Diva's Geektastic Highlights of 2010

Everyone seems to be doing "lists" when time is relentlessly hurtling towards a New Year.

Since she is part of the blogosphere at large, Red Dot Diva feels that it is also her civic duty to do a list. Namely - "Red Dot Diva's Geektastic Highlights of 2010".

The "geek" part did not include any gadgets acquired in 2010, however. :(

Red Dot Diva wishes she was able to include an iPhone 4, a snazzy iPad, fancy SLR camera, 3D TV or ultra-portable teleporter in her list. However, since she sold half her blood and part of her liver in order to attend SDCC this year, she was not able to afford these "I ALSO WANTZ!" digital babies. (Any manwich-y generous sponsors out there?? Applications are open.)

One should also note that Red Dot Diva is not a gamer (why not?? ask her when you meet her) and hence, has not X-boxed, Wii-ed and Playstation-ed in any way.

So.. what the frell did Red Dot Diva geek-out over in 2010??

Cosplayers at STGCC.. Meow.

Stormtroopers, Pic by Lim Gillian

Lolitas. Kitty cats. Streetfighters. Masks, lace, feathers... Aaaahh!

Mesh them altogether and one is probably in the midst of a flock of cosplayers.

Cosplay has gained a booming popularity in Red Dot Island in recent years. There has also been a growing number of cosplay competitions held in various local conventions and fairs. Previously, it was rare to see anyone unconscious enough to parade themselves in costumes, in very public places.

Red Dot Diva noted that cosplaying in this region is still the domain of those who are into anime and manga, or games. There is a smattering of comic/ scific cosplayers these days, but it is still the anime/ Lolita crowd that makes up the majority.

In her many years attending conventions overseas, Red Dot Diva has mostly seen cosplaying of other types of genres - from the mostly vampire-themed Buffy conventions to the fantasy-realm of the Lord of the Rings to the frenzied SDCC cosplayers - where almost anything from comic or pop-culture goes. There was even an Elvis Stormtrooper - so go figure!

Matt Fraction + STGCC = Prime

Let it be known that Red Dot Diva trumps at mathematics and, naturally with it - fractions. She is very good with the proper fractions, and *especially* fabulous with the improper ones.

However, on the 2nd day of STGCC, she was feeling a little intimidated with a particular problem - Eisner Award-winning comic book writer, Matt Fraction.

While slinking around the STGCC exhibit hall, Red Dot Diva noted the long line of of fans whenever Matt was scheduled for autograph signings. As she passed by the throng of excited fans, she would hear them utter his name in hushed tones of wonderment. Once, she was even stopped by an anonymous fan who, probably noting her media pass, excitedly shoved his hardcover copy of "Invincible Ironman" in her face and asked, "Have you read *this*?!? It's really GOOD!"

From The Simpsons To Pachuko Boy!

There are not many people who have not heard of "The Simpsons".

And for those who do watch the award-winning and longest-running American animated series, almost everyone has an opinion who their favourite Simpsons character is. At the least, one would have uttered "D'oh!" at one point or other.

But has anyone heard of "Pachuko Boy"??
Nope?

Ahh... here's where the nosy Red Dot Diva gives you the scoop about "Pachuko Boy", gleaned from an interview with Emmy Award-winning, comic creator veteran Phil Ortiz during STGCC.

Testing, Testing!

After the two failed ticketing registrations with Epic, SDCC decided to have a so-called "test-run" on December 15th, 8 AM PST.

1,000 4-Day Comic Con tickets were offered up for sale online that day.

It seemed that Ticketleap - a social ticketing platform company - has also been pulled into the registration procedures together with Epic. And when you buy the SDCC tickets, funds will be paid to both companies for different types of charges. For the test-run, each registrant can only order for two tickets!

Ingrid's Linkin Park Experience in Brisbane

Words… they fail me. Well, almost.

So where to start?

My memories and thoughts are jumbled so it is hard to figure out where everything really started and ended.

The first thing I remember was arriving at the venue, The Brisbane Entertainment Center on 3rd December, and checking into the cloak room. I was organizing everything I needed, including the Christmas presents (Australian Animal shot glasses for the band) and cards I had picked out earlier that day for the band. I also had a beautiful and masculine Sagittarius Necklace for Linkin Park member, Brad’s birthday.

Jess (one of my best friends - you will hear about her in this account) and I packed away and clocked in our things, passed security proceeding to bolt up the stairs to the volunteering area where we met up with Lyndon. Lyndon, who is not much older than me, is head volunteer for the Music For Relief (MFR) booth. He did a head count, only about 9 of us - Jess and I being the only girls.

Gail Simone, A Starfish and Lots of Laughs

Without a doubt, one should consider an afternoon quite normal Absolutely Bizarre when one finds herself conducting an interview while sitting next to a purple supervillain starfish.

A mind-boggling scene that can hardly happen anywhere else on the Red Dot Island other than at the STGCC.

DC comics creator Gail Simone, who happened to be the interview subject, was a riot of colours that day with her cheery demeanor, colourful blouse and trademark red hair. It was fortunate that she had not been brain-sucked by that pesky starfish (whose name is Starro, BTW). For while Gail sat on the couch fielding questions, Starro's nasty eye stared at her hungrily the entire time.

Meanwhile, Red Dot Diva had her invisible but very powerful Echinodermic-Deflector Shield up. So she was quite, quite safe during the interview. In any case, no way will an alien starfish be allowed to disrupt a crucial interview with Red Dot Diva's SQUEE #1.

Gail began by sharing how her website "Women in Refrigerators", and later, a fun parody column called "You'll All Be Sorry", were both started out as amusement. These proved popular with readers and were then circulated around the internet. And that was how she got noticed and asked to write for comics companies, including Bongo Comics, Marvel and DC.