Malta Comic Con 2013

Back in 2011 I was given the opportunity to meet Chris Le Galle, one of the main organizers of the annual Malta Comic Con, writer, big comics fan, and part of the team of three (Fabio Agius, Chris Le Galle and Mark Ellul) who created The Golden Lizard, the first graphic novel published and released in Malta. He explained to me the concept of Malta Comic Con and I participated in the event as a volunteer. It was FUN! It was SUPER FUN and packed with activities for all ages. If you have the time, take your kids and go. The whole family is going to love it.

The event is going to take place this weekend, Saturday the 30th November 10am-18pm and Sunday 1st December 11am-19:00pm at St. James Cavalier in Valletta. The ticket for both days is 15 Euro, for 1 day 10 Euro and all kids under 11 enter for free.

Official website
Official Facebook page

Further down you’re going to read some info about comics and the Malta Comic CON 2013 event in the words of Chris Le Galle. The material  he sent me is so good that I decided to post it as is.

The use of comics as an educational tool

I believe that when one mentions comics the general public immediately thinks of Beano, Dandy and, or Superheroes. Such an opinion on comics is perhaps outdated and misinformed. Comics are much more than that and are as varied and diverse as can be in terms of style and content. Furthermore, the popular misconception that comics contain incorrect grammar or simpleton langue is also false, since the majority of the comics on the market are professionally edited, and in terms of story telling do  a much better job than some of  the books specifically intended for children which sometimes are so over simplistic that they undermine the child’s mental capacities. Moreover, internationally speaking a lot of focus is currently being made on the use of comics as an educational tool.

A lot of classic literature has and still is being adapted in comic format (both in the western style and in manga) and usually contains both the original text as well as a simplified one for a more enjoyable read. One of our guests this year Jon Haward has worked on a number of such adaptations published by Classical Comics including Macbeth and The Tempest.

For more details in regards to comics as an educational tool:
Click here for a short article written by Malta Comic Con 2013 guest journalist Chris Thompson
Click here for a short article written by Malta Comic Con 2013 guest creator Tim Perkins

MALTA COMIC CON 2013 – an event that can introduce both parents and children to comics

The Malta Comic Con is jam packed with activities and events which are both entertaining and educational. I believe that the Malta Comic Con provides a unique experience for both parents and children to familiarise themselves with a medium that inspires creativity and fosters an interest in hobbies which are well worth pursuing. We organise the show in a way in which both adults and children alike can gain something. A similar argument to that of comics as an educational tool can also be made on video games (we have a whole room containing consoles and PCs and a variety of games of which people can come and play for free during the show), table top gaming and role playing games. W.A.R.S gaming club will be at MCC hosting a number of introductory games and workshops on this subject.

Another popular aspect of comic cons is Cosplay. Which is basically people coming dressed up in costumes of heroes and popular characters of video games, movies, and animations. Aside from the simple fun of dressing up, the real art of cosplay is building costumes, which in itself is a very creative venture. Some people spend a whole year working on their costume for the Malta Comic Con and can get quite creative. The cosplay competition held on both Saturday and Sunday around 4pm is a fun activity for the whole family. We also have professional cosplayers from abroad as judges and they also hold workshops on costume building and cosplay around the world. Parents are encouraged to bring their children in costume for the Comic Con which besides being a fun thing to do would be another use for that Halloween costume.

Furthermore children love taking photos with people in costumes, and our professional cosplayers will be available for this and most of the cosplayers will be too. We will also have a professional photographer on site. In addition to this year we’re going to have a professional movie make up and SFX artist transforming attendees into their favourite character. I believe this is one highlight that specifically appeals for children.

Further highlights:

Talks and Workshops:

A full list of events can be found here however my pick for children would be these:

Tim Perkins’ The Malta Comic Con – Comics Workshop which is intended for children and their parents with the onus being on fun participation and learning the basics. A full description is included in the link. Furthermore, Tim Perkins is the kind of guest we bring every year because his material is specifically intended for children even though it is also enjoyed by adults. He sketches for free, and usually has some freebies on his stand, while his graphic novel World’s End – Volume 1 Riders on the Storm is a book we really recommend for children. Besides Tim usually has a colouring book featuring main characters from this graphic novel at a very pocket friendly price.

Dr.Gorg Mallia’s talk: Of Imaginary Tigers and Philosophical Cavemen: The art and technique of the humourous comic strip is a fun and educational that should appeal to children and parents alike.

The Girl With All the Gifts: A Reading and a Q&A by Mike Carey from his latest novel should be enjoyed by all.

Guests:

Tim Perkins

Dave Windett has basically worked on all major cartoon characters including the much loved Duffy Duck. His colourfull illustrations really appeal to children, and the majority of his books are children oriented. I’m not 100% sure on this, but I believe he also sketches for free. His latest book is Kaci and Bell.

Ian Churchill’s main graphic novel Marineman (the character on this year’s Malta Comic Con poster) is also a fun all ages comic book. My best description of it would be like watching one of the Pixar and Disney classic animations. Intended for children but equally enjoyed by adults.

Rosalys – has worked on a number of children’s books.

Marco Santucci – He usually has sketch books containing all the popular superheroes and I believe he does a free sketch for those who buys his sketch books.

John Paul Bove – Worked on Transformers and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Rebekah Isaacs – Buffy (comic adaptation of the TV series).

Exhibitions:

Emanuela Lupacchino and Guillermo Ortego’s one should be ideal for the whole family and they will personally do a guide of their work and sit for a Q&A session.

Discussion Panels:

There should be an interesting one about comics and other mediums such as TV series and movie adaptations, which I think would be appealing to everyone.

Animations:

During both days we will show a number of animations for free – full list here -The Flashpoint Paradox is rated PG-13 though I believe it is good for children while La Spada dei Kamui is rated U but is in Italian.

Category: Past events