A Decade of STGCC #onTOYSREVIL: 2010 (Year 3)
WHAT-IS: "With the 2017 Edition of Singapore Toy, Games & Comic Con celebrating it's “10 Years” anniversary, TOYSREVIL takes a look back through nearly a decade of covering this annual event on this blog!”Scroll thru to read more of my rambling and link-backs to posts, or you can simply CLICK HERE to view ALL blog-posts on #STCC2010!
The 2010 event was held in December 10th to 12th, happened over 3 Days from Friday to Sunday. The venue was still at Suntec City Convention Center. The one big “change” in the convention, was that the event had since been acquired from PI Events by Reed Exhibitions (and remains so since then).
This latest incarnation of our local convention was touted as ”being co-produced by Reed’s Singapore office as well as ReedPOP in the USA - the team behind events including the New York Comic Con, New York Anime Festival, and Star Wars Celebration.” = And truthfully, that felt “exciting”, as the impatient me cheered silently, hoping to have a “taste” of the fevour of NYCC I had been covering on my blog, while whispering “thank you” to P.I. for shepherding the event to us - something I hope folks these days do not forget, IMHO.
The Invited Guest List had a stronger focus on the comicbook genre, and frankly I was worried for the aspect of “toys” for this particular year, but was bolstered by the Hong Kong-based toy artists for Walk of Fame (still bugged me I missed Jason Siu at his booth :p), and the pleasant turnout in Artist Alley, which saw a host of newer independent practitioners - both local (like Caramelaw) and overseas - some of whom I’d previously met in pre-Stroke overseas’ trip (Thunderpanda, Salt’n’Paper, and Mutineer Jun+SHON) - many of whom alas have not returned to exhibit in Singapore since.
By this time, my focus on the event veered toward “Artist Alley”, where I met tons of folks and old friends, and as well had gotten a direct response to me being in Stroke, and of all the positive vibes and encouragement from most folks in Artist Alley! Of course it felt good to be welcomed! Of course it felt humbling to be recognised! In my hearts of hearts I was hoping these were not “sympathy recognition” but were instead support from the community (*Not meant to insult anyone here! Just sayin’ what I was thinking about then :p) - a community which has since changed thru the years, some remain in the practise, some choosing to walk away from the scene :(
There were tons more happening besides my coverage, which in reality was severely limited - on account of me being in a wheelchair, which gave me a slightly “different Point-of-View” likened more to a child’s (eye-level wise), rather than an adult - which in it’s purest essence IS the demographic, isn’t it?
A convention such as this is NOT for the kid but the parent, or parent-to-be, the teenager, but not the kid who gains “free entry” to the MRT because of his age and height. In this specific notion, I’ll parallel the introduction and acceptance of this genre - in this instance “toys” - as no longer “just for kids”, in so much as the general public, or immediate family of the geek-culture connoisseur may yet understand, IMHO.
By the way - if you are new to this blog, or do not already know by now (because I incessantly mention it ad nauseam blahblahblah :p), was that I’d fell victim to a (mild) Stroke in late-2010. After a wondrous opportunities being invited to and visiting Thailand and Indonesia, I was "K.O'd" by Stroke in late-October 2010 - due to a host of reasons: High Blood Pressure, High Cholestral, Diabetes and Hyper-Tension :p
Be that as it may, I attempted to cover the event as best as I physically and mentally could, without a doubt using it as a distraction to my own issues with my personal life, like being in “Stroke”, ya know? LOL
This was also the beginning of more “post-event” coverage, as opposed to “live / on-day of” coverage - something which I’ve always wanted to do but never achieved since. It had always been a "dream" / a "challenge" to blog "live" at the event, but perhaps that dream needs to be altered or totally put at the back of my mind these days ... :p
Even looking thru my event wrap-up now, I could admittedly recognise my shift in tone, my deteriorating grasp of written-English, and horrendous darkened images throughout my coverage (no doubt further brightened while I was formatting them prior to publication).
Coverage of STGCC had never been the same ever since.
Looking/Thinking back, I reckon I might have been a tad off my rockers, attempting to blog and cover the event after surviving Stroke, instead of focusing my energies on rehabilitation!
"Many weeks ago in December 2010 this Saturday, I ventured out of the hospital for a single day to cruise along the con-aisles of the Singapore Toy Games and Comic Convention in Suntec City. This was what I witnessed from my trusty wheelchair…" (Andy TOYSREVIL)One distinct irony was, I was actually still hospitalised while STGCC2010 happened! I had taken what they called a “Home Leave” (name might be wrong :p) over the weekend - which essentially meant being able to physically return home for the weekend (*Provided your medicals check out), and check in back to the hospital by Sunday - which was what I did!
Checked out, had a haircut in a wheelchair (at my neighbourhood barber), then changed to go to Suntec City that late afternoon with Sis, Mum and (late) Dad chaperoning me! LOL
(I assume that) the doctor(s) still doesn’t know I went to STGCC instead of staying at home over the weekend (which technically I did sleep at home Saturday night, *cough*)… NOT that I was proud of what I had done, but I am glad I did it because I had an experience worth talking about now - as much as I recognise now that I was insane in trying to hold on to what I left behind when I was hospitalised, LOL
Cheers,
Andy TOYSREVIL
*”Stroke” does not mean I’d stop buying stuff, ya know? LOL
