Faceman from the A Team and The Doctor from Star Trek: Voyager are set to make a number of fans happy as the actors behind the two beloved roles join a host of other big names for the first edition of The Malta Comics & Pop Culture Expo.

The expo brings together every element related to pop culture under one roof, with a film festival, a toy fair, a car show of vehicles used in TV shows, a gaming section and a cosplay competition all included in the programme.

And then there are, of course, the film stars with the line-up including the likes of the afore-mentioned Dirk Benedict (aka Faceman from The A Team), the cast of Sailor Moon, Robert Picardo (The Doctor from Star Trek: Voyager) and Joseph Gatt, the actor born to Maltese parents who has enjoyed various roles in fantasy and sci-fi blockbusters.

Gatt, in fact, starred as the Frost Giant Grundroth in Thor and also had a role as starfleet Science Officer 0718 in Star Trek Into Darkness.

His popularity continued to increase when, more recently, he was cast as a Thenn warg in Game of Thrones Season 4. Gatt appeared in three episodes, his distinctive looks making him one of the more memor-able secondary characters of the season.

The plotline sees him fighting alongside his wildling allies during battle before he is killed by Samwell Tarly, who shoots him in the head with a crossbow.

Also headlining the pro-gramme is Scottish actor Sylvester McCoy, whose role as the seventh doctor in the Dr Who series is guaranteed to bring in the Whovians as Dr Who fans are commonly referred to.

McCoy’s portrayal of the doctor was one of the more popular and the actor kept the role for two years between 1987 and 1989. Although initially fans had complained that his portrayal was too lightweight, in reality it was under McCoy that the character of the time-travelling doctor started to develop a distinctly dark and sinister facet.

McCoy is also known for his role as the wizard Radagast in Peter Jackson’s blockbuster trilogy, The Hobbit.

Besides the star line-up, the expo will include workshops and Q&A sessions by over 30 international writers, directors and artists from Marvel, DC Comics and 2000AD.

Visitors will be able to submit their portfolio in order to be reviewed during one-on-one sessions with major companies

In an effort to bridge the gap between local aspiring artists and the international industry, visitors will be able to submit their portfolio in order to be reviewed during one-on-one sessions with major companies, ranging from comic publishers, movie and TV studios, videogame companies, and others.

The idea behind this is to offer an honest and professional appraisal of work by experienced industry insiders.

Milo Manara’s covers for Neil Gaiman and Federico Fellini.Milo Manara’s covers for Neil Gaiman and Federico Fellini.

A number of comic book artists and writers will also be in attendance, among whom the Italian Milo Manara and Spanish Luis Royo who are likely to be two of the biggest pullers.

Manara is known for his erotic approach to graphic novels. Away from the adult medium, he is also celebrated for his work on Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman: Endless Nights as well as for his collaborations with film directors Federico Fellini and Pedro Almodovar. Manara counts Moto GP rider Valentino Rossi among his biggest fans and, in 2006, designed a custom helmet for him. The design incorporated some of Rossi’s heroes, like The Doors singer Jim Morrison and actor Steve McQueen.

Royo attracts a different following that is just as strong. Besides carrying out regular illustrations for magazines like Heavy Metal, he is known for his fantasy art, which has been compared to that of H.R. Geiger. Royo is likely to strike a chord with the local goth crowd, thanks to works like Malefic and Dark Labyrinth.

The gaming section is expected to be equally popular, with a full-blown 72-hour Lan party marathon taking place on site. Games will continue non-stop, including through the night.

For those whose are after less of a commitment, there will also be tabletop and video games. Cosplay is taking an equally important role with four different competitions and a grand prize of €5,000 (an inter-national judging panel that includes Sailor Moon signature tune singer Jennifer Cihi has final decision).

Finally, for those who find themselves bewildered by the sheer array of events taking place, some of which are being held simultaneously, there will also be a mobile phone app that can be downloaded through the official site.

Each night, the event comes to an end with a concert, with Gianni & Rug and Cryptic Street performing on Friday and Planet Seed and Scar on Saturday. On Sunday night the event wraps up with a smaller after-party at a different location.

Artwork by Louis Royo.Artwork by Louis Royo.
 

The Malta Comics & Pop Culture Expo is organised by the Malta Comics Expo Group and takes place between October 31 and November 2 at the Mediterranean Conference Centre, Valletta.

www.maltacomicsexpo.com

Highlights from the expo

• Milo Manara – Sandman: Endless Night, Click, Indian Summer

• Luis Royo – Dark Labyrinth, Malefic

• Dirk Benedict –The A Team

• Robert Picardo – Star Trek: Voyager

• Joseph Gatt – Thor, Star Trek Into Darkness, Game of Thrones

• Sylvester McCoy – Dr Who, The Hobbit

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