Singapore Comic Con 2025 Ramps Up With Comic Book Guests Including Joe Rubinstein, Adi Granov, Sean Phillips, Rian Gonzales and more!

Singapore Comic Con (SGCC) is all set to host a geek party again this year, and Red Dot Diva has already begun her countdown. The region's premier pop culture convention will held at Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre on 6 and 7 December 2025. The convention will span two levels (Level 1 and B2) with three halls at Level 1, providing more comics, booths and pop-culture fun for everyone. What is even more special is that for the first time ever, SGCC will have a Preview Night held on 5 December 2025 (6 PM to 10 PM) for VIP ticket holders, media, and invited guests.

Attendees of Preview Night can expect to have exclusive access to selected guests, watch a curated segments on stage and a first-hand view of the showfloor. Check out the SGCC's Ultimate Preview Night programme below:



For the comic book fans, SGCC has already rolled out the list of international guests, which includes several veteran and emerging comic book creators. Amongst them are returning A-listers like Eisner Award-winning artist Joe Rubinstein as well as artist and conceptual designer Adi Granov. Glenn Fabry, Martin Simmonds, Kael Ngu, Mico Suayan, Stephen Segovia and power couple Carla Cohen and Lucio Parrillo will also be back for the event.

Joining them are British artists Sean Phillips and Jacob Phillips. Due to a conflict in their schedule, the father and son duo had to miss the show last yeas, so dear fans, you can rejoice! They will be able to make it to Red Dot Island this time around. Sean Phillips' illustrious and award-winning career spans five decades, with his works found in books by all of the major comic book publishers. Sean has drawn for Hellblazer, Batman, X-Men, Marvel Zombies, and Stephen King’s The Dark Tower. Currently, he is drawing for the long-running Criminal series written by Ed Brubaker and coloured by Jacob Phillips.

Fans would also have the chance to meet many other comic book guests like:
* Rian Gonzales - whose art is riot of colours and infused with chibi-ness,
* Italian artist Giulia Pellegrini who also loves LARPing,
* Indonesia-based Rudy Ao who is known for his photorealistic art pieces,
* Eisner Award-winning Simon Bisley who is best known for his work for DC Comics' Lobo, and
* South Korean artist JeeHyung Lee who has worked with both DC and Marvel, as well as being the writer and illustrator of the supernatural thriller comic GUMAA.

Power Ranger fans can get to meet two celebrities this year - red ranger Jason Flaunt, and for her very first time ever to SGCC - pink ranger Erin Cahill. Erin is also known as the voice of Chloe "Karma" Lynch in Call of Duty: Black Ops II. Her appearance is specially brought to you by Retro Experience. To nab ticket packages for the meet and greet with Erin, head to the link at Eventbrite - https://www.eventbrite.sg/e/power-rangers-time-force-sgcc-2025-tickets-1124358098339?. Fans who want to meet Jason Flaunt can head to SGCC's website to get their tickets.



For the full SGCC 2025 guest list, click on this link: https://www.singaporecomiccon.com/guest


TICKETING INFORMATION

There is a range of tickets options for SGCC 2025, including Preview Night, early access to the shows and merchandise bundles. 1-day tickets are priced at SGD 38 per person, while the 2-day access is priced at SGD 68 per person.

To check out the details and purchase tickets to SGCC 2025, click on this link: https://www.singaporecomiccon.com/sgcctickets

SGCC also has a special perk for families. Kids under 8 can enter the show for free (maximum of two kids under 8 per ticket)! So, you can have a kick start in nurturing your kids' love for all things pop culture.

This year's SGCC limited edition merchandise includes a colourful SGCC x Artgerm T-shirt and Bomber Jacket by the popular Stanley "Artgerm" Lau. If you are a huge fan of Artgerm, this is something not to be missed!



SINGAPORE COMIC CON (SGCC) 2025
Where: Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre
Date: 6 & 7 December 2025 (Sat and Sun) with special Preview Night on 5 December 2025 (Fri)
Time: 10 AM to 8 PM on 6 & 7 December 2025
Admission: Refer to details at SISTIC - https://www.sistic.com.sg/events/sgcomic1224

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

If you enjoy Red Dot Diva's content, feel free to help her efforts going by showing your support through ko-fi. Thank you!

FOMO ArtWeekend v3 2024 - Get Ready To Fill Up Your Festive Gift Bags At Taste Orchard (23 - 24 Nov 2024)!

The Organisation of Illustrators Council (OIC Singapore) is hosting another art market called FOMO ArtWeekend at Taste Orchard on 23 and 24 November 2024. This is the third FOMO ArtWeekend show since the organisation launched the event at *SCAPE in December 2022.

You may wonder - so what is the difference between the two events presented by OIC, namely   Illustration Arts Festival (IAF) and FOMO ArtWeekend? According to Red Dot Diva's source, FOMO shines the spotlight on emerging and younger illustrators based in Red Dot Island, while IAF is geared towards the industry level with regional and international illustrators being showcased plus talks and workshops listed as part of the event. So, if you want to get a feel of how local young artists and creators are vibing these days, FOMO is the place to be!

Eager shoppers and art lovers can expect to check out over 80 booth at this upcoming festive edition of FOMO ArtWeekend. This translates to more than 100 illustrators participating at the event, offering unique merchandise and gift ideas so you can get ready for the joyful year end festivities.

Some of the artists boothing at FOMO ArtWeekend include illustrator and ceramic artist byJolyn, whose cute characters get into silly but very accurate situations; tattoo artist @tiredbutwoke who puts Pokemon creatures on ink; live sketch artist @Shuiwong; veggie-focused art and merchandise by @heyvegemates, just to name a few. There is going to be a wide range of merchandise that you can buy at the art market - stickers, postcards, art prints, plush toys, keychains, tote bags, you name it they probably have it. It will make any shopper who loves cute things go wild. 

Do check out OIC's social media on Facebook and Instagram to see who are the other artists appearing at FOMO ArtWeekend. Then, dig out those pennies you have saved for the holiday season, and get ready to grab goodies for yourself or for your loved ones!


FOMO ARTWEEKEND V3 - THE FESTIVE EDITION
Date: 23 and 24 November 2024 (Saturday)
Times: 11 AM to 7 PM
Venue: TASTE Orchard, 160 Orchard Road (the former OG Orchard Point, for those who remember the retail store)
Admission: Free of charge

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


If you enjoy my content, feel free to help keep the blog and other Red Dot Diva efforts going via ko-fi. Thank you for your support!

Singapore Comic Con 2024 (SGCC) - Meet Comic Book Guests Like Mike Zeck, Michael Gaydos, Ram V and Giuseppe Camuncoli

If you have attended Singapore Comic Convention (SGCC) before, you know the drill! Get tickets to the show, gather your squad, attend the event and have the best geek fun of the year.

The largest pop-culture event will be back at Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre on 7 and 8 December 2024, with over 400 exhibiting companies and 480 brands at the show that spans two floors (Level 1 and B2). All in all, there will be four exhibition halls taking up about 200,000 sq ft in space.

The show's organiser has been rolling out the guest announcements, and there are some heavy hitters in the list of comic book guests. This year, artist agency Scotts Collectables will be bringing in creators Ram V, Alessandro Cappuccio, Bjorn Barends, Dan Quintana, Fernando Blanco, Javier Fernandez, Belen Ortega, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Francesco Manna and David Messina.

Red Dot Diva is putting award-winning writer/ artist Ram V on her "die die must meet" list. Ram V has written graphic novels including GRAFITY’S WALL, THE MANY DEATHS OF LAILA STARR and BLUE IN GREEN. He has also written for iconic DC Comics and Marvel titles like Detective Comics, Swamp Thing, Venom and Carnage.

It will also be really cool to see Italian artist Giuseppe Camuncoli back on the island again. 14 years ago, he was a guest at Singapore Toy Games and Comic Convention 2010, and he was Red Dot Diva's first interview victim! Welcome back, Giuseppe!

When both RDD and Giuseppe were younger and more innocent (circa 2010)

Scotts Collectables has been making their presence felt at SGCC in the last couple of years by connecting popular comic book creators, like James Tynion IV, Lee Bermejo and Martin Simmonds, to fans in this region. The autograph lines at the booths can be quite long. So, if you are intending to get your comics signed by their creators, do arrive at the event hall early!

At SGCC 2024, fans can get to meet veteran comic book artists like Mike Zeck and Joe Rubinstein, who are co-hosted by Fat Snake and local comic book store Pink Ponk. Mick Zeck's artwork on Spider-Man and Punisher has influenced the look of these characters, creating iconic images that have been imprinted in the minds of comic book fans. He is also the creator of the black-and-white suit won by Spider-Man in Marvel's 1984 limited series, SUPER-HEROES SECRET WARS.

Inker Joe Rubinstein has contributed to countless comic books with his talent. He holds a Guinness World Record of inking the most number of artists in the comic book industry - with credits in over 2,500 comic books. One of those books is the THE OFFICIAL HANDBOOK OF THE MARVEL UNIVERSE, which he worked on for 20 years. Besides Marvel titles, Joe Rubinstein has worked in titles by major comic book publishers, including DC's AQUAMAN, ION: GUARDIAN OF THE UNIVERSE and GREEN ARROW/BLACK CANARY series, and Dark Horse's ARCHENEMIES.

Other guests hosted by Fat Snake and Pink Ponk are Michael Gaydos, who is the co-creator of Jessica Jones for Marvel. With over 30 years' experience in the comic book industry, Michael Gaydos has worked on mini series POWERLESS and DC Comics' PEARL. Joining him, are artists Elia Bonetti, OshRed, Emma Wu, and Indonesian Rudy Nurdiawan aka Rudy Ao. Red Dot Diva has not seen Rudy in years!!! So, she cannot wait to catch up with him again at SGCC. Rudy is such an awesome guy, and he draws uber-detailed, near hyper-realistic renditions of comic book characters.

As a pop-culture show, SGCC has also invited guests who do not work mostly on Western comic books. Announced so far are HK manhua artist Khoo Fuk-Lung 邱福龍, award-winning Japanese American illustrator Yuko Shimizu (not the Hello Kitty creator!), local illustrator Darren Tan (best known for his Star Wars and MTG art), a convention favourite and official Disney artist James C Mulligan (he's so friendly, and his booth is a popular hot spot), as well as local concept artist and illustrator Julian Kok.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Square Comics (@thesquarecomics)

Oh, and the creators of webtoons The Square Comics are special guests of the event too!

There should be more guest announcements as the show date looms nearer, but Red Dot Diva can bet your bottom dollar that one of them would be Simone Legno of the insanely popular tokidoki lifestand brand. If you haven't noticed before, Simone Legno has a legion of super-loyal fans, and they will always go all out to get to meet him whenever he makes a stop in Red Dot Island.

Last year, SGCC attendees got to meet DC Comics' Executive Editor Ben Abernathy. In the year before, Marvel's Editor-In-Chief C.B. Cebulski was back in town. Red Dot Diva wonders if fans will have the opportunity to meet ditors from the Big Two again this year?

Do the current list of guest announcements stir up some nerd excitement for SGCC 2024? Who do you think would be announced as SGCC guests next?


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

UPDATE ABOUT GUESTS

These guests are no longer able to make it to SGCC 2024:
- Dan Quintana
- Alessandro Cappuccio
- Francesco Manna
- Michael Gaydos
- OSHRed

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

Want to see what SGCC 2023 was like, check out my Youtube videos for last year's show!

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

RELATED SINGAPORE COMIC CON (SGCC) 2024 ARTICLES

Singapore Comic Con 2024 (SGCC) - Tickets Now Available For Purchase, and Space Ranger Celebrities Announced

Singapore Comic Con 2024 (SGCC) Booth Highlight - Meet The Monster Bunnies By Raven Collectibles (L1-AA201)

Singapore Comic Con 2024 (SGCC) Booth Highlight - Genforcer Is All Ready to Protecc You! ( L1-AA180-181)

Singapore Comic Con 2024 (SGCC) Booth Highlight - Merthewiz and Rhinomee Return With New Merchandise (L1-AA174)

Singapore Comic Con 2024 (SGCC) Booth Highlight - Delight In Rachel Tan-Hwee's (RattanHwee) Colourful and Whimsical Art (L1-AA95)


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

If you enjoy Red Dot Diva's content, feel free to help her efforts going by showing your support through ko-fi. Thank you!

Singapore Comic Con 2024 (SGCC) - Tickets Now Available For Purchase, and Space Ranger Celebrities Announced

If you have attended Singapore Comic Convention (SGCC) before, you know the drill! Get tickets to the show, attend the event and have the best geek fun of the year. The largest pop-culture event will be back at Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre on 7 and 8 December 2024, with over 400 exhibiting companies and 480 brands at the show that spans two floors (Level 1 and B2). All in all, there will be four exhibition halls taking up about 200,000 sq ft in space.

As usual, there will the usual stable of comic book creators, local and regional artist alley boothers, exhibits, panels, table top gaming, and stage events at SGCC. More details should emerge in the months to come, but right now, you can expect returning exhibitors like Mighty Jaxx, Tamashii Nations, Mediacorp, 52 Toys by Gift Greetings, Lego by The Brickshop, SaberMach, Simply Toys, Top Toy, Wizards of the Coast and Bluey! Singapore-based leading anime venture studio Kasagi Labo will also be at the event.

Red Dot Diva thought the major highlight of last year's SGCC was the Transformers display at Hasbro's Cybertron Fest. For those who have not attended SGCC before, you can check out Red Dot Diva's videos for SGCC 2023 on her Youtube channel. Here are the links:

SGCC 2023 Day 1 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_h9-nrw9Og
SGCC 2023 Day 2 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luZY0-8LWqM

At this moment, here are some interesting news that may tempt you in getting your SGCC 2024 tickets.

SGCC 2024'S PRINCESS - RURUSAMA

Adding on to the glitz for this year's event, is cosplayer and content creator Rurusama. Rurusama, who has 1.3 million followers on Instagram, has been named SGCC 2024's Princess. You can get to meet her at Creators Con, an event which is part of SGCC, and may even get a chance to party with her during the weekend!

MEET THE SPACE RANGERS

Get to meet three Space Rangers at SGCC 2024, courtesy of Iconic Bliss Entertainment!

Christopher Khayman Lee (Andros, Red Space Ranger), Selwyn Ward (T.J. Johnson, Blue Space Ranger/ Red Turbo Ranger) and Justin Nimmo (Zhane, Silver Space Ranger) will be making their first ever appearance in Red Dot Island!

You can grab your tickets separately at https://www.eventbrite.sg/e/power-rangers-in-space-sgcc-2024-tickets-863531605277 to secure the opportunity for a photo op or autographs. (A separate ticket is needed to enter SGCC halls.) The booth will also offer merchandise for avid collectors.


TICKETING INFORMATION

Tickets to SGCC 2024 are available from SISTIC SISTIC, and start from SGD 38 for a single day's entry. Kids under 8 can enter the show for free (maximum of two kids under 8 per ticket)!

Early birds can grab tickets at a discounted price before 31 August 2024:

$8 off Ultimate VIP Fan Pack
$5 off 2 day ticket bundles
$3 off 1 day ticket bundles

Other special ticket bundles include limited merchandise, like Mighty Jaxx's XXRAY: One Piece Luffy Wanted Series Treasure Gold Edition, S.H.Figuarts Ultraman figurines, exclusive SGCC x Rurusama t-shirts and more. Check the details out at the SISTIC link above.

Red Dot Diva understands that being a geek is becoming an expensive affair these days. However, if you can afford to go, SGCC still manages to turn up a few surprises here and there. It is also a great time to bond with the local geek community and meet new friends who fly into Red Dot Island specially for the event. Hope to see you there!


SINGAPORE COMIC CON (SGCC) 2024
Where: Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre
Date: 7 & 8 December 2024 (Sat and Sun)
Admission: Refer to details at SISTIC - https://www.sistic.com.sg/events/sgcomic1224

Illustration Arts Festival 2024 - A Wonderful Glow Up And Visual Feast Of Artworks

In the past couple of years, several art and hobbyist fairs have popped up locally, including the popular annual Doujin Market. Red Dot Diva appreciates that there have been many spaces created for burgeoning artists to display their works, but the booths in these markets tend to blend into one another as their cutesy styles look too similar, and the items that they create seem to be copies of each other. She felt that this was one of the issues with last year's Illustration Arts Festival (IAF), even though there were a few standout artists.

After attending this year's IAF yesterday (6 July 2024), Red Dot Diva was pleased to see that the event had a major glow up, with established artists setting the tone, and other booths offering a wide variety of art styles. It definitely helped that the festival is a collaboration with BKKIF (Bangkok Illustration Festival), KLIF (KL Illustration Fair), and JiCAF (Jakarta Illustration & Creative Arts Fair), as attendees were able to admire the different aesthetics and ideas by artists from our neighbouring countries. Red Dot Diva also found this year's artists were more confident and were eager to engage with visitors. She managed to chat with a few of them when browsing their wares, which made the event hall walkabout more interesting.

To soak in all the interesting art styles, Red Dot Diva spent about an hour or so at the festival. Here are her booth and event highlights.

Mojoko's artwork - Fargo

CINESCAPES BY MOJOKO

Top of the list is the CINESCAPES art exhibition by local stalwart Mojoko aka Steve Lawler. In fact, you will spot an upbeat Steve wandering around the hall, chatting with fans and friends. His trippy artistry and mash-up ideas of iconic film scenes, including Indiana Jones and The Temple Of Doom, Robocop, Scarface, Train To Busan and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, are simply top notch. A must for pop-culture and movie fans.

Mojoko's artwork - Robocop

Mojoko's art display is in the same room as where the talks and panels are held. So, do time your visit to his exhibition when panels are not in session.

IKUIKU STUDIO (SASAYA TSAI, TAIWAN)

It's impossible to miss Ikuiku Studio's booth at IAF. The bold cartoonish colours (OMG - that bright yellow and p0rn pink!) draw you into the naughty and playful depictions of lust and love. The juxtaposition of the two is simply ingenious.

Besides art prints, there are stickers, pins, t-shirts and washi tapes that you can buy at Ikuiku Studio's booth. Sex itself should not be a taboo, and Red Dot Diva finds it refreshing to have a woman artist be so openly expressive with regards to erotic art.

THE BEVERLY BEVERLY (@THEBVBSTORE)

The BVB Store stands out in its bright pop art colours which was reminiscent of Andy Warhol lite. The pop art postcards of iconic movies and characters were eye-catching, but there was one merchandise that caught most of the visitors' attention (scroll down).

Check out the mini NFC CD keychains with their re-illustrated fan art album design. Place your mobile device near the keychain and you have the music album playing on Apple Music or Spotify. The interactive feature allows you to share your favourite music with your friends. Pretty cool!

BEETEAL (NUR SARAH ABDUL WAHID AKA BEET)

Beeteal or Beet, is one of the rare booths at IAF that promoted their own self-published comics. There were two books available - Bandar Rimau and Haunt Out. Both stories originate from Beet's Malay-Muslim ethnic identity, and their need to ensure that their culture will not be lost in the ever modernisation of Red Dot Island. Beet's artwork heralds to the dying traditional art form of wayang kulit, and the love of the Malay culture is evident in the details, like the batik clothing worn by her original characters.

Beet shared that the Bandar Rimau comic was her final year university project, and it was tough going but they were proud that it was completed. Red Dot Diva thought the alternative myth that it could very well have been Tiger City, instead of Lion City, was an intriguing idea, and she decided to buy a package that included one of Beet's art prints.

Red Dot Diva hopes that Beet continues to make more comics, so that they can add on to the multifaceted tapestry of Red Dot Island's stories. If you are not into comics, Beet also has washi tape, art prints and stickers for sale.

ISATISSE (ISABEL TONG, HONG KONG)

The Isatisse brand's creator is Hong Kong indie artist Isabel Tong. Quirky and imperfect characters with big heads and made of contrasting colours fill the Isatisse booth. There is a wide range of items to choose from, like art prints, bags, key chains, luggage tags, postcards and stickers.

This funny Supercat keychain caught Red Dot Diva's eye and she had to get one! There are other designs and one keychain has two charms. If Red Dot Diva wished she had a higher budget so that she could buy one of her lovely psychedelic bags!

HEAVYBOOTS (QIN YI)

Do you consider Grey's Anatomy as one of your favourite TV shows? Well then, you may have a kinship with Emma the Emotional Baguette! Together with Charlie the Fierce Croissant, these toys are the brainchild of local designer and letterer Qin Yi aka Heavyboots.

Qin Yi's artwork are mostly food themed. She has also illustrated for books published by Epigram, like this Peranakan cookbook entitled “Agak-Agak, Chukop Rasa: Recipes and Stories from My Peranakan Childhood” by Gavin Koh. You can also bring home some of the artwork from this recipe book because she has made art print versions of them.

YEKNOMSTER (LAVINIA LIM)

There are a number of horror-themed booths at this year's IAF. However, the one that made Red Dot Diva circle back to take a closer look is Yeknomster's mythical, fantastical ink pieces. Her creatures are more whimsical than scary, and they translate very well into earrings, key chains as well as vinyl toy designs.

Red Dot Diva was drawn to this beautiful, tribal-influenced Husky postcard, and she is now a proud owner of one!

Besides Red Dot Diva's chosen booth highlights above, there are many others to indulge in, like Poon Yew Fai's kung fu art, Phantasien's unconventional artwork with a unique colour palette, and Erikartoon's crazed horror dreamscapes. There are tattoo booths as well, if you are looking to add more ink. One of these booths is Seraphinks (Sonia Seraphina), where you can choose a range of cute-horror character designs. No worries if you are not keen on getting a tattoo, Seraphinks also has postcards, stickers, key chains and art prints that you can purchase.

And if you need a quiet moment, or rest your tired feet, just step into one of the ART-ZOO room filled with their inflatable installations. There is also a refreshment booth there where you can grab a cuppa or special popsicles that were made in collaboration with Creamier.

There is only one more day left to Illustration Arts Festival (IAF) 2024. Don't miss it if you want to refresh your eyeballs, and grab the chance to know more local and regional artists!


Dates: 6 to 7 July 2023 (Fri to Sun)
Times: Saturday/ Sunday - 11 AM to 7 PM
Venue: ArtSpace @ HeluTrans
39 Keppel Rd, #01-05 Distripark, Singapore 089065
Admission: Day passes at SGD 6 per person before GST, and children under 6 enter for free. More ticketing options and information at Eventbrite

For more information and updates, head to the Illustration Arts Festival's Instagram!

------------------------
PREVIOUS ARTICLES ON IAF

Illustration Arts Festival 2024 Heads to ARTSPACE@ Helutrans - 5 to 7 July 2024

Illustration Arts Festival 2023 - From Cute Designs to Demonic Girls and Shaolin Monks

Illustration Arts Festival 2023 - Meet Local and Regional Artists At Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre, 29 and 30 July 2023

Illustration Arts Festival Returns On 12 & 13 August 2017 With A Bigger Artists Market

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

The Inaugural Illustration Arts Fest Held on 28 to 30 October and 4 to 6 November, 2016


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

If you enjoy Red Dot Diva's content, feel free to help her endeavours going by showing your support through ko-fi. Thank you!

Illustration Arts Festival 2024 Heads to ARTSPACE@ Helutrans - 5 to 7 July 2024

The Illustration Arts Festival (IAF) is back this year at a new location. The local arts fair's 5th edition will take place at ARTSPACE@ Helutrans, a 24,000 sq ft art space owned by the transport company. With the larger space, IAF's organisers Organisation of Illustrators Council (OIC Singapore) and 32CM, have collaborated with similar events from other countries like BKKIF (Bangkok Illustration Festival), KLIF (KL Illustration Fair), and JiCAF (Jakarta Illustration & Creative Arts Fair), added a deeper experience to the Asian arts scene.

During the weekend, festival-goers can expect to browse and buy the works of over 130 illustrators from Singapore, Hongkong, Thailand, Indonesia, Australia, Taiwan and Malaysia at the art marketplace. There will be booths galore with fan favourites like Salipuma, Emo Trash & Etc, Mjesart, Sadshrimps and The Confetti Hands. The best part of it all is the opportunity to interact with these artists in person, and to connect with their creations in a physical way.

“We are excited to be part of a community of such a diverse and talented group of illustrators for this festival,” said Michael Ng, one of the founders of OIC Singapore. “Illustration Arts Festival 2024 is not just an event for artists but for anyone who appreciates the impact of illustration art. It's a chance to meet artists in person, and exchange ideas not just locally but regionally.”

To get an idea what IAF is like, read about Red Dot Diva's experience at last year's festival held at Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre. Red Dot Diva has attended the Illustration Arts Festival since its inaugural show in 2016 (how time flies!), and she finds the event an enjoyable visual fest with a chill, community vibe. She cannot wait to explore this year's festival as it seems to be getting a glow-up!

Here are more highlights at this year's IAF:

EXCLUSIVE LAUNCH OF ART-ZOO x CREAMIER'S ART-ZOO POP PARK

You might have seen ART-ZOO's playful and imaginative animal-themed inflatable playgrounds and installations at events before. They were also at last year's IAF and their eye-catching creations gave many kids a reason to have fun as well as adults a place to rest their tired feet. For IAF 2024, ART-ZOO's friends Bruno Bear and Unicorn decided to come together with local Handcrafted Ice Cream brand, Creamier. The result is specially created popsicles for everyone at the ART-ZOO Pop Park!

Red Dot Diva wonders what kind of flavours these popsicles will be. Will they be animal-shaped?

EXCLUSIVE LAUNCH OF CINEMASCAPES by MOJOKO

Pop-up visual artist Mojoko, aka Steve Lawler, creates one the most psychedelic, bizarre collages that mashes up mainstream pop culture at its most memorable moments. Mojoko's artwork is hard to miss. You might have already seen them before at Giffest, and in quarterly art zine, Eyeyah. Perhaps, a mention of the large, eye-catching melting Superman sculpture placed outside Singapore Art Museum some time back in 2012 might jolt your memory. The sculpture entitled as “No One Can Save Us Now”, was created by Eric Foenander and Mojoko.

At IAF 2024, there will be a special exhibition by Mojoko called Cinemascapes, which consists of reimagined movie scenes from cult classes and obscure films, reimagined in Mojoko's iconic pop-psychedelic style. While presenting the enduring visual power of cinema in this exhibit, Mojoko fuses his artwork with glimpses of the future splashed with his notions of dystopia, counter cultural movements, and the human psyche. Get ready for your eyeballs and mental faculities to be exercised!


MEET REGIONAL ILLUSTRATORS - SASAYA TSAI (TAIWAN), ADHIRA PUTRA, NNENE.IIE AND MORE

This year, a number of popular artists from the Asian region will be joining the festival too. Do head to their booths and get acquainted with:

Sasaya Tsai (Ikuiku Studio), illustrator from Taiwan
Ardhira Putra, Singapore-based artist-animator-musician from Indonesia
Kendra Ahimsa aka Ardneks, musician and artist from Indonesia
Anindya Anugrah aka Phantasien, artist and collage maker from Indonesia
NNENE.IIE, illustrator-designer from Thailand with a penchant for black ink on white paper
Pearl Law, freelance artist, zine maker and comic book creator from Hong Kong and more!



BUY COMICS AND GRAPHIC NOVELS AT DIFFERENCE ENGINE'S BOOTH

Indie publisher Difference Engine (DE) returns to this year's IAF, with more books in their catalogue for sale to readers of all ages. DE's graphic novels have a unique local and regional voices with diverse and honest views that encourages one to rethink our own thoughts and prejudices. Red Dot Diva recommends checking out book titles like the award-winning “Work-Life Balance: Malevolent Managers and Folkloric Freelancers”, “Amazing Ash and Superhero Ah Ma”, and “Sound: A Comics Anthology”.

DE will also be launching a webcomic called “Tiger Girls” soon. You can also get to meet Claire Low, the illustrator of “Tiger Girls” at their booth on Saturday 6 July, 2 - 3 PM!


TALKS AND PANELS BY ESTABLISHED ARTISTS

A variety of interesting talks have also been lined up for 6 and & July. Artists like Ardneks, Phantasien and Ardhira Putra from Indonesia, and NNENE.IIE from Thailand as well as local illustrators Almostasthma and Erikartoon will be sharing about their perspectives and personal journeys navigating as commercially viable artists.

In addition, artist AnnGee Neo will be moderating an interesting panel on 7 July (Sunday) at 4:15 PM to 4:45 PM entitled “Female Form and Sexuality in Illustration”. AnnGee Neo's works can be seen in comics, commercials, editorials and children's books like the award-winning book “The Rock and the Bird” written by Chew and Chia Shao Wei.

You can find out more about the titles and timings of the talks on this Eventbrite page - https://www.eventbrite.sg/e/illustration-arts-festival-2024-tickets-923302230827


IAF 2024 is a ticketed event, so if you are keen to check out well-known and upcoming illustrators, buy your tickets in advance at Eventbrite. Tickets will also sold on site, but why line up when you can secure your tickets online?

For artists and art lovers, do not miss this event! Here are the deets:

Dates: 5 to 7 July 2023 (Fri to Sun)
Times: Friday - 5 PM to 7:30 PM (Superfan preview event using a promo code revealed directly by your favourite participating artists)
Saturday/ Sunday - 11 AM to 7 PM
Venue: ArtSpace @ HeluTrans
39 Keppel Rd, #01-05 Distripark, Singapore 089065
Admission: Day passes at SGD 6 per person before GST, and children under 6 enter for free. More ticketing options and information at Eventbrite

For more information and updates, head to the Illustration Arts Festival's Instagram!

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

If you enjoy Red Dot Diva's content, feel free to help her endeavours going by showing your support through ko-fi. Thank you!

Singapore Comic Con (SGCC) 2023 - Comic Book Guests Galore Including Peach Momoko, Chang Sheng, Martin Simmonds, Ario Anindito and More!

For a hardcore comic book fan, you would be looking forward to Red Dot Island's main annual pop-culture event, the Singapore Comic Convention (SGCC). The geek fest returns to Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre on 9 and 10 December 2023 with a bang. There will be two levels for fans to explore during the weekend, with the convention taking up Halls A, B, D, E and F.

Over 30 comic book guests have already been announced for the event. Many are under the agency stable Scott's Collectables, who also made their presence at SGCC last year. The agency is bringing in 13 artists and creators, including returning guests Martin Simmonds, Alan Quah, Kael Ngu and Lee InHyuk. Filipino artist Stephen Segovia, Stephanie Hans, Ingrid Gala and many more will be joining them this time round. It has been several years since Stephen Segovia is back on our shores. Red Dot Diva cannot wait to say hello to him again.

The guest announcement that was most exciting to Red Dot Diva however, was Marvel Comics' artist Peach Momoko. It was like O.M.G. She is going to be at SGCC??! Peach Momoko is insanely popular, and Red Dot Diva expects that the line for her signings is going to be long. There was an incident in NYCC 2022 where a fist fight almost broke out between retailers and fans at her booth. She was signing for free, and the retailers and influencers also lined up over and over again, making it difficult for Peach Momoko's fans to meet her to get stuff signed. It is a special opportunity for fans that Peach Momoko has agreed to be a guest at SGCC. Please do be kind to Peach Momoko and fellow attendees, and allow her fans at the convention to get a memorable moment with her. Don't be that person. Let's make SGCC a wonderful experience for Peach Momoko and her team.

Singapore Comic Con 2023 (SGCC) - Tickets Are Available Right Now!

It is time again to gather your geek squad and get ready to strut into this year's Singapore Comic Convention (SGCC). The pop-culture event will return to Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre on 9 and 10 December 2023.

SGCC will be taking up 5 halls of the convention centre on two floors, Level 1 and B2. As in past years, the event is part of the Singapore Media Festival and supported by The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) Singapore and the Singapore Tourism Board.

Red Dot Diva wishes that organiser Generation Experience is able to announce at least one or two main guests at the same time tickets are available. Many of the geeks she knows are holding back on getting tickets right now, but it seems that they banking on generic traffic to be flowing in rather than hardcore geeks. Well, whatever works for them.

Last year's SGCC comic book guests were interesting. So, it would not be farfetched to assume that Generation Experience already has a list of fantastic guests in store for this year's show. We would just need to wait for the guests announcements on SGCC's social media channels.

Other than that, SGCC has started posting teasers on the exhibitor booths who will be on the showfloor. These include the insanely popular Aussie animated pre-school series BLUEY, local toy store Simply Toys, LEGO/ The Brick Shop and Art-2 Gallery.




TICKETING INFORMATION

Tickets are available right now from the Klook website. (Note: The prices exclude $2 Klook booking fee per ticket.)

For a 10% discount on tickets (capped at SGD 7.00), go sign up for a FRANK by OCBC Card before grabbing your tickets. More details on the codes to use are on the Klook website.

Early birds, which are those who purchase tickets before 31 August 2023, are automatically entered into the SGCC 2023 lucky draw. Prizes include a LEGO The Mandalorian N-1 Starfighter set, a Sabermach Xentinel V2 lightsaber and Pop! Star Wars: Star Wars Celebration 5pk SWC 22 iEX.



Regardless of who might be the guests for SGCC, there will be lots to do, like panels, cosplay competition, orchestral performances, and more. Even if you are not attending SGCC because of the guests, the event is a great time to reconnect with the local geeks and those who will be visiting from neighbouring countries. Red Dot Diva recalls that during last year's SGCC, the reunions with the Filipino artists like Harvey Tolibao, and Boey the creator of the When I Was A Kid book series, were such a joyous occasion for her and the friends of the Glam Bloggers Alliance. It is also an enriching adventure discovering artists and creatives at Artist Alley. In fact, the Artist Alley is Red Dot Diva's hangout venue during SGCC.

The geeks are what makes SGCC more fun than you expect. Red Dot Diva's cannot wait to make new memories with you all again!



SINGAPORE COMIC CON (SGCC) 2023
Where: Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre
Date: 9 & 10 December 2023 (Sat and Sun)
Admission: SGD 35.00 per person per day. SGD 65.00 per person for 2-day tickets.
*Kids under 12 enter FREE! (Each paying adult can be accompanied by a maximum of 2 children under 12)

Illustration Arts Festival 2023 - From Cute Designs to Demonic Girls and Shaolin Monks

This year's Illustration Arts Festival (IAF) is held at a hall within the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre (SCCC). The event was organised by the Organisation of Illustrators Council (OIC Singapore) together with and 32CM32CM.

Red Dot Diva arrived at the venue just past 1230 PM. Registration at the ground level was smooth and quick. It saves time if you have pre-registered and booked your slot via the Eventbrite website. By the way, there is also a food and drinks stall just beside the registration lines if you need some nourishment. You will not be able to access to the IAF market space via the elevators. Instead, you would need to ride several levels of external escalators to Level 7.

Illustration Arts Festival 2023 - Meet Local and Regional Artists At Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre, 29 and 30 July 2023

The fourth edition of Illustration Arts Festival (IAF), brought to you by the Organisation of Illustrators Council (OIC Singapore) and 32CM, is back in action at Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre (SCCC) on 29 and 30 July 2023. The first IAF was held in 2016 with foreign indie press East London Comics Arts Festival (ELCAF) and Nobrow Press making their presence felt on the showgrounds. There was supposed to be an IAF held in 2020, but like many other physical events scheduled in that year, the Covid-19 pandemic forced several organisers to cancel or postpone their plans.

With Red Dot Island back in business this year, the IAF will be hosting over 100 local and regional artists across 90 booths. These artists will be featuring their original artwork and content, so art lovers will have plenty of opportunities to connect with these creatives.

Singapore Comic Con (SGCC) 2022 - What To See And Do This Weekend (10 & 11 December)

Singapore Comic Convention (SGCC) will open its doors at Sands Expo & Convention Centre this weekend, 10 & 11 December 2022, from 10 AM to 8 PM! The hottest, vibiest pop-culture party of the year is spread over two levels this year at Level 1 and Basement 1.

This may be the first time you will be attending SGCC. Or, maybe you are short of time and do not managed to work out your convention strategy yet. Don't worry. Red Dot Diva offers five suggestions of what you can and do at the convention!

Singapore Comic Con (SGCC) 2022 Hosts A Prelude Event at City Square Mall (8 & 9 October 2022)

As announced earlier this year, Singapore Comic Con (SGCC) will be back with a physical event this year at Sands Convention Centre on 10 and 11 December 2022! Local and regional geeks are already familiar with the Red Dot Island's largest pop-culture event of the year. Ever since online ticketing was open, they have been eyeing guests announcements like a hawk.

Generation Experience, the convention's organiser, is keen to lure “casual fans” to the geek party as well. So, to give the general public as well as geeks a sneak peek of what SGCC is like, there will be a Prelude Event held at City Square Mall this weekend (8 and 9 October 2022), from 11 AM to 8 PM.

To kick-off the day, P4L* ("pop culture 4 Life!") the Official Mascot of SGCC, will be making its appearance for the first time ever! The mascot was designed by designer toys and art collectibles studio Mighty Jaxx.

Then, stay and enjoy the exciting activities and guest appearances lined up for the event. Here are some of the cool stuff you can look out for:

Singapore Comic Con (SGCC) 2022 Opens Ticketing With Initial List Of Exhibitors

Singapore Comic Convention (SGCC) is finally back with an in-person event after a two year-break due to the Covid-19 pandemic. During the hiatus, the show changed hands from Reed Exhibitions Singapore to Generation Experience, and ran a virtual event in December 2021. This year, SGCC will return with an even bigger show, taking up 2 levels (Level 1 and B2) of the Sands Expo & Convention Centre on 10 & 11 December 2022.

Red Dot Diva knows that the local and regional geek communities are itching to get their nerd on at a physical comic convention. We have missed each other sooooo much! Well, you can now get your booty all ready to party because the online ticketing booth for SGCC is now OPEN!

The Comic Embassy - Get To Know Clio Hui, Clio Ding and Rixou Low (15 - 30 August 2022)

For the last 3 months, pop-up art community space The Comic Embassy held an array of activities to help raise the profile of our island’s local comic book scene.

From 15 to 30 August, the headlining theme will be Realms Of Allures, and artist ambassadors CLIO HUI, CLIO DING and RIXOU LOW (Liu JiaHui) are poised to share their art and experiences about comic book creation in the local marketplace. The trio have each published original books set in an alluring and imaginative fantasy world filled with cyborgs, demons, dinosaurs, fallen angels and vampires.

To find out more information about the events scheduled from 15 to 30 August 2022, check out the link here: https://sgcartoonhub.com/comic-embassy/#programme-2

Here’s an introduction to the three artist ambassadors for the last fortnight of The Comic Embassy:

The Comic Embassy - Meet Sam Lay, Sean Lam and Kang Jing (1 - 14 August 2022)

Since The Comic Embassy's launch in June 2022, the pop-up art community space has hosted a number of local comic book creators like artists Foo Swee Chin, James Leong, Alan Bay and Collin Yap. These ambassadors met art students, comic book fans, did live drawings, drew portrait sketches as well as conducted interesting workshops about illustrating comic books. Creative guests like poet Felix Cheong also shared about their personal creative journeys.

Last month, on Community Day, a busy flow of comic book fans, art students and members of the public mingled and sat down for portrait sketches by the artist ambassadors. The many colourful participants of the Harajuku Fashion Walk Singapore dropped by that day, adding on to the convivial and creative ambience of the place.

The Comic Embassy will wrap up its busy and fruitful run promoting the local comic book scene at the end of August 2022. Before that happens, the organizers have planned a list of exciting activities, and will be introducing more featured guests throughout the month.

From 1 to 14 August, the theme will be Realms Of Chiaroscuro. SAM LAY, SEAN LAM and KANG JING are the three featured artists who will share and demonstrate the use of their skills and techniques of using light and darkness to tell compelling narratives. There are also scheduled sessions with other creatives like veteran artist Cheah Sin Ann (best known for The House Of Lim), Zaki Rahman and Danny Jalil.

The Comic Embassy - An Interview With Versatile Comic Book Creator Alan Bay

The Comic Embassy, a pop-up artist commnunal space at Tekka Place, is currently in its second month of operation. Every month from June 2022, two artist ambassadors will be in the spotlight, providing ample opportunities for people to meet them, and get to know more about their creative works. In June, the artist ambassadors were Collin Yap and James Leong. This month, local artists Alan Bay and Foo Swee Chin will step into the spotlight.

Alan Bay is a prolific illustrator and comic book creator who is known for his artwork in several high profile projects, including games like Assassin's Creeds: Brotherhood and TMNT, and the comic book “ONCE UPON A SINGAPORE... TRADERS”, which was nominated for Singapore Book Publishers Association's Book of the Year 2019.

Red Dot Diva last met Alan Bay when he was busy promoting local fantasy comic book “SACRED GUARDIANS”, published by Asiapac Books. She managed to catch up with Alan for this interview as he prepares for his appearances at the Comic Embassy: