The Singaporean Appreciation.

12.12.2012 – It’s rarely you’ll find recognition in the little things I do because personally don’t expect anything in return. I don’t want the attention or the spotlight and I rarely speak about this kind of things. I would rather talk about the people who deserve the attention and recognition. Besides I don’t think anyone is reading the stuff I write about because I’m not “cool” or “astig” whatever that sound’s positively insane. It’s rarely I find friends who would definitely appreciate and reciprocate in a much unexpected manner until now.

Just today I met up with Singapore artist Otto Fong creator of Sir Fong’s Adventures with Lim Cheng Tju co-editor of Liquid City 2 which was published for Image Comics. These two fine gentlemen along with Han Seng where in town since last Saturday.

This is their last day and by now as I write this Otto and Han are on a flight back to Singapore to share their awesome first adventures in Manila.

I’ve known Otto Fong since 2010 when the Singapore Toy, Game, and Comic Convention was taken over by Reed Expo in that year which I missed going since it was last minute invitation. Most of the conversation started online until my recent visit at STGCC last September gave me the chance to meet Otto in person and also get to know about his creations.





Honestly that was the last time I would get to meet him when I was with Ariel Atienza and the rest of Komikon Inc. visiting STGCC.

But never was I expecting to see him again until he along with Han visited Manila. He was invited along with Lim Cheng Tju to be the guest speakers at Ateneo de Manila University together with local artists Mark Torres (IDW’s TMNT and Zomibes VS Robots: Undercity) and Carlo Vergara (Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah).

They were guests for Panel by Panel in Ateneo which I missed this recent Monday due to personal circumstances is beyond me. But still I was fortunate enough to see them all again earlier today and the first time was last Saturday when Ariel and I brought them to Comic Odyssey to share what the local komiks community can offer that they may share on their trip back.

Lim Cheng Tju is Singapore’s historian in comic art and he has already have knowledge of previous known Filipino artists to break into the international scene. They were practically overwhelmed with the material we have showed them at Comic Odyssey last Saturday.



To sum up their first trip to Manila was memorable and Otto Fong is already considering plans to be part of Summer Komikon 2013. Well I hope it really happen as his comics would definitely be interesting for younger children which is about science education through comics.

I was overwhelmed with the gratitude that Han, Otto, and Lim Cheng shared to me and Ariel. We’re instant fans of Otto’s comic book when we met him at STGCC but we never felt like those who would take pictures and gushing over. We just found new friends who definitely acknowledged us and I was saving up for the first three books that I’ve been wanting to buy from Otto until he gave me those copies along with a rare Tintin diecast car without asking for anything.

They were happy just to see us and recognize their passion for their works. Definitely there’s no level of fandom but you’ll know you found real friends. Just like the other friends I have who are based overseas they are the ones who never asked for anything. But due to acknowledging them they return the favor that I did not ask or expected.

I can’t say enough that I’m thankful to have great friends who are appreciative of the little things I do for them. Now I can read Otto Fong’s Ottomium Comics in Sir Fong’s Adventures in a complete marathon reading and a new toy to do toy photography.

Thank you Han, Otto, and Lim Cheng for the appreciation here’s to great friendship. Here’s hoping to help promote your works and it was great hanging out with them even just for a few days.