Thursday, December 20, 2018

Johnnie Walker's White Walker Whisky Brings Winter Spirit to Night Spots Clarke Quay and LAVO

The launch for Johnnie Walker's White Walker whisky is underway with some bar events happening around the island!

Clarke Quay - 21 December, Friday, 8 PM onwards
Meet the Night King and his White Walkers, and grab a selfie with them at one of Red Dot Island's hot nightspots. Tastings of the limited edition scotch whisky will be available at participating bars. To celebrate winter's arrival, there will also be make-up/ face painting and fun games on site. There is a chance to win a bottle of the White Walker whisky, by taking photos and videos at the event, and following some rules stated at this link!

LAVO - 26 January 2019, Saturday, 10 PM onwards
The frosty-eyed Night King and his warriors will also be visiting this rooftop top, armed with games photo opportunities and a make-up booth. If you come to the party dressed as fearsome Dothraki warriors or Northern nobility, you may win a prize if you are awarded the best-dressed!

Tuesday, December 11, 2018

Why “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” is THE Best Spider-Man Movie

Sony Pictures' animated movie Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse has created waves across the geek world with its simple yet iconic storyline that has a lot of heart and chockful of easter eggs, accompanied by eye-popping dash of colour and a snappy pace. Red Dot Diva loved the movie too, and thought it was the best animated movie of the year.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Versetranslated the characters from the 2D comic book pages to animated form, by fleshing out the characters whom we love, like Peter Parker (Jake Johnson for the scruffy 'B' version), Gwen Stacy (Hailey Steinfeld), and the latest Spidey hero Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) in such a delightful manner. It made us even feel a little for the villain, Kingpin (Liev Schreiber). 

The animated feature is also a beautiful, heartfelt tribute to Spider-man's creators Stan Lee (who passed away a month ago), and Steve Ditko. For those sniffle-worthy moments, do not forget to stay on for the movie's post-credits, for which there are two.

Red Dot Diva's fellow geek pal Wayne Rée watched the movie and loved it as well. Here's Wayne's review of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse:

-------------------------

I’ll just say it right up front. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse isn’t just my favourite movie of the year, it’s also one of my favourite superhero movies ever, one of my favourite Spider-Man stories in any medium, and easily my favourite Spider-Man movie.

Your mileage may vary on all the Spider-Man live action movies thus far. I personally think that Sam Raimi and Marc Webb’s respective series were both flawed overall, but with moments of brilliance, and while Homecoming very much got the spirit of the character right, a lot of the action was pretty choppy. (Don’t @ me, guys.)

Why Into the Spider-Verse tops all of them for me, however, is that it’s the one that didn’t just nail the spirit of the character, but it also tapped into the idea of why we al love Spider-Man.

Sunday, November 25, 2018

Drink! HBO's Game of Thrones and Johnnie Walker Unveil White Walker Scotch Whisky


HBO's internationally popular and multi award-winning "Game of Thrones" will be returning in April 2019 for its final season. There will only be six episodes in this season, with each episode said to run for more than 60 minutes. As in previous seasons, the series will premiere in Asia, same time as the U.S., exclusively on HBO GO and HBO (StarHub TV Ch 601). The series will also be available on HBO On Demand (StarHub TV Ch 602).

To help celebrate the Long Winter, Johnnie Walker has teamed up HBO and Game of Thrones to unveil a new and limited edition Scotch whisky aptly named White Walker. The blend, created by whisky specialist George Harper, together with the small team of expert blenders at Johnnie Walker, is best served directly from the freezer - just like the creatures from the Far North.




Tuesday, November 13, 2018

Excelsior! To The Legendary Marvel Superhero Stan Lee (1922 - 2018)


It is hard to forget Stan Lee once you know of him - the bespectacled, mustachioed man with a booming voice, bright smiles and larger than life presence. He was the face of Marvel Comics, and even in his 70's, he was had more energy than those younger than him. The legendary writer, editor and publisher of Marvel Comics, who co-created several iconic comic book characters like Spider-man, Iron Man and Black Panther, loved being connected to the fandom as well as the people who worked in producing comics. Until recently, he attended a number of comic conventions meeting thousands of fans each year.

On Monday morning (13 Nov), Stan Lee pass away at the age of 95 in Los Angeles.

The last few years had been tumultuous for Stan Lee. He battled with pneumonia with legal issues and problems with trusted managers and caretakers which surfaced after his beloved wife Joan died in 2017 at the age of 69. Still, when long time friends like Todd McFarlane and Rob Liefield visited him while he was unwell earlier this year, he was energetic enough to offer positive messages to the fans and creators.

Sunday, November 11, 2018

M Malls Goes Pokémon-Themed at Christmas, So You Gotta Catch 'Em All


Have you ever watched Youtube videos of the Evee and Pikachu dance in Japan and wished that there will be a similar one here in Red Dot Island? Well, your Christmas wish will come true at M Malls' shopping centres AMK Hub, Jurong Point and Thomson Plaza from 16 November to 26 December!

The malls will celebrate the holidays with a Pokémon-themed Christmas, complete with installations and decorations. The most kawaii segment of the celebration will be the mascot dance, with a debut appearance and performance by Eevee! A cuddly-huddle of 6 Pikachus and Eevees, as well as Santa Helpers will be making their rounds at all 3 malls to perform the dance, and shoppers will have the chance to take photos with them too!



Friday, November 9, 2018

Meet Mythical Dragons and Beasts at the Singapore Zoo - 17 November to 31 December

Unicorns, griffins and oh yes, Dragons! The Singapore Zoo turns into a fantasy world full of mythical creatures from 17 November to 31 December for their "Dragons and Beasts: Where Inspiration Meets Reality" event.

You will be able to find 17 fantastical beasts (in 3D form) from different cultures around the world at the "Valley of Myths", located near the Otter exhibit.

If you love dragons, you have to make your way there just to ogle at the majestic Ice Dragon Viserion from the insanely popular "Game of Thrones" TV series by HBO. Red Dot Diva knows he is going to be a beaut. Do try to avoid getting frozen to death though.

You will also get a chance to meet the Night King and his White Walkers in person. However, he will only arrive in our tropical Red Dot Island on certain dates (17, 18, 24 & 25 Nov 2018) on 11 AM and 2 PM. Maybe they can bring Winter here and help cool down the hot and humid weather a notch or two?

Sunday, November 4, 2018

HBO Asia's "Grisse" - Feisty Gun-slinging Western set in the Rojakness of South-East Asia


As a child from a primarily English-speaking home, Red Dot Diva has always fantasized of being able to watch South-East Asian tales on TV or in the movies which were spoken in English. Local TV dramas and sitcoms in the 1990's helped to bring Red Dot Island stories to the forefront, but international exposure was very limited.

It has been a long time coming, but in recent years, HBO Asia has been passionate about showcasing stories from this region to the world, and Red Dot Diva is always delighted to see and support the shows that they invest in.

Tonight, 4 November (Sunday), "Grisse", another new English language original series by the cable channel will be premiering at 9 PM. Set in 1800’s Indonesia, during the time when the Dutch East Indies were busy colonizing this region, the period drama has a unique look - a South-Asian story with an Old Western aesthetic, complete with all that dirt, dust, feisty heroines, and gun battles. The series is created by Mike Wiluan, and has eight 1-hour long episodes.

Step into the town of Grisse, and you will be greeted by people from different creeds and agendas. The Indonesian rebels have taken a stand in the gritty town, leading the way to eradicate colonialism and tyranny. Occasionally fighting alongside them are the factions consisting of the Chinese, and the "Half-breeds".


Monday, October 22, 2018

DC's Legends of Tomorrow Season 4 Premieres on Warner TV Asia, 23 October

The 4th season of "DC's Legends of Tomorrow" premieres on Warner TV Asia today (Tuesday), 23 October at 9 PM, a same day telecast as the U.S.

In this new season, powerful mage John Constantine (Matt Ryan) comes on board the Waverider to join "the legends" in their time travelling adventures. For those who have been watching the series, Constantine had warned the team about how defeating Mallus in the last season, has caused a new set of problems. Basically, the barriers between worlds have weakened, and the world is now plagued with magical creatures from myths, fairytales and legends called the Fugitives.

So, it's all up to the ragtag team of superheroes, consisting of feisty Sara (Caity Lotz), nerdy inventor Ray Palmer (Brandon Routh), gruff ex-con Mick Rory (Dominic Purcell), totem-bearer Zari (Thanks ala Ashe), and heartbroken historian Nate (Nick Zano) to save the universes in their own zany and inimitable ways, as they groove their way to Woodstock 1969 in the season opener entitled "The Virgin Gary", and make various stops in other historical eras, like the Salem Witch trials and 1970's London. Get prepared for unicorns in the mix too!

Monday, October 15, 2018

Warning! Zombie Attack at Orchard Road, 26 October to 4 November!

During this Halloween, you can help save the world from a Zombie Attack, and it is happening right in the heart of Orchard Road!

A virus outbreak from an unauthorized experiment has caused a group of lab technicians to be zombies, and they have shambled their way to the central shopping district. Grab a squad of four, to navigate a series of obstacles to help contain the virus and grab the anti-toxin. While you are at it, look out for those hungry biters, and slay them with your laser tag.

The fun and immersive event is organized by Unearthed Productions, together with Singapore Tourist Board's Kickstart Fund.

No pre-registration is required. You just need to gather your zombie slaying skills and sign up for duty on site at Grange Road Car Park (beside 313@Somerset), from 26th October to 4th November 2018, 5 PM to 11 PM.

Ticket prices are as follows:
Single pass (1 game play) - $30
Team pass (4 pax) - $120
Special Rates for PAssion Card members and Students - $25

Each game lasts about 15 to 20 minutes, and up to 300 players can play on each day.

There are also no age restrictions. However, children under the age of 13 must be accompanied by an adult 18 years or older.

For more information, check out the link at www.zombieattack.sg!

Sunday, October 14, 2018

Gamestart Asia 2018: Elise Zhang Professes Her Love for Disney Movies, Overwatch Fans, and Durians!


With over 40 million players worldwide, Blizzard's RPG first-shooter game Overwatch remains an international smash-hit even 2 years after its release. One of most favourite game characters is Mei, the adorkable Chinese climatologist with (literally!) very cool abilities. 

Shanghai-based voice actor Elise Zhang, is as adorable as her alter ego. She is here in Red Dot Island as a guest at South-East Asia's premiere gaming convention, Gamestart Asia 2018.

At the interview session with a small group of eager press folks, the perky voice actor would twirl her long hair, and she would make animated hand expressions as she spoke about Mei, her involvement with Overwatch and the ardent fanbase. Her positive energy was infectious. It was like seeing Mei alive in 3D, but without the Endothermic Blaster, of course.

Red Dot Diva: How did you start working on voice acting, and how did you get the role of Mei in Overwatch?
Elise: I studied chemical technology in college and I got my Masters degree in that. I didn't learn how to act or voice act. I was obsessed about voice acting since I was 12 or 13 years old, so when I was in college, I searched for some training courses on that. I took the course and my mentor thought I had some potential and gave me a lot of opportunities. So, after I got my Masters degree in chemical technology, I became a voice actor.

For Overwatch, that's all about audition. My company works with Blizzard a lot - World of Warcraft and Heart of Stone and Heroes of Storm - and I've been in all of those games. So, they said to me - we need a voice actor who can speak English and Mandarin, and you have a Masters degree, you must know how to speak English, so come to the audition. There were 5 or 6 girls at the audition, and I got the part! 

I am so lucky, because Blizzard made a character just like. If they made a different kind of girl character, I might not have gotten it.

Friday, October 12, 2018

Gamestart Asia 2018 - 5 Cool Things To Look Out For!


This weekend's Gamestart Asia 2018, South East Asia's premiere gaming convention, will be levelling up on a few areas.

There is an increased focus on industry related events with the launch of its Masterclasses on game art and design held in the last couple of days, which were led by experts Jacqueline Jocson and Carlo Arellano. During the convention itself, Gamestart Asia will also be holding workshops relating to building your own retro arcade machine and creating fun animations. These sessions are provided in collaboration with video production company, No Average Joe.

In addition, the arena of e-sports remains the major highlight, with the SEA Major 2018 hosting tournaments for 10 games, where international professional e-sports athletes will be competing for a prize pool of USD 50,000. Fans can get to watch their e-sports heroes in action, like Japan's Daigo Umehara, top female Tekken 7 player Tokido, home boy Ho Kun Xian and reknown multi-game champion Justin Wong.

Founder's Base will be back as well. This is where you can find the cutest, wierdest, quirkiest indie games built by local developers. Visit the area, try out the games there and vote for your favourite game at the Indie Awards. You will stand a chance to win a Wacom Intuos S BT tablet!!

Tabletop gamers will be happy to know that they are tons of opportunities to play their favourite games or try new ones. There are also cool prizes for grabs at The Gauntlet, where fans can show off their skills in a variety of games.

In addition, fans can shop at the the Doujin Market, and admire the awesome costumes at the Cosplay Runway. There is so many exciting things happening on both days, but if you are a casual gamer and are more interested in pop-culture/ entertainment, here is Red Dot Diva's pick of the Top 5 Cool Things to Look Out For at Gamestart Asia!


1. Meet Elise Zhang - Voice of Overwatch's Mei

The lovable voice actor from China will be at the convention meeting fans of the immensely popular game Overwatch during these times at the Gamestart Booth:

13 Oct - 3 to 4 PM
14 Oct - 1 to 2 PM

Photo prints are available at the Gamestart Booth as well. These cost $30 each. Limited meet and greet tickets are at $35 each, and you can bring 1 item for Elise to autograph.

Also, don't miss catching Elise on the main stage at 5:30 PM on 14 October.


Saturday, October 6, 2018

HBO Asia's "Folklore" Horror Anthology Set To Give You Sleepless Nights, Premieres 7 Oct, 10 PM

October is the best season for a nice, spine-chilling scarefest, and HBO Asia will be rewarding horror fans with a 6-episode anthology called "Folklore".

Created by award-winning local director Eric Khoo, "Folklore" is a HBO Asia Original series that brings a modern or updated twist to the classic ghoulies and myths that Asians will be familiar with. The team of directors, specially requested by Eric Khoo to be part of the project, spin creepy tales that possess their own home countries' brand of horror.

Each story will be told in the local language that the episode is based on, and will also provide insights of the social issues that exist in that country.

Six episodes will air each Sunday exclusively on HBO (StarHub TV Ch 601), beginning from 7 October, 10 PM. They will also be available on HBO Go and HBO On Demand (StarHub TV Ch 602).

Non-subscribers of HBO will be able to watch the first episode "Folklore: A Mother's Love" via streaming on HBO GO for free, from 10 PM on October 7.




Here are the synopsis of the 6 episodes:

Sunday, September 23, 2018

New Seasons of The Big Bang Theory, Young Sheldon, Lethal Weapon on Warner TV Asia

Warner TV Asia, home of DC Comics' superhero shows like "Arrow", "The Flash", "Supergirl" and "DC Legends of Tomorrow", has a list of other TV series that appeal to geeky folks. Non-Arrowverse shows like "Krypton" and "Gotham" help to expand the DC Universe, and "iZombie" (loosely based on the comic book series of the same name) cater to those who like zombies but prefer something far less intense than AMC's "The Walking Dead".

Three other shows aired by Warner TV are also set to returning on screen this week. They are "The Big Bang Theory", its prequel series "Young Sheldon", and cop show "Lethal Weapon".


THE BIG BANG THEORY



Special Premiere: 25 September 2018, Tuesday, 8:10 PM
Episodes: every Friday from September 28, 8:10 PM

This will be the 12th and last season of the long running comedy series. It is in fact the longest-running multi-camera comedy series in TV history. The sitcom has told stories about eccentric geek Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) and his friends, like Leonard (Johnny Galecki) and Penny (Kaley Cuoco) who finally gotten married. Sheldon himself tied the knot with neurobiologist Amy Farrah Fowler (Mayim Bialik) in the finale of Season 11, with surprise guest Mark Hamill officiating the wedding! It will be business as usual in this final season, with Sheldon playing fantasy role-playing games with friends that include fellow scientists Rajesh Koothrappali (Kunal Nayyar), Howard Wolowitz (Simon Helberg) and Howard’s wife, Bernadette (Melissa Rauch).

Wednesday, September 19, 2018

Gamestart Asia 2018 - Elise Zhang, Overwatch Voice Actor Announced as Guest


Missing your favourite gaming convention in South-East Asia? Then, get ready to gather your friends together for Gamestart Asia!  The show is returning to Suntec City Convention Halls 401, 402 and 403 on 13 and 14 October 2018.

Just announced by the organizers today, Red Dot Diva is delighted to spread the word that The Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia will be exhibition at the convention for the first time! Look out for more news on how their involvement will be at this year's show.


This piece of news is going to get Overwatch fans excited. Chinese talent Elise Zhang, voice of Mei in both English and Mandarin versions of the game, will be a guest Gamestart Asia! She also voiced Symmetra in the Mandarin version of Overwatch. Other voice work she has done includes "Power Puff Girls", "We Bare Bears" and "Lego NEXO KNIGHTS".

The other usual content that Gamestart Asia is well known for, will also be featured at the show. These include tabletop gaming, previews of games, e-sports, indie and retro games, as well as cosplay! Check out some of the highlights below:


Monday, September 17, 2018

Illustration Arts Fest is BACK on 22 & 23 September, LASALLE McNally Campus

Colourful, quirky and unabashedly indie, the Illustration Arts Fest (IAF) returns to LASALLE McNally Campus this coming weekend on 22 and 23 September.

The Organisation of Illustrators Council (OIC) put the show together for the first time in 2016. This will be the 3rd anniversary of the show, and it is already one of Red Dot Diva's favourite annual art event.


Here are 5 Reasons Why You Should Come To This Year's IAF too!

1. Vibrant Artists Market
The Artists Market at Illustration Arts Fest is the best thing ever. It is busy, inventive and vibrant. With over 100 indie artists and illustrators from Red Dot Island and nearby countries taking part, no wonder it's a crowd puller.

Red Dot Diva recommends those who visit IAF to check out the booths by her friends and acquaintances, like Jessica Emmett, Inky Cat Studio, The Rolling Ronins (with Wayne Rée & Rex Regrets), Danger Gene, toy designers Daniel Yu and Ziqi Wu, and not forgetting, the comic creators from COSHStudios.

The art style is wide ranging and eclectic, as the list of artists include the popular Muffinsaurus, artists Billy Yong and Zu Orzu, Fingersmith Letter Press who specializes in illustration and hand lettering, Inez Design with embroidery art and Rakasa Print Studio from Malaysia who does silkscreen art.

Sunday, September 16, 2018

STGCC 2018 Recap - Diva Reviews the Good and The Bad of This Year's Convention


The Singapore Toy Game and Comic Convention (STGCC) 2018 wrapped up its 11th year last weekend, and despite Red Dot Diva's misgivings before the show, she did manage to have quite a lot of fun at the show.

It was much more low-key than previous years, and there are a few reasons for that, like late announcement of guests, high ticket prices and a lack of new show ideas, but Red Dot Diva will get to more of that later in this article.

After taking some days getting over the STGCC hangover, and speaking to other geeks about what they thought of the show, here's a general recap of the good, the bad -- and some ideas on a way forward to a more vibrant convention.


THE GOOD:

Movie/ TV presence via Sony Pictures SG and HBO Asia
It seems that Reed is finally getting the idea that fans absolutely LOVE being part of their favourite movies and TV shows. So, having Sony Pictures SG set up a two-booth event promoting their upcoming movies, "Spider-man: Into the Spider-verse" and "Venom" at the showfloor, was a superb idea.

People could watch the trailers, take photos with cosplayers, or with props...



Friday, September 7, 2018

STGCC 2018: An Marvellous Interview with Ryan Meinerding


The media preview for Singapore Toy Games and Comic Convention (STGCC) 2018 was held at the lovely Funan Showsuite yesterday. Together with other invited media, Red Dot Diva got to meet some of the convention's guests, like David Finch and Olivia Mears. However, there was one particular guest whom she really wanted to meet - Ryan Meinerding, Marvel Studios' Head of Visual Development.

For those who love Marvel movies, Ryan Meinerding's concept art has appeared in the films, and is responsible for designing all of Captain America's costumes. Also, remember Coulson's vintage Captain America trading cards? Those images were Ryan's artwork as well!

Being typical Red Dot Islanders, Red Dot Diva and her geek bro Jedd Jong went all out kiasu-mode, and had planned to tag team for this interview a week ahead. They did not want to miss this precious opportunity at all!

When interview sessions opened, they were first to plonk down beside Ryan for their short 15 minutes with him. Cheong, ah!



HIS 10-YEAR JOURNEY WITH MARVEL STUDIOS
Jedd opened the interview by posing a question to Ryan about his 10-year journey working for Marvel Studios. "You know, I was brought on board by Jon Favreau previously, and I got to work on Iron Man I and got work on Mark 1, and did keyframe with Adi Granov on Iron Monger, and we were trying out, sort of the boot test sequence and what he was building in his suit in the garage, and a couple of other things. Then, after that project, Marvel asked me to come back, to stay on board and help them figure out on their next films. So, I got to early passes on Captain America and Thor, after that period of time, we went straight into Iron Man 2 and Thor."

Ryan Meinerding went on to mention that he got Charlie Wen on board for "Thor", and later on, for The Avengers movie, he expanded his team of artists to include Andy Park, Rodney Fuentebella, Jackson Sze and eventually Anthony Francisco. With a sense of wonder still in his voice, Ryan said, "The fact that the cinematic universe has grown from the singular movie to something that’s 20 movies large and still going strong is really incredible."

He has yet to visit the "Marvel Studios: Ten Years of Heroes" exhibition held at the ArtScience Centre, but said that he wants to find time to see it during his stay here.

Monday, September 3, 2018

Warner TV Escape Room Challenge Is Back at Centrepoint, 3 to 9 September


The Warner TV Escape Room Challenge is back!!!

From 3 to 9 September, the escape room based on the channel's TV series - "The Big Bang Theory", "Gotham" and "Lethal Weapon" is all set for fans to participate and solve. Compared to last year's challenge, the game plays have levelled up as well


Here are different game room levels:

Escape Room 1 - Difficulty Level 1 - The Big Bang Theory
Help Sheldon Cooper locate his missing comic books!

Escape Room 2 - Difficulty Level 2 - Lethal Weapon
Deactivate the bomb before it hurts hundreds of innocent lives in the Central District!

Escape Room 3 - Difficulty Level 3 - Gotham
Escape Gotham City Police Department’s jail cells with your fellow cell mates!

Sunday, September 2, 2018

Superfriends in Singapore Comic Art Gallery 2018 features Adi Granov, Mark Brooks, Agnes Garbowska


Next weekend's Singapore Toy Game and Comic Convention will please many comic book fans as a talented group of guests from the industry are set to converge at the Marina Sands Expo to appear on panels, or do signings and sketches.

To provide an appetizer for the island's pop-culture event, there is going to be a pop-up comic art exhibition launching a few days before. The "Superfriends" in Singapore comic art show will be held from 4th to 11th September at the Visual Arts Centre near Dhoby Ghaut, 11 AM to 8 PM daily. (Note: The gallery is closed to the public on 7th September.) .

Fan favourite artists Adi Granov, Mark Brooks and Agnes Garbowksa will have their original art featured at the exhibition. These include illustrations of comic book and pop-culture characters like the Avengers, Spider-man, Batman, Teen Titans and My Little Pony, as well as art pieces specially conceived and drawn for the show.

Saturday, September 1, 2018

STGCC 2018: Booth Highlight - Spice Up Your Art Collection with Graphicurry!

Pop-culture icons, well-known personalities and celebrities are transformed into colourful, humourous yet spot-on caricatures in the deft hands of Bangalore-based artist Prasad Bhat. His design studio and company name Graphicurry is as wittily conceived as his art pieces.

With Prasad's special knack of being able to distill the essence of a person's features into impressive and unique Vector artwork, he has amassed a large number of followers and fans spanning across the globe. Red Dot Diva herself is quite a fan of his "Evolution of" graphic series.

This year, Graphicurry will be making an appearance at the Singapore Toy Games and Comic Convention (STGCC) Artist Alley for the very first time. Red Dot Diva managed to ask the company's brainchild Prasad Bhat some nosy questions, before he makes his way to Red Dot Island.



Monday, August 27, 2018

STGCC 2018 - Adi Granov, Stephanie Hans, James C. Mulligan, Simone Legno and Reis O'Brien Announced as Guests

ReedPop sure took their time in announcing the third wave of STGCC 2018 guests, but the list was just released a few hours ago, and many of them are returning guests. These include more comic book guests, namely Adi Granov and Stephanie Hans.

Currently working exclusively for Marvel, Adi Granov is already familiar with fans, as he has been attending STGCC as a guest for a few years now. He is best known for his conceptual and illustrations in the MCU, which include design work for conceptual designer and illustrator on movies such as the "Iron Man" movies 1 to 3, "The Avengers", "Avengers: Infinity War" and "Black Panther".

It is nice to know that Stephanie Hans will be returning to STGCC as well. Her vibrant artwork (with a penchant for the colour red) has graced the covers of comic titles like Image Comics' "The Wicked and the Divine 1831", Dark Horse's "Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 12", and Marvel's "Jessica Jones" and "Ms. Marvel" - just to name a few!

Collage of artwork by James Mulligan

Also meeting the fans again this year's convention is Disney's official artist James C. Mulligan, whose ties with the Mouse has spanned over two decades! His art of well known celebrities and Disney characters are simply gorgeous. He also does very entertaining performances and live drawings on stage, as those who were at last year's STGCC can attest to!

On the local front, Mr Kiasu's creator Johnny Lau will be meeting fans and signing the 10th volume of the beloved comic book series at Action City's booth during the convention.

Saturday, August 25, 2018

STGCC 2018 - Diva Chats with Mark Brooks about Han Solo and Star Wars' Toxic Fans


Artist Mark Brooks' eye-catching and vibrant artwork has graced the covers of many high-profile Marvel comic books like "Deadpool", "Secret Empire", "Avengers" and "The Amazing Spider-Man". He used to work exclusively for Marvel, but recently, he has been lured by DC Comics to be a variant cover artist starting with the iconic Detective Comics issue #982.

Mark Brook's lifelike rendition of the human figure is striking, especially for the female form. His drawings of female superheroes and villains show off their individual beauty and quirks, balancing strength and a kind of glowy softness.


When Red Dot Diva learnt that Mark Brooks was also asked to draw for Marvel's run on Star Wars comics, she thought that this was a brilliant choice, especially when he was asked to collaborate with writer Marjorie Liu to draw interiors for the "Han Solo" series.  

Mark Brooks will be back in town to meet fans at the Singapore Toy Game and Comic Convention on 8 and 9 September, Marina Bay Sands Expo. Red Dot Diva got in touch with him to chat about "Han Solo", his recent projects, and his thoughts on Star Wars being a hot bed for toxic fandom.

Red Dot Diva: This will be your 2nd time back in STGCC! Are you looking forward to do anything new in Singapore?
Mark: I’m really excited to be back! The last time I was there was 6 years ago.  I loved the city and the people so it will be great to get reacquainted. Mainly, I’m looking forward to eating the amazing food and do some general exploring. I’ll be coming into town a few days early just to do that.

Wednesday, August 22, 2018

Sentosa Sandsation 2018 presents a MARVEL Edition from 1 to 16 September 2018


This September, not only will you be able to enjoy the warm sun, salty air, and waves splashing at your feet, you will also get to admire 15 larger than life sand sculptures of comic book superheroes.

The Sentosa Sandsation returns with a MARVEL Edition at Silosa Beach from 1 to 16 September, 10 AM to 9 PM daily. The largest sand festival in South-east Asia, Sentosa Sandsation is part of the 3-year collaboration between The Walt Disney SouthEast Asia and Singapore Tourism Board.

Award-winning sand sculptor JOOHeng Tan and his team will be building sculptures of Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Hulk - just to name a few.

14 of the world's best sand sculptors will be showing off their skills by taking part in The Sentosa International Sand Sculpting Championship. The theme of the sculptures will be MARVEL-inspired creations, of course!

It's a great way to enjoy a fun day out with the kids during the school holidays, or hang out with your crew, as there are many other activities to participate in. Here are some of them:

Saturday, August 11, 2018

STGCC 2018: Booth Highlight - Inky Cat Studio Has Art with A Lot of Purrsonality


For the past few years, Red Dot Diva has introduced artists and creators who will be showcasing their artwork at the STGCC (Singapore Toy Game and Comic Convention) Artist Alley. This section of the show is where the local and region's creative heart beats, producing all kinds of interesting art, craft and merchandise.

There is something special for cat lovers at this year's Artist Alley. Look out for Inky Cat Studio, whose main subject consists of felines, illustrated in adorably quirky ways and scenarios. If you are not that into cats, Inky Cat Studio is very versatile, and also produces cute images of bears, rabbits, raccoons, as well as more traditional subjects like human portraits.

In this interview, Red Dot Diva talks to Stephanie Hew, the lady behind Inky Cat Studio, about her art style and artistic influences.



Red Dot Diva: Hi Stephanie! Please tell the RDD readers a little about yourself, how you got into the career of illustration and graphic design.
Stephanie: Hi everyone! I’m Stephanie Hew, the illustrator behind Inky Cat Studio :) I’m an Australian living here in Singapore with my husband and 2 cats.

I’ve always been creative and loved technology since I was very young. I started with traditional media like oils and watercolor and then when I got my first computer I discovered the world of digital art and kept on teaching myself the software and techniques. This was all happening on the side while my full time job for many years was in higher education. After a few years in Singapore however, I decided it was time for a change and to take my long time passion seriously and see where it could take me. It was a difficult decision but with the encouragement from family I made the leap and started Inky Cat Studio.


Thursday, August 9, 2018

Diva Interviews OKAZU, A Sumi-e Artist & Live Art Performer


Last week's Japan Park SG exhibition was quite the cultural fest on all things Japanese. In particular, Red Dot Diva thought the events held on the Omakaze Stage was very engaging.

The schedule of stage events ran the gamut of talks with cosplayers, wrestler Jushin Thunder Liger, robotist Professor Tomotaka Takahashi, various types of traditional dances, a party with girl band Poppin'Party as well as veteran rockers Sunplaza Nakano Kun & Papala Kawai. However, Red Dot Diva's favourite performance on stage was the live drawing of samurai sumi-e art (Japanese black ink brush painting) by OKAZU, a talented artist who hails from Osaka.

OKAZU is well-known for his sumi-e art on historical samurai and warriors, but he also does fantastic artwork of characters from manga, anime, Western pop-culture, and even comic book superheroes!


On stage during the Japan Park SG show, in less than 30 minutes, OKAZU created striking warring samurai images that seem almost alive, as if they are to jump through the white canvases. Accompanied by a cinematic soundtrack, his live performances were both elegant and visually powerful.



Red Dot Diva had a chance to interview OKAZU at the Samurai Room on the 2nd day of the show, and learned more about his motivations and inspirations.

Friday, August 3, 2018

Japan Park Singapore, 4 & 5 August 2018 - Experience the Delights of 47 Prefectures of Japan!


Just for this weekend, you do not need to fly to Japan in order to experience the traditions, and gather insights on the lifestyle and culture of the country. You just need to head to Japan Park Singapore exhibition at Suntec Convention Centre!

The show is a one-stop destination for a taste of all 47 prefectures in Japan. It is an ambitious feat that was pulled off by the show organizer Amuse Entertainment Singapore, together with partners Bushiroad, OJ Partners and WAttention, and support from SOZO (the creators of Anime Festival Asia), Japan Creative Centre (JCC), JNTO Singapore Office and JETRO Singapore.


A post shared by Red Dot Diva (@reddotdiva) on

Based on the media preview of Japan Park Singapore, here are some of the Wonderful Things to Experience at Japan Park SG:


WA-SHIOK GOURMET FESTA
When it comes to priorities, good food is pretty much at the top of the list for most locals. In the WA-SHIOK Gourmet Festa area, one will find much delectable yum yums to choose from!

During the media preview, Red Dot Diva had a taste of the sausage from Teppei Syokudo booth. The juicy meat had a flavourful crunch to it. Don't miss getting one of these!

A post shared by Red Dot Diva (@reddotdiva) on



Thursday, August 2, 2018

Returning Guests for STGCC 2018 and Lego Area for the Harry Potter & Voltron Fans!

The Singapore Toy, Games and Comic Convention (STGCC) must be rather lucrative for comic book artists. Their booths are usually swarmed with fans from Red Dot Island as well as those who check in from countries around the region, where it is difficult to meet well-known comic creators face to face.

Coming back to this year's convention are last year's guests Frank Cho, Arthur Adams and Joyce Chin, as well as Agnes Garbowska! Fans who missed meeting them in previous shows, can have another chance to get their comics signed or request for commissions and sketches.

It was in 2015 when fan favourite Agnes Garbowska was a guest at the convetion. Her whimsical, uber-cute drawings were a hit, especially with the younger folks, and the lines at her booth were mostly 20 people deep most of the time! Her style of art shines in titles like "DC Super Hero Girls" (DC Comics), "My Little Pony" (IDW Publishing) and "Grumpy Cat" (Dynamite).

When we last met Frank Cho, he had just kicked off a new fantasy series called "Skybourne" with BOOM! Studios. The 5-issue comic series wrapped up in February this year. He is currently working on several other creator-owned projects, including "Guns & Dinos" with Image Comics and "War Witch" with novelist Tom Sniegoski for Big Wow Publications.

Veteran comic book artist Arthur Adams will be meeting fans again, bringing with him his knowledge of the industry and art that spans across various publishing houses, like Marvel, DC Comics, Image and Dark Horse. He also founded a creator-owned comics imprint called Legend together with Mike Mignola, Frank Miller, John Byrne. The imprint was published through Dark Horse Comics before it ceased in 1998. His creator-owned "Monkeyman and O'Brien" from the Legend days still exists in various crossovers.

Joyce Chin is like a senpai to aspiring women artists who want to enter into the field of comic book art. She has been drawing for comics since 1995 and has worked for several titles like DC Comics, Marvel, Top Cow and Dynamite, like Vampirella, Red Sonja, Spider-man, Witchblade and Wynonna Earp, which is based on the supernatural Western horror TV series.

Friday, July 6, 2018

Welcome Comic Book Artists David Finch and Mark Brooks to STGCC 2018!


STGCC 2018 announced their first round of guests was well as opened online ticketing for the event yesterday.

Comic book artists David Finch and Mark Brooks will be meeting fans at the pop-culture event, held on 8 and 9 September at the Marina Bay Sands Expo!

David Finch started out in Top Cow Productions' "Cyberforce", working closely with creator and studio founder Marc Silvestri. After the run for "Cyberforce" ended, he created the titles "Ascension" with writer Matt "Batt" Banning, and "Aphrodite IX" with David Wohl.

In 2003, David returned to comics collaborating with Brian Michael Bendis on Marvel's "Ultimate X-Men" and "Avengers", as well as the relaunch of the superhero team called "The New Avengers". Sometime in 2010, David switched to DC Comics, providing covers for "Brightest Day" by Geoff Johns and Peter Tomasi. He also wrote and drew for 18 issues of the "Batman: The Dark Knight" series, before moving on to "Justice League of America" and "Forever Evil".

As for comic book artist Mark Brooks, this is not his first time visiting Singapore. Mark, who has worked on various of Marvel's popular titles, like "Deadpool", "Ultimate Spider-Man" and "Secret Wars", made an appearance as a guest hosted by the now-defunct Invasion! Toys, back in STGCC 2012.

His career has grown in leaps and bounds since then, with his art gracing the covers and interiors of several Star Wars comics, like "Han Solo" which was published in 2016. The limited series garnered favourable reviews and earned Mark Brooks and writer Marjorie Liu an Eisner Award nomination in 2017. Not only that, his pencil work caught the eye of Star Wars creator George Lucas, and he had requested to buy every page of the original art from the first two issues of "Han Solo"! Wowzas, right?

Tuesday, June 12, 2018

Diva's Interview with Tomotaka Takahashi, Inventor of Robi the Interactive DIY Robot


Mention the word "robot", and most geeks would immediately think of the Terminator, or Robocop, the heroic Iron Giant, Wall-E, or R2-D2 from the "Star Wars" movies.

In real life on the commercial level, other than your Roomba, there is 34-cm tall Robi - a cute, portable robot that dances, speaks (yes, there's a Singlish option!) and walks. The robot comes in parts via subscription to the Robi Weekly Magazine, so there is also the satisfaction of building your very own Robi.

The humanoid boy robot is designed by Associate Professor Tomotaka Takahashi, CEO and founder of Robo Garage. Takahashi has invented several robots other than Robi. One of these is the tiny but sturdy Evolta, powered by Panasonic batteries. Back in 2011, Evolta completed the Iron Man Triathlon in Hawaii!

The roboticist is one of the special guests at the Japan Park Singapore event held on 4 and 5 August 2018 at Suntec Convention Centre, and Red Dot Diva manage to snag a short interview with him.

Sunday, June 10, 2018

ArtScience Museum's Marvel Studios: 10 Years of Heroes Exhibition Needs More Punch


The Marvel Studios: Ten Years of Heroes exhibition, which celebrates the 19 Marvel superhero movies in the last 10 years, opened to the public at ArtScience Museum on 9 June 2018. From now till 30 September, fans will be able to relive their favourite Marvel superhero movie moments at the show.

The project is part of a three-year collaboration between Singapore Tourism Board and The Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia. For the exhibition, Taiwan-based toy company Beast Kingdom worked with Walt Disney for the concept and displays.



Within the exhibit hall, there are 10 different galleries featuring places from the movies - for example, Stark Industries, Aasgard, and Wakanda. Each of these areas have life-sized statues, static displays, or interactive areas for fans to get their superhero fix.

Red Dot Diva was at the special preview for bloggers to take in the signs and sounds of the exhibition, and here are some of the things you can expect.

Sunday, May 13, 2018

Diva's Reylo Fan Art Series: Rachel Xin's Unmistakably Fluid and Dynamic Art Style

OK, OK. Red Dot Diva has to confess.

She cannot get enough of Reylo.

For the uninitiated, that's the ship name for Rey and Kylo Ren - the two characters from the latest Star Wars trilogy who represent the Light Side and Dark Side of the Force. Their fateful bond and intertwining destinies have spurred the imagination of fans who dare (or dare not) hope for their romantic relationship to succeed. Who else other than Rey is able call Kylo by his real name Ben, without having him visibly scowl and flinch?

Thanks to Rian Johnson, Reylo fans were given more soul food in "The Last Jedi". After much debate, Reylo has now become canon. The sexual tension during their ForceTime together was undeniable. And ooh, those few seconds of shirtless Kylo. *fans self* Mmmm...

A deluge of Reylo fanart has been flooding social media since then, and many of them have been either tragically angsty, gleefully humourous, or simply beautifully rendered.

To keep the flame of Reylo going, Red Dot Diva will be putting up a blog series on selected artists who have produced some of the popular Reylo fan art in social media. The first in the series is an interview with USC animation department graduate, Rachel Xin.

Rachel hails from China, and before studying in USC, she was a graduate of Beijing Film Academy, majoring in Animation. She has also recently finished a freelance job at Warner Bros as a character designer. Her passion is drawing (obviously!), and she enjoys watching movies and travelling.

One just needs to take a peek at Rachel's website and social media timeline to see that her fluid, almost Chinese brush-like artistic style is obviously East Asian. Other hints include the posture and facial expression of the characters in her art.

These translate so well in her Reylo art, as Chinese love stories are usually quite tragic, and Rachel skillfully infuses that sentiment with Western pop-culture with nuanced details that are familiar to Asian fans.

It is amazing how Rachel is able to conceptualize and make these static images stick in one's visual memory. Judging by her artwork and content, Red Dot Diva is sure Rachel will go far. So, she got in touch with Rachel to find out more about her art style, her thoughts on Reylo, and her aspirations.

Red Dot Diva: How did you get into art/ illustration and animation? 
Rachel: I have been fond of drawing since I was a kid. The white wall in my house was painted to a mess by me. The good thing was that my parents never blamed me for that. Instead, they sent me to various interest classes, like piano, dancing, calligraphy and drawing. 

For a 4-year-old, these classes were pretty heavy, so I found all kinds of excuses to skip the classes. I pretended to be sick to avoid practicing piano, but I never gave up on art! From that time I knew I probably would draw for the rest of my life! I love drawing manga, watching animation and movies. I love telling stories. My parents had always been supporting me with the attitude of “do what you like”, so naturally, I chose a high school which specializes in fine arts. I went to the best film school in China to learn animation, and after that I chose to further my study in the U.S.!

Saturday, May 12, 2018

Singapore Repertory Theatre's Shakespeare in the Park: Julius Caesar - A Fascinating, Modern Take on an Old Tale


The weather was sticky and muggy last Sunday evening, but Red Dot Diva felt happy to be back in Fort Canning Park for an evening of theatre accompanied by a enjoyable picnic on the lawn. She was there to indulge in one of the biggest Shakespeare in the Park productions in the region - Singapore Repertory Theatre (SRT)'s adaptation of Julius Caesar. The production also part of SRT's 25th Anniversary celebrations.

In 2017, SRT called off the beloved annual Shakespeare in the Park due to funding issues, as they saw large sponsors depart and production costs rise. However, with backing from loyal corporate sponsors as well as support and crowdfunding from an ardent group of theatre lovers, the outdoor production is back in its usual venue, with a huge impressive set!

Right after entering Fort Canning's Gothic Gates, attendees were invited to climb up the stairs from backstage and to walk around the modern, "concrete-and-glass" looking Roman Piazza set. A semi-circular structure held an audio-visual display, and flags of the seven "nations" of the R.O.M.E. alliance marked the stage where the Shakespearean tragedy will later unfold. Standing up on stage with ushers who were dressed the part as government officials, Red Dot Diva felt as if she has already become part of the story.