An Evolution in the Philippine Toy Scene
The Philippine Toys, Hobbies, and Collectible Convention held its 21st iteration last June 14-16. And it promised a whole new evolution in the con. As a regular, I needed to find out what was in store, so I put on my backpack and headed to the SMX Convention Center. Throughout its run, Toycon has been, well, about toys. But it was often the big brands that dominated the event, be it Western brands like McFarlane or Marvel or Japanese brands like Bandai and Good Smile Company. They were there. This time, though, the event highlighted independent toy creators. Some of the top toy designers from around the world attended to share their knowledge. MNDSTYL, the creator of Funko Pop, shared some handy knowledge on how budding creators can create incredible designs. Local brands also get to show off their latest collectible merch. Fast food chain Jollibee and renowned designer Quiccs Maiquez drew a crowd with their new JolliTEQ collectible figures. Meanwhile, local V...