For the past 6 weeks the fabulous More than Meets the Eye Exhibition has been on show at Kings Comics in Sydney. This has consisted of original Transformers artworks by recognized modern artists, as well as toy displays by prominent Australian collectors, showcasing Transformers merchandise from the past 25 years.
I was lucky enough to be invited to the VIP Opening Night of the exhibition and while there, along with Eddie Zammit – the curator of the exhibition, and Toy Exhibitor Lisamree Chiu, I was interviewed by the lads from Each To Their Own in their That Figures! series of videos. Check out their video below:
You can find more video’s by these talented guys at @EachToTheirOwn – make sure to check them out! And speaking of checking things out, make sure you get down to Kings Comics to see the Exhibition by Radio Velvet before it finishes up at the end of April!
What a time to be a Transformers fan! With the Rise of the Beasts movie to hit cinemas in two months, it seems promotional events are happening left, right and centre!
Wednesday night saw the VIP Opening Night for the Transformers: More than Meets the Eye art exhibition at King’s Comics.
Promotional Blurb: Radio Velvet, Kings Comics and Hasbro, a global branded entertainment leader, are pleased to present Transformers: More than Meets the Eye – a world-exclusive exhibition, celebrating the incredible universe of Transformers, through the eyes of its fans and collectors, plus, six acclaimed artists.
Being everyones favorite exhibitionist, Big Angry Trev was invited along to the exclusive VIP opening night of the exhibition, and what an exhibition it was!
King’s Comics and Radio Velvet went all out in setting up a dedicated space for this exhibition. The floors, walls and even stairs were covered in Transformers art. Sniff… it felt like coming home.
The FloorThe Stairs
The Walls
Toy Exhibitors
Along the outer walls were display cabinets full of Transformer products, classic and new. Cabinets were set up by Hasbro, Lobos Collectables and even Kings Comics themselves.
In what was a wonderful nod to the part the fandom plays within the Transformers brand, several prominent Australian collectors were invited to display parts of their personal collections. Jason Murray’s display, along with his huge collection of Transformers pins, was enough to make the most hardcore fan drool. Lisamaree Chiu’s highly impressive collection of Optimus Prime’s from multiple Transformer continuities showed how the character has changed and evolved over the years. Kelvin Chan, as well as helping set up the comic display for Lobos Collectables, devoted much of his own display to the work of late Australian artist Andrew Sorohan. Kings Comics employee ScottSheens had a wide and varied display, including a wonderful cityscape made up of G1 figures.
Display by Jason MurrayDisplay by Lisamaree ChiuSo many Optimus!Display by Kelvin ChanDisplay by Scott Sheens
A couple of fans even got to present multiple cabinets. Michael Vella’s multitude of Bumblebee’s, many of them quite rare, were very eye catching. And there wasn’t a fan present that didn’t contemplate what it would be like to own his showing of sealed G2 Stunticons! Ben Keenan had an incredible display of different Hot Rod/Rodimus Prime toys, and a collection of boxed G1 figures that would bring a joyful tear to the eye of the most hardcore Geewunner.
Bumblebee’s by Michael VellaVarious by Michael VellaHot Rod display by Ben KeenanBoxed G1 display by Ben Keenan
All the fans putting on displays were in attendance at this VIP event. This meant that guests could ask questions about individual pieces and added that extra delight to the proceedings. And for the exhibitors, they got the thrill of rubbing shoulders with local Transformers royalty – lucky ducks!
Lisamaree & Big Angry TrevJason Murray and Big Angry Trev both point to their personal idolMichael Vella & Ben Keenan with expressions of joy and awe – both appropriate responses
Meet the Artists
Of course, it would hardly be an art exhibition without artists. Running down the centre of the room were huge bio’s of each artist, giving an insight both into their art and the artists themselves.
For young and young at heart
Something I have personally loved is that both the Roar & Snore Beasts Base Camp and the VIP Art Opening event were accessible not only by the invited adult fans, but children too. My son Orion adored being able to stay overnight at the zoo, and felt like a celebrity when the friendly Hasbro staff at the art show all recognised him from The Transformatorium video and helped ensure he had a wonderful time! Thank you to Double Jump Communications too for helping to coordinate such fantastic events!
Father, son & Optimus at Roar & SnoreFather, son & Optimus at Art Exhibition
The More than Meets the Eye Exhibition will be on display at Kings Comics from the 6th to the 30th of April. I highly recommend even the most causal Transformers fan take the opportunity to visit and become entranced by what is truly an enriching experience. Full credit to curator Eddie Zammit, he’s put on a heck of a show!
Have you been yet to see this awesome exhibition? Tell us about it in the comments section below!
Living in the countryside for a pop-culture fanatic can be hard. Everyone plays footy instead of watching sci-fi and good luck when it comes to finding someone that can translate a Klingon text for you. However if you are in Victoria, at least if you are into comics you are covered, thanks to a shop called Good vs Evil.
Located in Bendigo, Good vs Evil would easily have the biggest comics range in central Victoria. A whole wall in adorned in comics and there are usually plentiful stacks of all the latest issues to come out that week sitting on the counter for you to peruse.
Like many comic shops these days, Good vs Evil has diversified to take into account the ever expanding needs and interests of the Pop Culture enthusiast. There are sections of DVDs, a full section of various Manga and of course the obligatory collectables such as Pop! figures and and board games based on movies and video games.
There is also the Games Workshop section. Now all that stuff is kinda a closed book to me, I tend to look at it in the same way outsiders look at me collecting Transformers, thinking “Wow – do the guys into this ever get laid?”. But I’ve seen on Saturday afternoons the store opened up with tables set up for big groups of guys all sitting there playing this stuff so it must have its appeal, and its great to have somewhere to meet to indulge the interest.
Speaking of Transformers, here is why I personally shop there. Matt, the owner, is a fellow TF fan and I have been relying on his faithful service to get me every TF comic I require for the past five years. He always comes though, and something that is a sign of a proprietor that genuinely cares about his clientele, I’ve often rocked into the store for him to say “Trev, I saw this and knew you would want it and chucked it aside for ya”. After this fashion I’ve gotten all the FP TF publications over the last few years as well as the physical copies of what were originally net comics. And if ever I find out about a comic that is now years old that I want, Matt is sure to do his best to track it down for me – a top bloke indeed!
How can you not trust two dudes in Grimlock t-shirts?So if you are after a Comic Shop experience where the owner is the guy behind the counter and will look after ya, will cater for everything you need to the best of the stores ability, and can be a great place to just hang out, then I heartily suggest visiting Good vs Evil in Bendigo. Tell’em Big Angry Trev sent ya!
P.S: There has been no ‘Comics for Comments’ deal here. If anything I’m slightly resentful towards Matt – I’d love nothing better than to run my own comic shop and that bugger is living the dream I should be!
Note: If in one of the major cities I can recommend Pulp Fiction in Adelaide and Comics R Us in Melbourne. Pulp Fiction is small but the owner is great for a laugh and will pour through box after box to find you what you want. Comics R Us in Melbourne has a funny crew of guys who have often had Bill Hicks playing on the store speakers of a Sunday morning and their glass cabinets often have a range of old 80’s toys in there that the rare toy hunter will drool over. Minotaur in Melbourne has a huge range of pop culture stuff but it can all be quite expensive. There is also Kings Comics in Sydney that I visited many years ago that I found some HOC figues at and I quite liked Daily Planet comics in Brisbane. I’ve been to one other there but can’t remember which. Should I ever hit up these big cities again a more detailed review will come your way!
