A “DARE-ING” START:
What went down at the 24 hour Comic Day LaSalle
The global phenomenon known as 24 hour Comic Day was actually born from a dare. Scott McCloud, cartoonist and comic theorist, challenged his friend to complete a 24 page comic – usually the fruit of months of work – in just one day. Of course he had to do the same and the idea has since caught fire, with artists on five continents participating, including in Singapore.
As you might imagine, this simple challenge is not easy, requiring persistence to power through the 24 hours.
IN SINGAPORE
Source: Jason Leing
Unlike the stricter US rules, the Singapore event is a good challenge even for people who are amateurs. Variations are allowed here, so participants set their own goals, and even team up (just like superheroes): a writer who doesn’t know how to draw, or artist who doesn’t know how to write can band together as co-creators. Plus it is free to join.
Source: Jason Leing
Singapore’s 24 Hour Comic journey began just 5 years ago with about 20 participants, but grew and grew as people brought their friends to join. As it expanded, the event venue also moved around, from Goodman Arts Centre to a public library, and morphed into its current incarnation as 24 Hour Comic Day Lasalle in Lasalle College of the Arts, where it is close to art students and continues to enjoy healthy participation from both students and artists alike.
Source: Jason Leing
The event also serves as a launchpad – participants pool their ideas, get inspiration, and push through their procrastination barriers to complete their projects (many comics on sale at the event were in fact self-published by past participants). Brain and body were revved up in the morning by Boncafe’s iCafé Caffé Mocha and iCafé French Vanilla, the midday munchies defeated by Want Want rice crackers, and Red Bull swooped in late at night for that final burst of energy. As a bonus, 10 lucky winners also got tickets for the upcoming Blacklight Run Singapore.
Source: Jason Leing
WEIRDNESS IS WELCOME
Entries can be personal, like a monster redeemed by a little girl’s compassion, or epic like a sci-fi universe populated with assassins and pig stormtroopers. Additional weirdness was seen from a group of Lasalle students involved in designing Campus’ next Weird Issue (think buzzwords like “aliens” and “avocado”). The possibilities, as they say, are endless when the only boundaries are “creative” and “weird”.
Video belongs to Ben Matchap
What’s the weirdest superfood, historical factoid, or urban legend you know? Have you heard of some of the weirdest phobias that some of us might have? You’ll have a fair chance of seeing it, and many more in our Weird Issue, coming up soon!
