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!

Singapore Comic Con 2024 (SGCC) - Interview With Comic Book Legend Joe Rubinstein

Josef “Joe” Rubinstein is a comic book legend who has inked a multitude of characters. He has also worked with all of the major comic book publishers.

When he knew he had fallen deeply in love with comics, Joe considered Neal Adams to be his main idol. At age 13, he managed to work in Continuity Studios running errands. Continuity Studios is a studio started by Neal Adams and Dick Giordano that focused primarily on comic-based products. He caught the attention of Dick Giordano and was mentored by him during his early years working on comic books. A few years later, at about age 17, he got his first professional comic book gig. Comic book lovers will also be familiar with Joe's acclaimed ink work in Marvel Comics’ “The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe” as well as the 1982 four-issue Wolverine miniseries by Chris Claremont and Frank Miller. So as you can see, Joe has been in the business for a very, very long time.

At Singapore Comic Con (SGCC) 2024, Joe Rubinstein will be making an appearance as a special guest of Fat Snake Comics. He is eager to meet and interact the local and regional fans, so do not miss the opportunity to visit Booth L1-AA218, and give him a warm welcome, Red Dot Island-style!

Even though Joe has a very busy schedule, he found the time to answer Red Dot Diva's nosy questions. Thank you so much, Joe!

Red Dot Diva: Your extensive portfolio acquired throughout the years, like X-Men, Wolverine, Star Wars, Action comics, X-files, etc, is the who's who list of pop-culture's greatest works. Which franchise(s) is/ are your favourite(s)?
Joe: I really like all the versions of the JLA. They are well drawn with a mix of funny and drama.

Red Dot Diva: Comic book readers may be more familiar with your inks, but you also showcase fantastic oil paintings and portraits on your social media. Would you consider doing a project with your oil paints or maybe a creator owned work, if the opportunity presents itself?
Joe: Absolutely. I would love to collaborate with a creator and paint some paintings. It would be a lot of work, but I'd consider it. I'm just waiting to be asked.

Red Dot Diva: Which character would you have liked to have worked on but have not had the chance to do so yet?
Joe: I loved James Robinson's SANDMAN, but I never worked on it.

Red Dot Diva: As an industry veteran, has comics writing / creation changed in recent times, and how so? In your opinion, is it for the better? Or for worse?
Joe: It looks like a lot of comics are all created digitally. I would hate for the old-school art skills to be lost. I still ink with a brushes and nibs. And I still take classes in painting so I am always learning and improving.

Red Dot Diva: Having been an industry veteran, what are the key qualities that help a creator enjoy a long lasting career doing comics or related projects?
Joe: Be good at what you do. Take classes. Practice. And then get lucky with a gig that turns into a career defining legacy.

Red Dot Diva: Have you visited Singapore before? What are you looking forward to most while you are here as a guest of Singapore Comic Con?
Joe: It was an honor to be invited. Thank you Eric Chong for hosting me on this trip. I am looking forward to meeting the comic fans in Singapore and seeing if their interests are the same as fans in the US. After the con, I hope to stop into an art museum or just tour through the city.


Meet your favourite comic book creators and artists, including Joe Rubinstein at Fat Snake Comics/ Pink Ponk Comics - SGCC 2024 at Booth L1-AA218.

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

RELATED SINGAPORE COMIC CON (SGCC) 2024 ARTICLES

Singapore Comic Con 2024 (SGCC) - Meet Comic Book Guests Like Mike Zeck, Michael Gaydos, Ram V and Giuseppe Camuncoli
(Update: Francesco Manna, Michael Gaydos, OSHRed, Sean Phillips and Jacob Philipps will no longer be attending as guests for SGCC 2024)

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)

Singapore Comic Con 2024 (SGCC) Artist Highlight - Marvel At Rudy Ao's Photo Realistic Artwork (L1-AA218, Fat Snake Comics)

Singapore Comic Con 2024 (SGCC) Booth Highlight - Meet Eric Chong, Avid Comic Collector And Owner Of Fat Snake Comics

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

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) Booth Highlight - Meet Eric Chong, Avid Comic Collector And Owner Of Fat Snake Comics

Local comic book fans are already familiar with Pink Ponk Comics, located at a cosy corner of Katong Plaza. One of the owners of Pink Ponk Comics is Eric Chong, an avid collector of comic books who grew up reading stories in that medium. Curious about what specific comicsEric has in his collection? You can gawk at his amazing and valuable comic book collection at this 2021video by Straits Times. Oh, one more thing - you might also know him as one of the co-creators of beloved local comic book character, Mr Kiasu.

Pink Ponk Comics has been making their presence felt at Singapore Comic Con (SGCC) - Red Dot Island's largest pop-culture event of the year. Their booth at past events had featured a number of overseas and regional comic book artists, like Ivan Tao, Marco Santucci, Emma Wu and Maria Laura Sanapo, providing fans with ample opportunities to meet their favourite illustrators.

This year, Pink Ponk Comics' involvement at SGCC will be through Fat Snake Comics (FSC), a new company also owned by Eric Chong. On their SGCC 2024 guest list are the veteran comic book creators Mike Zeck and Joe Rubinstein, as well as Rudy Nurdiawan (aka Rudy Ao) and Roland Amago.

Despite the rush to prepare for SGCC 2024 this weekend, Red Dot Diva managed to steal a few precious minutes of Eric Chong's time for a quick Q&A:

Red Dot Diva: You already own a local and well loved comic book store called Pink Ponk? Why did you start up Fat Snake Comics?
Eric: I guess it is God's Calling. After the passing of my beloved Mother in July 2024, I felt a spirit telling me to setup an online comics store, and I decided to name it Fat Snake Comics. My mother was born in the Year of the Snake and she was, you could say, overly chubby. My Dad always teased her about her weight, and so I decided to call the store Fat Snake Comics in memory of her.
The setting up of FSC will not only serve the local and regional comic communities on a separate platform, but more importantly, Fat Snake Comics will allow me and my siblings to remember and honor our Mum, who has sacrificed so much to care and love us unconditionally and against all odds.
Red Dot Diva: Thanks for sharing this. It's really touching.

Red Dot Diva: How is it like to own a comic book store?
Eric: The feeling is priceless. It has been my childhood dream to own a comic book shop, since I am someone who frequents so many comics shops, both local and foreign. I always feel great walking into a comics shop, as I can meet up with other comic book nerds, and to buy and sell comics. The feeling of owning one is even better. I have so many beautiful comics around me, which makes me extremely happy, and it helps take away all the worries and stress in life.

Eric meets Joe Rubinsten at NYCC 2024

Red Dot Diva: What has your experience been like working with veteran guests (e.g. Mike Zeck, Joe Rubinstein) for a big show like SGCC?
Eric: It is my honour that both Mike Zeck and Joe Rubinstein have agreed to be guests at Fat Snake Comics' booth. Initially I was a bit nervous, because I am speaking to two highly respectable and top level artist in the comics industry. But, when I spoke to them, negotiating about the terms and conditions of their agreements, I soon discovered that that they were both of them very nice, humble and easy to work with.

Both Mike Zeck and Joe Rubinstein are very passionate and proud of their works but they are not arrogant at all. They are thoughtful and so kind to me. I suggested that they should be specified "break times" for them during the show, but they insisted on spending more time at their respective booths so the fans will not miss them and for them to mingle with the fans. Now that is what I call "Very Pro", lor. Respect!
Red Dot Diva: Oh gosh. I cannot wait to meet them this weekend. My heart warms up hearing you speak about how they are like. I've met a few big time comic book pros myself and 99% are absolutely lovely, kind people, and you come away from the experience on an absolute high!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Fat Snake Comics (@fatsnakecomics)

Red Dot Diva: What do you aspire to achieve with Fat Snake comics at SGCC and beyond?
Eric: Firstly, I hope that FSC and her guests will have a fun-filled and successful show, just like back in 2022 and 2023.

I am blessed to be able to travel to comic cons each year in USA, and the opportunity to meet most of my childhood favourite writers and artists. My heart skipped a beat when I got to shake Frank Miller's hand. For my fellow comic books kakis who are not able to do the same, I hope through FSC, they will be able to meet and talk to their favourite writers and artists here at SGCC.

I hope SGCC 2024 would allow more people to know about the new online comics book store, Fat Snake Comics. The store is not just about buying and selling comics or arts; it also has a vision of revitalising the local comics market and community through shows like SGCC and other events similar events. It is my hope that the fans and collectors will appreciate and support FSC's vision, so that everyone will benefit in the end, as FSC will be able to keep bringing in top writers and artists, both local and foreign, and together, we can make collecting comics and art a joy.
Red Dot Diva: This sounds ambitious, but absolutely lovely. Comic books are for everyone. It is such a special medium that fuses text and images, and I too hope that more people would enjoy the myriad of stories told in this form through FSC's initiatives. See you at SGCC this weekend!


Meet your favourite comic book creators and artists at Pink Ponk Comics/ Fat Snake Comics' SGCC 2024 booth at Booth L1-AA218.

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

RELATED SINGAPORE COMIC CON (SGCC) 2024 ARTICLES

Singapore Comic Con 2024 (SGCC) - Meet Comic Book Guests Like Mike Zeck, Michael Gaydos, Ram V and Giuseppe Camuncoli
(Update: Francesco Manna, Michael Gaydos, OSHRed, Sean Phillipes and Jacob Philipps will no longer be attending as guests for SGCC 2024)

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)

Singapore Comic Con 2024 (SGCC) Artist Highlight - Marvel At Rudy Ao's Photo Realistic Artwork (L1-AA218, Fat Snake Comics)

Singapore Comic Con 2024 (SGCC) - Interview With Comic Book Legend Joe Rubinstein

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

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) Artist Highlight - Marvel At Rudy Ao's Photo Realistic Artwork (L1-AA218, Fat Snake Comics)

If you are not familiar with Indonesian artist Rudy Nurdiawan's (aka Rudy Ao) portfolio, you might think that his photo realistic pieces of superheroes and movie characters are AI-generated. You can rest assured that Rudy Ao is the real deal. He draws and paints his portraits by hand using different oils, acrylic paints, copic airbrush markers and pencils.

In the 2010s, when Rudy was living in Singapore, Red Dot Diva would bump into him at various comic book fan meet ups and art shows. It was hypnotising just to watch him draw his amazingly detailed sketches and commissions on site. You will have the chance to see him work too at Singapore Comic Convention (SGCC) 2024. Rudy is a guest of the pop-culture convention, and will be hosted by Pink Ponk Comics/ Fat Snake Comics.

As Red Dot Diva was preparing for this pre-SGCC interview with Rudy, she found an older article of a Q&A with the artist circa 2011. Click here to read more about Rudy's artistic background. She also reminisced about the time Rudy drew for her a commission of naked Wolverine in Hugh Jackman form. Hahaha. The art print still sits right beside her work desk for mental stimulation.

Rudy, Red Dot Diva and Nekkid Wolverine

Before Red Dot Diva and her friends get to reunite with Rudy Ao this weekend, here is a new interview with the man himself:

Red Dot Diva: Hey Rudy! It has been so long (over a decade?) since you have returned to Singapore as a guest for an event. We miss you! I know it’s been many years, but what have you been doing since you returned to Bali? And, what do you miss most about Singapore?
Rudy: Yes! It has been a long long time! I miss hanging out with so many of you. I went back to Bali in 2012, I worked in architectural company while continuing to do comic covers and commissions. I quit that job in 2013, and decided to be a full time professional artist. What I miss most about Singapore is the food! And somehow, strangely enough, I miss Orchard Road too.

Red Dot Diva: Your artwork and portraits are so life-like and detailed, what does it take for someone to be able to pick up the nuances and unique features of each individual’s faces and their attitude?
Rudy: First of all, you must love and enjoy drawing faces and bodies. Everyone has their unique physical features, especially their faces, and I found this aspect the most interesting about people. Since I was young, I loved drawing portraits of my family and friends. Drew Struzan, who is well known for his photo realism art style, is one of my main artistic inspirations. Throughout my career, I continue to practise and drawing different subjects, especially comic book characters based on the movies or TV shows, so that I can nail their characteristic looks. But, as I said, you really really have to love drawing portraits!

Red Dot Diva: Having been a professional artist for many years, how do you keep the craft emotionally and creatively interesting to yourself?
Rudy: You always have to keep practising and finding new ideas. This is the era of the internet, and you can easily find a treasure of information online. Before the internet, I will frequent bookstores to browse and buy various artbooks. It wasn't easy to physically find a good artbook as reference. Now, it is so much easier to find them on the internet, and these references continue to inspire me to try new things on my artwork.

Red Dot Diva: Name one or two movies that are still your top favourites.
Rudy: I love Marvel's The Avengers movies. It was amazing to see your favourite characters that you have been drawing and seeing on paper come alive in the live action movies. And, any Batman movie. After watching a Batman movie, I am always inspired to draw more of him. He is so iconic and cool, and with his trademark costume, he looks dynamic in most poses.

Red Dot Diva: Going into the business side of things, as an artist, how do you continue being successful financially?
Rudy: Try to do the best that you can do, that is giving your best effort. When you are going full time in this field, it is also good to have a manager to help with the business side of things and helping you get more opportunities. There are always going to be different kinds of opportunities, and you would have to accept the projects after weight the pros and cons, as well as how you might enjoy doing it

Red Dot Diva: What are some practical advice you can offer to young aspiring artists who are just getting started in the "real world"?
Rudy: I am a believer that you have to truly love what you do. It's the start of the journey. After that, you have to continue to be curious... to keep learning and be open to new ideas and techniques. And to never stop practising!

Red Dot Diva: What are some of the first things you will be doing when you touch down in Singapore?
Rudy: I am really craving for fish soup noodles with milk! I have been dreaming of the taste of that dish.

Red Dot Diva: What can we expect from your booth at SGCC 2024?
Rudy: I am happy that Pink Ponk Comics/ Fat Snake Comics invited me to be at their booth. I am open and ready for any commission, signings, sketches. And I will also be showcasing how I use draw portraits with oils and acrylic. So, come look for me!
Red Dot Diva: It'd be so lovely to see you draw live again, Rudy. I still have the precious art print of nekkid Wolverine right by my study desk that I got from you back in 2014. See you soon!


Visit Pink Ponk Comics/ Fat Snake Comics' SGCC 2024 booth and marvel at Rudy Ao's photorealistic art pieces of your favourite comic book and pop culture characters. You can find him at Booth L1-AA218.

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

RELATED SINGAPORE COMIC CON (SGCC) 2024 ARTICLES

Singapore Comic Con 2024 (SGCC) - Meet Comic Book Guests Like Mike Zeck, Michael Gaydos, Ram V and Giuseppe Camuncoli
(Update: Francesco Manna, Michael Gaydos, OSHRed will no longer be attending as guests for SGCC 2024)

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)

Singapore Comic Con 2024 (SGCC) Booth Highlight - Meet Eric Chong, Avid Comic Collector And Owner Of Fat Snake Comics

Singapore Comic Con 2024 (SGCC) - Interview With Comic Book Legend Joe Rubinstein

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

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) - 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!