draw crowds in the thousands from all over the region, the company said in the statement.-TradeArabia News Service