SDCC 2012: The Insanity That Is Comic-Con Registration

Red Dot Diva knew that the assault on online registration day for SDCC 2012 was going to be crazy.

But having the passes selling out in less than an hour?!?!?!!

That's INSANE!

Last year, SDCC passes sold out in less than 7 hours and that was already unbelievable enough.

And the sell-out was despite of a glitch concerning the link which SDCC initially sent out to people. (as EPIC as always). That was resolved later and some people said the registration process was much smoother than last year's.

Quick-thinking and savvy fans who were not able to grab the 4-day w/ Preview or 4-day Passes then tried to get single day passes for each day. And some were successful.

Updates on Mark Torres' Visit at Invasion!

Red Dot Diva has got some cool updates about the Mark Torres event that people are waiting for!

Firstly, the important details - the time of Mark Torres' appearance at Invasion! store next week. Here they are:
9 Mar (Fri) - 5pm till 9pm
10 Mar (Sat) - 2pm till 5pm

Mark has also gone for the MUNNY, and has personalized this vinyl toy to commemorate his visit here (see pic on left). Red Dot Diva hears that one can win this special toy at Invasion!, but details are still to be worked out by the organizers. So keep checking Invasion's Mark Torres Event FB page and stay tuned.

Also, has anyone tried looking for those viral posters around town yet??? Hurry, you have just about one week left! Read more about the fun treasure hunt on a previous blog post.

The organizers have also just finalized the rules for the treasure hunt:

1. Contestants who hunt down these stickers must take pictures of themselves with the stickers and then upload them on Facebook.
2. You must LIKE Invasion! Comics' Facebook page and tag both themselves and Invasion! on the photos.
3. First 10 folks to find any sticker will win a prize. Only 1 prize will be given away per contestant. If the photo has already been uploaded, the repeated uploads will not be taken into account.
4. The winner will get a free sketch from Mark on the event dates.

Curious to know more about Mark Torres? Then get the scoop from Red Dot Diva's quickie Q&A with him earlier this week!

Mark is all eager to meet the Red Dot Island comics fans, so don't miss his appearance next week!

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Check out Mark Torres' deviantart page!

Introducing Mark Torres: Talent With A Quirky Twist

Pic by Roi Francisco

Young, hip, arty and cool. Artist Mark Torres seems the kind to party with the right crowd, and yet stays awake just enough to finish his art projects.

If one has visited his deviantart gallery page, you would have found an interesting mix of traditional and digital art-styles, with a kind of twisted playfulness to his interpretation of subjects. For instance, Red Dot Diva appreciated the almost impressionistic, evil-snicker behind "Joke-tober". Go check it out.

To help folks get to know more about Mark Torres before he arrives here on March 9 -10, Red Dot Diva got him to answer a few of her nosy questions via email:

SDCC 2012: Cancel All Plans! Stay By Your Computers!

A couple of days ago, the San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) folks sent out emails to everyone who has a Member ID advising them to keep watch about the opening of online registrations, which will be happening REAL SOON.

On their General Information page, they mentioned that "badge sales will begin sometime after the Comic-Con Member ID registration website closes on February 28th, 2012."

So, for those who haven't got a pre-reg ticket at last year's convention... it's time to get your act together and prepare to snap up those passes! CANCEL All Plans!! And Stay By your Computers!

Tickets do sell out *really* quickly. And there will be a very high probability that the servers may stall and get jammed with the insane amount of traffic.

Cowabunga! Mark Torres Ninjas Into Town!

Local comic fans have been so spoilt lately!

Just as Stephen Segovia popped by in early January to grace the official opening of Invasion! Toys & Collectibles, his fellow Filipino compadre Mark Torres soon will make his way to Red Dot Island.

Mark Torres is scheduled to make a special appearance at Invasion! on March 9th and 10th (Fri/ Sat). Time to be announced.

If one is not yet familiar with Mark's varied and vibrant art styles, check out his deviantart page! Red Dot Diva loves how the perspectives in his art make them seem almost 3-dimensional. Especially the one called BATMAN vs ZOMBIES above! Personally, she has never seen Batman soooo "Diva-fuchsia-cool"! Heh.

Mark's latest work is going to be featured in IDW Publishing's comic, "Infestation 2: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1" - due for release on first week of March, with issue #2 following very soon after. He has also worked in the very Asian anthology, "Liquid City Vol. 2" and IDW's "Zombies vs. Robots: Undercity #1-4".

Autobots Get A Taste of Singapore Kaya Toast

Singapore brekkie for the Autobots

Frankly.... Red Dot Diva just couldn't help snickering at the images that steamrolled into her email in-box that day.

You see, well-loved Transformers characters Autobots Optimus Prime and Bumblebee decided to drop in to the Red Dot Island last week. And the first thing they did was to have a taste of the iconic Singaporean breakfast consisting of kopi-O, kaya toast and you tiao at the Old Airport Road Food Centre.

Can Autobots even digest food? Red Dot Diva is confused.

At Invasion!: Grilling Comics Artist Stephen Segovia

Invasion! Toys and Collectibles is the latest kid on the block in the Red Dot Island comics, toys and collectibles market.

Announcement of its launch late last year was met with a fair amount of excitement from local comics and toy collectors, as fans felt the need for more choices and healthy competition.

For those who are intending to visit Invasion! for the first time, the store is located at the 5th floor of Funan DigitaLife Mall, around the same vicinity as the food court, and just right next to children-enrichment outlets like a music school and a pottery-making studio. (Check out a previous blog post more about the store and its launch!)

At the store's opening which was held over two days in early January 2012, a trio of comics artist - Stephen Segovia ("Dark Wolverine", "Mighty Avengers", "Battlestar Galactica"), Sonny Liew ("Malinky Robot", "Liquid City") and Rudy Ao - was at the store meeting comics enthusiasts and drawing sketches.