I Am So Looking Forward To STGCC 2018!

Hi Huneybees,

The Singapore Toy, Game & Comic Convention (STGCC) is back on 8th and 9th of September at Marina Bay Sands Singapore and I am so excited!

STGCC has always been an important annual event for yours truly Queen Bee and myself as we both are big fans of illustrated arts.

Having Japanese Manga & Anime coming under one roof with American Comics & Cartoon, STGCC is the Comic Con with a twist to us in Singapore...the largest pop culture convention, a must-go event for fans to meet up with some of the famous illustrators, creators, voice actors, including:

Works by Agnes Garbowska including My Little Pony (left) and DC Super Hero Girls

• My Little Pony’s artist Agnes Garbowska from Canada will be making a return. Known for her whimsical watercolour aesthetic, she is also behind one of three unique STGCC official programme guides' comic variant cover designs!

Emmy award writer and illustrator, Frank Cho, is the cover artist for Batman at DC Comics

• Comic book writer and artist Frank Cho from USA, known for his works for Shanna the She-Devil, Mighty Avengers and Hulk is back for his second year.


• Veteran voice actress Kana Ueda from Japan, who has voiced prominent characters in popular anime series such as Rin Tohsaka (Fate Series) and Hayate Yagami (Nanoha Series) will be making her Southeast Asian debut.


• Marvel Studios’ Head of Visual Development Ryan Meinerding from USA, a bonafide superhero alumnus with titles such as Thor, Captain America: The First Avenger, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Avengers: Infinity War and Black Panther to his credit.


• Comic artist David Finch from Canada who has contributed to notable Marvel and DC Comics titles such as Batman, New Avengers, Moon Knight, Ultimatum, and Wonder Woman. 


• Eisner-nominated comic illustrator and designer Mark Brooks from UK who recently unveiled his uber-cool rendition of the Batmobile for the Detective Comics.


• Character designer Range Murata (むらた れんじ) from Japan, known for anime series such as Blue Submarine No.6, LASTEXILE, Shangri-La. 


• Musical artist and composer YUC’e from Japan, who has contributed to rhythm games such as beatmania IIDX and SEGA’s CHUNITHM. 

Also, sharing the stage is Good Game Experience (GGXP) zone, which returns for a second tie-up with STGCC 2018, after a successful last year. With Singapore Qualifier to World Electronic Sports Games (WESG) - also touted as the Olympics of esports - to be held at GGXP, I am expecting hardcore gamers battling it out via games such as Counter Strike: Global Offensive, Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft, Dota 2, Starcraft II and Vainglory for a spot to compete at the Regional Finals in Kuala Lumpur, and subsequently at the Global Finals in Shanghai for a cool prize pool of USD 5.5 million!

Trading card gamers and tabletop gamers will also not be left out as there are sections within GGXP reserved for card titles such as Pokemon GO and Dragon Ball Super Card Game as well as tabletop games like Team Yankee, TANKS!, Warhammer and X-Wing: Miniatures. 

As a huge LEGO fan, I am so excited to learn that STGCC this year has partnered with the Danish toy building brick maker to bring an exclusive remarkable LEGO brick displays, assembling activities and competition to the visitors.

The main highlights at the LEGO zone will be Harry Potter and Voltron: Defender of the Universe. While I'm not a Harry Potter fan and hence will not be interested to get one of those limited quantity of the whopping 6,000 LEGO pieces of Harry Potter Hogwarts Castle (71043) that will be available at STGCC as part of the set's official release on 1st September 2018 nor the Harry Potter brickheadz x Go Brick Me collections, but as a Lego builder, I am still looking forward to visiting the Hogwarts campus at the event as it will be constructed entirely from LEGO bricks!

When LEGO announced that it was releasing the largest LEGO Ideas set to date -Voltron (21311) at 2,321 LEGO pieces - on 1st August 2018, it has bought much nostalgia to many adult LEGO fans who had caught the 1984-1985 cartoon: Voltron: Defender of the Universe. Apart from screening episodes of the Voltron: Defender of the Universe on big screens during STGCC, five (5) interactive Voltron-themed lion figurines that transform into robotic lions will be also be unveiled.

Last but not least, for cosplayers who are blessed with nimble fingers, SINGER® Sewing Company’s Experience Zone will be at STGCC for fans to assemble their own superhero outfits, with up to 1,000 complimentary capes provided.

STGCC INFORMATION  

Date: 8 & 9 September 

Time: 10am - 8pm daily 

Venue: Marina Bay Sands Expo, Halls D, E, F  

For more information on ticketing, do visit https://www.singaporetgcc.com/en-gb/Tickets.html for more promotions and discounts!

Don’t forget to stay tuned to my blog / like my blog’s Facebook page / follow me @huney_84 on Twitter & Instagram  for the latest updates!

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Are You Ready For STGCC 2017?

Hi Huneybees,

Yes! I just got back from Sri Lanka and am so happy that was in time for the STGCC Press Conference. Held at the infamous Central Perk Cafe drawn from the F.R.I.E.N.D.S sitcom, we got a chance to sit and chat with a few of the headliners ahead of the convention this weekend and check out what's to expect too!

This year, STGCC will be expanded from 2 convention halls to 3 with a specially dedicated Gaming Experience zone - GGXP (Good Game Experience) with live eSports gaming championships and the latest gaming and product showcases for game fanatics to play with.

At the centre stage of GGXP, be sure to check out the ROG Masters 2017 - DOTA 2 - Singapore Qualifiers and ROG Masters 2017 - CS:GO - Singapore Qualifier finals, where the top 2 playing teams will be facing off in a best-of-three playoff for a chunk of the S$20,000 total prize pool. There will also be the semi-finals to finals of Vainglory Championship 2017 - Southeast Asia happening on 10 September, where the top 4 teams will battle towards the grand finals for their portion of the USD$5,000 prize pool.

Other than GGXP, the STGCC is also more organized to bring you through the retail experience first, through the Artist Galore to meet your favourite artists and toymakers, then the Star Wars Experience which I'm definitely looking forward to and then to the Akiba Zone where it's inspired by Tokyo's famous Electric Town, you can even go there to fix up your cosplay should you be having a wardrobe malfunction!

Ok, so getting down to the meet and greet. I got to chat and get my autographs with the talented Emmy-Award winning writer and illustrator - Frank Cho, Singapore’s first Eisner Awards winner and graphic novelist - Sonny Liew, one of Disney's top artist - James C Mulligan, popular Italian cosplayer - Leon Chiro, Japanese idol and J-pop singer - Rie Yunohara, Star Wars movie set and prop maker - Stefan Cembolista and the creative director and co-founder of tokidoki, who is present at every year's STGCC - Simone Legno!

Every year, I have my canvas and sharpies ready for autographs whilst I speak with these talented artists. It helps as I pluck up my courage to speak with these legendary titans of the comics and toys world.

Frank Cho's gorgeous drawings of ladies might be controversial these days, but I remember flipping through the library books during my animation days, admiring and grasping how he can get the lady anatomy down to such sexiness. I was tongue-tied in front of this idol and still regretting as I write this blog why didn't I speak with him?!

James C Mulligan is definitely excited to meet his fans at STGCC, looking smart in his leather jacket, I got an adorable Stitch autograph! Don't miss his live painting session on the main stage on Sunday and meet him at Walk of Fame! 

Sonny Liew shared with me his experiences in SDCC and we are both in the hopes that STGCC will be of the same scale in the near future. Thanks for the 'self-portrait' autograph and be sure to catch him at the Walk of Fame too!

It's always a wonderful experience to meet my favourite artist, Simone Legno. I've missed him last year, due to an overseas trip and seeing him again this year, I had a few items ready for him to autograph. When asked about his multiple collaborations with brands and products, does he get tired out, he says he is overwhelmed and honoured instead and that he wishes to be approached by an airline for collaboration in the future. OMG! YES! Someone answer his prayer and let me be the first passenger please?!

Next, I chatted with the adorable Rie Yunohara, who was looking super kawaii in her kimono outfit. She spoke of how she was discovered performing in STGCC back in 2014, she cosplayed amongst those big mecha cosplayers and she stood out with her performance. She's a graduate from MKM-ZERO and PhantomVoice, and currently performing as a solo artiste, she has been crowned as the official idol of Japan’s biggest food entertainment festival Niku-Fes. Be sure to catch her on centre stage on STGCC!

Leon Chiro was a hot favourite, I only got a few minutes to speak with him and boy was that wait worth it! He shared how gaming companies approach him and how he gets into character, how he makes a character comes to life, his cosplaying process, but the highlight has got to be when I asked him how long he trains for those killer abs, he jokingly said photoshop and pulled his top up for a little ab trick!

Lastly, we spent a little more time with Stefan Cembolista. He shared his stories of how a little hobby of converting scraps to Star Wars props, got his crew noticed and became known, meeting George Lucas and J.J. Abrams, traveling the world with Star Wars and Disney and attending all the comic cons in the world, simply everything a Star Wars fanatic can ask for. He was very jovial and would definitely love to share his stories with you. Catch him at the exclusive Star Wars : Experience The Force Zone as you go relive your Star Wars moment with his lifesize props!

Ok! For those who are interested in a little retail therapy at STGCC, there is gona be a ton of exclusives and merchandises for you to dig in. These include a limited edition Mr Kiasu figurine available at Action City's booth, limited edition Hot Toys 2017 Toy Fair releases, rainbow-coloured vinyl toys and items by designer Mark Nagata and his collaborators, Daniel Yu's signature Jiang Shi and don't miss out on this special hologram Darth Vader from Beast Kingdom!

So, prepare, get your gear on and be there early for there will be tons filled for you to experience these 2 days! Be there early for fear of getting disappointed. See you there!

Connect with STGCC on their platforms for more updates:
Singapore Toy, Game & Comic Convention Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram 

Don’t forget to stay tuned to my blog / like my blog’s Facebook page / follow me @huney_84 on Twitter & Instagram  for the latest updates!

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Get Ready This September As STGCC Celebrates Its 10th Birthday

Hi Huneybees,

Are you psyched up for STGCC’s 10th birthday bash?! 

The highly anticipated Singapore Toy, Game and Comic Convention (STGCC) returns bigger and better as it celebrates its 10th Birthday at Sands Expo and Convention Center, Level B2 across Halls D,E & F on the 9th & 10th of September. Whether you’re an avid comic junkie, die-hard collector, gaming enthusiast or just keeping up with the pop-culture scene, be prepared for an extravaganza of star-studded guest list, exclusives and collectibles, epic installations and displays, engaging stage programmes, and thrilling gaming content which will keep you enthralled over the weekend! There’s no better way to kick-start the celebration and excitement leading up to the 10th edition. You’d Recognise These Faces Brilliant eastern and western artists from the pop culture scene...

FRANK CHO
Writer | Comic Book | Comic Strip | Illustrator

Known for his newspaper comic strip series, Liberty Meadows and the popular character Brandy Carter, Frank Cho, the Emmy Award-winning and critically acclaimed writer and illustrator joins the STGCC 2017 guest list. Cho has worked on various popular titles such as Mighty Avengers, Spider-Man, X-Men, Shanna the She-Devil, the Hulk and Savage Wolverine for Marvel Comics. As of this year, he is the cover artist for Harley Quinn at DC Comics. Brewing in the pipeline are several creator-owned projects, Skybourne at Boom Studios, Guns & Dinos at Image Comics, and World of Payne with novelist Tom Sniegoski for Flesk Publications

ARTHUR ADAMS 
Creator | Artist | Writer | Longshot

Monkeyman & O’Brien A talent and a creator, Arthur Adams’s highly distinctive pencilling and detailed artwork is what fans cannot get enough of. Since blasting onto the comics’ scene back in 1985 with his critically-acclaimed limited series Longshot, Adams became an immediate fan-favourite whose works have been in high demand. He has drawn everything from Fantastic Four, Batman & Superman to Spiderman, X men, Godzilla, Vampirella, Excalibur, and the Hulk.

JOYCE CHIN
Artist | Penciller | Marvel Covers | SuperGirl

Wife & Mother Behind every meticulously drawn heroine, lies a brilliant creator. Joining the STGCC 2017 guest list is California native Joyce Chin who has been working as a creator in comics since 1995 when she pencilled several issues of Guy Gardner: Warrior for DC. Since then, she has accumulated many titles under her belts, including the interiors and covers of stories for the Hulk, Red Sonja, Vampirella, Green Lantern, Xena, Spider-Man, Superman, and Witchblade, with a variety of publishers. Joyce is kept busy pencilling and inking a number of covers for Marvel including X-Men, Thor, Wolverine, Moon Girl and Ms Dinosaur.

TAKUYA FUJIMA
Writer | Illustrator | Manga

Japanese pop culture fans can look forward to Takuya Fujima, Japan’s most sought after illustrator. Not only does he design characters for anime and games, he is also a popular mangaka in Japan. Known for his extensive involvement with the Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha series, Fujima’s serialized manga “Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha ViVid” is made into anime by A-1PICTURES in 2015. He was also tasked with the original character design for the continuation “ViVid Strike!” anime in 2016 where he single-handedly drew all the anime end cards! Some of Fujima’s anime works include character designs of Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha ViVid, ViVid Strike!, R-15 and Black Bullet.

SIMONE LEGNO
Artist | Creative Director & Co-Founder of tokidoki

In celebration of STGCC’s 10th birthday, Simone Legno, the Cofounder and Creative Director of tokidoki returns. Launched in 2005, tokidoki catapulted into an internationally recognized popculture lifestyle brand and has amassed a cult-like following for its larger-than-life characters, bagging megawatt partnerships and extensive range of products from apparel and handbags to home décor and even slot machines. Fans of tokidoki can look forward to exclusive tokidoki x STGCC 10th anniversary merchandise. More details to be shared in the coming weeks.

You’ll be Mesmerized by Their Cosplay Catch the nifty and sought-after cosplayers in action 

LEON CHIRO 

Fans of gaming are in for a treat! Leon Chiro, the official cosplayer for leading videogame companies such as Ubisoft (Assassin's Creed/ Watch Dogs), Square Enix (Gladiolus - Final Fantasy XV), Capcom (honorary mention for his Dante) will be debuting at STGCC 2017. A veteran in the cosplay scene, Leon frequently judges in leading cosplay competition globally. Catch Leon live in action this September 9 – 10! 

SHIMO (霜月)

Hailing all the way from Taiwan is Shimo (霜月), a familiar face to the global cosplay scene. Charming her fans with her sweet dainty looks and almost doll-like portrait of bishoujo characters, Shimo (霜月) is at the top of her game. Best known for her Hatsune Miku (Vocaloid), Kotori Minami (Love Live) and Fumika Sagisawa (Idolmaster Cinderella Girls) cosplays, fans be prepared to welcome her back to the sunny island of Singapore. 

Time to Level Up Yes, exciting times ahead 

STGCC CHAMPIONSHIPS OF COSPLAY COMPETITION 

Raising the standards of cosplay in the region, the STGCC Championships of Cosplay is the center stage for aspiring cosplayers. Watch as the region’s top cosplayers and budding enthusiasts battle it out to represent STGCC at the 2018 C2E2 Crown Championships of Cosplay in Chicago, where they will compete for international glory among the best cosplayers from around the globe! Be inspired by Erika Jean Garbin who represented STGCC, coming in as the RunnerUp in the Crown Championships of Cosplay finals at C2E2 2017 in Chicago. Registration for the competition closes on 4 August 2017. 

Are you game enough? - This year, the “G” in STGCC will dauntlessly be levelled up & buffed. Gaming fans can look forward to an exhilarating programme of curated gaming content and enjoy the Good Game Experience (GGXP) at STGCC this September 9 – 10! Be the first to experience latest games, gaming products and merchandise brought to you by international and local game developers and publishers. What’s more, gather your team and battle it out at the eSports tournament to emerge victorious. 

“STGCC celebrates our 10th Anniversary this September. Dedicated to all our fans, we’d love to mark this milestone with them by throwing the wildest bash. The Force is especially strong with us this year and fans can anticipate more galactic excitement when we reveal details in the coming weeks. That’s not all; the G in STGCC will level up for our gaming fans out there. Look out pop culture fans, get psyched to be thrilled this September!” --- Lin Koh, Assistant Project Director, Pop Culture Cluster, Reed Exhibitions Singapore. 

Beat the crowd and get your tickets prior from 8 June 2017 onwards at the official ticket retailer, Action City. Online ticketing opens end of June. Stay tuned for more announcements in the next few weeks!  

Connect with STGCC on their platforms for more updates:
Singapore Toy, Game & Comic Convention Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram 

Don’t forget to stay tuned to my blog / like my blog’s Facebook page / follow me @huney_84 on Twitter & Instagram  for the latest updates!

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