Claim the I(r)on Throne: Game of Thrones World of Westeros Exhibit

For F*** Magazine

CLAIM THE IO(R)N THRONE

F*** checks out The Game of Thrones Experience: World of Westeros 
By Jedd Jong

Singapore may be in the midst of a heat wave, but winter is coming all the same. Ahead of the release of Game of Thrones’ sixth season, HBO Asia is bringing the World of Westeros exhibit to the Ion Orchard mall, running from 2 to 7^th April.

The Basement 4 Atrium will temporarily be home to a display of actual screen-used weapons from the series, including Arya Stark’s Needle, Ned Stark’s sizeable Ice and Brienne of Tarth’s Oathkeeper, bestowed upon her by Jaime Lannister. Daario Naharis’ sword and arakh, both with matching sculptures of a naked woman on the hilt, are sure to turn heads. Fans will also be able to take a seat and pose for photos upon a replica of the iconic Iron Throne. Original storyboards and illustrations by artist William Simpson are also on display.

The main attraction is a 4D interactive virtual reality experience entitled Game of Thrones: Ascend the Wall. This writer entered a booth and put on the Oculus Rift goggles hanging from the ceiling. The virtual reality video, combined with sound effects from a headset and rumbling effects built into the floor and wind machines blasting air at you, simulate the experience of riding a rickety Castle Black winch elevator up the 700-foot ice wall from the show – complete with a surprise ending. Game of Thrones: Ascend the Wall was developed by HBO in cooperation the creative agency Relevent. The simulation comprises computer graphics generated by Framestore, the Academy Award-winning visual effects company which worked on Gravity.

We also got a photo opportunity with Daenerys Targaryen’s dragon, Drogon, by way of a green screen set-up.

StarHub customers will be given priority to experience the Game of Thrones: Ascend the Wall – Oculus Rift virtual reality experience as well as photo opportunities with the Iron Throne and Daenerys Targaryen’s dragon.

Actor Isaac Hempstead Wright, who plays Bran Stark on the show, will be participating in a meet-and-greet session with select fans and subscribers on Saturday, 2 April.

Game of Thrones begins its ten-episode sixth season in Singapore the same time as the US, premiering exclusively on HBO (StarHub TV Ch 601) on April 25 2016 at 9 am, with a same day primetime encore at 9 pm. The series will also be available on HBO GO on StarHub Go and HBO On Demand.

San Diego Comic-Con International 2015: The Booths/Exhibits

A huge part of the dazzling sensory bombardment that is the Con floor (and, increasingly, spilling out beyond the Convention Center itself) are the booths and exhibits, the fact that they stand in the way of the flow of human traffic notwithstanding. It's always a treat to take a peek at props from movies and TV shows that are being put on auction - I'm proud to admit I got a genuine thrill out of seeing Angelina Jolie's Lara Croft gun belt from the first Tomb Raider flick. More significantly, there were Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman's costumes from Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and there was also the original Rebel Blockade Runner model used in the famous opening of the first Star Wars. 

THE BOOTHS/EXHIBITS

Hasbro's epic, epic Marvel Legends diorama has EVERYYYOONNNNE fighting Ultron drones!

Including, for some reason, the Lizard, in the, uh, sewer on this jungle island.

"HULK RIP PUNY ROBOT IN HALF!"

Natasha looking cool as all get-out, as usual.

Do want this Amazon four-pack!

Terminator Genisys wasn't great, but this statue looks badass, particularly lit like that!

Guyver bust by Cinemaquette

Medusa bust

Wonder Woman Barbie - pure class!

Digging the wooden grappling gun handle.

Mattel's Wonder Woman

Mattel's Superman

Mattel's Batman

Mattel's armoured Batman

The Reverse Flash's screen-used costume!

Captain Cold

The Flash himself

Jay Garrick's helmet

The Arrow's outfit

The Dark Archer

Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman outfit

Ben Affleck's armoured Batman outfit

Henry Cavill's Superman suit, with the colours brightened up a tad 

Black Canary

 

Felicity Smoak's glasses, as worn by Emily Bett-Rickards.

Said the X-Wing to the TIE Fighter, "come at me bro!"

The Rebel Blockade Runner model used in that iconic, awesome opening shot.

The Winnebago Space Ship from Spaceballs!

Sideshow's Premium Format Power Girl statue

Ledger Joker

Arkham Knight Batman

Yoda

Space Jockey 

Still waiting on Hot Toys figures of the rest of the HIMYM crew.

Bewitched

"It's awfully well-balanced."

Loki loves Comic-Con, especially after invading Hall H in 2013.

The Gotham figure I'm most excited about. You go lil Catwoman!

Captain Solo is home.

Man that's a handsome, handsome John Barrowman headsculpt!

Brace yourself for a super punch!

Come on in, it's roomy!

Captain Archer's beagle!

The Rocketeer's helmet

One of many, many Enterprises.

Original flavour Stormtrooper helmet

"You call thish archaeology?"

Oscar-winning glasses!

Arrrrr.

Kick-Ass's scuba suit headpiece!

Hey, USA Today doesn't look like that in 2015!

The First Order Stormtrooper, an exclusive I did not want to wait in line for.

The Book of Vishanti Doctor Strange figure set, ditto.

A wacky Lego dimensions sculpture. Samurai mech-suit Homer assisted by Wonder Woman? Hell yeah!

Hold up a second, that's just Hawkeye's head with red glasses instead of purple ones!

Hot Wheels' Batman v Superman Batmobile - this beast is a beauty!

NECA's always-impressive line-up, kicking off with Quarter-Scale Christopher Reeve Superman.

Pengy!

Arkham Knight Batsy

Terminator 2 Pescadero Mental Hospital diorama

Badass Sarah Connor is badass.

"Old, but not obsolete"

The egg crate packaging is a hilarious touch. Bishop isn't as thrilled about it as I am though.

"Get away from her you...UNPLEASEANT WOMAN!"

Kaiju in cardboard city

Interstellar dolls! Amelia Brand can go hang out with Catwoman

Speaking of which, here's the Michelle Pfeiffer version from Sideshow. Mrrow.

Jurassic Park art prints! They were also selling reproductions of the map pamphlets from both Jurassic Park and Jurassic World.

XM Collectibles' shiny Iron Men.

Was there anyone who watched the end credits of Avengers: Age of Ultron and said of that marble marvel, "I don't want that"?

Surprise! Remote control opening hatch!

The DC artists have doodled on the table in-between autograph sessions - just like in school, then!

"Blue Harvest: Horror Beyond Imagination"

That gun belt.

No photos of the Doctor Who figures you say? I too like to live dangerously.

Worry not, Sherlock's got POSEABLE ARMS!

American Horror Story: Hotel's hotel. Not actual size.

When being in the doghouse isn't such a bad thing after all

 

♫I fought the law and the law won♫

Heroes that fit in the palm of your hand!

"Eyes on me!"

It's the LEGO Jurassic World Raptor Squad! Adorable.

Clever girl.

And as I'm caught in between the wrath of the Science Bros, it's a wrap!