Beerkada Comics

The line for the 2nd Mangaholix Mangamania was already long by the time I got to SMX, the convention hall just south of Mall of Asia. Inside, exhibitors were just setting up for the long day ahead.

Not long after the convention doors opened, Beerkadet Iya arrived at the booth and became the first fan to receive the coveted Beerkada sketchcard. Congrats! As the hours passed, more and more Beerkadets trickled in to get their own unique art-in-a-card. Even the elusive Beerkadet Monsy (he goes by another name now) revealed himself and we managed to take a picture of him.

Just before opening time, Syeri B. got her hands on (and head in) a Genki Hat, and it wasn’t long before Chompy got her hands on (and head in) a similar hat. These anime-themed adornments proliferated like head crabs inside the convention hall, and it seemed like every other participant is wearing one. A very successful item, perhaps TOO successful. Didn’t Halloween 3 follow a similar mischief-delivery system in order to sacrifice lots of young people for some mad Druid ritual?

Of course, as Alexandra Trese would say, the underworld seeks balance, so by afternoon, Syeri found herself being tailed by a Hard Gay cosplayer. HOOOOO!

By noon, a pleasant surprise arrived: Beerkadet Yani (who is currently based in California and took plushie Jimmy on a statewide tour there) sent her bff Aiza to get her copy of BFF AND present us with a family-sized pizza from Pizza Hut. Thanks, guys! *barp*

At the end of the day, a talented sculpture named Cejikun gave me a plaster replica of Glen dela Costa. ASTIGGG! I took pictures of the cool gift besides the prototype Glen and Chompy plushies. If you look closely at the picture, you’ll notice that figurine Glen is somehow gawking at plushie Chompy, sort of like the guy below. Watch out, plushie Glen!

The only downside of the day was at the end. There was a pyrotechnic event held on the same day, and the huge crowd that was drawn to it went home at around the same time as our huge crowd did. Result: a severe shortage of commuter vehicles. We waited in the taxi line for two hours before the trickle of taxis stopped trickling altogether. By then, the MRT-3 line was closed (and you can’t even get to the station, since the jeepney ferries were in short supply as well). We had to take the bus home, using the long route. Sigh.

Thanks to Ian Cang and the rest of the Mangaholix team for letting The Artist’s Den participate in their successful event.

And also thanks to Iya, Jojo, Allan, Kevin, Raphael, Zai, Mario, Joann, Sofia, Tere, Kiko, Demunlawin, Sandy, Yani, Aiza, Myj, Matt, Aurea, Carla, Kaede, Sir Orvy, Addy, Wang, Pilandok, Moises, Kido, Jet, Chini, Mark, BJ, Xian, Katherine, Cristine, Patrick, Aileen, BugoytheMan, Joriben, Eugene, Ilenz, Han & Wes, Thelma, Tey, Noel, Drix, Roy, Lei, JC, Peachy, Willie, Darwin, and the Beerkadets who attended the launch!

There are still some sketchcards left. See you all at Toycon 2008!