Iconic Superheroes and Villains: A Modern Mythology @ Booth No. B2-F04B
Superheroes have been the staple of the modern comics since the late 1930s. Superheroes, and their opposite counterparts, the supervillains, have been referred to as Modern Myths of today by Laurence Maslon, the author of “Superheroes!”.
Superheroes and villains embody archetypes, just like gods of the ancient world, notably Greek and Norse; They represent hopes, fears, and values, making them relatable but also larger-than-life. Their motivations and powers intrigue us, while their stories (often) involving transformation, tragedy, or destiny, keep us riveted.
Powers, costumes, and symbols of comic heroes and villains also carry meaning; They represent ideas, or aspects of human nature. Comic stories often feature battles between good and evil, mirroring the eternal conflicts in mythology.
By exploring superheroes and their counterparts at this exhibition we can gain a deeper understanding of their significance and the role they play in our collective imagination.
Read more: Iconic Superheroes and Villains: A Modern Mythology
Diversity in Comics Exhibition @ Booth No. B2-D05
Heroes. They capture our imagination. They intrigue us, and they inspire us. They rise above us and, in so doing, remind us to look upwards to reach beyond and stretch ourselves, to be more than we can be.
Heroes make us ask what qualities define them, what sets them apart from the rest of us and, more importantly, what makes them Super. Through this exhibition, we endeavor to provide answers to these intriguing questions as we explore the different heroes depicted in the comics.
These heroes are different and come from diverse makeups, backgrounds, and experiences. But they also share common characteristics and ideals. Explore these questions with us and be inspired to join the hero club! Capes are optional!
Asian artists have played a significant role in the mainstream comics industry, centered around the largest publishers based in the United States. Artists, notably from the Philippines, such as Rudy Nebres, Tony DeZuniga, Nestor Redondo and Ernie Chan have drawn and inked for Marvel and DC comics since the 1970’s, blazing the way as pioneers in this competitive field. Following in the footsteps of these legends, modern artists from the region like Mico Suayan, Rian Gonzales, Sonny Liew, Stanley (Artgerm) Lau, Zu Orzu, Yasmin Putri, Ario Anindito, In-Hyuk Lee, Kim Jung Gi and Sana Takeda are counted amongst the most popular and talented comic creatives working today.
Original regional comics also play a major role in Hong Kong and Japan; where manhua and manga inspire major movies and animated series. Wonderful stories uniquely told by Asian creators that inspire even global audiences and have influenced western comic creators. Manhua and Manga artists whose artwork will be featured at the exhibition include Tony Wong, Khoo Fuk-Lung, Jack Fung, Lee Chi Ching, Yuen Tai-Yung, Kenichi Sonoda and Range Murata.
The Singapore Comics Community (SCC) would like to thank SgCC for making this presentation possible with logistics and other in-kind support.
*Photo shown is for promotional purpose only, actual exhibit will differ in display / content.
Do visit the exhibition at SgCC to check out the exhibition in person, and bring along your friends. On top of the exhibition, we will have side activities like Art Jam Sessions, Ashcan Giveaway, and talks. Click the image below to zoom in.
Hong Kong Manhua Introduction
Based on Research by Wendy Siuyi Wong
The Chinese term “manhua” (漫画) is commonly used in Hong Kong to mean “cartoon” or “comics”. Manhua, in Hong Kong today, also refers to “lianhuantu” (連环图) a Chinese term that means picture books featuring a sequence of Chinese line art accompanied by prose, telling stories about traditional characters. These stories have typically been of the martial arts and kung fu genres.
In East Asian society, manhua constitutes one of the most popular reading materials in Hong Kong, with estimated annual retail sales of approximately HKD 17.3 million (~S$3 million) in the 1990s alone. Hong Kong manhua is one of the most important forms of popular culture in the world. The manhua of Hong Kong shares culture, values and identity of the region with its readers. However, discussion of manhua in Hong Kong is often limited to criticism focused on controversial elements such as its extensive use of foul language and the pervasiveness of sexual and violent content.
In the early 1970s, kung fu fever, fuelled by Bruce Lee’s film, provided an outlet for the masses to escape from their unpleasant daily life. The popularity and success of the Bruce Lee phenomenon moved kung fu and martial arts into the mainstream and made them the staple of the Hong Kong manhua scene in the 1970s and 1980s.
Among the most successful artists in the 1960s to made the transition towards the successful new fighting genre inspired by Bruce Lee was Tony Wong (黃玉郎),who produced his biggest hit “little rascal“ (小流氓).The story emphasised justice and triumph over evil, but achieved through violence. This manhua thus echoed Bruce Lee’s movie, which also presented its protagonist as the defender of the right who used violent means to attain justice. This series become instantly popular upon its publication in 1970, and attracted many imitators. Among the many imitators of “little rascal“, ”Bruce Lee” (李小龙) created by Kwong Namlun (上官小宝) in 1971 was very popular and enduring. The success of Tony Wong and Kwong allowed them to dominate the Hong Kong manhua market, and also allowed them to maintain a fairly consistent story line and technique over many years.
A breakthrough in drawing style was eventually created by Ma Wing-Shing with “the Chinese hero” (中華英雄)in 1982. The Chinese hero was an instant success in Hong Kong, creating a rags-to-riches story for Ma. His success changed the perception of the people in Hong Kong, who had previously not considered creation of manhua art as a real profession. His work was representational in style and meticulously detailed, and thus could more easily be seen as of artistic merit.
Triad stories were subsequently introduced in Hong Kong manhua such as “teddy boy” (古惑仔) in 1992. The new stories glorified traids and the use of violence in a way that had not been seen before, with realistic settings and scenarios that seemed to be based on real Hong Kong issues. Under an improved law governing the distribution of indecent publications, sales of some of these new triad genre manhua were restricted to readers 18 years of age and above, and carried a sealed wrapper with a “not-for-minors” warning message attached. The evolution of Hong Kong manhua does not stop here, but continues to diversify away from the main kung fu genre. Young manhua artists continue to experiment with new art techniques and story lines almost entirely outside the kung fu genre.
SCC will also be giving away ashcan comics created by our members. It is written by Firdaus Isa, and Illustrated by Jie Victoria and Azridjokoloro. Based on characters created by Chong Pheng & Collin Yap, Kang Jing, Chan Kok Weng, Jason Woo, Shahril Azizi and Ahmad Tarmidzi. Click the image below to zoom in.
Appreciating Comic Art: A talk by Gaurav Patel Sunday, 8th December, 3-4pm @ The Screening Room. New to Original comic art & want to know more? Join us at SgCC! If you are a seasoned collector, you may join the discussion too, and share your collecting experience. Click the image below to zoom in.
SCC will be bringing Jam Art Sessions to SgCC. We thank our contributors: Kang Jing, Chan Kok Weng, Seth Adams, Gaurav Patel, Jasmin Semahli, Haider Abdul Amir, MD Afiq, Danial, Nathaniel Itosis, Shahril Azizi, Valerie Chia, Ross Ravelina, Jie Victoria, AzriDjokoloro, Firdaus Isa, Kartina Yahya, Cheryl Lye, Jerome Lee, Azhar Red, Firdaus Jemahat, Barry Tan and Jason Woo. Click the image below to zoom in.
Exhibition
Many new superhero fans have been introduced to the genre via movies and tv series. This year's exhibition will show off source material and their association to these movies and tv series, ie comics and original art, and other collectibles such as colour guides, movie / tv memorabilia, toys / statues as well as replica props. The wide variety of exhibits caters to different types of fans and collectors in the hobby.
We are pleased to announce that SCC will be having a Sketchcards Meet & Trade / Scavenger Hunt at STGCC this year. You are most welcome to join us; Whether you want to participate as an artist / sketchcard contributor, a Sketchcards Hunter, or you just want to own a couple to start your own Sketchcards collection, comeby our booth.
SCC would like to thank STGCC for making this presentation possible with logistics and other in-kind support.
Why you should join us at STGCC 2018:
These cards, measuring 2.5 x 3.5 inches each, will be traded or given away at STGCC, at the SCC Comics Exhibition Booth. Sketchcards are a popular off-shoot of trading cards and original art, and have garnered quite a following among comic fans. Sketchcards have overtaken mass-printed trading cards, as they offer another way for fans to acquire original art commissions from their favourite comic artists, that are far more affordable. The sketchcards created by SCC members will NOT be for / on sale at STGCC 2018.
ELVIN CHING (ZeroPointFive) | KELVIN CHAN (RocketRayGun) | ALAN QUAH | JAMES LEONG |
Elvin Ching is an illustrator and storyboard artist whose short stories have appeared in the Eisner-nominated Image Comics anthology series Liquid City (“City” in Vol. 2 & “Boy” in Vol. 3), and his artworks have been featured in various ads, portals, projects and events such as McDonald’s, Culturepush.com, Kult Magazine, Animax x OIC Manga Exhibition, No Approval art exhibition and the Pangu series of children’s comics (P3 Publishers). He had also completed a short stint assisting in conceptual designs for the upcoming science-fiction thriller film, Beyond Skyline (2015). In 2015, he was commissioned by Marvel Comics to contribute artwork for a set of promotional trading cards (Avengers versus Ultron) that were specially distributed at the Thailand Toy Expo in Bangkok. His most recent comic is The Legend of Badang released in NDP 2016. |
An infographics journalist with unique strengths in illustration and design, Kelvin has been in the field of news design for more than 20 years. He has garnered numerous domestic, regional and international accolades including three Society for News Design awards. Kelvin helped run the creative desk at Reuters News Agency under the creative editor. He has published numerous graphic novels and artbooks including the illustrated ‘Men in White’. Kelvin has always been an avid comic book, pop-culture lover, being a published comic-book artist. He is also a sculptor, with experience in statue manufacturing from concept to delivery. Having done work for brands in the gaming and film industry like Capcom, Warner Bros., MM2 Entertainment, Illustrator, comic artist, concept artist, digital sculptor, statue manufacturer. |
Alan Quah a professional comic artist from Malaysia whose first comics pages were published in a 1984 fanzine, APAzine from Berita Publishing. He has done work for DC Comics, Titan Comics, IDW, Legendary Comics and is the Principle of Komikaki Studio. His noted published work includes:
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James Leong has been working in the advertising industry since 1988. His career highlights include serving as a jury member of the 2005 London International Advertising Award, and emerging unscathed working with the legendary Neil French on numerous projects. During the merger of D,Y&R and Wunderman, James designed the new corporate identity and supervised the production of the corporate bible. He also art directed 3 WPP Creative Annuals, The World Press Awards’ collaterals, and the Creative Book while working closely with the WPP Worldwide Creative Director, Neil French. He loves to draw very much, especially enjoys TVC storyboarding, and has won Silver in the Illustration Category at Longxi. In his spare time, he is an active urban sketcher and creates his own comics, experimenting in various mediums. As a Wing Chun practitioner, he has been training in this martial art since 1996 and is now teaching some enthusiasts. |
8th of Sept, 1pm to 2pm Sketchcards / Comic art Demonstration |
8th of Sept, 3pm to 3.30pm Sketchcards / Comic art Demonstration 8th of Sept, 3.30pm to 4pm Comic art techniques Discussion |
8th of Sept, 4 to 5 pm Sketchcards / Comic art Demonstration 8th of Sept, 6pm to 7pm Comic art techniques Discussion |
9th of Sept, 3 to 4 pm Sketchcards / Comic art Demonstration |
Sketchcards collecting is a constantly evolving hobby; New and creative ways of collecting are being discovered and are quickly catching on. Art is also, by nature, collectable, and the sketchcard or art card is, due to its size, perfect for collecting.
Sketchcards giveaways at Gnb Comic Shop, and Sketchcards discussion and Scavenger Hunt at a PanelGrapher Editorial meetup @ ScapeMedia.
The Sketchcards fit anywhere (even in your pocket), and can be displayed like any other collection, in an album or on a stand. Even though sketchcards are small, they have potential and gaining quite a following. And because they are small and affordable, it is possible for anyone to acquire original art from a wide range of artists, and styles.
Aspiring artists from SCC, whether they are professional or just love to draw, have started drawing popular comic characters from a wishlist drawn up by other members. Here are some sketchcards done by SCC members:
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