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STGCC 2016: Booth Highlight - Diva Speaks to Indian Artist Vivek Goel, Founder of Holy Cow Entertainment

September 8, 2016, 8:48 am
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Red Dot Diva finds it exciting when foreign comic book publishers decide to exhibit their wares in Red Dot Island. When she found out that Vivek Goel , one of the first time exhibitors at STGCC 2016, was linked to an Indian publishing company called Holy Cow Entertainment, and she began look up for their books on the Internet.

Oh, and what a treasure trove that was!!

Most of the residents of Red Dot Island are not totally unfamiliar with the vivid colour, smells and stories of the Indian people, as they have been part of our history and racial landscape for centuries. However, what the locals see or hear relating to the Indian culture is only the tip of the iceberg.

So, to see how Vivek Goel, the founder of Holy Cow Entertainment, take core Indian-centric tales and reach out to modern readers in this digital age, is a wondrous and beautiful to behold. The sample pages of their books on the publishing house's social media are filled with dynamic story panels and staggeringly beautiful art, not unlike those who might see on the structures of the Hindu temples dotting Red Dot Island.

Red Dot Diva had a highly enlightening interview with Vivek Goel, to find out more about his journey in the comic books medium, his company and their publications.

Red Dot Diva: Do tell us a little about yourself, your art style and its unique points.
Vivek:Well, I hail from India, had a love for comics since childhood and art is hereditary as my mother is also an artist. It's a part of my DNA but never took my artistic career seriously and finished my grad school and probably by that time the comic art ghost was taken out from my head. You see, India is a very strange country with full of Paranoid parents, haha.
Red Dot Diva: I don't think it's just India. Somehow I think it's an Asian thing!
Vivek: When they see something is not flourishing in India, they will go to lengths to drag you away from that and encourage you to become a Doctor, Engineer. duh!! And in worst case scenario at least get a government job so that you can be secured. Although my parents were pretty supportive, post Grad Merchant Navy dragged my attention, so I started sailing. The moment I completed my 6 months on board I realized that this was not my cup of tea!!

Came back, started drawing (as a hobby) then someone told me you are good at it, why don't you join an art school, did that an one fine day I got my hands on an issue of Fathom drawn by the late Michael Turner and that was my Eureka moment and I was like "Damn!!! I can draw this", that was the beginning of my comic book art career and my parents finally realizing that I might have found my calling completely supported me :)

Stared my comic book art career as an inker which greatly helped evolving my pencil lines, did a lot of storyboards for almost every big and small comic book company (BTW, we only have 5 here in India) but later realized that this cannot go on forever, changing publisher year by year and the treatment was also not good with huge amount of exploitation.

I am heavily influenced by Oliver Coipel, Sir Michael Turner and Ivan Reis. When I mix them all with my own aesthetics, something new popped up :)


Red Dot Diva: What was the defining moment that made you decide to start up Holy Cow Entertainment?
Vivek:As I mentioned earlier, bet. 2008 - 2011 enthusiastic people were stating up a lot of smaller companies luring us and giving us a lot of opportunities and telling us that our work will be sold on a worldwide scale and all, we kept on working, getting aid on time during that because of one way or the other the companies started going bankrupt and started shutting down one by one and none of our work worth months saw the light of the day and because of that a lot of morals were broken down and most of the people drifted to the animation industry leaving around just 34 of us proper comic book artists.

That is when I realised that we need some kind of change in the infrastructure and shuffling the ways we have been making and selling comics since ages but what can one man do? BUT then I cornered myself and asked that IF NOT DRAWING COMICS, what am I good at, nothing???? Then if you want to change something and keep on surviving, you NEED to be that change! That was the day I started Holy Cow! Entertainment with just the 3 of us and since I already have had worked with almost every big and small publishing house I had the knowledge where they went wrong and what were their strengths and most importantly, I loved the post production and printing part and my favorite - Street salesmanship. Slowly and steadily, now after 5+ years we are 14 strong and growing :D


Red Dot Diva: What positive/ memorable *and* not-so-fantastic things you have experienced while being on this journey of being a growing comic book publisher in India?
Vivek: Pro's - I started off an in Inker and that changed my life as a penciller, learned how to sell books from a cabbies to a CEO's, there have been 15 comic con's here in India since 2011 and I have attended all - THAT is probably the best thing which could happen to someone like me who ALSO started his own brand in 2011 ;) I consider this as sign of god that I was on the right path. The variety of people coming to the comic cons here in India from various financial and cultural backgrounds have given me immense experience of salesmen ship.

In one work, now that I am writing this, I love the totality of this business and will keep on doing that till the end of days.

Con's - Financial exploitation of freshers, not giving due credit in the comics that I have worked on and that's just not me, there were so many like me which resulting into breaking up their morals and making them drift towards to concept art and animation films. India never had shortage of talents BUT with us 4-5 remaining here things have started looking bright as we all have molded ourselves into a proper structure and more than enthusiasm, we now work on proper budgets and annual plannings.

Red Dot Diva: It seems that Hollywood is also getting more interested in Indian culture. How did you feel about Pixar featuring the short animated film "Sanjay's Super Team" which preceded the screening of "The Good Dinosaur"?
Vivek: Yup, because almost 80% of it is still uncharted and unexplored, I have read a lot of holy books and let me tell you whatever anyone is doing, they are just scratching the surface, there is so much more then meets the eye when it comes to India and Chinese Mythology because these 2 cultures are the oldest in the world!! My apologies, I am not much into animation.

Red Dot Diva: Do the books published by Holy Cow Entertainment focus on re-tellings of Indian classical stories, legends and myths? Will HCE progressively be expanding other genres?
Vivek: There is only one series called as "Ravanayan" which focuses on Mythology. Its one of the 2 most popular poems all across India, the second being the Mahabharata. It's actually Ramayan but its being narrated by its main antagonist - the Demon king Ravana, we decided to call it Ravanayan. You see history is always written from the POV of the victors but this time you will read Ravan's side of the story. He is still the villain and dies the same death by Prince Rama but when the villain narrates you his own story, the whole perspective changes and that is why Ravanayan is currently running in its 2nd printing :)

Post that we realized that the future of any comic book company cannot rely only on mythological takes because they are finite and they have to end somewhere. We decided to introduce our 1st IP "The Aghori" which takes place in the current timeline and its genre is Supernatural. Aghori's are mystical beings who meditate in cremation grounds and use black magic for good and because hardly anybody knew much about the Aghoris (it's basically India's answer to Constantine ;), it became instantly popular and we decided to make it our 1st flagship character and then the road ahead started becoming clearer and clearer, we needed more IP's. We needed a universe, an HCverse where superhuman characters like Aghori exist and share the same universe - the Marvel way! Now, there are endless possibilities of doing crossovers, events, trying out diff. talents (writers/artists). This came as a natural progression.
Red Dot Diva: This sounds absolutely fantastic!

Red Dot Diva: What books are you reading nowadays? They need not necessarily be comic books.
Vivek: I mostly read Graphic Novels and comics because for me they are like textbooks, i crave for knowledge and they constantly teach me. I recently finished all 3 vol.'s of Blacksad (thanks Anuraj for recommending it - amazing stuff!), next in line is Batman by Tom King.

Red Dot Diva: What made you decide to exhibit at this year's STGCC? And what do you hope to achieve from your participation at the show?
Vivek: I have decided to exhibit the complete box sets of Ravanayan and Aghori, we have completed 3 more series but there is no point pouring everything on people who are almost new and or unknown with the concepts you have worked on. Let them soak on Ravanayan and Aghori series this time and by next year when they would have soaked HCverse, we will bring in more interconnected character and comics + There is a lot of original art and loads of posters that i am bringing in. I have heard that Singapore has value for original art :)

I hope to achieve a completely new and untapped comic book market which is completely new to Indian stuff, I need to drop their jaws :) Also aiming for making Singapore a regular market for Holy Cow comics by meeting some really imp. decision making people and most importantly, I am looking to make new friends, friends cum customers, their reviews, their likes and dislikes BECAUSE that will let us know how to raise our level to the western stuff.

We publish 7 comic books per year and sell the at great discounts through our own online portal (www.holycow.in). So,in our absence till nest Sept. people can keep on continue with our stuff as we have PAYPAL :)

Red Dot Diva: For readers who are unfamiliar with Holy Cow's books, which titles do you recommend they should start out with?
Vivek: Ravanayan to understand our culture and the greatest warriors that walked the face of earth at eons back (for Mythology lovers) but mostly AGHORI - Because the HC universe building started with that, it was nominated in the category of series of the year back to back in the years 2013-14. Aghori IS our Alpha and Omega! (this is for those who would love to delve into a universe, from cities to dense forests and from deep seas to vast space....shhhhh!!!! Spoilers lolz)

Red Dot Diva love grand epics, colourful mythologies as well as supernatural tales. So, she is eager to get hold of these books at STGCC this weekend. If you want to get to know a little more about Indian culture, and love indulging in such stories, go say hello to Vivek Goel at Booth AA-14!


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STGCC 2016: Toy Designer Jon-Paul Kaiser Has A Soft Spot For Tormund Giantsbane

September 9, 2016, 9:35 am
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Local fans of acclaimed toy designer Jon-Paul Kaiser (or JPK for short) have been ardently hoping that he will drop by Red Dot Island. Well, this week, as a guest of STGCC 2016,JPK is finally in the same plane of existenceand time zone.

Red Dot Diva met the man himself at the Media Preview on Thursday, 8 September, where he showcased an impressive live drawing of a Skullhead blank. JPK towered like a giant compared to everyone else, but don't let his stature intimidate you. In fact, Red Dot Diva thought he was like a BFG - all smiles, and brimming with enthusiasm about meeting his fans at the convention really soon.

Fellow Glam Bloggers Alliance pal Ed from Toys-etc interacted with JPK at length about his craft and other chatty things prior to his arrival on Red Dot Island. Read all about it here!



Interview with STGCC guest Jon-Paul Kaiser:'Beyond the Black and White'

The UK-based designer, painter and artist got into the game early as a little person transforming Fisher Price trucks into battle tanks and drawing robots. As a big person, Jon-Paul Kaiser graduated from a model-making course and landed a design job, hopped around a little before an eventful X-box night. Porlzilla recommended Vinylpulse and El Panda (by Muttpop). The idea of making his own toys on such a limited scale was something he never thought possible, and he dived right in, making original resin-cast art toys with Porlzilla, and then onto production figures for Toy2R and Kidrobot.

There can be no mistaking Jon-Paul Kaiser's work - bold and unapologetically monochromatic with strong distinct graphic black and white lines to create his signature high-contrast striking palette, anchoring and distinguishing himself as the only artist in the art toy world to do so regardless of platforms, customising and unifying them in his style.

This would be his virgin visit to our sunny shores and there’s much to be excited about. The Huck Gee collaboration and convention exclusive Skullhead Samurai showcases the impact and versatility of his aesthetics and this would be the starting point of our interview:

Ed: I am actually quite surprised that the debut would be a collaboration and not the OG. Can you take us through how this came to be, and the level of your creative input? I can’t tell much from the press release photographs but are there any Easter eggs? Is the motif on its armour representative of anything?
JPK:Well, I designed the figure a few years back. I'm a massive history and culture geek and samurai have always fascinated me, and I wanted to distill some of the key features that stood out to me, such as the layered armour, the kimono, the helmet and crest - and then twist that down into my own style and form. There are subtle details on there in the form of an engraved pattern in the kimono, which is reflected on the crest as well. These are flowers, part of my interest in these warriors was the juxtaposition between the delicate art and decoration on their instruments of warfare; beautifully engraved swords with sculpted pommels and guards.. and yet they're intended to slice another man open! When speaking to Jake at Pobber who is producing this figure, I asked that rather than have several different colour variations of the same design released, could we invite guest artists to have their take on it. I drew up a list of the artists I'd love to have involved, and without expectation, Huck Gee said he was in! He's long been one of my favourite artists and the subject matter and style of figure suited his aesthetic completely, and his figure looks amazing!


Ed: Without a doubt, Huck Gee's take did not diminish your design. In fact, it was a seamless merge of aesthetics. Now, probing a little deeper. You’re a collector of vintage Star Wars. There’s a lot of pop cultural cross-overs and one in particular seem to be right up your alley. What do you think of Bandai’s Movie Realisation series (Samurai Darth Vadar)? Given your love for all things robots and mecha, have you ever given a thought about mechanising the Skullhead Samurai during the initial conceptualising stages? If you were given free reign, what sort of steampunkery wizardry would you put in? A steam-engine powered propulsion blade?
JPK:Oh, that figure... It kind of makes me angry in a way because it seems so obvious and I didn't think of it! So envious! A mechanised version of the Skullhead hadn't crossed my mind to be honest. I like my mechs clean and a bit retro-futuristic, so it would be lacquered black and chrome number like an old Rolls Royce. One arm would have a set of three arquebuses (like muskets) and the other a steam-powered siege hammer for tearing up buildings. I daydream a lot, especially when I'm walking my dog through the hills and woods near me, it's here that I get most of my ideas, making up narratives... these often have mechs smashing up a fortress or charging through a forest on a distant planet somewhere. 

Ed: Speaking of woods... In many of your interviews, you mentioned walks in the woods when asked about inspiration. Clearly, sylvan elements are missing from your work so the question is, what kind of woods do you walk in? Is there a favourite spot where you sink into the lush deep shadows and turn on the existential switch? What do you actually do when you take these walks? Are you a fan of the 100 acre woods? Is your creative process mopey?
JPK:Mopey?! Ha ha ha! Oh man, I hope I don't come across that way - that is so far away from where I am as a person! The woods I take walks in a glorious; they're fairly new being on reclaimed mining industry land, but they're lush, green and very large so walking around in them you can go hours without seeing anyone else. I'm usually daydreaming and looking at nature when I'm on these walks.

I also do something called Night Hiking with a couple of friends; one night a week we drive up to the small mountains near us, park up and hike through the hills in the dark. We take head-torches for emergencies but generally walk by the light of the moon. Now that's an amazing experience; the silence is heavy in the air and there's no-one else around, so we chat, have a laugh and can be pretty crude, safe in the knowledge that nobody is going to hear us and be offended!


Ed: Well, Singapore only has urban jungles but I'm sure you'll find mega-inspiration in the Super Trees in Gardens by the Bay. You’ve mentioned (on Neil Harvey) that your palette was an economical choice and that the heavily exaggerated shadows and stark contrasts makes your custom stand out in a group show and on (Softoyhobby) that it helps to focus the design, even going as far as claiming that a good design shouldn’t need colours to work. (God clearly isn’t very good when he went at making rainbows.) You make excellent points and a lot of your pieces are dramatically emotive. Why have you not made a fun piece, one that is as retardedly happy as Spongebob? Are your customs an extension of you? Do you wear black all the time?
JPK:Ha ha! I do wear black a lot, but only because it's so stylish! For me, an emotional connection is really important in a piece; it resonates for far longer and tells much more of a story than a figure that is simply 'cute'. Something that is cute has an instant appeal but in my opinion doesn't go as deep or last as long, and therefore additional costume elements or scenery have to be added to expand its story or setting. I think to a degree my customs are an extension of myself, or at least the more introspective part of my character; a search for meaning and a yearning to explore different cultures, histories and stories. Also, I'm not a glum goth or anything! To me there's nothing more important in life than a good laugh. My wife and my closest friends are all incredibly funny people and I'm never happier then when there's a group of us sitting around and the tales and jokes are being told and we're screaming with laughter... even then actually things tend to get quite dark...

Ed: I absolutely agree with you that designer or art toys should go deeper than cute. I've always had a preference for toys that have narratives tied to them. Next up is the perennial favourite but with a twist. You’ve probably named everyone in the universe (in previous interviews), saying that you look up to them or would love to work with them. Even though it’s generous of you to not trample on anyone’s fragile feelings, that’s cheating. You’ll have to narrow it down to one today, one artist in the community that you feel has influenced your work the most significantly.
JPK: This is easy; J*RYU, we made friends at NYCC in 2012 I think, he's had me stay as a guest at his house and we've had many long conversations since; analysing every aspect of the industry, from the community, to the business side of things, creativity, style, tools and convention practices. We bounce ideas around and we're on a very similar wave-length with very similar aims and aspirations, both for ourselves and this community. Jesse is a true mentor and a peer I truly respect, and he helped me change my mind from this being hobby to my own tiny industry.


Ed: Ah Jesse Jesse. When he talks shops, he really talks the house down. There’s that time on August 9th 8.01pm when he wrote the Facebook post “We buy the paper clips”. That was an awesome read. Now comparing it with what you had said (admittedly a good 3-4 years before his rant) about the quick cashing-ins by Sucklord copycats and the subsequent watering down of the toy scene with mediocre (at best) products, and how, in recent years, platforms (and licensed products) are becoming the default and companies are no longer as willing to experiment as they once do when the scene was flourishing, how strongly do you want to slap/hug him? For me, the biggest take away is this: ‘See, art, in and of itself, has never been the problem. It's the business of art that has been the culprit.’ And even though I agree with this and generally, with the point that art is subjective, I cannot help but feel that there are a few truly exceptional pieces out there that can be universally awful and bad. What’s your take on it? Extra redeemable points (for food of the champions - one packet of Singapore Olympic medallist’s favourite food) if you are brutally honest.
JPK: Now it's getting heavy! Well, of course I want to hug him. His essay was typical of Jesse; looking at something from every angle, not seeing it as a gripe or problem but a variety of challenges that face us as an industry or movement. He then went on to suggest some ideas, solutions and alternatives. To me it was an incredibly positive thing to do and felt like a call to arms, this thing we're part of is wonderful, and we all need to work together on strengthening it. There's been a lot of grumbling lately on social media from a few artists, who are seeing other artists rise to prominence and I think there's a bit of jealousy going on... getting a little too protective over what they see as "their thing" and it's a negativity that is both unnecessary and unproductive. I always try to look for positive solutions; if you feel someone's work is a little too like your own, refine your style even more. Make it so unique and inventive that it becomes impossible to copy. Improve upon yourself and don't use up your energy trying to pull somebody else down.

Ed: Well said! Energy can certainly be better spent, for example, in this very instance, I know better than to hit a wall so I won't ask about the Arcane Divination production or progress but if you were to create a companion piece, a mage/wizard type, to Skullhead Samurai, would it be a broody necromancer, a grumpy shapeshifting druid, or a smug and annoying pyromancer? How bout a sorcerer who has partially given up magical latency for technological augmentation? What exactly is this world that you have envisioned?
JPK:Yeah, there's nothing I could give up now about the Arcane Divination series, except that I have seen all the designs and this series is a game-changer! Ha, the smug and annoying pyromania - that's a bit leading, isn't it?! Druids are totally my thing, and there's a rich history of the druids andtheir associated legends here in Britain. He'd also definitely be grumpy though probably wearing garlands of flowers and herbs. The world I haver is a little like ours, except there's only two huge continents with the different societies spread out across them, divided by mountain ranges, gigantic lakes and forests and sheer distance. In this world, magic and science blend and have almost equal power. Death itself can be overcome by spells and magic runes.


Ed: You know, I'm a huge fantasy fan and I can't wait to see you develop this world of yours and populate it with even more memorable characters. As this interview comes to a close, and since this is a pop cultural convention, I have to ask: Autobots or Decepticons? Star Trek or Star Wars? Game of Thrones or The Walking Dead? Amongst all of these, name a favourite character and why. The boy with no name demands to know.
JPK:Autobots; they always had the best disguises. Star Wars! Without a doubt, it's been a constant part of my life. Game of Thrones, the other series does the impossible and makes zombies seem dull.

Amongst all of them, or a character for each? I'll give one for each, then decide on a favourite overall.

Transformers; Grimlock. He was just brilliant; impossibly strong, direct and no nonsense. There was also a storyline in the old Marvel Transformers comics with a shot of him cleaving Megatron in half with his sword.

Star Wars; I always loved the Bounty Hunters from Star Wars; Dengar had really interesting armour and just looked gnarly, but it was Zuckuss who I like the best. He's sort of a sensitive soul who'd kind of spiritual, a calm Force-user who's job it is to hunt down and kill people. He also looks badass!

Game of Thrones; Oh man, there are too many favourites! Cersei, The Mountain, The Hound, Varys, Tyrion... but I have a massive soft spot for Tormund Giantsbane. A bit like bearded Grimlock; strong, really to fight, direct and with a massive sword.. in fact, is he just the ginger equivalent?!

Overall I think Tormund is my absolute favourite and I'd love to meet Kristofer Hivju who plays him.

Ed: Any last kind words for fans waiting in Singapore? Any fun teasers or reveals? We need fuel to sustain the winter.
JPK: I can't wait to get there and meet so many people I already know online, and meet new people too. There might be a reveal coming up at the convention... and I'll also have plenty of customs available on my booth, as well as the debut of my original Atmosphere Teletubbies sculpted set. Thanks!

Well, that's all folks. If you are going to be in Singapore this weekend, swing by Booth B19, a happy place simply called Flabslab and Friends and say hi to JPK!


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This article was originally posted in Spanky Stoke's website, written and posted by Ed from Toys-etc!

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The Glam Bloggers Alliance - a collaboration of four geeks - Red Dot Diva, Ed from Toys-etc, Agent W and Andre aka Mr Million Dollar Smile - will be back at STGCC 2016 being busybodies checking out the guests, exhibitors, cosplayers and all forms of biceps during the convention.

Both Red Dot Diva and Toys-etc blogs are also proud to continue their Supporting Blog status with STGCC.


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Gamestart Asia 2016: Get Ready To Blast Off at Suntec Convention Centre, 7 - 9 October 2016

September 16, 2016, 9:22 am
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Gamestart Asia, the biggest gaming convention in South-East Asia, is all set to blast off their third edition at Suntec Convention Centre, 7 to 9 October 2016.

The show mascot Alyse has also levelled up to 3.0, all geared up in a more kickass-armour and weaponry, thanks to Kinetiquettes and Xmashed Gear. Love the new Alyse and want to bring her home? You can do that by getting hold of the beautiful custom ¼ scale statue of Alyse, crafted by the talented Kinetiquettes team. There are even LED Light-up Features in the statues! Check them out here.

Red Dot Divaattended Gamestart Asia for the first time last year. Even though she wasn't a gamer, she had a fun time trying out a Sony Playstation VR game and checking out "uniquely Singapore" mobile app games like the KAN-CHEONG! Kopitiam Saga. She also became a X-Wing fighter for awhile playing a few minutes of Star Wars Battlefront. The best experience though was hitting targets inside the Star Wars Battlepod. She lined up to get her adrenaline rush of two rounds of that immersive and thrilling game!



Other than the showcasing of new games at the convention, like Streetfighter V, Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3, Valiant Force and Blazblue: Central Fiction, Gamestart Asia 2016 will also host the inaugural Overwatch Champions Singapore tournament, presented by MyRepublic GAMER and co-sponsored by Armaggeddon. Overwatch gamers should submit their teams at this link, where the first prize winners will nab $2,000 cash, Armaggeddon peripherals and official Blizzard swag!

If you are not into Overwatch, you can choose to punch your way in the eSports arena of the South East Asia Major 2016, presented by PlayStation 4.




Or register for the Gamestart Championship Cup 2016 for the FIFA 17 game tournaments during the convention.

Games and cosplayers go hand in hand, so attendees can expect the return of the very popular cosplay runway in this year's convention. Recently announced as a guest is Vietnamese cosplayer Miu, who is also a mobile game illustrator. Joining her will be Okageo, a cosplayer from Los Angeles, who has been indulging in the craft since 2008. He has been asked to judge various cosplay competitions and specializes in making armours and props.

Adding to the the colour and creativity is the fan based Doujin Market which will make its first appearance at Gamestart Asia 2016. Better save up monie$$$ for that! So far, other exhibitors listed include Bandai Namco Entertainment Asia, Armageddon, XII Braves and Funplus.

The show is not just for gaming fans, but for industry folks as well. This year, together with Bandai Namco Entertainment Asia and DMM Games, the organizers have invited indie developers to pitch in their games at the Inaugural Indie Awards. Red Dot Diva thinks this should be an interesting creative showcase of indie games from around the world.

Gamestart Asia tickets are still available for sale. 3-day tickets go for a very reasonable price of SGD 30, and one-day tickets are set at $10. Click on this link for more details about VIP tickets, to buy tickets online or to find out which retail shops you can buy tickets from.

The official t-shirts and merchandise by Xmashed Gear and Freshly Pressed Socks can be purchased online as well at the same link.

Gamestart Asia's program schedule has still not announced yet but expect that to be available in a week or so! The show seems to keep getting bigger and better each year so Red Dot Diva is sure that more exciting details should also be on its way soon. Stay tuned!



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HBO Asia's "Westworld" Premieres 3 October 2016 - Man vs Machine in the Wild, Wild West

September 25, 2016, 9:50 am
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When best-selling author Michael Crichton passed away in 2008, Red Dot Diva was utterly devastated. She was a big fan of his writing and have devoured several of his geeky scifi, medical, techno-thriller-based books - "Jurassic Park", "Timeline" and "Prey" being her favourites - with relish. Many of Michael Crichton's stories were set in a not too distant future and hence, they were like a chilling warning of possible outcomes due to medical or technological advances. It was a little like Black Mirror before there was Black Mirror.



So, when HBO announced that they will be adapting Michael Crichton's"Westworld" movie to a TV series, Red Dot Diva whooped with joy. The 10-episode series, produced by J.J. Abrams, Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, has attracted a cast of fine and award-winning actors including Anthony Hopkins, Ed Harris (mmmmmmmm... another of Red Dot Diva's favourites), Jeffrey Wright, James Marsden, Rodrigo Santoro, Clifton Collins, Jr., Evan Rachel Wood, Thandie Newton, Tessa Thompson and Sidse Babett Knudse.

To get prepared for the new HBO series, Red Dot Diva got hold of the original 1973 version directed by Michael Crichton, which starred Yul Bynner (as the unrelenting gunslinger android) and James Brolin. Watching the old "science fiction-western" movie which depicted the use of Virtual Reality in an amusement park filled with androids, Red Dot Diva couldn't help but note how technology has grown in the way Michael Crichton saw it. Currently, Virtual Reality is already on the cusp of reality! There were also segments of the movie where the androids' point of view were shown in pixelated format. This visual method has now become a precursor and well-known trope in scifi robot movies (Hi, Terminator!). Ahh, the genius of Michael Crichton!


For many months, HBO's production of "Westworld" was clouded in secrecy and, there were few hints as to how much would be adapted from the original screenplay. Other than the viral news concerning a casting call for actors who were willing to be in sexually explicit scenes, which had SAG-AFTRA highly concerned.


When the recent adult/ red-band trailer for "Westworld" was released, some androids at the theme park were shown to be sexbots, which may fall in line with the expected HBO-standard of nudity and gore in many of their shows. Although, Red Dot Diva is pretty sure that the raunchier scenes would be elegantly-censored in the version screened via HBO Asia.



Even so, from the trailer, the production values of the scifi-western epic is rich and detailed. Red Dot Diva also loves how dark, mysterious and horrifying the trailer's tone and images are suggesting about the series. There are questions about humanity and its deep desires, what reality means, and how the awakening of artificial intelligence can utterly change the world in devastating ways.


Especially intriguing is the android Dolores, acted by Evan Rachel Wood who has more or less cornered the market in portraying disturbingly beautiful, almost non-human characters. The scenes with veteran actor Anthony Hopkins as the god-like maker of the artificial world is equally chilling.








(Watch more interviews at HBO Asia's Youtube page!)

Critics who have already watched the first couple of episodes have high praise for it and it is looking like it is going to be another "must-watch" for Red Dot Diva.


Thanks to HBO Asia, she is happy to announce that she will be at the special preview of "Westworld" on night of Friday, September 30. Ahhh! So Excites!

If you want to find out what Red Dot Diva thought of the series, do check out her Twitter and Facebook page for quickie comments after the media preview!

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"Westworld"premieres on HBO Asia (StarHub TV Ch 601) at 9 AM on Monday, October 3, the same time as the U.S., with a same day primetime encore at 9 PM. The show is also available on HBO ON DEMAND (StarHub TV Ch 602).

Photo credit: HBO 


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Gamestart Asia 2016: Esports and Indie Games Are in the Forefront

October 2, 2016, 10:43 am
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At Gamestart Asia's press conference held on 28 September 2016, Red Dot Diva was glad to see that the organizer Eliphant, continues to have its heart in the right place regarding this annual event.

Other than the usual gaming competitions, game launches and cosplay, they have included more variety into the show with madcap events, pop-culture related geekery, like a Grand Prix chair race held by Secretlab. Imagine getting decked out in helmets or goggles, zooming down an isle and propelling mad levels of speed with while sitting on a Secretlab chair! (Click here for more information about this crazy race held during the convention.)

For its third year, there is a marked increase in the show's focus toward local and regional gaming talent, especially in the area of esports, with multiple tournaments being carried out during the weekend, like the Overwatch Champions Singapore Tournament, which will grant the top-voted indie a trip to exhibit at the Taipei Game Show 2017.

Sony Interactive East, who will be having the largest booth in the exhibition hall, is the Presenting Sponsor for the South East Asia Major 2016, which happens to be the largest console tournament in the region. This is also a showcase of regional and local esports talent, featuring Red Dot Island's own Street Fighter prodigy, Ho Kun Xian, together with gaming personalities like Diago "The Beast Umehara, and Mark "Markman" Julio.

Bandai Namco is also back and will be offering game previews of Tales of Berseria, Tekken 7 and some VR titles. Hardcore Singapore gamers can participate in the qualifier tournament for Tekken 7 and the winner will get to battle it out in Japan on December 10.



Fans of Microsoft XBox will be excited to know that Xbox will be giving fans a chance to try out Gears of War 4 at the convention, before its official launch. Xbox recently released racing video game Forza Horizon 3, and visitors will be able to have a go at this game along with Final Fantasy XV.

To give game developers an opportunity to showcase their wares, a section of the hall is dedicated to Games Solution Centre, an initiative of Media Development Authority (MDA) and managed by Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP). Games Solution Centre offers resources to help enterprises to build and proto-type their games, and about 15 to 20 new games will be available for fans to try out.

The Gentlebros and their fun mobile game called Slashy Hero!

Founders Base will also feature several indie game developers from the region. Do check out for a VR game called Lunar Eclipse at Singapore-based company Kaiju Den as well as Slashy Hero by the Gentlebros, amongst many other indies at Founders Base. This year, Gamestart has also launched its first GameStart Indie Awards, and fans will be able to vote for the best indie game at the show. The winner will get to exhibit and showcase their game at Taipei Game Show 2017!



The spotlight is also on two locally developed games which the Red Dot Island gaming community is proud of - the award-winning fantasy RPG Masquerada: Songs and Shadows by Witching Hour Studios and mobile game Valiant Force by XII Braves. Masquerada was successfully launched on steam just a few days ago, and social media reactions have been very positive. WOOHOOO! for local game developers!

The very eye-catching keyboards and mice by Armageddon

The convention also features Armageddon and their eye-catching products. Head to Armageddon's booth to have a look at their affordable but ultimate gaming peripherals, like keyboards, mice, speakers and headsets.

Retro gaming consoles

If you are looking for the usual fan favourites like the Retro DNA section, don't worry, the arcade and early console games will back in this year's show hall. So are the opportunities to get close with cosplay guests Miu and Jayden Champ Okageo and the chance to ogle at eye-catching costumes and props at the cosplay competition.

Cool art at Liongeeks

However, that is not all. One of the main reasons why games have such a huge impact is the beautiful visual art that forms the basis of most immersive game titles. Game publisher Ubisoft will be exhibiting concept art from their games and Liongeeks, a collective of creative folks, will be offering several art prints and collectibles of game characters for sale.

Kinetiquettes' sculpture of Alyse 3.0 will be unveiled at the show

As for Gamestart's partner Kinetiquettes, they have levelled up visual art into the 3D format with their beautifully and intricate high-end sculptures. The team designed mascot Alyse's new 3.0 look and will be showcasing a fully painted and lighted up model of her at their booth.

In addition to the impressive blur of eye-candy at the convention, fans can also expect an aural experience with music performances by Az Samad, a guitarist from Malaysia as well as Singaporean vocalist Rika Lee. Both musicians will be performing popular game tracks and music for visitors to enjoy.

The impressive list of content at Gamestart Asia 2016 is simply astounding! There is a little of everything for everyone, and Red Dot Diva is sure that one will find a few interesting games or things to experience even if you are not a regular gamer.

Do queue up early to get into the convention hall, as the first 300 visitors on each day will nab a random goodie bag consisting of a range of items from Armaggeddon, Seagate, MSI, PlayStation, Razer, Bandai Namco Entertainment and more!

Gamestart Asia starts this weekend, 7 - 9 October at Suntec City, Halls 506 & 406.

Don't miss it. Hurry and grab your tickets now to get your fill of gaming goodness at the show!


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Gamestart Asia 2016: The Gaming Scene Got Even Bigger and Louder!

October 15, 2016, 12:57 pm
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The Microsoft X-Box booth (Pic Credit: Gamestart Asia)

The third edition of Gamestart Asia, the region's premiere gaming convention, wrapped up last Sunday after a rousing 3-day run.

The organizers reported that over 20,000 gaming enthusiasts and fans made their way to the show, where they could immerse themselves in the gaming world by trying out new titles, watching e-sports and participate in quirky events, like SecretLab's chair race!


Secret Lab's chair race, with mascot Alyse 3.0 (Pic Credit: Gamestart Asia)
Adding colour to the event were the several cosplayers who wandered around the hall in their skillfully crafted costumes, of course.

Cosplay competition (Pic Credit: Gamestart Asia)

It was unfortunate that Red Dot Diva was not able to take in the Gamestart action because she was overseas at the time. However, Andre aka Million Dollar Smile and the rest of the Glam Bloggers Alliance was at at the event to check out the various games and booths.

Here's Andre's photo blog of the event (with some additional boosters from Toys-etc's Ed!)


After 2 very successful events, Gamestart Asia was back for its third year. Some of the highlights for this year’s events were the first appearance of the Microsoft’s Xbox booth where recent and upcoming releases like Gears of War 4, Forza Horizon 3 and Final Fantasy XV were showcased, and the South East Asia Major (“SEAM”), the Southeast Asia's first and largest console tournament, which will pit Asia’s very best against one another.

So what else happened at Gamestart Asia 2016?

Check out the quick photo post of what went down on the day I was there.

Here we go again! Welcome to Gamestart Asia 2016!


Each day, the first 300 visitors will receive a goodie bag with fantastic stuff from Armageddon, Seagate, Razer, Bandai Namco and more! So, definitely must queue!


No doubt about it. The first thing you noticed when you entered the hall was the rainbow lighted hall! For this lighting alone, Gamestart Asia takes the cake!


Ed from Toys-etc has a video clip of the awesomely multi-coloured hall:



Shopping opportunities presented itself via Toy or Game (“TOG”) . No one can complain about having more games, toys or collectibles, right?


Presenting to you, for the 1st time in Gamestart Asia, the Microsoft X-box booth. So many games to try out!


The SEAM booth all set for Asia’s finest game players’ to pit their skills against each other. For there can only be one……



The competition heated up during the weekend and the Tokido emerged as the victor in the Street Fighter V Capcom Pro Tour Premier after battling it out with 2014 Capcom Cup champion Momochi. As the tournament champion, Tokido nabbed the coveted spot to compete in the Capcom Cup 2016 in California, USA later this year.

Pic Credit: Gamestart Asia

The Game Solution Centre (“GSC”) which provided a prototyping development environment for Singapore based small-medium games enterprises to develop their games. 


There were cute and fun games like these new games called Toriko and Restaurant Paradise by Happy Happy Labs. Ed from Toys-etc couldn't resist check out one of them!



The Match-3 game called Mr. Catt by 7quark was like catnip to Ed too!


For the ultimate gaming gear, visitors could head to Armageddon's booth to check out and purchase the nicely designed wares.



Retro gaming at its finest. All the old games that you've missed playing!


Doujin Market - a section for artistic talents who wants to show their work. Also, more excuse for shopping while at the convention.


The awesome sculptures by our pals at Kinetiquettes, who also designed mascot Alyse's new 3.0 get up, and her very own sculpture as well!


On the whole, I was kinda disappointed that the show did not offer more up and coming games compared to last year where Sony Playstation's massive booth hosted VR mini games together with the eye-catching blockbuster Star Wars Battlefront.

The main action this year was in the various live gaming tournaments, which was not really my thing. But I have to admit, I did enjoy playing the indie games that were featured. Many of them were fun and innovative, and I am really glad that Gamestart Asia is showing tons of support for the local talent. It is a great direction to take and I hope the organizers continue to do so in future shows.

Looking forward to see what else Gamestart Asia will bring to the masses in 2017!



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Alternative Animation Festival Cartoons Underground Returns on 22 October 2016

October 16, 2016, 10:58 am
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Poster art by Jia Lee
Looking for animated films that are more edgy and more adult? Then, head to Cartoons Underground, a festival consisting of alternative animation films which will be held at Kult Kafe on Mt Emily, on 22 October, from 6 PM.

Many movie and art fans might not be aware that the festival has actually been around for the past few years, and this year's show will be their fifth edition.

Cartoons Underground is also the jump-off point for many new animators in Asia as selected projects get to be screened during the event. The festival organizers receive film submissions with 487 applications from around the world, three times more than last year's! As a result, the festival director Tan Wei Keong has curated a total of 20 films listed in two programs called "Time Loop" and "Time Warp". Red Dot Diva imagines it must been be really tough for him to narrow the slew of interesting shorts to just 20!

Opening the independent animation festival will be a hand drawn 2D short by local award-winning director Jerrold Chong. (BTW, Red Dot Diva says to check out Jerrold's other films here. Especially "Nascent", which won Best Animation Award at Singapore Short Film Awards in 2015.) Other local directors include Soh Fia, Mirza Ja’afar, Grace Ong, Kai Yuan Tao, Geraldine Toh, Davier Yoon and Joshua Tan, have learned their craft from Nanyang Technological University’s School of Art, Design and Media and LASALLE College of the Arts. These young talent will be sharing more about their personal journeys in the animation and film-making field at a Q&A after the show.

“The most exciting thing I’m seeing at the moment is that Asian voices are starting to break through,” said Chris Shaw, Head of Puttnam School of Film and Animation, LASALLE College of the Arts. “No longer is Singapore somewhere to simply do the animating. Singaporean studios and directors are in the forefront of a new wave of Asian storytelling and animated film is a perfect medium for that, just as Cartoons Underground is a perfect platform.”

The non-profit festival, founded by Patrick Smith, Director of MTV’s Daria and Vicky Chen, is funded by donations from the community. With such passionate support from art and animation film fans at ground level, the annual gathering takes on a unique and vibrant atmosphere.

As in the past year, admission to the event is also by donations. There will be two screenings at 6:30 PM and 8:30 PM, and everyone is invited to mingle and meet the creators and artists of these imaginative animation film shorts.

For a taste of what's in store at Cartoons Underground, watch this teaser trailer with an opening segment by Jerrold Chong!


Cartoons Underground - TRAILER 2016 from Jerrold Chong on Vimeo.



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Voice Actor Auli'i Cravalho, Producer and Animators from Disney's Moana Surfing into Singapore, 9 November!

October 21, 2016, 8:14 am
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Surf's up!!

Actor Auli'i Cravalho, who voices Disney's newest princess Moana from the upcoming CG-animated movie of the same name, will sail into Red Dot Island for a press junket and meet and greet at a special event held on 9 November at Marina Bay Sands.

15-year-old Auli'i Cravalo, a Native Hawaiian, was selected to be Moana from hundreds of talent from the Pacific Islands who had auditioned for the role.



Joining her on this trip will be "Moana" producer Osnat Shurer, and two Southeast Asian Disney animation artists – Roger Lee (Lighting Artist) from Red Dot Island and Griselda Sastrawinata (Visual Development Artist) from Indonesia!


On 9 November, the cast and film-makers will grace a special light-up event, which will begin from 8:15 PM at ArtScience Museum. In line with the theme of the movie, the Polynesian TeVaka dance troupe will be performing on stage to kick-off the program, followed by the light-up ceremony. That should be exciting!



Would this be similar to the light-up event for "Captain America: Civil War" this year? Red Dot Diva supposes the Marina Bay Sands and ArtScience Museum will have lovely projected images of an oceanic, Polynesian theme to help promote the movie.

The two animators, Roger Lee and Griselda Sastrawinata will also be conducting tutorials on how to draw Disney’s Moana characters on 9th of November, Wednesday at Marina Bay Sands’ Sands Expo and Convention Centre. The public can sign up for any of the two available drawing timeslots at 5.20pm or 6.20pm. Capacity is limited so registration will be on a first-come, first-served basis. If you are interested in this rare opportunity, go sign up at http://disneymoana.asia/!


"Moana" tells the tale of a bold and determined princess from Motunui Island, who convinces a demigod Maui to join her mission to help save her tribe and homeland. While setting out on their quest in the vast ocean, the duo encounter monsters and unexpected dangers, as it also becomes a journey of self-discovery for the young princess.

Dwayne Johnson, who is half-Samoan, voices the almighty Maui. Fan favourite Alan Tudyk lends his voice for Maui's and Moana's dumb pet rooster Hei Hei as well as a couple more characters in the movie. Alan has great comedic timing, so Red Dot Diva bets even if he's clucking his way through the film, he's going to be hilarious!



Moana's father Chief Nui, is acted by Temuera Morrison, while Nicole Scherzinger is Moana's mother, Sina. Old Grandma Tala, who shares Moana's closeness with the sea, is voiced by Rachel House.


As in most Disney movies, memorable tunes form part of the experience, so expect to enjoy hummable music by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mark Mancina and Opetaia Foa‘i.

"Moana" is scheduled for island-wide release on 24 November 2016.

Catch the brilliant trailer here:




For more information on "Moana" and the special event in November, follow http://www.Facebook.com/DisneyStudiosSG


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

October 23, 2016, 10:26 am
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Red Dot Diva has covered local creative events for a few years now. In the last couple of years, she noticed that the indie art scene in Red Dot Island has become even more vibrant. Generally speaking, there is now a bolder level of confidence emanating from artists and creators, as a newer generation seeks to consume a wider range of topics and forms of expression that resonate with their sense of being.

So, it is a great time for the Illustration Arts Fest (IAF) to make its debut this year. Organized by the Organisation of Illustrators Council (OIC Singapore) in celebration of its 10th anniversary, the festival will be held in two locations (LASALLE and at SWF/ The Arts House) over two weekends - 28 to 30 October, and 4 to 6 November.

Event poster by Charmumu Fiona
The event highlights the indie illustrators across Asia, that deal with more unique content and art styles. Singapore Writers Festival (SWF), LASALLE College of the Arts; and East London Comics Arts Festival (ELCAF) and Nobrow Press are also co-partners of the event, with strong support from the local creative community, like Supermama, Goodstuph and MightyJaxx - just to name a few.

There will be panels and talks by invited artists, including Jean Julien, Richard McGuire, Hideyuki Katsumata, Sonny Liew, Mattias Adolfsson and Isabel Greenberg, as well as workshops by Sonny Liew, Mattias Adolfsson and Isabel Greenbergthat one can sign up for.


To get a feel of the wide range of illustration styles out there, there will be an Artists Market held on 29 and 30 October at LASALLE's Campus Green, where the public can check out and buy original books and works of art in the 50+ stalls set up there. Red Dot Diva's artist friends, Benjamin Chee of "Charsiew Space" and Ziqun AK will be having their graphic novels for sale. Many more local and regional illustrators like Stormbush aka Calvin Chua, Joon Saw, Soh Fia, Aziemah Khairunnisa, Cassandra Rushton, Peggy Teng from Malaysia and Amanda Widjaja from Indonesia, will also be having a table at the Artists Market. Red Dot Divaadmits she is not familiar with most of them, but she has seen samples of their artwork online, and they are brilliant.

Event poster by Andre Wee
For those who want to get to know or meet with the featured artists, book signing sessions are available. So far, the ones announced are:

- Pann Lim ( Kinetic Singapore )/ Holycrap’s - Rubbish Famzine No.5 "In The Name Of The Father"
- Koh Hong Teng’s - "The Garden of Foolish Indulgences"
- Isabel Greenberg’s"The One Hundred Nights of Hero"
- more including Mattias Adolfsson and Richard McGuire! (Unfortunately, Red Dot Diva does not have more information and details on timing of these at this moment.)

To check out the events held at IAF, head to the official website for a list and updates.

Do note that tickets would have to be purchased separately for those events held on the different weekends:

- LASALLE - 28 to 30 October (More information of how to buy individual ticket pages from Peatix here.) Event tickets are priced from SGD 20, and day passes at selling at SGD 55.

- Singapore Writers' Festival, The Arts House - 4 to 6 November. Festival passes are at SGD 20, and they are selling out fast!



There are heaps of wonderful artistic talent to be discovered over here, and Red Dot Diva can't wait to get to know some of these people when she heads to the marketplace at IAF.

Hope to bump into some of you there too!



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Meet Benjamin Chee, Writer/ Artist of Comic Book Charsiew Space!

October 27, 2016, 8:33 am
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As someone growing up in Red Dot Island, where most people are food-crazy, reading Benjamin Chee's self-published comic book "Charsiew Space" was like nomming on comfort food. To be more exact, it was like savouring yummy local dishes while nonchalantly trotting about on a wild space adventure.

In a sector of a certain galaxy, pork including the traditional roasted version called charsiew, has been banned. Sow, a shrewd elderly Ah Mm (i.e. "old lady") teams up with a space smuggler and his robot to bring the delicacy back on the menu, but not without re-pork-ussions from the citizens of Pig Planet.

Red Dot Diva thought "Charsiew Space" was such a lively and hilarious comic that she recently sent a copy of it to Paul Levitz (formerly the president and publisher of DC Comics) as a small birthday gift . He thought Benjamin's art was "charming".





She also wants to share the love for this delightful piece of work to the comic book geeks out there, and enticed Benjamin (via a portion of fragrant charsiew) to answer a few nosy questions:

Red Dot Diva: Hi, Benjamin! Please introduce yourself and tell us how you got into the career of illustration and graphic design.
Ben:Hello, I'm Ben, or Charsiew Space! I studied animation in school, then got a job as an artist making mobile games. Along the way I've met people who did a bunch of comics for fun, and I thought that appealed to me, so I began making comics as well on the side. 

Red Dot Diva: How would you describe your art style? 
Ben: Cheerful with a dash of grunge, a lil' rough on the edges. 

Red Dot Diva: Who are your artistic heroes and what do you gather fron their particular styles? Have you ever infused any of their ideas / styles into your own? 
Ben:Naoki Urasawa ("Pluto", "Billy Bat") and Chen Mou ("Ravages Of Time") have completely blew my mind with their storytelling. I also like the works of Gabriel Bá & Fábio Moon on "Daytripper" for two entwining inking styles that work together cohesively. Guy Davis's ("The Marquis", "BPRD") art though, I think speaks to me the most. I really love how he stylizes his characters...and monsters, presenting them with grit, texture, and a lot of raw energy in the finished drawings, poses, and framing. I've found myself flipping through his books a lot, when I get stuck on how to deliver a scene. 



Red Dot Diva: How did "Charsiew Space" come about, and were you dreaming of charsiews prior to when the idea was conceived? (Be honest. *grin*)
Ben:Okay this is a funny story, but no dreams. When I went to 24-Hour Comic Day on 2013, I had no idea what to draw other than my story has got to have spaceships in it. Jerry Teo ("Rex Regrets") and I were getting breakfast at the Bugis hawker center, when a friend called and asked me to buy some charsiew for him. So Jerry joked that I can combine delivering charsiew and spaceships to make a "Charsiew 21XX" story. I thought that could turn out fun, so I did just that. The next year, Ray Toh very kindly allowed me to share his booth space at STGCC, and I needed a comic book to sell there. I thought about what would work best, and in the end I pulled that story out from my folder, adapted and rewrote it into a 64-page book, named it very simply "Charsiew Space", because it's about charsiew, in space. 

Red Dot Diva: Do you know of anyone else who does comic books where food and the love for food is prominently featured? Do you have a favourite title/ creator of such books?
Ben:"Silver Spoon"! It's by the creator of "Fullmetal Alchemist", Hiromu Arakawa, and made even richer because it's informed by her experiences growing up in a farm. "Dungeon Meshi" is another manga I recently stumbled upon, which has RPG-ish adventurers basically treating the monsters they encounter in a dungeon as cooking ingredients, so they come up with recipes to cook monster mushrooms, scorpions, slimes...it's really fun. 


Red Dot Diva: What are 3 key things you learned after you've completed "Charsiew Space"? Ben:(1) I found that I'm more suited at sprinting to finish up a complete book, than to come up with something ongoing at a regular pace. So I've thinking of my stories as something - short and spontaneous - that happens in the same universe at different times or place, rather than a huge epic of any sort.
(2) Clarity is important to communicate a story, whether it's sequencing of events, their depiction, to the words used in telling it. For self-publishing folks who do not have editing professionals working with us to ensure that, I think it's important to rely on beta readers who can point out problems or how to improve your story.
(3) Getting a finished product out is a satisfying feeling. Holding a trimmed and bound book, fresh out from the printer when it had just existed inside your computer for the past two months, feels really good! I think that is one of the reasons I would continue to do this, and I'd recommend similarly interested people to try that. 

Red Dot Diva: What's your take on self-publishing and boothing in Singapore and Malaysia. Any tips for newbies? Ben: Going from being in a con as a visitor to having a booth there, definitely offers a different perspective! You can empathize with fellow booth-owner-artists better because you see the other side of the aisle, having to prepare cash, packaging, peddle items, while also experiencing the excitement of the con at the same time. It's a lot to take in, I remember not being to sleep after boothing on Day 1 of STGCC 2014 because I was still pretty excited at 2am. It's an experience that I'd recommend to younger creatives, self-publishing is a concrete way of investing in your own work, and a commitment to market it to other people!

Red Dot Diva: What is your opinion about people who leave their day jobs to "pursue their dreams"? 
Ben:I think being willing to do that is an incredibly brave thing, and it requires a lot of persistence to see it through. 

Red Dot Diva: Now. Let's get serious. If a battle consisting of an army of wantons vs an army of curry puffs were to ensure in a bid to take over the world, whose side would you be on? And, why?  
Ben:If the wantons win, they would start a civil war amongst themselves to determine whether Pork Wantons, Prawn Wantons, or Pork+Prawn Wantons are the superior race, then they would drown the whole world in soup to be habitable for them... so I guess I'm going with curry puffs, then at least I could bow to my crunchy and crispy masters on dry land.
Red Dot Diva:Hopefully, there won't be a heated curry puff civil war between the triangulars and the semi-circulars!


Red Dot Diva: You have also published two more books from the same universe as "Charsiew Space". Tell us a little about those, and did you try to do anything different in these books? 
Ben:Both are shorter stories. I made "LYCHEE QUEEN" while being giddy over a Chinese TV show called "Nirvana in Fire", so it has a period setting. It's about a queen who loves lychees, so she is gonna make sure there'll always be lychees to eat, and her efforts propagated even until the space age. "THE ALCHEMY OF OIL" is more of a picture book, about food - the loving mother who cooked them, and the beloved son who ate it all up. It's set on Squid Station, the central location in "Charsiew Space". I'm experimenting with this format because it uses a first-person voice, to see what the outcome is.

Red Dot Diva: Any other projects on their way? *feeling hungry now* 
Ben: Yes! Charsiew Space-related projects would be on hold for a while though, I'm working on a history comic (and for the first time, in collaboration with a writer!). I also have a short story about jiangshi (mood whiplash!) collected in "Asian Monsters", soon to be published by Fox Spirit Books.
Red Dot Diva: Ooh, I love monsters. Can't wait for that one!


Interested in getting hold of a copy of "Charsiew Space" and Ben's other comic books? You're in luck! He will be having a table at the Illustration Arts Fest's marketplace, held at LASALLE College of the Arts this weekend, 28 to 30 October. Look for him at Table D-7!

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Dn't forget to follow Charsiew Space on Facebook for more updates!



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Charsiew: barbecued pork of Cantonese origin, usually eaten with rice, noodles or as fillings of steamed buns.

To see what charsiew looks like, here's a blog article by foodie johor kaki about one of the stalls at Old Airport Road who is well known for their succulent charsiew. *drools*



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Diva Visited GnB Comic's Spanking New Place for Halloween Comics Fest!

October 30, 2016, 6:45 am
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Yesterday (29 October 2016), Red Dot Diva visited GnB Comic's spankin' brand new shop at Kitchener Complex for Halloween Comics Fest!

Halloween Comics Fest is an annual worldwide event when free horror comic books are given out to fans of all ages at participating stores. This was also Red Dot Diva's first time attending the celebration.

One of the few comics bookstores existing in Red Dot Island, GnB Comics has been operating at Rochor Centre for several years. Unfortunately, the blocks of old but colourful apartments and shops were marked for demolition, and as that time drew nearer, fans and members of GnB were getting twitchy wondering if the shop will carry on at another site or close its shutters for good.

Then, in late September, a surprise announcement was made on GnB Comics' mobile app. The comic book store has found a new home at Kitchener Complex, which is just a hop and a skip away from Lavender MRT Station! Woohoo!


Red Dot Diva, Agent W, Melvin and Andre visited the shop soon after the announcement. GnB had decided to open its doors even when the shop was not yet ready, so that people could still buy that week's shipment of new comics.

There were no lighting nor fixtures, and hardly any shelves yet. The contractors were fixing up the wiring while Red Dot Diva was there. Most of the store's comics and belongings were still in cardboard boxes, stacked on the concrete floor.

Even at its bare-bones state, Red Dot Diva and her friends thought there was a positive feel to the entire place. For one thing, the mall's airconditioner makes lining up for events so much cooler compared to the unrelenting humidity at Rochor Centre. There was a small choice of food places downstairs for one to grab a quick bite, and most of all, the toilets were much cleaner too!


Fastfoward to 5 weeks later and voila! When Red Dot Diva arrived at the store for Halloween Comics Fest yesterday, she thought the shop looked FABULOUS! From the outside, Red Dot Diva could see that the store is now brightly lit and jauntily decorated with Halloween buntings and spider mobiles, with shelves filled up neatly with comics, collectibles, toys and more comics! AHHHHH!!! Strangely enough, the big GnB shop sign has not yet been installed at the main entrance.



The heavy downpour in the morning did not deter hardcore fans from flocking down to the store. The event was to begin at 12 PM, and by 11:30 AM, there was already about 50 people forming a line to get in.


Each person was allowed to select 10 of the free Halloween Comics Fest comic books, and a choice of a Grumpy Cat or Marvel's The Champions pin. Red Dot Diva chose the Grumpy Cat, of course.

A photo posted by Red Dot Diva (@reddotdiva) on


Oh, and thanks to Marvel/ Disney, folks could also nab a couple of posters promoting "Captain America: Civil War" Digital HD/ Blu-ray/ DVD release, while stocks last!


A photo posted by Red Dot Diva (@reddotdiva) on


In addition to the free comics available, the store was holding a graphic novels sale at USD$1 to SGD$1. A good range of toys and collectibles were also displayed for sale around the shop.

Beyond the rows of book shelves, Indonesian artists Pipin Tobing and Noval Hernawan have set up a small booth to promote their artwork and their new comic anthology called "Tales From the Land Of Equator's Emerald". Another Indonesian artist Ardian Syaf, well known for his DC comics projects ("Blackest Night:Batman", "Green Lantern Corps", "Superman/Batman"), is also involved with the anthology. If you're not already familiar with their work, it is worth taking some time to check out their portfolio.

Has this Pikachu been caught yet?

Then, as she headed further toward the back, lo and behold, there was a Japanese pavilion, decorated with a tatami mat, an umbrella and maple leaves just next to a wall of posters! Such a great idea! Finally, a place for staff and fans to take a hang out and take a break, and cosplayers can use the colourful backdrop for photos.

A few moments later, Red Dot Diva heard some excited noises coming from the front of the store. Marvel's VP C.B. Cebulski had arrived for a surprise visit!

A photo posted by Red Dot Diva (@reddotdiva) on


C.B. was in town to attend the Science Centre's launch of the Marvel Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N interactive exhibition, and it was so nice to see him again. Warm hugs all around! He only stayed for awhile, but had enough time to take selfies with those who requested for it. As usual, C.B.'s schedule is always packed!


Red Dot Diva did not spot many cosplayers during the time when she was at GnB. The most impressive and eye-catching cosplay she saw was the Earth X version of Captain America/ Steve Rogers by Chris Marsh, General Manager of WWE Asia Pacific (see photo above). Those who came to the shop in cosplay had a chance to win a special prize from Pacific Licensing and Nickelodeon!




Red Dot Diva spent a few more minutes taking a couple of fun biceps photos to mark the occasion (like the one above with Jason of Come, See Toys) but then, she also had to get her butt moving. There was another art-y event called the Illustration Arts Fest held at the LaSalle College of the Arts, where many more of her friends have set up booths. More on that in another blog post!

This is Red Dot Diva's Halloween Comics Fest stash.


Were you there at GnB Comics for the celebration? Aren't you falling in love with the new shop location and look?


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Diva Popped Into The Illustrations Arts Fest Marketplace at LaSalle (29 October 2016)

November 3, 2016, 10:53 am
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Over 70 artists took over LaSalle College of the Arts' Campus Green last weekend (29 to 30 October 2016)promoting and selling their creative works during the inaugural Illustrations Arts Festrun by Organisation of Illustrators Council (OIC) and the Puttam School Of Film & Animation at LaSalle.According to OIC, there were about 35 alumni and current students of LaSalle who set up booths at the marketplace, and the rest were indie creators and professional artists.

When Red Dot Diva and her friends arrived at the venue at about 2 PM on the first day of the fair, it already felt like a jostle at some of the narrower walkways.


Nobrow Press' booth, which was located at the front end, saw its fair share of interested buyers. Their colourful books carried a distinctively European style, and she overheard from the lady manning the booth that many titles were selling out fast.



A line had formed at the side of their booth too, and no wonder, Swedish-based artist Mattias Adolfsson, best known for his intricately detailed doodles and drawings, was there signing books.

A photo posted by Red Dot Diva (@reddotdiva) on


Red Dot Diva's first stop was to say hello to Benjamin Chee, creator of the food-infused Charsiew Space universe. (Click here to read the blog article on a Q&A with Benjamin!) She had to collect her own personal copy of "Charsiew Space" and decided to get "The Alchemy of Oil" too, simply because she's such a fan of his sense of humour and cheerful drawings.



Sharing booth space with him was Ziqun AK who was promoting his Calvin Hobbs-que graphic novel "Wizard Garden". Red Dot Diva flipped through a copy of his book and thought it was cuteness overload! Ziqun puts across a comical visual idea very well in just a few panels. Do check out the Wizard Garden Facebook page to get an idea of what's in the comic book!


A photo posted by Red Dot Diva (@reddotdiva) on


A few familiar brand names who are known for their Red Dot Island-themed souvenirs and merchandise were also at the market. Stuck was one of them. They have gotten even more famous after they released a series of cute Merlion chou-chous, who have gone viral on social media. Red Dot Diva herself owns three different versions of the Merlion chou-chous! Stuck is now offering different sizes of Merlion chou chous (the smaller one is a keychain, and there is also an upsized one), plus two sets of clothes (kebaya and graduate) that should be a part of any respectable Merlion chou chou's wardrobe. You can check out their range of stuff at their online store.

Located side by side was an art collective called A Good Citizen. The group channel their thoughts and feelings about various Red Dot Island scenes, its politics and its people through fantastic and controversial satire art.


Red Dot Diva's favourite was this piece called "Birth of Ideal" which reminded her as well of a painting of a Merlionesque version of Dante's Inferno, which thankfully did not require a Richard Langdon to decipher or deliver (ahem!)the meanings behind it.

In the middle of all the arty hullabaloo is the lively Global Beards duo - Danger Gene and Wayne Rée. You can't possibly miss them because they are exuberantly beard-tastic!


A video posted by Red Dot Diva (@reddotdiva) on


The guys were selling Gene's book of anthropomorphic characters called "The Unsavoury Alphabet", a noir detective caper of stories within a story as well as a space adventure comic book called "Yellow Princess and the Attack of the Dinosharks". You can also contact the Global Beards team to pre-order the sequel "Yellow Princess and the Attack of the Citadel", which is expected to be ready early next year!

A photo posted by Red Dot Diva (@reddotdiva) on


Sitting right next to the Global Beards' booth, were two lovely fiery sparks Audrey Chan and Donna Lye. They were a surprisingly patient and dedicated counterpoint to their noisy bearded neighbours, and were seen doing brisk business. Their vibrant character portrait art prints and art commissions seem to be in keen demand!


A photo posted by Red Dot Diva (@reddotdiva) on


Father and son duo RocketRayGun (Kelvin Chan) and Kieran Kudidos have also set up shop at the marketplace. They both offered sketchbooks and art commissions. Kelvin, who is one of the team members of high-end collectibles brand Kinetiquettes and has mentored art students, was quite well-known by the younger crowd, while Kieran is an up and coming rising star!


A photo posted by Red Dot Diva (@reddotdiva) on


Joelyn Alexandra and Max Low was situated conveniently next to Global Beards. The main item Red Dot Diva wanted to purchase from Max was his super adorable Milo Dinosaur postcards! She bought two! Joelyn was selling her fiction anthologies called "Pulp Toast", and Max had his graphic novels "Love Like You" and "Pointes de Controle" available for sale as well.


A photo posted by Red Dot Diva (@reddotdiva) on



While browsing around the campus green, Red Dot Diva noticed that for many of the student booths, two themes - either separately or as a mash-up - seem to be their favourites: Food and Cats.


A photo posted by Red Dot Diva (@reddotdiva) on


One of the artists who does both of these themes really well is Sesame Seed Cat. In all of her art prints, a tumble of little smiley black cats flop, climb, sprawl and wave on instant noodles, kuay chap, milo, chok and yu tiao, nasi lemak, amongst other food and grocery items. It was hilarious looking at the images wondering what mischief all the furballs were up to!




Another visual style that caught Red Dot Diva's eye was a set of postcards which portrayed Star Wars characters, like Yoda, Darth Vader, Boba Fett and Darth Maul, as Chinese warriors together with their Chinese names marked at the sides. They were drawn by Joseph Chiang of Monster Gallery, and the prints are available for sale at their Etsy site.

Over at a quieter corner was what Red Dot Diva called the "seasoned artists'" hub.  Sonny Liew's booth was set up there but he was not around and was most probably conducting one of the workshops. Veteran artist Cheah SinAnn was selling his latest graphic novel "Bicycle" and vintage limited copies of "The House of Lim".



Next to his booth was Koh Hong Teng, seated comfortably in a minimalist set-up, promoting the books that he and author Dave Chua have created, including the complete edition of the cult hit "Gone Case". By the way, there is now a French adaptation of "Gone Case" called "L’homme de la Maison"!


A photo posted by Red Dot Diva (@reddotdiva) on


Red Dot Diva enjoys and admires Hong Teng's insanely detailed artwork so she could not resist nabbing his latest book about immigration and identity called "The Garden of Foolish Indulgences", which was written by Oh Yong Hwee ("Ten Sticks and One Rice") and edited by Dave Chua.


The three creators are also collaborating on an upcoming fantasy-science fiction project with a working title called "The Prodigy". Word is, it will be launched in early 2017. Check out the fascinating promo poster for "The Prodigy" above, which hints of H.R. Giger biomechanical-style space aliens and Steven Spielberg's "Close Encounters of the Third Kind". Red Dot Diva can't wait to find out more about it!


A photo posted by Red Dot Diva (@reddotdiva) on


Amongst all the visual art found at LaSalle's Campus Green, there was one particular stall which offered an artform of a different nature. Artisanal brand Merely sold lovingly handcrafted ice-cream made from natural ingredients, with delicious flavours like Milo Fudge Cake and Thai Milk Tea. Their booth was like an oasis for anyone trying to cool down from the heat of the day. This was the first time Red Dot Diva has heard of Merely. She must visit their shop at Sunshine Plaza one of these days!

After about 2 hours or so wandering around the marketplace and chatting with friends, Red Dot Diva had to call it a day. It has been an enriching experience discovering original artistic content and enticing visual ideas. The crowd was buzzing toward the later half of the afternoon. Red Dot Diva also found the artists were enthusiastic and eager to engage with folks. The entire festival had a wonderful positive vibe to it.

Hopefully, the success of this year's event will fuel more artist participation from local and overseas for next year's edition. The Illustration Arts Fest spills over to this coming weekend's (5-6 November) Singapore Writers' Festival (SWF), where some of the artists continue to promoting their works and will be featured in panels. So, if you did not manage to visit Illustration Arts Fest last week, do head on to SWF and lend your support them to our talented illustrators!







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Diva's Movie Review: "Hunt for the WilderPeople" Is A Clever and Superb Buddy Movie

November 20, 2016, 10:30 am
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With many of the social media timelines filled with friends who have polarizing views about the results of the USA election, perhaps there is need for some time out. A feel-good kind of time out.

Watching "Hunt for the WilderPeople", a New Zealand film written and directed by Taika Waititi, is a heartwarming panacea for all the angsty, angry discussions taking place on the internet right now. It provides assurance that a genuine friendship can be formed even when two human beings are very different from each other. Logical Red Dot Diva knows that this does not happen easily in real life, but movie escapism can sometimes be good for mental health. ;)

"Hunt for the WilderPeople" is essentially a hilarious buddy dramedy with a quirky take on the fugitives on the run trope. The movie focuses on the adventures of two unlikely characters - chubby, orphaned, city street kid Ricky Baker (Julian Dennison) who thinks he's a hip hop thug and his grumpy over-60 ex-prisoner/ farmer/ super-bushman foster uncle Hec Faulkner (a very silver foxy Sam Neill).


With several police records under his belt, outsider Ricky is brought to a farming couple by social worker, Paula Hall (Rachel House). However, due to an unfortunate incident, and unable to care for a pre-teen himself, Hec decides to have Ricky re-homed. Ricky, now loving the new life that he has, is unwilling to return to the city, and runs away by heading into the bush. Uncle Hec comes looking for him, but with the authorities mistakenly judging his actions as crazy and criminal, the two spent several months on the run in the wild New Zealand countryside, dodging the police and a very tenacious Paula.

The undeniable chemistry between the two main actors, Julian Dennison and Sam Neill, is an utter joy to watch. Their scenes with each other seem effortless and yet, endearingly honest.

Red Dot Diva thought Sam Neill is magnificent, loping in the wilderness like it was second nature to him. He is also a pro at keeping a straight face whenever grizzly, reticent Uncle Hec attempts to keep an even keel in the face of challenges, which includes Ricky's naiveté, wilful foibles and awful haikus. That must not have been easy when Julian Dennison puts such exuberant silliness to his brilliant performance throughout the movie.

As the movie's villain, Rachel House was able to skillfully imbue likeability to the no nonsense social worker with a "No Child Left Behind" manifesto. A minor character by comedian Rhys Dharby, a loopy conspiracist called Psycho Sam, also made an impression. His scenes together with Julian Dennison and Sam Neill, is one of the goofiest Red Dot Diva has seen recently.





At several junctures, director Taika Waititi and cinematographer Lachlan Milne spoils the viewers with expressive and wide camera sweeps of the "majestical" Kiwi landscape, which provides an idea of what the duo had to endure while they were on the lam. Red Dot Diva has no complaints about having an eyeful of that gorgeous backdrop to this charming tale that unfolds with imaginative chapter headings, like the book "Wild Pork and Watercress" by Barry Crump, which it is based on.



For comic book geeks who snub at the idea of watching dramedies, you might be curious to check the movie out anyway, as it will give you an idea on Taika Waititi's wit and style. He is after all, the director for the next Thor movie, "Ragnarok". Waititi has also scripted Disney's latest animated film based on Pacific Islander culture, "Moana".

Despite it's slightly straggly last segment, Red Dot Diva says "Hunt for the WilderPeople" is a must-watch. It is insightful, engaging and clever; a perfect movie brimming with optimism, especially for those who love rooting for the loners, oddballs and outsiders.

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"Hunt for the WilderPeople" will be screening at the Projector.

Head to their website to get tickets, and support the local indie theatre with a nostalgic vibe!



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Get Your Blasters (and Credits) Ready for the Advance Sales of "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story"!

November 25, 2016, 8:49 am
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Local fans of the Star Wars franchise, information on the advance ticket sales for "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" has just been announced!

As Citibank is a major corporate sponsor for "Rogue One", their card holders will have the exclusive chance to buy IMAX 3D tickets on 28 November 2016, 10.00AM for the earliest slot on 14 December 2016, 7.00PM only.

After which, the public will be able to purchase tickets for IMAX 3D and all other formats from 29 November 2016, 12.01AM on the following cinema websites:

Cathay Cineplex
Golden Village
Filmgarde
Shaw Theatres [IMAX 3D]
Shaw Theatres
WE Cinemas

For those who want to avoid spoilers and watch the movie as soon as it premieres, it is time to plan and camp out!

Directed by Gareth Edwards ("Godzilla"), the live action space adventure "Rogue One" is a spin-off from the main Star Wars story line. In this standalone film, a team of heroes from the Rebel Alliance are sent on a dangerous mission to steal the plans of the Death Star.

Here's a quick run-down of the ragtag band of rebels.



First up is the no nonsense leader Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones). She's determined, she's tough and she has been through helluva lot. After all, her father Galen Erso (Mads Mikkelsen) has been held captive by the Empire, and was the one who helped them build the super-weapon.

Red Dot Diva has been looking forward to watch "Rogue One" ever since the synopsis was revealed. Yes! A take-charge female lead and a mean fighter to boot, even if she is known to be quite reckless. (Also, when will the media, corporate merchandising heads ever start to realize that Star Wars is just not for the boys and men? Red Dot Diva is side-eyeing you, Uniqlo SG.)


Rebel Intelligence officer Captain Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) is tall, dark and handsome. *le sigh* Of course, other than all these attractive attributes, Cassian is a well-trained spy with a slew of useful contacts in the Galaxy. He is assigned to the mission so that someone with a calmer personality could keep an eye on Jyn Erso.


Captain Andor's loyal companion and best friend is a re-programmed Imperial security droid called K-2SO (voiced by Alan Tudyk). K-2SO now fights for the Rebellion, and according to Alan Tudyk at Star Wars Celebration Europe 2016, K-2SO is very honest even if he is not all there after the memory wipe. "He just says whatever he thinks," says Alan Tudyk.


Blind warrior Chirrut Îmwe (Donnie Yen) is from the planet Jedha, a holy land of the Jedi and believers of the Force . Although Chirrut is not a Jedi, he is deeply spiritual and is a strong believer of the Order's ways and the Force.


Chirrut's buddy is Baze Malbus (Jiang Wen), a freelance assassin. Unlike Chirrut, Baze is more pragmatic and is more interested in protecting his friend at all costs.


In any crew on a mission, there's a need for a pilot, right? That's where Bodhi Rook (Riz Ahmed) comes in. He used to fly for the Empire but now puts his technical skills to use for the Rebel Alliance. The mission gets Bodhi wound up into a nervous ball of anxiety and he has to gather his courage to fight for the cause.



Veteran fighter Saw Gerrera (Forest Whitaker) is a familiar character for those who have watched the Clone Wars TV series. His resistance cell was one of the earliest fighters which formed the Rebel Alliance. Even though he has lost much in his many battles, Saw Gerrera still sees the reasons to fight for his notion of freedom very clearly, and these sometimes involves terrorist-style attacks.


In stories where there is a battle between good and evil, a strong bad guy character is what makes the experience even more enjoyable. Deliciously wonderful villains are Red Dot Diva's thing. With his furrowed brow, perpetually ominous don't-you-dare-mess-with-me glower, and oh! that glorious flowing white cape, Director Orson Krenic (Ben Mendelsohn) looks like a villain Red Dot Diva could love. He's worked his way higher up the Imperial food chain and no one is going to stop him from getting the Death Star project completed.

Of course, there are other fan favourite characters who will be making an appearance in "Rogue One" as well. You can check them out in this movie trailer!



As you can see, the look and feel of "Rogue One" is tonally different from the Star Wars trilogies. It looks more intense, grittier...  and more like a spy/ war movie. Red Dot Diva likes that the cast is diverse, and she is all geared up to have another ride in the galaxy far far away. Except for one problem.

Red Dot Diva expects she will sorely miss would be the familiar refrains of a John Williams-penned soundtrack. In "Rogue One", the soundtrack is scored by Academy Award winner Michael Giacchino (The "Star Trek" reboot movies, "Zootopia", "Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol", "Super 8").

So, are you excited about "Rogue One"? Which characters are you looking forward to meet the most?


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Diva Checked Out The Official F.R.I.E.N.D.S. Central Perk Cafe in Singapore!

November 26, 2016, 1:51 am
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The Official F.R.I.E.N.D.S. Central Perk Cafe finally opens to the public today, 26 November 2016, from 6 PM to 10 PM.

If you can't make it on its first day, the cafe (aptly located at the ground floor of Central Mall; the shop front faces Magazine Road) operates from Tuesdays to Sunday, from 10 AM to 10 PM.

After a rousing and successful crowdfunding project, the journey of bringing the fictional Central Perk Cafe to existence has its share of ups and downs. Generally, Red Dot Island fans who remember and watch the TV series were joyous when Jit Min, founder of the passion project, shared that he was looking for a suitable space for the cafe. However, a few months later, the brickbats came fast and furious when a very atas-sounding SGD 1,000 membership package was announced.

"Is this going to be a scam?" cried many cynical folks. With a couple of notably unfortunate incidences recently (*coughHelloKittycough*), Red Dot Diva is not surprised that some people felt that way. Especially when the owners were tight-lipped about providing more details at that time.

Regardless of the naysayers, there were more than enough fans who were eager to see Red Dot Island get their very own Central Perk Cafe.

Red Dot Diva, being a busybody as usual, managed to snag an invite to a soft launch held on 24 November afternoon. She considers herself a moderate fan of the sitcom and remembers the more generally iconic moments.

The location at Central Mall was tricky to find. Having arrived from the direction where most of the public would have come from, i.e. from the Clark Quay MRT or Eu Tong Sen Road, Red Dot Diva walked around the cluster of buildings before finding the cafe facing the busy Merchant Road.

First impression??? This is not a cafe. This is definitely a restaurant! The place is HUGE!


A photo posted by Red Dot Diva (@reddotdiva) on


The venue seats 100 people. Most of the tables are placed around the themed area where the replica of the large orange couch sits. Those facing the couch were made to seem as if these were "off the film set" and were accompanied by black directors chairs. Just past a "Central Perk" sign and window, is an "al fresco" dining area, decorated with fake street lamps.


One of the staff took Red Dot Diva and her Evil Twin around the space and introduced them to the various sections, including the music corner where you can imagine Phoebe singing "Smelly Cat". Red Dot Diva understands that there may be live bands performing in that space in the near future!



The bar area looked very nice but a little too neat. Perhaps if it were a more cluttered, it would have looked more homey and true to the TV show. But it's early times, yet.


Naturally, the prime estate of the cafe aka The Orange Couch was occupied by a group of bloggers for the entire duration that Red Dot Diva was there, so she was unable to sit on it. No worries though, she has already been to WB's Burbank Studios twice and took fun pics seated on the replica couch there.


Towards the back of the cafe were areas specially dedicated to the 6 main characters. These were decorated with recognizable items and props that represent their personalities.

Check out the various character walls below!



Ross the paleontologist has his shelves of dinosaur fossils and a poster regarding his take on Unagi in his dedicated corner.




Rachel's feminity is evident in her feature wall which consists of a cheerleading outfit, a bridal gown from the first episode and the time where she tried to cut up her credit card. There was also a copy of "Little Women" on the set of drawers.




A photo posted by Red Dot Diva (@reddotdiva) on


Red Dot Diva thought Phoebe's section was the most fun - with a stuffed version of Smelly Cat, her art sculpture Gladys, a guitar and aromatheraphy knick knacks. But then, Red Dot Diva is Team Phoebe, so she's biased. :D



Monica's kitchen was meticulously done. Red Dot Diva was pretty impressed with that.



In there was also a Ms. Pac-man arcade machine. It is the same game that had Chandler playing for so many hours till his hand was stuck in the shape of a claw. And yes, the arcade machine is actually playable!



Chandler's and Joey's "apartment" has a foosball machine, Pat the dog and even a copy of Joey's favourite book, "The Shining".

When Red Dot Diva was there, she noticed that there were empty hangers on all of the character sections. Apparently, the merchandise were not ready for display yet.



Red Dot Diva did not have enough time to sample the food at Central Perk SG, but she did manage to enjoy a large cup of coffee. There are six different coffee blended to suit the personalities of the 6 main characters of F.R.I.E.N.D.S.


Red Dot Diva selected a Phoebe Buffay cappuccino, which was lightly roasted and nutty. :D And it was very good coffee. Thumbs up!


Typical of any themed cafe, the menu had cute names and dishes named after the 6 friends. The meals are prepared by a chef who has worked at a fine dining establishment before, and Red Dot Diva wishes she had more time to try out a plate of pasta but what she and Evil Twin was having a sweet tooth and they decided to go for the Heavy Fudge Chocolate Mudcake.


Unfortunately, when the plate arrived, the mudcake collapsed. Hahaha. There was a smidgen of liquer in it, and the choc fudge was thick and like Joey, there was zero guilt eating that mudcake!

Who's the real Derek?

One of us is the Real Derek.

Now, the question that many of Red Dot Diva's curious friends have been asking was: Is the $1,000 Membership worth the price?

Red Dot Diva got to chat with both founders Jit Min and Derek Ong for a bit and they said that they wanted to ensure that they could provide the passionate F.R.I.E.N.D.S. fans an experience which they long for by providing them priority access to events. If they had pegged the membership at a significantly lower price, those who really really love the show might find themselves edged out by the general public.

During the time of the crowdfunding, there were already a few fans who had donated $1,000 or more. They had written and implored to founder Jit Min, "Please make this happen. We really do want to see Central Perk cafe happen in Singapore." Currently, there are already 97 people who have signed for the membership, and all of them were met personally and vetted by the founders. "Just because you have an office upstairs, it does not mean that you can get the membership. We want to make sure that they are fans who are really invested in the show and what we are doing here," co-founder Derek said.

As news of the cafe went viral, they were contacted by Warner Brothers Entertainment, who have since given support and assistance, like providing the team with style guides. The cafe is now an officially sanctioned themed cafe, and with that Red Dot Diva supposes that having celebrity-related events in the future may not be impossible.

Jit Min also explained that they could not provide much details about what the $1,000 membership entailed at the beginning, but he assured Red Dot Diva that these fans are going to get their money's worth, including 6 free cups of coffee a day, special merchandise and seat reservations. Events like "The Smelliest Smelly Cat" award, trivia nights, marathon screenings and more are currently in the works. The focus was about building a community and providing fans with a memorable experience.

Red Dot Diva mulled on these explanations for some time, and if she was willing to fly all the way to London and fork out more than SGD 250 to get a signed autograph plus barely 3 minutes' face time with a movie star from Star Wars, she supposes she cannot judge a dedicated F.R.I.E.N.D.S. fan who is willing to put down $1,000 for special perks.

As for the public who are casual F.R.I.E.N.D.S. fans, you will be in for a treat anyway. A lot of effort has been made to bring Central Perk to life, and you will have a fun time reliving your favourite F.R.I.E.N.D.S. moments. Although, Red Dot Diva is not sure if you will be able to nab some precious time on the coveted Orange Couch if you are not a member. Because everyone is going to want to plonk down and selfie themselves on that couch.

If you are unable to make it to Central Perk Cafe today, watch the short video below and follow Red Dot Diva in her venue walk through:




The small and attractive ground crew are all huge fans of the series, and they all wear t-shirts stating which Team they are from. These folks were mere babes during the sitcom's run in '90s to early 2000's, but they could all spout their favourite F.R.I.E.N.D.S. episodes, quotes and moments. Red Dot Diva found them cheerful, well trained and knowledgeable about the show as well as the menu items. She got a lot of good vibes from the crew.

There is one major downside that Red Dot Diva foresees (she's a finance person, after all!). With the sprawling square foot taken up by the venue, this is an expensive venture. To add on to that, the location is not near a tourist spot like DC Superheroes Cafe is, nor a popular shopping mall, nor a walkway with heavy pedestrian traffic. As a personal preference, Red Dot Diva found the large space a little too intimidating. It would be warmer and cosier if the venue was about one quarter space smaller.

In order to sustain the restaurant's operations in the long term, the team has to be constantly on their toes. They will have to be creative and think of interesting programs to keep drawing in members and the crowds. There is no letting up, and as in anything that relates to pop-culture, fandoms can be fickle-minded.

Red Dot Diva found the team running Central Perk Singapore very sincere on making this a place where fans of the TV sitcom can hangout and feel at home. She would be love to see them succeed in every way, and wishes them all the best!




Central Perk SG 
1 Magazine Road
#01-01 Central Mall
Singapore 059567


Do note that the restaurant is non-halal.

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Join the Rebellion or The Empire at Vivocity's "Rogue One" Interactive Event - 28 November to 18 December 2016

November 27, 2016, 9:51 am
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Scan of article by my friend, Leonard!

The latest battle between the Rebellion and the Empire is coming soon, and Star Wars can be a part of it at Vivocity's Central Court B, Level 1 from 28 November to 18 December 2016!

The mall is hosting an interactive event leading up to the premiere of "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story". According to a full-page ad published in The Sunday Times' Life Section (dated 27 November 2016), there will a list of very fun and immersive activities in store!

1. Ogle at a 8-metre tall AT-AT Walker at the event.
Red Dot Diva is not sure if it's a similar At-At that she saw at Star Wars Celebration Europe. However, since this is to promote "Rogue One", it would most likely be the version of all-terrain vehicle was shown in the movie's trailer, which are "not, technically, AT-ATs" as tweeted by Lucasfilm's Pablo Hidalgo. They are AT-ACTs, which are larger and used for transporting heavy equipment or ammunition.

2. Marvel at the Life-sized Death Troopers on Display
From the trailer, Red Dot Diva thinks the ominous looking, black suited, elite Death Troopers are AWESOME. (It's already common knowledge, right? She loves the baddies. *squeal*) A troop of them on display will be a sight to behold, and great for all those selfies!

3. Fight A Battle as a Commander of The Rebellion or The Empire
Choose a side and play in a battle game to defend your base. There are characters from the Star Wars universe as each level is completed, which can be used to fight in the battle too.

4. Fly an X-Wing Fighter Like a Hot Pilot That You Are
Red Dot Diva thinks this augmented reality experience is going to be a popular one. You can experience going into hyperspeed and flying around Imperial Tie-Fighters as an X-Wing Fighter, before the moon - no, that's no moon! - the Death Star suddenly looms before you.

Besides these activities, there will be chances to shop for Star Wars merchandise, and take photos with characters from the movie.
 
All these sounds soooo exciting! Vivocity's promotional activities for "The Force Awakens" last year were marvellous, and Red Dot Diva is confident they will do a great job for "Rogue One". She is already planning on taking some time off work to head to Vivocity and get lost in the world of "Rogue One".

Everyone, "we're home!"

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"Rogue One" opens at theatres islandwide on 15 December 2016.
There are advance tickets that you can buy. Here are the details of where and when you can purchase them!


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Scifi Movie "Arrival" Getting Rave Reviews; Arrives in Local Theatres 12 January 2017

November 28, 2016, 9:41 am
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In the not too distant future, 12 sleek pod-like alien ships appears above different cities around Earth, leaving humanity to wonder about the visitors' actual purpose for arriving on this planet.

Directed by Denis Villenueve, scifi movie "Arrival" received rave reviews when it was screened at the Venice Film Festival in September 2016. The movie was released in the U.S. market in November 2016, and film critics and scifi fans applauded its philosophical and introspective message as well as its tight structure.

It has been hailed as a movie made for the "thinking scifi fan".

Amy Adams stars as Dr. Louis Banks, a linguist who is dealing with the loss of her daughter. Louis is hired by the government to assist in deciphering and translating what the extraterrestrials are trying to say.

Also in this elite team is scientist Ian Donelly (Jeremy Renner), who is attempting to solve the communication issue more logically through numbers.

Forest Whitaker is the military intelligence officer Colonel Weber who puts the team together, pushing them to find out as much information as they can, especially if this is indeed an alien invasion.

Check out the trailer below to get a few clues about the movie:



From the trailer, it is obvious that "Arrival" is not akin to the face-paced, explosive, shoot-to-kill action thrillers that just happen to feature aliens, like "Independence Day" or "War of the Worlds"(2005).

The main premise in the movie is about communication between two different beings. Red Dot Diva thinks that this is such a relevant topic in current times, as race and identity is called into question in several heated debates across the globe. Other than words, what other communication cues can people use in order to understand each other?


"Arrival" the movie premieres in theatres islandwide on 12 January 2017. That's more than a month to go before scifi movie fans can see what the hype is all about.

Meanwhile, here's some food for thought regarding the various ways on how effective communication can be possible.





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Photo Post: Vivocity's Launch of "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" Activity Area

November 30, 2016, 7:37 am
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Vivocity's ground level atrium has gone "rogue"!

The mall is currently hosting a "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" display and activity area, featuring a 8-metre tall AT-ACT and life-sized Death Troopers.

Lady Raine and kampungchicken, both Red Dot Diva's friends who happen to own rather peculiar handles, were on site at the launch yesterday (29 November 2016) evening. The opening ceremony was also graced by the presence of the folks from 501st Legion SG, Cathar Rebel Outpostand FightSaber!

Here is a quick photo preview of what you can expect when you visit Vivocity from now till 18 December. The towering AT-ACT is gigantic!!

Imperial forces gathered around the AT-ACT, awaiting deployment.


No special effects here, Kylo Ren is smouldering hot along side his mini-me and TIE pilot escort.
*SWOON*


Members of the Singapore Garrison of the 501st Legion flank Joey Lim, aka Angelus of the Neo Tokyo Project (herself a member of the 501st) showing a prototype Krennic costume.
Wait, where's Galen? The Krennic-Galen ship is a real, right? *grin*


Looks like this jawa prefers stealing from the Empire rather than Diamond Atelier.



The AT-ACT towers effortlessly over their heads.


Entry tests to join the Imperial forces aren't easy.



This guy seems to have mistaken VIVOCITY for Snow City, but he sure looks good with the AT-ACT!


Don't you think the Red Dot Diva's favourite costumed dudes and dudettes look fabulous?

Red Dot Diva will be making her way to the event tomorrow to check out the "Rogue One" interactive area herself. She hopes to be able to experience the augmented reality booths!

More pics and follow-up report in the works soon!

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Thanks to Lady Raine and kampungchicken for the photos!


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Celebrate The Festive Season with HBO Asia's Original Chinese Martial Arts Anthology!

December 18, 2016, 10:01 am
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Here's a way to infuse some Asian-ess in the year-end festive celebrations. You can watch two Chinese martial arts shows while chowing down on some baked ham and roasted turkey, and you can do this wayyyyy before Chinese New Year too! That is because HBO Asia will be screening an original martial arts anthology at 9 PM on 25 December and 26 December respectively! Shiok!!!

Set in China's Qing Dynasty, the two stories “Master of the Drunken Fist: Beggar So” and “Master of the Shadowless Kick: Wong Kei-Ying”, will be sub-titled in English and Mandarin. These HBO movies are a co-production with China Movie Channel (CMC), and will be the first time HBO is airing Mandarin films.



Those who love action movie star Jackie Chan's"Drunken Master" films, can look forward to reacquainting themselves with Zui Quan (醉拳) or Drunken Fist style in “Master of the Drunken Fist: Beggar So”. So Chan (Magic Mobile Phone (魔幻手机)), a pampered and wealthy merchant loses riches, his family and almost his life, when he is framed due to a political conflict. He is saved by the Beggars’ Sect, and through the sect chief Lau Pak-Gwei, So Chan learns the long lost martial art - the Drunken Fist - so that he can get revenge on the person who wronged him.




Also, don't miss the stereotypical evil eunuch character Song Fook-Hoi with a pair of Machiavellian white eyebrows that have a life of their own! Someone you can relish BOO-ing or throwing kacang puteh at from your comfy sofa seat.



In the second installment “Master of the Shadowless Kick: Wong Kei-Ying", young Chinese actor Sun Hao-ran (孙浩然) stars as the main character, Wong Kei-ying (黄麒英). There's also a local Red Dot Island flavour to this TV movie, as local award-winning screenwriter Koh Teng Liang, has a hand in the script!



A down-to-earth physician, Wong Kei-ying deliberately stays away from politics and unethical power plays of the pugilistic world or "Jiang Hu" (江湖). One day, he was deceived into helping Wei Mo-gik, the new, ruthless and corrupted governor of Canton, who intends to take over the lucrative opium business. His mentor Luk Ah Choi leaves him the illustrations of a martial arts style called "The Shadowless Kick" and Wong begins on his journey to masters the skill in order to take down the governor.

Red Dot Diva loves watching martial arts film. She really enjoyed a Westernized take of the genre in AMC's TV series "Into The Badlands" starring Daniel Wu, and is excited to see how a more back- to-basics style of kung fu story-telling is going to translate on the cable channel. With both TV movies choreographed by famed Hong Kong action director, Corey Yuen ("Lethal Weapon 4", "Romeo Must Die", "The Expendables"), she is optimistic that the shows would appeal to the large fan base in this region. Adding on to the experience on screen is director Guo Jian-yong (国建勇), who specializes on martial arts movies and has also worked on action sequences in "The Twins Effect II", "Red Cliff" and the first 3 "The Transporter" movies.

So, it's all set as to what Red Dot Diva will be doing on Christmas night and Boxing Day! She will be live tweeting the shows on both nights, so if you are also intending to punch in your time with HBO Asia, join her on Twitter!

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Dates: 25 and 26 December, 2016
Time: 9PM
Channel: HBO (StarHub TV Ch 601). Also, available in original language on HBO ON DEMAND (StarHub Ch 602 / StarHub Go)


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In Tribute to our Princess, our General - Carrie Fisher (1956 - 2016)

December 28, 2016, 11:16 pm
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In this personal tribute, Red Dot Diva speaks of what Carrie Fisher means to her.

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Carrie Fisher died on my birthday.

From now on, I will always be celebrating my life while remembering hers. Such is the bittersweet cycle of life, and how different lives connect with each other in different ways. Like many in the Star Wars community, I will miss her dearly.

I first saw 21-year-old Carrie Fisher at the old Odeon movie theatre when I was 10 years old. My grandmother, mother and aunty were movie fans, but for them, they relished in the sad weepy Chinese black and whites, where almost every woman character in those 1.5 hours were put through all sorts of tragedies in life. I sat through many of such movies. While my mom or grandma would whip out tissue after tissue to wipe their overflowing tears, I sat there perched in between them feeling utterly bored, and absolutely bewildered on how helpless or hopeless these women characters were.

Why can't they take charge and do something? Does only crying, looking limpid and being tragic help live life in any way? Yes, my head ruled my heart even at that young age. That Chinese notion of "Fate" was also what I often fought against. In some ways, I felt that you could at least attempt to challenge Fate right in her face.



Then 1977 and Star Wars came about, and when Princess Leia was captured by Darth Vader, I was expecting her to fall into a quivering mass of blubbery tears like in almost all the Chinese movies I've been forced to watch. But no, she gave him sass. She was the only lead female character and she gave all the guys in the movie sass! And even when her home planet was destroyed, and she was tortured, she stood her ground. Princess Leia saw the bigger picture and she knew what she had to do.

Years later in "Return of the Jedi", I was pretty sure that Chewie and the others were at a loss of what to do when Jabba captured Han Solo, and that Leia must have gone rogue (see what I did there?) and decided to rescue him herself. She was a good strategist and very astute, and when Leia saw the one chance to kill Jabba, she gave it all that she had. Golden bikini and all.

Carrie Fisher's portrayal of Princess Leia opened Younger Me's eyes on how a woman can break out of stereotyped roles in society and Be Her Own Person. Having been inured with retro Disney's damsels in distress type princesses, Carrie Fisher showed me and many other girls out there, that it was OK for a princess to be funny and kickass. It was OK for a Princess to question and take charge. I was encouraged by that. My brain was now lit up with the possibilities of what I can do and be as a girl growing up in the 1970-1980's. I do believe that my current personality and fearlessness, were in many ways, influenced by her iconic role in Star Wars.

That special touch of Carrie Fisher continued with "The Force Awakens". An older, more mature Carrie Fisher has grown into the role of the battle-experienced General Leia Organa. Nearly four decades have gone by, and I too, have also grown older. Yet, I try adopting Leia's attitude, especially in the workplace.

General Leia was the heart of the Star Wars universe. She wasn't a Jedi but her practical wisdom, tactical and emotional intelligence was what I really admire. She was a leader I want to sacrifice for; a compatriot I want to fight with. Despite facing so much personal loss, General Leia Organa is still resolute in what she believes in, and she does it with style and smarts.

That takes a huge amount of self-awareness and courage, and in no small way, these characteristics of Leia was due to how Carrie Fisher was like in real life too.

I do not have a mental illness (not that I know of anyway), nor have I faced a drug addiction (unless you include caffeine), and so, I cannot fully identify with Carrie Fisher's personal struggles in these areas. However, I am aware that many people with similar issues appreciate her candor as she revealed about her own fight against bi-polar disorder and addictions. Carrie Fisher made it less of a taboo for people to talk about these openly. With her strength, she gave us hope that we can be all right, regardless of our afflictions and weaknesses.



And boy was Carrie Fisher also weird! Her twitter feed, filled with emoticons and upper/lower cases of text, was a mess to read. I will miss her humourous, eccentric, off the cuff postings. As someone who lived in the Hollywood world of pseudo-reality, she told it straight. She was not afraid to reveal what she was not happy about when negotiating through the movie-making minefield, whether it be about ageism or how society still shackles women on what is considered to the culturally acceptable. She was brave that way.

I have always wanted to meet Carrie Fisher in person, but did not have the opportunity till July this year at Star Wars Celebration Europe. Her photo and autograph tickets were one of the first couple of things I purchased when the list of celebrities attending the event was announced.

When the day arrived, my photo session with Carrie Fisher was scheduled for an early morning time slot. As expected, the line was already long, and while waiting, I felt a little on edge. I couldn't wait to meet her, to see her how she was like in person and whether that would match the many stories I've read or heard about her.



As the line drew closer, I was able to observe how she interacted with the fans in front of me. (I was hoping to see Gary the Dog too, but he wasn't there.) She was casually seated on a stool in a floral blouse and trademark sunglasses. There was a young man, who was dressed as Han Solo, and before taking the photo, asked if he could kiss her on the lips, and she said YES. I let out a laugh and cheer. She also willingly gave hugs and when one of the fans nervously and hurriedly walked away without one, she stopped him and asked him to give her one big one.

These were quick pose and go photo sessions, so when it was finally my turn, I introduced myself to her. and then requested for a flexed biceps pose from her, which she did! I then gave her big warm hug and told her, "Thank you!" She did not flinch but accepted and returned it in full.


The next time I saw her again was the autograph session in the afternoon. Despite having long queues in each of her sessions, Carrie Fisher was a do-er. I've heard the event helpers mention that she gets through 800 fans a day, easily. The fact that she does it so efficiently did not in any way detract from how the experience was like inside the booth.

Her table was a glorious whirlwind of spilled glitter and metallic ink. Her own hair was full of shiny glitter as she signed each item with an air of unabashed glee. There was a tall imposing looking black bodyguard in a suit standing within her autograph booth, and even his dreadlocks had been glitterized! I asked him about it, and he said she put it in there. "She did it on everybody," he said. The poor dude tried very hard to look protective and menacing but I could see that his eyes couldn't help but twinkle when he watched Carrie Fisher interact with her fans as if they were little children coming to collect free candy at a county fair. She was pouring and rubbing glitter onto the fans' wrists and hands after she signed each photo.

A photo posted by Red Dot Diva (@reddotdiva) on


By the time it was my turn, she marked my hand with a "X" with her golden pen. I asked if I could have some glitter too, but she said apologetically, "It's all out. All gone. But feel free to wipe your hand against the glitter on the table. If you want!" So I did that. It was the most offbeat celebrity autograph session I've ever had. Carrie Fisher knew she had a long queue of fans but she didn't rush us to get through, and yet, she Got The Bloody Job Done.


A photo posted by Red Dot Diva (@reddotdiva) on


I walked away from the crowded booth and found a quiet corner of the exhibition hall to take stock of what I had just experienced. I sat down on the carpet. I glanced at my marked left hand still lightly spotted with some glitter, and I took a few more minutes to admire the photo that Carrie Fisher had colourfully autographed with a flourish. That photo is right in front of me now as I type this article, and I am so glad to have had this few memorable minutes when our lives crossed paths.

Art by Mark Torres

She was a rebel, our Princess and our General. She has touched the lives of so many.

Carrie Fisher died on my birthday.
And to me, in a way, this makes it a little more special.


May The Force Be With You, Carrie Fisher and your family.

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Red Dot Diva has asked her friends and many of those in the Star War community what Carrie Fisher meant to them personally, and these are what some of them said:


In her role as Leia, she taught me that a woman can be strong and still be loved. As herself, she taught me that no pain or illness is insurmountable. My first role model, and even after 38 years, still my favorite. - Becky Barrett

Carrie showed me that a Princess can be a warrior, that a girl can be a badass that a woman can be strong and brave but still vulnerable and that its ok to not be ok as long you keep striving. - Harlee Keinzley

Carrie Fisher made some of the best movies of my childhood; I was only 6 when she wowed me by making the most epic kill in Return of the Jedi but as a script doctor, she had a hand in gems like Hook, Sister Act, Young Indiana Jones. - Vernon Chan

I always supported her as Princess Leia because she was the only one who had to get things done and then when I grew up wanting to make my own stories, I learned she was a script doctor. And wow, I wanted to be like that, to rip apart and fix stories because that's another battle. And she did it all even acting as General Leia, like heck it, do it her way and she did her with her dog Gary by her side. - Sarah Coldheart

She taught me to confront mental health issues. I learned that it's okay not to be okay. I will miss her spirit, her joy, her truth, and her smile. - Scott Parker

When I was a kid we didn't have cable- we had star wars on VHS that we watched everyday. I remember thinking how beautiful and smart and brave she was- and how I wanted to be gutsy and not wait for boys to give me permission to kick ass or strangle a hutt. As a woman, I was touched by how emotionally honest Carrie could be, and it made me want to be more audacious like her. She is my princess, then, now, and forever. - Kit McIlvaine

In a time when the archetypal princess waited to be rescued by a prince, she was the one who had the blaster in hand, taking down stormtroopers. The one strangling Jabba the Hutt. She was the original warrior princess, the epitome of Girl Power. - Adam Koh

As I was a little boy, watching "A new Hope" (it was just named "Star Wars" then...), Carrie Fisher embodied the ideal princess for me : beautiful, feisty, strong, feminine, a sense of humor, and the general image that "girls can play with the boys"... this has guided me through my whole life, and I have been shocked to discover that some "princesses" are a mere token in movies, that some men want to relegate them to a second-role in real life too... I'm so happy to have this point of view, in big part thanks to Carrie Fisher. - Herve Cotton

I was never really into Star Wars, but Leia was iconic. And Carrie Fisher was one hell of a woman, more so as she got older. I never knew her, but losing her feels like losing a grandmother. She is one with the Force now and the Force is with her. - hellobhav

Carrie showed me how to deal with mental health and still go on with life. She's a wonderful person and her emoji tweets are the best. As Leia, she showed me even as a princess, you can kick ass in everything you do. As the general, Carrie really gave us the true nature of Hollywood. Old women have to still be sexy but Carrie slammed that down and made General Organa her own thing. I'll always admire her for that. - Janice

To see a figure, no, more importantly a woman, who wasn't afraid to be open and honest about her difficulties, addiction, mental health difficulties. She was also proud of the love and following she had from all of us. We'll miss her. - Ruth Sullivan

Art by Zeng Lin


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Thanks to Bill Sienkiewicz, Mark Torres, Kelvin Chan, Gene Whitlock and Zeng Lin for allowing me to use their tribute artwork for this blog article.


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