ToyCon in the Philippines is just around the corner, and if you are as excited as I am, then you’ll make your way to the SM Mall of Asia grounds from June 14-16. There are a lot of toy related experiences to devour with your visit, and here are some of the events I’m looking forward to seeing this weekend.
Firstly, there will be new toylines, and limited edition collectibles released at ToyCon. Among them, two new toybrands will be released by MNDSTYL and the creator of Funko Pop. Toy exclusives from Solid Toys, RLux Custom, Armored Komodo, Devil Toys, Omo Collectibles and more than 50 other Designer toy artists will also be available. I’ll at least take a look at them, and save pictures. Maybe something will show up that I will be willing to spend my funds on? I can only hope.
Voltes V Display
Also, there will be a celebration of the Philippines favorite super robot, Voltes V. Telesuccess Productions, the producer of Voltes V: Legacy will be revealing a twenty foot Voltes V Legacy display at Toycon. And since GMA Network is celebrating its 74th anniversary, expect cast members from the GMA series to show up at the event. Of course, you’re sure to have other Voltes V displays at the event grounds as well.
Speaking of displays, there will be a lot more of these toy displays from your favorite pop culture characters. Whether these be from local cultural icons or foreign, there will be people showing their own collections from Darna to Wonder Woman to Arcee. Want to find out exactly which characters will have a toy display? Visit ToyCon to find out.
ToyCon is also a venue for cosplayers of different fandoms to share their love of their favorite characters. It’s always a visual feast when the cosplay community graces ToyCon. So, be ready with your cameras for photo ops. The photos will surely add more layers to your digital or physical pop culture collection.
There will also be displays, and spotlight presentations for upcoming movies. Some of the movies lined up include “Alien vs. Predator: Romulus”. “A Quiet Place: Day One”, “Deadpool and Wolverine”, “Friendly Fire”, “Horizon: An American Saga”, “Inside Out 2”, and “Transformers One”. Of these movies, I’m most looking forward to the Alien movie, and the Transformers movie, being a long-time Transformers fan. So, if you’re a movie buff, there’s also something for you at ToyCon.
Last but not the least, visiting the toy marketplace is a MUST for me. I enjoy the hunt even if eventually I don’t find anything I need. The interactions I get from sellers, and collectors are priceless. These interactions also provide you with some networking opportunities. In fact, I’ve made a lot of friends at previous ToyCons who are still part of my life now. It’s an excellent opportunity to create more ties in a community that I love.
ToyCon 2024 has many activities to offer to fans on this side of pop culture. These are just the ones that I will hunt down and participate in. Find out more about ToyCon and what caters to you by checking out their official social media sites where you can find them. See you there.
One of the most important experiences in my geek pop culture life has returned with a vengeance. After almost a two year hiatus due to COVID, ToyCon, one of the Philippines premier pop culture conventions, has returned in a live face-to-face venue last July 8-10 at the Mega Trade Hall in Mandaluyong. I’ve already attended a local comic book convention earlier this year. However, ToyCon has always been done in a much grander scale, and its return heralds pre-pandemic geek convention normalcy.
With Omi Remalante Who Colored This Cover
Of course, one of the biggest reasons I join conventions is to meet people of the tribe. Imagine YEARS of not interacting with like-minded people. Sharing your passions with them is a breath of fresh air to a weary geek soul. In my case, I got to catch up with artists that I know, and commissioned some great art from them. For one, I wanted to have this beautiful sketch of Nightwing and Starfire colored, and I had a chance to do so at ToyCon with one of our premier Filipino colorists, Omi Remalante. Thanks, bro. Hope to see you in the basketball courts soon.
With Kumu Artillery Artists Thirdportraits and Enjiepedia
I didn’t stop there with my art fix. I also passed by the Kumu Artillery booth where I asked two artist friends of mine to sketch me their renditions of some of my favorite anime ladies. Nowadays, who isn’t familiar with Yor Forger from ‘Spy Family’, and Marin Kitagawa from ‘My Dress-Up Darling’? For more seasoned anime fans, who isn’t familiar with Jamie Robinson from ‘Voltes V’, and Milia/Miriya from ‘Macross/Robotech’? Comics and Anime fixes done.
With the 501st Legion
Another experience I missed at pop culture conventions was the presence, and interacting with cosplayers. So, I had my fill of pictures of, and with several cosplayers who congregated at the convention. One such encounter was with the 501st Legion of Star Wars. If you got to visit ToyCon last weekend, I hope you gave these guys a visit. They also take donations for charity which is a good way of giving back to The Force.
With Poison Ivy Cosplayer
Here’s me with one Poison Ivy cosplayer who was hanging around the Toy Museum. Fortunately, I was able to visit the venue early to get this photo. When I visited the museum just a few hours later, it was jam-packed with people. And, Toycon was littered with a variety of cosplayers who you could see were just as excited to showcase their costumes in, and outside of the venue.
Voltes V: Legacy cast with director
There was also a stage area at Toycon for a set program for each of the three days. In my case, I only visited on the second day, July 9. I picked that day specifically because the Voltes V: Legacy cast was there with the director. They talked about updates about the Filipino adaptation; and showed new images of sets, and costumes first revealed at ToyCon. Unfortunately, we weren’t allowed to record nor take photos of the revealed images. However, it was revealed that Voltes V: Legacy is slated to be shown next year, 2023. As an anime, and HUGE Voltes V fan, I’m excited to watch this new iteration of one of the most beloved anime series in the Philippines.
Voltes V Display at the Toy Museum
As such, it wasn’t a surprise that there was a Voltes V display at the Toy Museum. Voltes V is one of the toys celebrated by ToyCon as can be seen from its promotional banner. So, once you are done watching the live interview with the Voltes V: Legacy cast, you can go to the toy museum to take a look at the many iterations of this iconic super robot.
Darna, Captain Barbell, and Lastikman
If Voltes V isn’t your cup of tea, there are other toy displays in the museum. You can feast your eyes on some of Philippine comic characters in toys. Darna, Captain Barbell, and Lastikman were well-represented at ToyCon.
Lego Star Wars Display
Or, maybe Lego displays are more your thing? There was a lot of that as well at the museum. There was this Star Wars Lego display with Yoda, Grogu, and R2D2 that I absolutely loved. It also helps that the helmet figures that were displayed with them added more to the Star Wars mystique.
Alexandra Trese, and the Twins
If larger toys are what you prefer, there were a lot of those around the event grounds as well. They range from one-sixth scale to life-sized toys. The Trese display caught my eye with its accuracy to the comics, and the animated series. I’m looking forward to new installments of both the comics, and the animation in the future. Fortunately, I already have myself an action figure of Alex in my collection already, and I didn’t have to hunt for one here at ToyCon.
Rei Ayanami and Asuka Langley Soryu from Evangelion
These life-sized toys of Rei, and Asuka from Neon Genesis Evangelion are not just life-sized, they are also life-like. This is outstanding work from the designers of these figure. All they need is some animatronics, and you probably wouldn’t notice the difference between them and real people. Who would’ve thought that there were toys that are almost this human-like already?
Inigo Montoya, and Dread Pirate Roberts from Princess Bride
Naturally,this being ToyCon, I was tempted to get myself some toys. For the most part, I wasn’t able to find anything to add to my extensive collection. Until, from the corner of my eye, I spied two figures that I had been wanting to get since they came out. I passed on them the last time. This time, I got them, and they were sold at a discounted price. Welcome to my shelf Inigo Montoya, and Dread Pirate Roberts. Patience was indeed very virtuous for me in this case.
ToyCon Event Stage Backdrop
So, how would I rate my experience in ToyCon on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the highest? I’d give it an 8.5. There were logistical concerns that could have been done better which involve the venue, and lines. It’s as if the organizers didn’t predict enough the number of people that would flock the event. I mean, come on. We’re talking about one of the biggest pop culture events in the Philippines. It should not be surprising that people attend Toycon en masse.
Space Battleship Yamato with the Voltrons
In spite of a few shortcomings, ToyCon was an event worth attending. Being one of the first, and one of the largest pop culture conventions in the Philippines, ToyCon gave what was experienced during pre-pandemic times. If you want any other indication that convention season is back to full throttle in the Philippines, then ToyCon just adds more much desired fuel to the engine. I’m looking forward to more geek conventions. See around the cons, fellow geeks.
Finally, we get a face-to-face comic convention in the Manila, Phillipines. It has been a long time since I attended a comic convention, and thank the stars that Komiket is back. Komiket Ortigas took place in Ayala Malls The 30th from June 10-12. This was a welcome sight to a fandom that is STARVING for anything comics.
One of the booths at Komiket
A venue for local comic creators to show their wares, Komiket is one of a few other Philippine Comic Conventions that people have been waiting a LONG time to return to live venues. And boy did people come in troves. I myself went on June 11 hoping to get to immerse myself in a community that holds a very special place in my heart.
Komiket Booth Showing Various Art
Aside from comic books, you can partake of different artworks sold in various forms from the booths at the venue. All of them specially currated by the vendors who are all part of the local comic book scene. May they be creators or publishers, Komiket allowed these people to show off comic-related merchandise to the delight of the visiting public.
Pol Medina, Jr. Creator of Pugad Baboy
If you’re lucky enough, you might even be able to spend some time with local comic book legends such as Pol Medina, Jr. creator of Pugad Baboy. A regular fixture at Komiket, Pol was there interacting with fans, and promoting his well-known comic book creations. As a fan, I got to chat with him a bit, got a picture, and purchased a few items from his booth, including the latest Pugad Baboy which I had signed.
Jon Zamar Sketching Death of the Endless
If original art is more your thing, you can even ask one of the artists present to make a sketch for you within your price range. Here’s Jon Zamar doing a sketch for me on ‘Death of the Endless’. As an afterthought, I should’ve brought one of my blank comic book covers for him to draw Didi aka Death. Nonetheless, it was an exhilirating experience having one of our local comic book artists FINALLY share his talents to my collection once again.
Epik Studios at Komiket
There were also some local publishers present like Epik Studios who also showcased their products. This all just added to the variety of media on display at Komiket Ortigas. All you really had to do was go around, and take your pick of the titles you would want to support by purchasing them. Some publishers even provided browsing copies of their works to read so that you can decide for yourself if you would want to invest in their creations.
A Fan Browsing a Komiket Booth
Or you could just simply go around the booths, and interact with the artists themselves. They were all very cordial to talk about not only what they were selling, but also what their thoughts were about anything comic-related. If you’re lucky enough, you might even be able to get a free autograph, comment or artwork for yourself with enough gentle persuasion.
Viril Crisis at Komiket
In any case, Komiket Ortigas provided just what convention-starved comic fans needed: a place to share their passion for comics. I for one am glad Komiket is back, and this serves as a portent of conventions to come. Convention season is here,and Komiket is the herald of better things to come.
Obskura And Then Some 