The great thing in these toy super sale is that you meet your friends and also have a short and mini reunion, I just didn’t have the time to buy a lot of stuff from the event, but I just scored an Optimus Prime baby heroes mini toy, and I was with Transformers Philippines founder, Mark Cerbo and we laugh at it because we grabbed the same toy and laugh when we closed the deal for the item at P100 only. Then he scored that Walmart exclusive Beast War toy, and noted that it was an exclusive toy never before seen in the local market, and it was Ravage of Beast War, he got it at a cheap price of P500 in one of the booths who sell Transformers items. (read more below)
There are a lot of toys, and loose figures are more IN today than mint in condition toys, collectors are now more into buying loose toys or pre-owned. It’s a great buy for them (and me too) because the price is more lower than the mint in box or package toys. There are also comics for sale, Comic Odyssey is there and I got blown away for they sell a P100 only manga comics, all English translated, I saw Ayashi no Ceres, Rurouni Kenshin, Video girl Ai and many more, I got tempted. To buy one ahahaha, but I decided to save more money for our December Toy Con, because the toys and booth sellers release their items in much more lower, cheaper, and sometimes I get it for FREE, why ? because it is Christmas hahahaa. I’m so excited for the December 19-21 Toy fair event, that the locals dubbed as the December Toy con or Toy Convention, and this will be our 3rd year.
Okay, moving on to my story, I just bumped to our friends in the industry like Rommel of Hobbymaster Studio. I just got a long talk with him, and he just shared his reviews and comments on the local trading and selling of original sculpted comic characters, Hobbymaster is kown as the first original sculptor for comic-movie characters, from bust statues to full figure statues. He just told me that the selling and market are still strong and he still continues in making lots of original sculptures, I just saw a set of Iron Man statues and it is one of the latest creations and releases under his label, priced at P6,000, many just reserved the statues and I think they saw it first time here at the event. Also they are loving the look on the Juggernaut statue, with an awesome fighting pose and a removable helmet. Rommel also not in favor of selling re-cast statues, means that you buy authentic statues from a licensed material and then re-cast it and sell it, in other words, pirated version of the statues. He stated that he once been there and until one of the officials of Marvel confronted him and told that re-casting is illegal and can be punishable by law, then they stopped selling re-cast statues, he destroyed all casts, took a photo of it, post it in all forums and blogs, saying that it is time to stop pirating statues and move on in making original statues, which is done by Filipino artist and sculptors. The original statue making is a big hit today, and collectors from outside the country are very in to it, and it can go by the flow and compete with the licensed version. But Rommel said that there are some people who are in to recasting statues, he know who they are, but they are still into the money and greed, they are not concern about it and they sell it in the underground market, Rommel is totally against the use of that kind of method and also it might destroy the trading and selling of original creations from other countries and to licensing companies and properties. Hobbymaster is having its own advocacy for protecting our local talents and also against pirating toys and statues, hope this message reached them.
Also after conversation, I met Dig Deep Entertainment people like Yuri Timg, and then Noli Coronado was there too, but I didn’t had a talk to him, but Yuri just told me a great news that they are back in joining events, and they will be at the December Toy Con, they will show new stuff, statues, toys and never before seen designs. He also told me that they are very busy these past months, that’s why we didn’t saw them in some events lately, they are busy making designs for comic companies such as for Marvel and Diamond Select. They are in charge of some the designs for an exclusive release for some comic companies and toy distributors. He also shared this movie merchandise project which he like to show it to us on the event, but then he will ask first a permission from the property owner if it is allowed to show some prototypes of these toys and merchandise. It was a great talk and then I just told them about we are organizing a GI JOE convention next year and wow! He’s excited and got a great advice from him in dealing with licensing companies.
Back with my groups, I met chaz of Action Figure Philippines and some boys of Toy Soldiers 1:18, and also later on our boys and girls of Transformers Philippines. It was a great reunion and meet for us, its like having a Christmas party in the middle of the mall hahahaha. The event was held for two days, and it is located outside the mall of Glorietta. The event was organized by hobbiworx and Pinoy toy kolektors. Hobby events and conventions are getting hot today, but I’m still concerned that if we have monthly conventions and events, is this will make the hobby more common ? or will it make the industry healthy. Hmmm I guess you can answer that.
Congrats to all for their new toy haul for their collection, and we’ll see you on the next toy events.
more photos in my album at Toy midnight sale @ glorietta tent
