Geek-gasm at the Avenue K Collectors Festival

Attention fellow Geek guys & gals!

Avenue K shopping mall in downtown Kuala Lumpur is now hosting a Collectors Festival on their ground floor concourse until 10 May 2017. The Avenue K Collectors Festival (AKCF) is showcasing premium collectibles by Prime 1 Studio. This Japanese company founded in 2012 manufacturers limited edition statues from pop culture franchises such as DC, Marvel, Transformers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and more. Products by Prime 1 Studio is distributed locally by Shioktoys Collectibles who have brought out some of their best works to showcase at AKCF.

AK Collectors Festival on now at the ground floor concourse of Avenue K shopping mall.

Here's a sampling of the awesome statues to be seen at AKCF:

DC Comics superhero Trinity: Batman, Wonder Woman and Superman altogether in last year's BvS.

Prime 1 Studio statue of Batman The Dark Knight Returns version 

Prime 1 Studio Limited Edition Venom statue.

Marvel's Anti-Venom by Prime 1 Studio.

Prime 1 Studio's licenses includes Transformers with this Optimus Prime statue.

Decepticon leader Megatron looks ready to bring the pain.

1:6 scale figurines in custom environments also showcased. 

 Geeky loot available to bring home instantly (since Prime 1 Studio products are generally by pre-order only)

  Marvel apparel also on sale by Superheroes United.

Here's a walkthrough video of AKCF:

Here's a lil walk-through of AK Collectors Festival at Avenue K! Remember to drop by and snap photos with your favorite pop cultures characters from now till 10 May 2017. #AvenueKMY #makefriendscreatetrends #AKCollectorsFest
Posted by Avenue K on Friday, 28 April 2017

AKCF also offers activities for mall shoppers with the Super-Agent Challenge. Shoppers with minimum spend of RM50 from any shops in Avenue K will be entitled to take the NERF blaster test in attempt to qualify. The top 8 high scorers from these qualifying attempts will be invited to compete at the Super-Agent Challenge this Sunday 7 May, 1pm. Those with the best skills with NERF and the Injustice video game stand a chance to win these prizes:

• 1st Prize: Limited Edition Batman bust by Prime1 Studio & other prizes worth RM3,000
• 2nd Prize: Limited Edition Jor-El figurine by Hot Toys & other prizes worth RM2,000
• 3rd Prize: Iron Make Mk42 collectible figurine by Egg Attack and other prizes worth RM1,000
• Consolation prizes (5): Superheroes United Marvel t-shirt & other prizes worth RM400 each

It may be just worth your while practicing in advance at the NERF blaster range!

Other more geek-oriented activities include toy sculpting and demo by local artist Blackz GBC plus talks on Customised Costumes & Props by Jon Dei Goon of Helios E.

Especially for cosplayers, AKCF's Cosplay Competition will take place this Sunday 7 May from 2.30pm to 4.30pm. The competition is open for ALL cosplay, be it superhero, anime, video games, etc. These are the prizes up for grabs:

• 1st Prize: AK Cash Voucher worth RM800 & Hot Toys 1:6 scale ELECTRO & other prizes worth RM2, 000
• 2nd Prize: AK Cash Voucher worth RM500 & Mafex die-cast BATMOBILE & other prizes worth RM1, 500
• 3rd Prize: AK Cash Voucher worth RM300 & Autographed artworks by comic artist Jimbo Salgado & other prizes worth RM1, 000
• Consolation Prizes (5): Superheroes United MARVEL apparel & other prizes worth RM400

Online Pre-Registration is now open until this Friday 5 May 2017, 11.59pm. Submit your details online here: https://goo.gl/ZuVSyM

Then email self-photo in full costume and reference visuals of origin character to avenuekmarketing@gmail.com.

The first 10 qualified online pre-registrations will receive a goodie bag with Marvel T-shirts and vouchers!

If competition slots are still available, on-site registration will open on event day until from 11am to 1pm at the Information Counter, Ground Floor.

Terms and Conditions for participation available for download from Avenue K's official website.

As Outpost Productions will be assisting with the Cosplay Competition, we wish to highlight on the following participation criteria:

• Each contestant will be required to showcase themselves in 3 cosplay poses and offered up to 2 minutes to perform a skit. Each contestant may be assisted by up to 2 helpers in their skit. The skits should not contain elements potentially offensive to local society and refrain from issues relating to race, religion or politics.
• Judges will score contestants based on costume quality and cosplay performance (not skit, no score. Cosplay representative of any character displayed by Prime 1 Studio at AKCF may be awarded bonus score.
• Props resembling weapons need to be submitted for inspection during check-in. Real-world guns are not encouraged and if used nozzle must be capped off.
• No cosplayer changing rooms are provided by the venue. Kindly prepare to be in costume before arriving at the mall or make use of the public restrooms as necessary (upper levels less trafficked).

Please feel welcome to address questions at Avenue K's official Facebook Page post.

Excellent view of KLCC Twin Towers from Avenue K's rooftop terrace.

Shoppers who frequent Avenue K may also be aware there is a rooftop terrace with spectacular view of KLCC Twin Towers. Specially for cosplayers this Sunday 7 May, the rooftop terrace will be open between 12pm noon to 6pm for photo shoot opportunities with these icons of Kuala Lumpur. Great of heroic posing but no superhero landings please!

Great photo shoot locations for cosplayers at level 4 roof of Avenue K.

Here's a summary of this coming weekend's activities at AKCF:

Saturday 6 May

3pm  Sculpting Talks by Blackz GBC

5pm  Customized Costume and Props Talks by Jon Dei Goon of Helios E

Sunday 7 May

12-6pm Rooftop open for cosplay photo shoots

1pm         AK Super-Agent Challenge Finals

2pm         Talk on "Tips for Competitive Cosplay" by Jon Dei Goon of Helios E

2.30pm Cosplay Competition

3pm         Sculpting Demo by Blackz GBC

4pm         Panel discussion "Statues & Collectibles: Why We Collect"

5pm         Customized Costume and Props Talks by Jon Dei Goon of Helios E

As well as NERF Blaster Corner and Injustice video game all day from 10am to 10pm.

Note: Schedule based on information at time of posting and may vary without prior notice (don't blame us for changes!)

See you this weekend at AK Collector's Festival!

Disclaimer: Trademarks named in this article are copyright to their respective owners, referenced here for fan service purposes only without intent to infringe.

Checking out COSMART 2016

by contributing writer Nicholas Lai

Sunway Putra Mall hosting Cosmart.

Upon first glance, the unassuming Sunway Putra Mall upon Jalan Putra appeared to be quiet on the outside at 1300+ hours. A storm was brewing as skies darkened to an ominous grey, and traffic in the city of Kuala Lumpur on a weekend was ever bustling in the gradual rain. Being a part of the Recon Team I took a Waze route, and upon arrival at the mall, underneath its exterior in the parking lot I circled and waited until I was allowed out of the vehicle.

I was unfamiliar with the mall's architecture, so I thought, follow the crowd (notably the cosplayers) and I will arrive at my destination soon enough.

An original fan ensemble based off Assassin's Creed.

I made my way onwards and upwards, taking a flight of stairs as the nearby elevators were crowded with an onslaught of weekender visitors, then following the trail as I tailed young adults sporting bright, colorful wigs of vivid hues if not out-of-place sailor uniforms until I reached the penultimate level, just one level beneath the ACG (animation, comics, games) event floor when I bumped into fellow cosplayers from a familiar group. As a regular event-goer, it has become a norm to bump into the same faces even as they bear another look, no matter the event.

One end of the event floor, upon entry.

Pin badges on sale.

I wonder what's interesting over there...

I ascended the nearby elevator, and despite the event being of a small scale the transition that took place was jarring; upon reaching the landing of the top floor (the ceiling was a bit low), I turned to spot the extremely crowded marketplace along the narrow corridor that was the mainstay to COSMART's name, lined with merchandise and wares of all sorts, exchanging hands as fast as the coming and going of visitors. Badges, plushies, body pillows, laser-cut/3D-printed items, there was hardly a limit to what the marketeers were selling short of the real thing.

Merchants are also all dressed up cosplaying.

Halloween was just around the corner, and they were right.

Those are some cool Pikachus.

Last I had heard, this season is supposed to be when many of the major console games would be released. Far too many to be listed, I am sure.

Visitors making use of the backdrop. Entry was free.

An inanimate(yet fabulous) host in front of a backdrop.

The recon did not stop there, and as I made my way through I had bumped into more than my fair share of costumed folks carrying props of different shapes and sizes, and through first contact the marketeers and cosplayers were a friendly bunch all about, openly inviting to spontaneous photo opportunities and making everyone else's day that much brighter.

The main "stage" or more aptly said as activity area.

Spidey getting friendly, as usual.

Always a common scene to see cosplayers posing for a shot.

Ah, the sights and sounds of an ACG event. Almost feels like home. Almost.

The cosplay competition, pretty much the staple of any event hosting cosplayers in Malaysia.

Cosplay Guests at Cosmart

At the other end of the floor the corridor opened up into a larger landing where the stage was located, with what appeared to be a full house with a large audience sitting on the floor in front with several more standing in the back. Despite missing out on the opening performances, the stage was not short on pleasant surprises when they demonstrated how to edit photos before proceeding to a cosplay competition. Safe to say, their contestant lineup was interesting. According to their scheduling, they were more than ready for a full weekend of fun.

An acquaintance dressed as a character from Assassin's Creed 3.

Rilakkuma, the great big lovable bear from Japan.

Beyond the stage crowd, and like many events I availed myself to the presence of other cosplayers that simply mingled about having their pictures taken, and as always, from my experiences it was a joy to see different worlds coming together as the many fandoms interacted with each other in ways never thought possible.

Is Anna asking the kid if she wants to build a snowman?

It's bear-hunting time!

No Halloween will be incomplete without a slasher!

The recon ended at 1500 hours after discovering much of the area, considering the size of the crowd. The weekend parking fee was absolutely painful, and by the time I had left, more vehicles had spilled into the lot making the way out a crawl. Despite all this, I look forward to the next event recon.