Singapore Toy, Game, and Comic Convention 2011: Day 2

So I went into Day 2 almost desperate for some good toy deals.  As with any convention, the vendors start to slash prices in order to clear as much stock as they have probably so that they don't have to lug it back to theeir stores and re-pack all the stuff again.

After I got done with Sunday stuff like church and a meeting/rehearsal for this non-toy related gig I was gonna do, I drove down to STGCC at around 4-ish, 5--I thought that would give me a good chunk of time to wander about before the Con closed its doors at 8pm.

Bobble-heads from Simply Toys, anyone?

This time the wife and baby were at home so I figured I'd have a better chance of moving through the throng of people at the venue more easily than yesterday.  Well, I was right.  Not because I was able to unleash my superhero/ninja training I'd prepared for by reading comics most of my life, but because the crowd had thinned  somewhat for day 2.  Good news, because I'd be able hunt for deals better and also take in some of the sights.

And I gotta say, I kinda like being a Last-Day-Con kinda guy.

Yllanif dnuof reh!

First up, I hit the Falcon's Hanger--these guys had majorly slashed prices last year and they did again this year, except this time around they were clearing movie Transformers for cheap.  There was the occasional great deal though, like S$120 for the Masterpiece Black Convoy (Optimus Prime) but my wife had already gotten me that for Christmas so though I was tempted (why, I dunno...) I resisted easily.  Then I found this gem in the DC Universe single figure shelf:

Harassin' the kids!

They had quite a few sought-after figures, but were selling them as a complete wave.  This Zatanna though, was priced reasonably and now she was mine for just S$30!  The cheapest I'd seen before this was S$40, so this was a steal.  They bargain hunting had begun.  Huzzah!

Then I bumped into Melvin, the gracious soul who'd kindly held on to my Secret Wars Ultron/Mr. Fantastic for almost a year from STGCC '10.  He'd earlier had the chance to moderate a panel with former DC President Paul Levitz.  After showing me the DC Direct Batman Inc Batman he'd nabbed from Harris Planerds at the Con for just S$19 or so, he pointed me to the vendor we were standing next to.

Wall of Hot Toys' aged posters

"Hey this guy's selling the Marvel Universe Fantastic Four 4-pack for $48.  Don't you want it?"  I ummed and ahhhed and finally decided to take a look.  I have to say it looked great, especially the new sculpts for Sue and Reed Richards.  H.E.R.B.I.E. looked pretty cool and the Thing was basically bike-shorts Thing--nothing else new except the shorts.  Then I did the unthinkable.  I passed.

I continued to wander and saw the Marvel vs Capcom Championship setup. (Above)

Fury: "I need me one of these in our movie!"

I also noticed some of out favorite Marvel superheroes hiding in an unlikely place, plotting and planning before there Summer blockbuster next year.  I have to say I would've missed this if not for Toyhaven's Day 1 coverage and his snap shot of it.  And yes.  Hulk banned from riding in cool Star Wars bus.  Hulk sad.

I got a closer look at the awesome Hot Toys display and I realized they had some really nice Iron Man custom pieces.  Yes, people seem to buy S$300 toys and hack them up to custom them.  I gotta admit, some of these are sheer genius.  Some of 'em are just nuts.  Lol.

"Take that, Rebel scum!"

Then I ran into this Stormtrooper who'd seemingly abandoned his post for some DS action!  And I tell ya, the crowd loved it as a whole buncha people (myself included) surrounded the guy and started clicking.  I dunno how the heck he was even pressing those buttons with his gloves on!

That's not a holster.  It's a cigarette stash.

There were less superhero dress-ups than last year, with Iron Man and Spidey returning to the Con.  But then lo and behold check out who I ran into in front of the Star Wars 501st Legion booth:

I knew he hadn't died at the end of the movie!  But at the rate he was going with that unlighted cigarette, he wasn't gonna die any time soon either.  But don't be fooled, kids.  Smoking kills.  Or at least it turns your face into a gigantic red skull

It as then that I stumbled upon this vendor who came all the way from Australia and was selling jewelry.  yes folks, jewelry.  At a toys, games, and comics con.  I was about to pass it by but glint of gold caught my eye and I noticed these for the wife, who's a Wonder Woman fan!:

Dumdumdumdumdum...Wonder Woman!!!

I'd been looking for a pair for the longest time but hadn't found any place that sold them.   Come to think of it, I vaguely recall seeing this same vendor from last year but balked at the S$100 price tag for these earrings.  But not this time around.  That was then, before I'd seen her give birth to our son and do the things only a mother can do for a child.  It's simply superhuman and deserving of a prize worth way more than this! 


So now I was fresh outta cash and had to an enforced break from hunting to refuel the wallet.  It turned out to be a good thing that I did!

Only thing is...The Thing's a re-use! But 3 outta 4 ain't bad...

Remember earlier when I passed on the Marvel Universe F4 4-pack?  Well, I might not have picked it up for myself but did message the Rangerlord to ask him if he wanted it.  He got back to me later with a resounding "Yes!  Am I too late?"

So I sprinted, darted, leaped and bounded right to the vendor.  Why, I don't know because it wasn't super crowded.  But why waste all that training, right?  It turned out that the 4-pack belonged to Toyrealm, who was sharing a booth with another vendor whom I had thought was selling it.  Good thing also was that it was still there.  Best thing?  Vincent and his one employee Martin are cool guys and always knock a few bucks off their prices, so I got that 4-pack for the Rangerlord for S$43!

By then it was just over an hour to closing time and all I had picked up for myself was a Zatanna.  But I was determined to scrounge up some deal and return home triumphant.  The best part is, i found it at the most unlikely place.

There was this vendor who the local crowd rarely buys from because his physical store outside the Con was away from the other specialty stores and rather hard to reach.  And for the period of all two days of this Con, he had this forlorn looking $5 box at the foot of one of the tables at his booth.

$5 PhD? I'll take it!

There wasn't anything worth grabbing there on Day 1--most of it was old Star Wars Power of the Force stuff and a random figure or two from the 90s.  The box closer to empty than full, even when I was there early on the first day.

$5 slave for Admiral Ackbar? Done!

Well, passing by earlier on Day 2, I'd seen very little change.  there was a PotF Admiral Ackbar and an Episode III C3-PO with interchangeable droid body--old stuff, like I said.  There might even have been a dead dried lizard in there.  But closer to closing, I happened by and glanced in to see a Marvel Universe A.I.M Soldier!  I also found in there a Star Wars Legacy collection Quarren Soldier, an Iron Man 2 Guradian, and a MU Wrecker.  I would've grabbed them all.  But I already have Wrecker and Guardian so was didn't go for those.

Let the Wookie win, my friends...

Just then, the vendor comes over to me and says, "Everything in the box for $20!"  I promptly declined.  And it turns out it's the one thing I regret doing all weekend because I could've just taken the deal and given free stuff right here!  Argh!  Sorry guys.  Please don't hate me.  I know how much you all want that PoTF Ackbar and that dead lizard...

Oh hey and I found a cheap and great alternative solution for those who like vinyls at a reasonable price and nice 4" size--Pop Vinyl Bobble-Heads!  At $12 a pop, it's way cheaper than Mighty Muggs and probably mini-mugs too.  And it's easily available from Funko or if you're in Singapore, Simply Toys.  I got this here Chewbacca for by brother, who's a vinyl and Chewie fan.  Perfect! ;)

Well, that one teensy tiny thing about turning down a great deal aside, I'm really glad I found some cheap figures.  As big a haul as last year?  No, for sure.  As happy?  Yes, I definitely had a great time.  But I think more importantly, the vendors I spoke to and overheard said they were happy with how the event was organized and the amount of business they got.  So maybe next year we might get a bigger and better STGCC.  Either way, I can't wait!