GoodGuysNeverWinToy Co @ BigBigCon 2019
WHAT-IS: A week ago last weekend (Saturday November 2nd, to be exact), I visited the inaugural BigBigCon 2019 at Street Superior 2019 in *SCAPE, and Insta-posted my snaps .... today I feature them on the TOYSREVIL-blog, along with some words and impressions...
The hospitality I received from the GOOD GUYS NEVER WIN TOY CO Booth at BigBigCon 2019 was unparalleled. Helmed by @jimmy_yu and @julianaaronwidjaja, both GGNWT & their direct neighbour Kurobokan wore their country's national flag proudly across both booths, and set the tone for both Independent toys and production vinyls!
Showcased at the GGNWT booth were their array of blister-carded character creations from their "SETAN LOKAL" line - which essentially translates to "local devils/demons" of predominantly Indonesian folklore and horror stories, (of which I am a proud owner of two of them :p), along with political-commentary pieces, their larger sized GUNDERBOIs, and and as well holding center display were their event-exclusive debut of HYPENAN CHICKEN, and the 'roided-up Indo-Mee heroes (from their "This Is Not A Toy Scene" @ BSides Gallery).
Thanks to Jimmy, I've the quick lowdown of how HYPENAN CHICKEN came into existence, with the boys conjuring up a Singapore-specific event exclusive, with a dedicated focus on FOOD, and in this particular instance: "Hainan Chicken Rice"!
The muscular body was sculpted by Cipta Croft-Cusworth - in the vein of "He-Man" beefed up figures, and something you might not have associated with GGNWT (*started from the "This Is Not A Toy Scene" @ BSides Gallery in August, actually), while Jimmy sculpted the head. And an unsung hero in all of these was the toy-instigator Jeffrey Koh at FLABSLAB! And in line with the "hype beast" nature of the event, name subsequently mashed-up with "Hainan Chicken Rice", the result being "HYPENAN"!
Featured here are images of the unpainted master - whom where standing alongside two other protos at the BACK of the display (one of the few grateful perks doing what I do, was being able to see these goodies!) ... but we'll get to them soon ... :)
Imagine a line of extremely limited run of higher-premium grade casts - ala the masters - available in a higher price-point than the regular carded releases = Will YOU folks be interested in these? I bet toy-connoisseurs will, IMHO.
Showcased and sold at BIGBIGCON was the roast chicken edition (not official name), and folks can expect a different flavour for when Singapore Comic Con 2019 and Culture Cartel 2019 rolls around - where GGNWT with represent at BOTH events!
Another delightful discover and dedicated Singapore-themed product, was the appearance of "VR-MAN" (in)action figure! I could not believe (and I should) what I witnessed in my hand = the toy-manifestation of 90s' local television fictional "superhero" played by James Lye!
A fictional character which has since attained "cult tv" status here, if not for the infamy and perhaps even "shame" attributed to its existence in the tv-landscape (which these guys might disagree though :p), alongside classics such as "Masters of the Sea".
Folks might be quick to poo-poo the existence of "VR-MAN", but in all essence of nostalgia and Singalese-pride, he is as much recognised as a "Singaporean creation", as anyone would (want to or choose not to) admit to, IMHO.
The non-licensed pre-painted resin figure sold out right in front of eyes at the booth, but I'll be sure to include him alongside my "Best in Batam" P.C.K. toy-familiar come SGCC!
And if you noticed from the back of blister-card, characters from "VILLAINS OF FINE CITY" (released last year at Culture Cartel) were actually (meant to be) linked to VR-MAN, which paid homage and essentially creates a continued "superhero" fictional situation in Singapore - which in this particular instance is known as "Fine City"!
PROFESSOR GUM, DURION and DARK VAPER (an extremely popular figure, BTW :p) are all-original character creations designed by Cipta and sculpted by Jimmy ... You know someone NEEDS to adapt these into a (licensed) comicbook story, right? RIGHT?
The excitement - from me personally - is palpable, and real. Perhaps to a generation of folks, the idea and existence of VR-MAN is a "oddity", but it has been a part of my life growing up, and I certainly would love to retain a slice of nostalgia that some folks might have chosen to forget, IMHO.
Now, they only need to make "CLICK CLICK MAN" ... or not lah... LOL
Besides the main thoroughfare, I've had a chance to peek "behind" the display, with prototypes of two other new character figures lined-up beside the HYPENAN CHICKEN masters - one of which was a new SETAN LOKAL figure - a "Penanggalan" folklore female vampire character with a floating disembodied woman's head with its trailing organs still attached! On display was the unpainted and painted resin, sculpted by Jimmy Yu. You KNOW you want this, folks! Too bad I never snatched it and put it in my pocket and ran away ... *vough*
Another revelation was an unnamed muscled character with a "unique" tiger headsculpt, that had its genesis from the infamous "Cisewu Tiger" = a manifestation of a West Java based Military Command logo mascot, with its grinning cartoon head a much mocked visage (Thank you internet and Jimmy for the education), which has since been demolished ... THIS figure immortalises the grinning tiger head, as a toy, and I LOVE IT! Probably not so much the folks at the military base, maybe, but ...
With the current international independent low-brow art-toy-scene, we see representations from all makes and character designs derived from original creations to pop-culture appropriations, in all manners of material-makes, including production vinyls/sofubi and resins, but exceedingly rare are based on (South-East) Asia context, IMHO. GOOD GUYS NEVER WIN TOYS embodies both the spirit, stories and make, for a truly indie collectible brand of nostalgia and creativity.
But of course their offerings are not contained ONLY to Asia-influences, as seen in Cipta's "THIS IS NOT A TOY" (show in January 2-19), their Kaiju-inspired releases at Taipei Toy Festival recently, and no doubt in the coming THIS IS NOT A TOY SCENE-event in Sydney!
Stay connected to their Instagram @ggnwtoys and Facebook goodguysneverwintoyco for updates, including reveals of exclusives to both Singapore Comic Con 2019 (December 7-8) and Culture Cartel 2019 (December 6-8), and I'd highly recommend you bring CASH and thus far, I have not seen GOOD GUYS NEVER WIN TOYS retail online, so don't tarek your purchases until it is too late, okay? Don't say I never say, ah?! :p
The hospitality I received from the GOOD GUYS NEVER WIN TOY CO Booth at BigBigCon 2019 was unparalleled. Helmed by @jimmy_yu and @julianaaronwidjaja, both GGNWT & their direct neighbour Kurobokan wore their country's national flag proudly across both booths, and set the tone for both Independent toys and production vinyls!
Showcased at the GGNWT booth were their array of blister-carded character creations from their "SETAN LOKAL" line - which essentially translates to "local devils/demons" of predominantly Indonesian folklore and horror stories, (of which I am a proud owner of two of them :p), along with political-commentary pieces, their larger sized GUNDERBOIs, and and as well holding center display were their event-exclusive debut of HYPENAN CHICKEN, and the 'roided-up Indo-Mee heroes (from their "This Is Not A Toy Scene" @ BSides Gallery).
Thanks to Jimmy, I've the quick lowdown of how HYPENAN CHICKEN came into existence, with the boys conjuring up a Singapore-specific event exclusive, with a dedicated focus on FOOD, and in this particular instance: "Hainan Chicken Rice"!
The muscular body was sculpted by Cipta Croft-Cusworth - in the vein of "He-Man" beefed up figures, and something you might not have associated with GGNWT (*started from the "This Is Not A Toy Scene" @ BSides Gallery in August, actually), while Jimmy sculpted the head. And an unsung hero in all of these was the toy-instigator Jeffrey Koh at FLABSLAB! And in line with the "hype beast" nature of the event, name subsequently mashed-up with "Hainan Chicken Rice", the result being "HYPENAN"!
Featured here are images of the unpainted master - whom where standing alongside two other protos at the BACK of the display (one of the few grateful perks doing what I do, was being able to see these goodies!) ... but we'll get to them soon ... :)
Imagine a line of extremely limited run of higher-premium grade casts - ala the masters - available in a higher price-point than the regular carded releases = Will YOU folks be interested in these? I bet toy-connoisseurs will, IMHO.
Showcased and sold at BIGBIGCON was the roast chicken edition (not official name), and folks can expect a different flavour for when Singapore Comic Con 2019 and Culture Cartel 2019 rolls around - where GGNWT with represent at BOTH events!
Another delightful discover and dedicated Singapore-themed product, was the appearance of "VR-MAN" (in)action figure! I could not believe (and I should) what I witnessed in my hand = the toy-manifestation of 90s' local television fictional "superhero" played by James Lye!
A fictional character which has since attained "cult tv" status here, if not for the infamy and perhaps even "shame" attributed to its existence in the tv-landscape (which these guys might disagree though :p), alongside classics such as "Masters of the Sea".
Folks might be quick to poo-poo the existence of "VR-MAN", but in all essence of nostalgia and Singalese-pride, he is as much recognised as a "Singaporean creation", as anyone would (want to or choose not to) admit to, IMHO.
The non-licensed pre-painted resin figure sold out right in front of eyes at the booth, but I'll be sure to include him alongside my "Best in Batam" P.C.K. toy-familiar come SGCC!
And if you noticed from the back of blister-card, characters from "VILLAINS OF FINE CITY" (released last year at Culture Cartel) were actually (meant to be) linked to VR-MAN, which paid homage and essentially creates a continued "superhero" fictional situation in Singapore - which in this particular instance is known as "Fine City"!
PROFESSOR GUM, DURION and DARK VAPER (an extremely popular figure, BTW :p) are all-original character creations designed by Cipta and sculpted by Jimmy ... You know someone NEEDS to adapt these into a (licensed) comicbook story, right? RIGHT?
The excitement - from me personally - is palpable, and real. Perhaps to a generation of folks, the idea and existence of VR-MAN is a "oddity", but it has been a part of my life growing up, and I certainly would love to retain a slice of nostalgia that some folks might have chosen to forget, IMHO.
Now, they only need to make "CLICK CLICK MAN" ... or not lah... LOL
Besides the main thoroughfare, I've had a chance to peek "behind" the display, with prototypes of two other new character figures lined-up beside the HYPENAN CHICKEN masters - one of which was a new SETAN LOKAL figure - a "Penanggalan" folklore female vampire character with a floating disembodied woman's head with its trailing organs still attached! On display was the unpainted and painted resin, sculpted by Jimmy Yu. You KNOW you want this, folks! Too bad I never snatched it and put it in my pocket and ran away ... *vough*
Another revelation was an unnamed muscled character with a "unique" tiger headsculpt, that had its genesis from the infamous "Cisewu Tiger" = a manifestation of a West Java based Military Command logo mascot, with its grinning cartoon head a much mocked visage (Thank you internet and Jimmy for the education), which has since been demolished ... THIS figure immortalises the grinning tiger head, as a toy, and I LOVE IT! Probably not so much the folks at the military base, maybe, but ...
With the current international independent low-brow art-toy-scene, we see representations from all makes and character designs derived from original creations to pop-culture appropriations, in all manners of material-makes, including production vinyls/sofubi and resins, but exceedingly rare are based on (South-East) Asia context, IMHO. GOOD GUYS NEVER WIN TOYS embodies both the spirit, stories and make, for a truly indie collectible brand of nostalgia and creativity.
But of course their offerings are not contained ONLY to Asia-influences, as seen in Cipta's "THIS IS NOT A TOY" (show in January 2-19), their Kaiju-inspired releases at Taipei Toy Festival recently, and no doubt in the coming THIS IS NOT A TOY SCENE-event in Sydney!
Stay connected to their Instagram @ggnwtoys and Facebook goodguysneverwintoyco for updates, including reveals of exclusives to both Singapore Comic Con 2019 (December 7-8) and Culture Cartel 2019 (December 6-8), and I'd highly recommend you bring CASH and thus far, I have not seen GOOD GUYS NEVER WIN TOYS retail online, so don't tarek your purchases until it is too late, okay? Don't say I never say, ah?! :p
