By Alex Villafania, hackenslash Reporter
INQUIRER.net
DESPITE the explosion that rocked the Glorietta 2 mall in Makati City, fantasy fans could not pass up the chance to meet their fellows to celebrate the fifth New Worlds Philippines Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention. Luckily, the Glorietta mall was open last Saturday and the members of the different science fiction and fantasy communities were there to ensure it was a success.
The event was held at the Activity Center of Glorietta, well within the visual range of the now-closed Glorietta 2 section. Nevertheless, the site — and the smell of burnt stuff — did not bother the participants who came in with their treasured toys and costumes.
Rej Layug, one of the organizers of NW5. said they were afraid the event would be postponed due to the explosion that rocked the mall on Oct. 18. “But the mall administrators promised us that the Activity Center will be open on that day.”
Here’s a video of Rej giving an overview of the event while in full costume as a Star Wars scout trooper.
With the promise of NW5 pushing through, Layug said their next fear was over their sponsors, participants and attendees. Come Oct. 27, people came in trickles that slowly became a continuous flow of fans and curiosity-seekers.
“Everyone is here,” Layug said, referring to the members of the New Worlds Alliance, an umbrella organization of science fiction and fantasy literature, movies and TV shows.
NWA is composed of about two dozen other sci-fi and fantasy organizations, which include Ann Rice Philippines (fans of the vampire novelist), Cosplay.ph (site for costume play aficionados), Battlestar Galactica Philippines, Pinoy Harry Potter, Highlander Society, Cybertron.ph (fans of the Transformers series), Star Wars Philippines, and the Philippine Order of Narnians (fans of the C.S. Lewis novels), among others.
Newly-formed groups from more recent fantasy flicks are also part of NWA, such as Heroes Philippines (devotees of the hit TV series “Heroes”) and Lost in the Philippines (of the TV series “Lost”).
With the success of NW5, the group is already preparing for their next set of activities, such as the Philippine Graphic/Fiction Awards on Oct. 31 and the Philippine Speculative Fiction Anthology Volume 3 launch in December, as well as the return of famed fantasy writer Neil Gaiman in November.
December 6th, 2007 at 10:03 pm
Hi! Your first photo features Cybertron and Cosplay.ph member Ricki as movie-version Devastator of Transformers the Movie, in the Cosplay.ph photoshoot booth.
Thanks from NWA for covering the event! d^_^b
~Haruka173
Cosplay.ph Moderator
* Cosplay.ph is a proud member of the New Worlds Alliance, the body behind the New Worlds Philippines Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention.
November 5th, 2007 at 7:07 pm
gah! this has been happening for 5 years? why hadn’t there been enough media promo for the event? my family would have loved to have been there.
October 30th, 2007 at 8:14 pm
[...] Villafania writes about how New Worlds 5 brought together fantasy fans in [...]