Sunday, May 25, 2008

Comics Gathering on Sat 31 May 2008

Dear comics lovers and creators,

All are invited to attend our 2nd ever monthly comics gathering -- a weekend picnic at Botanic Gardens. This is an informal meet-up for the Singapore comics community to get to know one another and share in our common passion.

Whether you are an amateur or professional artist or writer, or you are just interested in the creative process of doing comics, or you just want to meet like-minded comics lovers, we are hoping to bring everyone together.

Discussion topic:
Don't miss a serious but fun presentation and analysis, "Bondage in comics: a necessary part of the comic book framework?" by Ric Rivas, former film school lecturer at Columbia College Hollywood and long-time avid comic book reader. More details in the next posting on this mailing list:
http://groups.google.com/group/comics-creators-sg

Some pics to go with that:
http://www.storykitchen.com/temp/bondage/

Where:
Botanic Gardens
Saturday, 31 May 2008
5 pm - 7 pm
Followed by dinner at the basement food court

Picnic spot:
Swan Lake -- please find the area "E" on the map:
http://www.storykitchen.com/sbg1.jpg

Please feel free to bring, without feeling obligated:
Ground sheets; light snacks and drinks; umbrella in case of rain.

Wet weather programme:
In case of rain, we will meet at the basement food court at the Botany
Centre near Tanglin Gate.

Public transport:
From Somerset MRT Station (Somerset Road bus stop B01), take any of
these buses -- 7, 77, 106, 123, 174. Alight 7 stops later at Napier
Road bus stop B03, opposite Gleneagles Hospital. Botanic Gardens is
just across the road.

Parking:
Underground parking available at Botany Centre, near the Cluny Road entrance.

Mailing list for future gatherings and comics events:
http://groups.google.com/group/comics-creators-sg

Please also visit Singapore Comix Blog:
http://singaporecomix.blogspot.com/

Friday, May 16, 2008

Comics With Problems!

Not really about local comics, but I found this hilarious. Check it out!

http://www.ep.tc/problems/

A side story: the latest issue is #25: Treat your M-16 rifle like a lady by the legendary Will Eisner. After quitting The Spirit in the 50s, WE drew for army manuals. I found some of his illustrations in some army training guide back in 91 when I was doing my NS. I ripped it out, wrote him a letter and sent it to him. He wrote back.

http://www.ep.tc/problems/25/

p/s: OF - this might serve as an inspiration for yr next project? ;)

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

The start of a monthly best-selling comics list

I've been thinking about this for some time and I've talked to some of you guys about this. I think what we lack in the comics scene now is a sense of what people are reading. We have no sales figures/lists to fall back on. Is X-Men still the best selling comics (that's data from the 80s)? Are people still reading superheroes only? What are the hot titles? Nobody has a clear sense of that.

Sunday Life features a list of bestselling books in Singapore. We need something like that for comics.

Now, thanks to Kenny of Kinokuniya and his staff, we have a list of the Top 10 Bestselling Graphic Novels/Manga in Kinokuniya.

At least, we can say Singaporeans like superhero/sci-fi/horror comics, etc., which can be useful for aspiring writers and artists.

Anyone with contacts with other comic shops in Singapore or even shops like Comics Connection (for bestselling Chinese titles), do share. The more data we have, a clearer picture of our buying habits will be formed.

Cheers.

Kinokuniya Bookstores (S) P/L
(for the week of 01/04/2008 to 30/04/2008)


TOP 10 COMIC BESTSELLERS


1. VAMPIRE KNIGHT VOLUME 6
by MATSURI HINO

2. TSUBASA VOLUME 17
by CLAMP

3. OURAN HIGH HOST CLUB VOLUME 11
by BISCO HATORI

4. SECRET INVASION: THE INFILTRATION
by STAN LEE, ET AL.

5. WHAT IF?: CIVIL WAR
by ED BRUBAKER, ET. AL.

6. BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE
by ALAN MOORE, BRIAN BOLLAND

7. NOSATSU JUNKIE VOLUME 5
by RYOKO FUKUYAMA

8. DEATH NOTE VOLUME 13
by TSUGUMI OHBA, TAKESHI OBATA

9. THE NEW AVENGERS VOLUME 7: THE TRUST
by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS, LEINIL YU

10. INFINITE CRISIS
by GEOFF JOHNS, ET. AL.