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

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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!

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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


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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!

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Cartoons Underground 2023 - Watch 15 Brilliant And Hopeful Animation Film Shorts At The Projector (25 November 2023)

Humanity is currently facing tough challenges of a global and personal scale - a devastating pandemic that brought life around the world to a grinding halt, ongoing political conflicts and wars, the effects of climate change, growing mental health issues all around the world as well as the encroachment of artificial intelligence. The annual Cartoons Underground event, SE Asia’s top Indie Animation Festival held in Singapore, aims to offer fun and hope to its audience as they navigate these growing concerns.

“There isn’t an elephant in any room anywhere that can’t be improved by being coloured pink and given a speech bubble,” says festival co-founder Vicky Chen. Chen began the community-driven Cartoons Underground in 2012 together with Patrick Smith, Director of MTV Daria.

“We are living through turbulent, challenging times as individuals and as a society. It’s a time of change and while change is inevitable it’s ultimately how we respond and adapt to it that defines us. And I hope that watching these films will help our audience to make sense of these challenges,” adds Festival Director, Jerrold Chong.

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.

Cartoons Underground 2022 (22 Oct) Heads To Projector x Picturehouse - Get Your Tickets Now!

After two years of producing a virtual format during the Covid-19 pandemic, Cartoons Underground is back with a one-day in-person event for its 11th edition! The festival will be held on 22 October 2022 at at Projector X: Picturehouse cinema.

Cartoons Underground is Southeast Asia's largest animation festival. This year, it attracted 1,681 entries submitted from 96 different countries, which is the highest number of submissions received during the festival's 11-year run. 16 animation works have been specially selected to be screened during the event, followed by a Director Q&A, and a celebratory music-pumpin' afterparty.

Did you notice the many cats in the Cartoons Underground is banner? The drawing is by this year's festival artist Sarah Lim, a Yale-NUS graduate with a degree in Life Sciences and a minor in Arts and Humanities. Sarah scored an internship with Finding Pictures after attending animation courses for 2 years. She was then involved with prop and character design for their latest TV series, Puberteens, and is now eager to tell more stories through animation and art.

May The 4th SG 2022 at Suntec City - We're One With The Force

This year's May the 4th activities landed for 10 days from 7 to 16 May 2022 at the prime trade planet of Planet SuntecVIII.

After a lengthy blockade on trade and travel between certain sectors of the galaxy, it was really good to be able to meet up with various interplanetary allies again. On the 1st day of the Star Wars Day celebration, Red Dot Diva was happily reunited with her geek bro, Jedd and fellow geekstresses Jas and Gwen.

Together, they explored the sights in the various sections of the planet's city, like the impressive display of Star Wars Black Series action figures and LEGO builds at the West Wing. Over in the East Wing, the bustling marketplace offered creative toy photography prints by Plastic SG & Friends, and vibrant paintings by art collective DPLMT. Most of the items were available for sale, with net proceeds going to charity (KHH Health Fund).

It's A Trap! May The 4th Star Wars Day Lands on Suntec City - 7 to 16 May 2022!

On May the 4th, the entire galaxy will be celebrating Star Wars Day. This year, local fans will be eagerly gathering at Suntec City of Planet SuntecVIII, from 7 to 16 May 2022.

Based on intel gathered by her informants, Red Dot Diva found out that the Empire is eager to expand and set up a new base. She spotted a team of intimidating Imperial officers, stormtroopers and Mandalorians scouting Planet SuntecVIII a few weeks ago.

The planet is located at a popular trade route, making it home to several equipment yards and food markets. It also has a constant water supply, which, based on local custom, is a symbol of good fortune. And if one decides to let loose for awhile, there is a number of very alien-friendly cantinas to choose from. No wonder the Imperial officers seemed pleased with their scouting mission.

Experience The Batman "Unmask The Truth" Pop-up at Shaw House

One of DC's most enduring and iconic superhero is back to the big screen. Matt Reeves' THE BATMAN, starring Robert Pattinson as the Caped Crusader, premiered in local theatres on 3 March 2022. To ramp up the hype and excitement for the new Batman movie, WarnerMedia has turned Orchard Road into an interactive experience for the fans with The Batman “Unmask The Truth" pop-up event.

Its main "Gotham City" is located at Shaw House's ground level. Enter into Gotham's shadowy world to check out the Bat-signal, a life-sized figure of Batman the "Battinson" version, and a cool toy display that includes XM Studios' intricately sculpted collectible "The Batman’s Greatest Battles". Against a replica of the Batcave console, Secretlab has also unveiled their The Batman chair, with a special magnetically detachable bat emblem.

Don't forget about taking your selfies! The movie backdrops provided Red Dot Diva with lots of fun and wacky photo opportunities.

Get on Facebook Live for AsiaPac Books' Singlit Den Online Event on 17 May 2020

Yesterday, local publisher Asiapac Books kicked off Singlit Comics Den together with collaborators Singapore Comic Con (SGCC), Kult and Buy SingLit.

The inaugural online event this weekend (16 and 17 May 2020) consists of a list of workshops by local comic book creators as well as live streams of book launches and meet and greets. It is such a great way to help the community remain connected with each other during the Covid-19 Circuit Breaker.

For Sunday's (17 May) schedule, there will be a series of free live streams via Facebook:

1400 hrs - Meet the creators: Sacred Guardians Singa
1500 hrs - Comic book launch: Elizabeth Choy
1600 hrs - Making comic books with Asiapac Books
1700 hrs - Discover the "POP" within you with Singapore Comic Con
1800 hrs - Launch party for Comix.sg, Singapore’s new online directory for comic creators

It's X-Men Day on May 13th!

Gather your team - it's X-Men Day on May 13th!

This special international event marks the end of the X-Men film franchise by 20th Century Fox. The last movie of this franchise run will be “X-Men: Dark Phoenix”, starring James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Sophie Turner, Tye Sheridan, Jessica Chastain and more. “X-Men: Dark Phoenix” opens locally at theatres on 5 June 2019.

To celebrate this occasion and the enduring support of the X-Men fanbase for the movies released in the last 10 years, there will be events happening all over the world, including various online activities. This include the debut of exclusive X-Men content, special events, and unexpected surprises for the loyal fans. This is going to be fun!

In addition, look out for hourly giveaways of “X-Men: Dark Phoenix” movie packs on TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX SG Facebook Page!

Advance tickets sales for “X-Men: Dark Phoenix” will also begin on X-Men Day. If you want to be the first bunch of X-Men fans to catch the movie, keep your eyes peeled on X-Men Movies (@XMenMovies) on social media!


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Watch the exciting latest trailer released for “X-Men: Dark Phoenix”



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Follow these Social Media accounts:

“X-Men: Dark Phoenix”
Official website: www.DarkPhoenix.com 
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/XMenMovies 
Twitter: www.Twitter.com/XMenMovies
Instagram: www.Instagram.com/XMenMovies 
Hashtag: #DarkPhoenixSG and #XMenDay

20th Century Fox SG 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/twentiethcenturyfoxsingapore 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fox_singapore

GnB Comics Announces Guest Artist Shane Davis at FCBD 2019

Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) is held annually on the first Saturday in May. This year, the event falls on the same day as May the 4th, or Star Wars Day, which means, that the day is going to be jam-packed with geeky events held in various locations.

However, if you are not a mega Star Wars fan, and have not pre-ordered a FCBD pack from Kinokuniya, then Red Dot Diva says there is one place you have to go to collect your free comic books - local comic book store, GnB Comics. The day is also one of the best opportunities to get a friend or family member interested in reading comics.

GnB Comics hosts FCBD in the most festive and fun way. The lines may be long, but there are usually poster or pin giveaways for early birds, and photo booths for your Instagram snaps. Cosplayers also make their rounds to keep things lively, and there is a wide range of free comics for you to select.

Some of the comics are already listed on the event page, like “Earth's Mightiest Heroes: Avengers”, “Spawn”, “Riverdale”, “Stranger Things”, “Vampirella” and more.

For this year's FCBD, GnB Comics has announced artist Shane Davis as a special guest. Shane Davis is well-known as the co-creator and artist of DC Comics' “Superman: Earth One”. He was also involved with Justice League of America, “Green Lantern: Brightest Day”, and Marvel's “Deadpool vs X-Force”.

Shane Davis will be meeting comic book fans at the GnB store from 12 PM to 3 PM. This will be a great time to get your sketches or comic books signed!

Something to note about these special FCBD comics - they are not free for the retailers, who end up bearing the costs for promoting comics as a medium. When you are at the store on that day, do support the local business by purchasing an item or two. That would go a long way to in helping to keep the comic book store running for everyone's benefit!

There will definitely be more details about GnB's FCBD event rolling out this week. Just keep tabs on GnB's Facebook Event Page for more news as to how many comics are available for each person, what are the goodies given away, as well as any other side activities. And, remember to be there early on May the 4th to choose your desired comics!

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FREE COMIC BOOK DAY
Where: GnB Comics, Blk 809 French Road Kitchener Complex #02-38
When: 4th May 2019
Time: starting from 12 PM

Star Wars May the 4th SG Celebrations Are Back On!

The Force is Strong in Red Dot Island.

After the dramatic announcement that there will not be a large-scale event for May the 4th (Star Wars Day) in Singapore this year, the festival is back on! *FIST PUMP*

(Did any #TeamRichGuys from Canto Bight throw some sponsorship money into this?)

The May the 4th SG affair will be backed by the five local costumed groups - 501st Legion Singapore Garrison, Cathar Base Singapura - Rebel Legion, Fightsaber SG, Kranak Clan - Mandalorian Mercs Singapore, and Galactic Academy - Hosian Prime Campus Singapore!!

Red Dot Diva heard that it will be an event held at a public space, and it is set to be as fun and as celebratory as previous years. She has no other further details right now, but will post as soon as she has more.

KEEP THE DATE FREE!


 

How To Get Access Netflix's "Triple Frontier" Red Carpet Event at MBS on 8 March, 5:30 PM

You might have got wind of this piece of news from the grapevine already.

The cast of Netflix's new action thriller movie directed by J.C. Chandor called “Triple Frontier”, will be swinging by Red Dot Island for a red carpet event at Marina Bay Sands!

The stars who will be here are... *drumroll please* ... Ben Affleck, Charlie Hunnam, Garrett Hedlund and producer Chuck Roven. Unfortunately, Oscar Isaac and Pedro Pascal will not be able to join the party.

In order to reserve your spot at this awesomely bicepstous red carpet event, do this:

RSVP your attendance via Whatsapp - 9338 4207

with the message - YOUR NAME, CONTACT NUMBER, NO. OF TICKETS

The collection of fan tickets will be at the Triple Frontier Registration Counter @ Digital Light Canvas.

UPDATED on 4 Mar 2019, 10 PM: The collection of reserved tickets is now from MBS info counter, Level B2 (opposite That's CD) from 6 Mar 11 AM onwards. Do note that tickets not collected by 7 Mar 10 AM will be forfeited.

The details of the “Triple Frontier” red carpet event are:

Date: Friday, 08 March 2018
Time: 5:30 PM (Fan registration)
Venue: Digital Light Canvas (B2, Next to the Rasapura Masters Food Court) at The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands

So keep your date free this Friday!! It's so rare to see Batman, a Pacific Rim Jaeger Pilot and a TRON adventurer all in one place! More so, right here in our little Red Dot Island.

“Triple Frontier” is a action-packed heist movie about five former friends from Special Ops, who intends to rob a South American drug lord for their own self interests. However, an unexpected chain of events occur, and the group face consequences testing their skills, friendship, loyalties and morals.


You can catch “Triple Frontier” on Netflix beginning March 13!

NEWSFLASH: We Bare Bears are coming to Singapore!

We did it! We made our votes count!

It's time to get your Bear Squad ready. Cartoon Network's We Bare Bears are visiting our Red Dot Island, their very first stop of their pan-Asian "We'll Be There" Tour!

From March 5, Grizzly, Panda and Ice Bear, the uber-cool bears of pawsitivity, will be making stops at Red Dot Island's iconic hotspots, and doing typical touristy things together with internet personality Preetipls as their personal tour guide. (Does this mean they will be adventurous enough to try tasting durians too?) If you can make a good guess as to where the Bears will be hanging out, there might be a good chance you will get to bump into them.

Over at Tampines 1 and Century Square malls, fans can take part in fun We Bare Bears themed activities from March 20 to March 26. Take and share your photos at Panda-approved locations using the hashtags #Tampines1xWBB #CenturySqxWBB and you could stand a chance to win exclusive We Bare Bears kitchenware premiums.

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.

LEGO Ninjago Lands at Plaza Singapura from 28 August to 10 September 2017

Do you love ninjas? Especially Ninjas in LEGO form? Oh, and what about dragons? Yes... That too?
Then, you must already be a fan of the Ninjago line from LEGO!

The  LEGO Ninjago Movie is set to open at theatres in September, and the marketing vehicle is out in full force.

Red Dot Diva's friend, Jas the "adult kid", was at the  LEGO Ninjago Challenge Event at Plaza Singapura yesterday. Here's her report on how much fun she had while she was there.

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Similar to the activity booths that were launched at ION when The LEGO Batman Movie opened in cinemas, the LEGO Ninjago Movie has set up a challenge event held at Plaza Singapura.

There is a pop up store by Bricks World selling various Lego sets across the different brands, but of course LEGO Ninjago sets take up the most prominent display.

The LEGO #NINJAGOCHALLENGE Event Play Area consists of 4 stations, the Briefing Station 1, where a staff will explain to you what the entire event is about. (Note that the staff might dissuade adults if there is a line of little kids already waiting in line. Try to gather your own “team” of 3 adult players to take part in the same time slot!)

Speech Bubble - A Celebration of Comics in Singapore, 2 to 30 September 2016

Next month, the Red Dot Island comics scene will be given the spotlight in a special almost month-long event called Speech Bubble held at Basement 1 of the National Library, from 2 to 30 September.

Organized by media company Potato Productions and local comic book artist Sonny Liew. Sonny has also been in the spotlight in recent times, mainly due to the accolades he received for his brilliant brainchild, "The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye". "The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye" won the Singapore Literature Prize for fiction this year - the first graphic novel to receive such a recognition!

Speech Bubble event consists of an exhibition of original works, books and comics-related collectors items, like those by featured artists Johnny Lau, who is best known for the iconic Mr Kiasu comic series, and pioneer Malaysian artist Nora Abdullah, who published her first comic called "Cik Siti Wan Kembang" in 1955. Other creative works on display include those by Sonny Liew, Eric Khoo, Troy Chin, Otto Fong, Koh Hong Teng, Colin Goh, Gary Zhu, Cheah Sinann and many, many more!

Join AsiaPop Comicon's Contest and Win A Chance To Attend the Hollywood Red Carpet Premiere of Marvel's "Captain America: Civil War"!

Now that WB Pictures/ DC Comic's battle of the superheroes movie "Batman v Superman" has been released at the theatres, fans are now eagerly looking forward to the other team showdown which will happen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

As a follow-up to the last Avengers movie "Age of Ultron" as well as "Captain America: Winter Soldier", the next Marvel superheros movie "Captain America: Civil War" will see friends become foes.

Upon facing a call for accountability from the collateral damage caused by the battles with the aliens, Ultron, plus the costs faced by yet another international incident, Tony Stark/ Iron Man pushes for a government body to oversee the actions of the superheroes. In an effort to protect his friend Bucky coupled with his desire that the superheroes should be able to protect humanity without restraints, Steve Rogers/ Captain America goes against Tony Stark, causing a fracture between the former team members.