Saturday 24 October 2015

Malaysia Top 100 Tattoo Artists Book.







It is not every day your tattoo gets selected as part of a tattooist portfolios to be featured in a compilation of virtually all the veteran artists in the country. Wincent Yap, or Ah Seng as I called him, work on my chest and half sleeve, to my surprise, got selected under his section. Now I took the opportunity to show the work in progress for my back piece by another great tattooist featured in the book, Marcus Kit. And of course I don't get the opportunity to show my nipple to the world everyday. Haha.

Wednesday 21 October 2015

ThreeA - Popbot : World Of Meta Popbot Tomorrow King Noname TK1971.








昔者庄周梦为蝴蝶,栩栩然蝴蝶也,自喻适志与,不知周也。俄然觉,则戚戚然周也。不知周之梦为蝴蝶与,蝴蝶之梦为周与?周与蝴蝶则必有分矣。此之谓物化。
- 莊子

Once upon a time, I, Chuang Chou, dreamt I was a butterfly, fluttering hither and thither, to all intents and purposes a butterfly. I was conscious only of my happiness as a butterfly, unaware that I was Chou. Soon I awaked, and there I was, veritably myself again. Now I do not know whether I was then a man dreaming I was a butterfly, or whether I am now a butterfly, dreaming I am a man. Between a man and a butterfly there is necessarily a distinction. The transition is called the transformation of material things.
- Zhuangzi.

"Am I butterfly dreaming I'm a man? Or a bowling ball dreaming I'm a plate of sashimi? Never assume what you see and feel is real!"
- Doreen, Chrono Trigger.

Category type: Prototype replicant.
Unit type: The Metaverse Tomorrow King - GEN 1.0
Model type: TK1971.
ID: Nōnēmu (ノーネーム).
Rank: Wakagashira.
Affiliation: Independent comic book artist, illustrator - Aus City, Confederacy of Oceania (former); 12th Battalion, Indus Axis, Confederacy of Oceania (former); Neo-Zoroaster Movement / Independent Countries Group (current).
Manufacturer: The Luthor Bean Jr. Corporation.
Incept Date: 29th April 1998.
Serial No: TKG01MAB000000MTAVRS.
Longevity: Unknown.
Function: Tactical assault.
Physical : Level A+.
Mental: Level B.
Abilities: Panzer Kunst - anti-armour martial art; The Ten Thousands Swordsplay (萬劍歸宗); superhuman physiology.
Standard Armaments: Shōmei-ki (照明器) power sword x 2.

1998. Thousand days of assault against the Palace of Thorns, Manchester Zone, Albion hive city. Lady Sham is spearheading the battle against the nefarious Archduke Samael "The Devil" Bridger, the Tyrant of Albion City. Lady Sham leads the members of the Neo Zoroastian Movement, with overall command of the ICG or Independent Countries Group comprising revolutionaries, rogue Popbots, superhuman replicants supplied by Luthor Bean Jr., created via the gene seeds successfully delivered by the ronin oyaji Tomorrow King Sun to Terra. Together with other like-minded individuals, the battle is one of the deadliest conflicts since the Great War with the objective of gaining independence from imperial rule of the Seven Nations.
Lady Sham has succeed in using the progenoid glands which contains DNA from fallen TKs and TQs to artificially cultivate the gene seeds, implanted human candidates with it, leading to a new form of Tomorrow Kings and Queens known as Metaverse replicant. The ratio of surviving the process is one to hundred and the process is brutal. Many of these implants are neural in nature, it is important to note that for many of these implantations the subject must be awake for the surgery and the mind cannot be dulled by the use of painkillers. Noname is one amongst the first to be successfully survive the process. Unlike Hatchery grown TK or TQ, a Metaverse replicant is basically a former normal human transformed into a TK or TQ with superhuman abilities through gene seeding, a meta-science process developed by Lady Sham with Luthor Beans Jr help, which involves gene seed implantation and associated psychological and chemical conditioning to ensure control. Unlike standard TK or TQ replicant, a Metaverse replicant is free from the risk of corruption from Interloper mutation, which is due to sudden emergence of conflicting emotion and memories implant from original hosts selected by the DNA Organ. 
Noname is so-called because of his mysterious background. Selected from the 12th Battalion of Malabar Front, Noname has no identity on him, even through DNA check on the Terra nor Mars mandatory population ID platform reveals no such information.Lady Sham suspected him to be a former artist from Aus City but this is not confirm. He also bears uncanny resemblance to The Architect, the creator of Leviathan 1 as well as the N.O.M. Legion Blanc Chapter Commander, Post Fire. Noname proves to be a formidable fighter. Apart from being a master Panzer Kunst anti-armour fighter, he possesses an incredibly and nigh unstoppable swordplay skills known as The Ten Thousands Swordsplay. It is said to be one of the highest level of mastery any swordsman can achieve. The name is given by Lady Sham for Noname, whom is designated TK1971. He is capable of striking out ten thousands strokes through his unique pair of master crafted perpetually glowing swords, known as The Illuminators, with molecular bond breaking properties within nano-seconds at his target without any physical contact by emitting the swords sharp blade energy with each single stroke. As such, Noname is one of the most formidable TK champions amongst Lady Sham's faction during the Assault of Manchester.
 
...........................................................
 
Noname is part of the offering of the first of a trio of events organised by 3A this year for Thailand Toys Expo under Remember The Time (and I am not referring to the late King of Pop song) theme. Marketed under the new Meta-verse TK/TQ line, the figures are basically inspired by real life artists behind 3A such as Ash himself and Siu Yin. I wanted Noname design but didn't dig the separate Siu Yin inspired Slippery Attack Plan offering. The one I like is Bo TQ but it comes as a pair with The Architect, another version of Ash with hood, jeans and boots which doesn't jive with me. I later learnt from the forum that a very, very limited quantities of Bo TQ was released but I can live with that. The figure is very sturdy and well made. Again, the unpredictable QC of 3A. Comes with two glow in the dark swords. Unfortunately, the pre-order describes there would be 4 grenades to come with it but it doesn't. Let see how it goes. For now, I am glad I didn't pay through my nose for the earlier Mr. 71 and Eddy the Cat on secondary market. Now Ms. 74 can pair up with Noname. Post Fire NOM Commander would be mad. Haha. Oh, the so-called Ten Thousands Swordsplay, is based on a character called Mou Ming from the Hong Kong long running comic series, Storm Riders by Ma Wing-shing.

ThreeA - World Of Isobelle Pascha: Weib Mutter Lizbeth.






Success in any case requires the adjuvancy of a superior woman.
- promo write up.

A Game of Cat and Rat.
- write up from carded box.

First Witch: When shall we three meet again
In thunder, lightning, or in rain?
Second Witch: When the hurly-burly's done,
When the battle's lost and won.
Third Witch: That will be ere the set of sun.
First Witch: Where's the place?
Second Witch: Upon the heath
Third Witch:There to meet with Macbeth.
- William Shakespeare, Macbeth, Act I.

There is nothin' fair in this world
There is nothin' safe in this world
And there's nothin' sure in this world
And there's nothin' pure in this world
Look for something left in this world
Start again
Come on
It's a nice day for a white wedding
- Billy Idol, White Wedding.

A (mis) interpretation:

Name: Nimue.
Alias: The Lady of the Lake; Der Weib Mutter.
Age: Unknown.
Affiliation: The Nine Sisters (former); The Triptych Wicce of Avallone; Order of the White Wicce.
Std. armaments: various magical objects.
Abilities: Magical manipulation; immortality.

Nimue is one of the three witches collectively known as The Triptych Wicce, whom are guardians of the Isle of Avallone. The other two are Nymue and Nyneve, whom are known as Der Schwarz Tochter or The Black Daughter. She is most famously known as The Lady of the Lake, whom gave the once and future king of Albion, Artorius, son of the Dragon Slayer Uther, the mighty sword Caliburn. She also infamously seduced and trapped the powerful sorcerer Myrddin Emrys eternally, whom also served as her mentor, before he became infected and corrupted with the Ruinous Powers from the Warp. She has been described as a compassionate, smart and strong will, as well as pragmatic, unflappable, and knowledgeable in forms of magic and spell. She heavily stresses justice based on the greater good. Nimue has absolute access to magic, the use of rituals, symbols, actions, gestures and language to exploit supernatural forces to varying degrees, with only her skill, personal power-level, imagination or knowledge, and morality to define the borders. Given the flexibility of magic, The Triptych have essentially unlimited possibilities for what to do. However, they are viewed as antagonists by individuals from the House of YHWH. Nimue is one of the Nine Sisters, and belongs to the Order of the White Wicce for benevolent purposes. She is often viewed as neutral so long as the balance between Order and Chaos are maintained. This is the primary reason why Nymue and Nyneve are inseparable from her, the formers being aligned to the Order of the Black Wicce, whom are more malicious in nature. They are guarded by the departed souls of the Knights Templar of the Order of Solomon's Temple. Nimue is responsible for presenting the DNA of Artorius to Luthor Bean Jr. which leads to the replication of the king in the form of the Punk King and his sword, Caliburn at Leviathan 1 to fight against her rogue sister, Morgause, the Queen of the Mortis Legion, whom corrupted a sexroid designated Morgan le Fay.
After the Battle of Camlann, Nimue and her sisters retreated back to Avallone, weaving a warp real space barrier around the Isle. There they receive those worthy enough to reside there, heroes and heroines, kings and iron maidens whom had fallen. For the next one thousand and five hundred years, Nimue and her sisters soon forgotten about the world around them, including The Great Purge. However when William "Bleak" Mission is allowed to enter, Nimue and her sisters are stirred back into action after some convincing from Bleak though he is a champion from the House of Amun-Ra. The Ruinous Powers have accumulated to its peak once more, cults given rise by Chaotist the likes of Arnaud "Merde" Mission as well as scientific manipulation which has spiralled out of control. She gives Bleak Mission the Book of All Magic as well as the Tome of Lorgar to counter Merde's Book of the Red Dragon. The End Times are around the corner, as the once thriving orchards of Avallone begin to fail. As Bleak and his genetically engineered labrador, Satan leave, Nimue gathered her two sisters. It is time to re-enter the world and seek out her remaining Nine Sisters to battle the Ruinous Powers once and for all.  
........................................................
I thought this figure, again under 3A "Barbie dolls" lineup of World of Isobelle Pascha (there are so many variants now, pick your choice ha ha), would be a nice additional to my own mis-interpretation of the world of Adventure Kartel as it is associated and hinted with sorcery, spells and magic. There are two other random figures on drop day - Miyu (open eyes) and Liz as usual. Perhaps may get them if there were opportunities.

Storm Collectibles - Rigor Mortis : Uncle Tong / Chinese Vampire.














Rigor mortis
- stiffening of the joints and muscles of a body a few hours after death, usually lasting from one to four days.

Jiangshi (殭屍)
- a Chinese "hopping" vampire or zombie. A type of reanimated corpse in Chinese legends and folklore.

A (mis) interpretation:

Qing Dynasty, 1911. Numerous revolts and uprisings have cumulated in the Xinhai Revolution. Government official, the Mandarin Huang Jin Lung whom holds military position as a Major General is notorious for rampant corruptions, nepotism and involving in political intrigues for personal gains and advancements. He is brutal, ruthless, cunning whom held considerable power but proves to be a capable leader and commander. The death of Empress Dowager Cixi and the Emperor Guangxu, followed by the abdication of the last Emperor Puyi, causes extreme disillusionment and bitterness in him and the government. After the imminent defeat of the Qing army against the rebels, Mandarin Huang suffers from stroke and dies an extremely bitter man. The fate of his families are unknown. His mansion is looted and burnt to ground. There are rumours of Mandarin Huang practising black magic and engaging services of rogue Taoist priests to put curses and  cast spells upon his enemies. These speculations further reinforce the fearsome reputation of Mandarin Huang.
Huang's body is desecrated by the rebels. His loyal servants manage to retrieve it back. The chaotic situation of the time causes Mandarin Huang's body to be buried hastily, without proper rites. Under the instruction of Huang's retinue, the servants move Huang's body back to his hometown in Southern China under a Taoist priest supervision. It is a long journey and they only moves at night to avoid the rebels. They cover his body within a gunny cloak. Resting at a cave before the night of the burial, his servants observe a pregnant female black cat leaps across Huang's corpse, a taboo. They also observe that the Mandarin's body doesn't seem to decompose. The Taoist priest Chung whom has served Mandarin Huang and supervising the burial seems concern. He immediately order the servants to place a weaved strings of coins as a mask to cover the lower face of Huang. The priest also prepares a talisman of yellow paper to be placed on Huang's forehead. He warn the servants not to tell anyone. Before they could bury the coffin, a group of rebels attack them. A drop of blood from one of the servants falls onto Huang's coin mask, seeping through into his mouth. The rebels kill everyone. Suddenly Huang's corpse begin to shake violently. The rebels are shocked and run off.
1944. World War 2. The Imperial Japanese Army launches the massive Operation Ichi-Go across China but fails to bring about the defeat of the Chinese forces. A platoon of the Japanese forces arrive at a densely forested area for rest after an intense fighting. As night fall, they move into a nearby cave. The next morning, a company of Chinese troops track the Japanese platoon to the cave. What they see would haunted them for the rest of their lives. Bodies are torn apart like being mauled by animals. Bloods and gores everywhere. Bullets were shot. A senior commanding officer spoke quietly to the lieutenant whom seemed pale with fear. They shout out commands to immediately leave the area. Before that, the commanding officer orders the entrance of the cave to be sealed by placing explosives and detonates it. Inside an eye looks nonchalantly.
1971. Hong Kong. Tycoon Yam owns a vast business empire including property and real estates developments, logistics and trading. He has an obsession for collecting Chinese antiques and artefacts and obtains these items through illegal channel whom he paid handsomely. However his real interest are in all things supernatural. Tycoon Yam quietly orders the search for the coffin of Mandarin Huang having learnt about the history behind the incidences involving the late Qing Dynasty officer. They manage to locate the coffin with Huang in it. With a group of Taoist priests performing rites and chanting, Yam orders the coffin to be opened. Huang's body remains intact with no sign of decay or rot. The tycoon is ecstatic. Instead of placing the coffin amongst his collection within a designated warehouse, Yam instructs it to be kept inside one of the high rise apartment units located within a densely populated depilated old cluster of housing blocks. The unit, 1351, has remained vacant ever since a double murder occurred there five years ago. Out of jealousy, a man had killed his wife and daughter before being apprehended by the authorities and committed to mental asylum. Since then, there have been reports of ghostly sightings. The door is inscribed with spells and non of the occupants would go near it. The unit is located at the end of the corridor, making it all more convenient. The entire floor units have also been unoccupied for some time due to rumours of haunted sightings. Tycoon Yam secretly places a standing instruction that a crow blood must be fed to the corpse every day.
1985. Sam Hung, a stunt man, moves into the apartment estates after his wife left with two children due to his gambling habit and owing large sum of money to loan sharks. He is cordially greeted by Uncle Chan, the lanky bespectacled building's long time, friendly supervisor. Sam moves into Unit 1361, opposite Unit 1351. Losing his family has caused Sam to suffer from depression with suicidal tendency. After finish unpacking, Sam curiously observes at the inscribed spells on the opposite unit. In the evening, he goes to a side-walk stall for dinner, which serves only glutinous fried rice. The stall owner is an elderly man, Uncle Lam. He is assisted by two cooks, Ah Ying and Ah Ho. Seeing the newcomer, Uncle Lam lights up a cigarette and takes the opportunity to speak to Sam, introducing themselves. When Sam asks why Uncle Lam only serves glutinous rice and certain dishes, the elderly man smiles but did not reply. Uncle Lam asks Sam which unit he is staying in of which Sam replied Unit 1361. Uncle Lam's face suddenly changes expression but for a fleeting second. He then leaves Sam to his meal and continues to attend to his other customers but not before telling Sam to be careful. Puzzle, Sam finishes his meal and goes home. Being tired, he soon forgotten about what Uncle Lam said to him.
The next morning, as Sam is about to leave for a job assignment at the local studio, he sees an elderly man with gaunt face and heavily tattooed walking towards Unit 1351. The man expressionless face glances at Sam momentarily before diverting his gaze. He gives Sam the impression that he is deliberately slowing down his walk, as if waiting for Sam to leave several doors down, before producing a set of keys and open the door to Unit 1351.
Bill Lau has done this many times. Yam pays well to carry out this sort of duty. Due to his past criminal background, a former prisoner and a drug addict, this is an opportunity he couldn't give up. Bill is the latest to be assigned the job to take care of the coffin and the corpse within it. Out of the satchel bag, he produces a vial of crow's bloods and after carefully removing the coffin cover, he carefully drip the bloods onto Huang's coin mask. Suddenly he feels a cold breeze across the room. Bill looks around and sees nothing. Then without warning, the coffin topples by itself, giving out a large crashing sound. Bill begins to panic and runs toward the door but it slams closely shut by itself. Then he sees with disbelief a pair of apparitions. A woman and a child. They are hovering closer and closer to Bill. He tries to scream but no sound comes out from his mouth. The last thing he sees are the distorted faces of a woman and a child.
The shooting took several takes but it is a success. Sam feels ache all over his body. He would want to go to see an acupuncturist and get a massage but decides to go home and rest instead. As usual Sam is greeted by Uncle Chan whom is listening to the radio on horse racing. Arriving at his floor, he walks across the corridor, Sam sees a man standing with his face against the wall. Goose bumps suddenly raises across his body. The man moves a bit, and gives out a slight moan. Sam recognises him. The same man he encounters this morning. He calls out. There is no reply except for the same eerie moaning sound. Sam moves closer. Suddenly the man turns around. Sam jolts and screams at the sight. The man's face has been skinned, lower jaw removed, his tongue dangling out. His clothes and pants are soaked blood red. Sam runs to the elevator in fear and starts pressing the button in panic. He could feel his pants warm with pee.
Police sirens light up the ground floor of the housing estate. Officers has cordoned off the thirteenth floor. Crowds are gathering in numbers, muttering amongst themselves. Inspector Biao, a young promising officer is tasked with investigating the case. The coroner needs more time but he remarks no one could have survived with such amount of blood lost. Inspector Biao then asks a shaken Sam some questions. The officer said he would see Sam again if more information is required. Except for the coffin, there is no sign of Mandarin Huang's corpse. The unit is registered under the ownership of Bill and the investigation ends there. In his report, Biao writes that it is a attack and assault by loan sharks due to the numerous loans owed by Bill. Separately, Biao, through his network, speaks to numerous high ranking loan shark bosses. The bosses denied it is of their doing. The method is too extreme even for them. This heightened Biao's curiosity further. One of the bosses remark that Bill may be involved in some form of black magic as he had seen one such similar case when he was in Cambodia.
A fellow stuntman, Ah Lok whom after reading about the news, advises Sam to see a medium. Upon reading his horoscope and other details, the medium says Sam would encounter a severe life threatening obstacle. The medium gives Sam a talisman inscribe with spells to ward off any bad luck but said he has no choice, and need to face what fate has in store for him.
Seamstress Mrs Paw lives alone since the departure of his husband two years ago. She is one of the last few generation of seamstress whom is very well skilled in making cheongsam, staying on the twelfth floor. The night after the incident, while working on a dress for a client, Mrs Paw hears thumping sounds across the corridor, akin to someone hopping around. It isn't loud and at two in the morning, most of the residences on the floor have slept. Dismissing it as teenage delinquents coming back from whatever they are doing, she continues on her work, the thumping sound stops at her closed wooden door entrance with metal shutter. Mrs Paw stops and peeks through the door peephole. No one. As she turns, a pair of arms violently tears away metal shutter and smashes the door to splinters. Mrs Paw screams but in split second, her throat is slashed. The creature, garbs in hooded cloak, hops and single-handedly drags her across the living room, smashing through the window. The commotion causes the neighbours to awaken and rush to Mrs Paw's unit. Outside in between the crevice of the building, the creature is hanging upside down, draining Mrs Paw's last remaining ounce of bloods  from her convulsing body before jamming it between the water pipes. It creeps back inside the building through the garbage chute.
Inspector Biao and the police officers are silenced by the gruesome sight. Based on the blood trail, they manage to locate Mrs Paw's shrivelled, mangled body. They have a difficult time retrieving it. Forensic reports the body has been completely drained of blood. There is no explanation as to how someone could carry out such an horrific act of murder within such short span of time. Inspector Biao lights up a cigarette outside the police station. He couldn't recall the last time he has had a smoke.
Moon has been working as a hostess at a famous night club for several years. Though the money is good but she has grown weary and tired of her job. Uncle Chan, as usual, helps her to the elevator as Moon stumbles around drunkenly into the flat building wee hour into the morning. Moon is particularly happy that night. A regular client of hers has agreed to take care of her living expenses and life as a mistress. Moon stays at the same floor where Mrs Paw had been killed. As she rummages around to find her keys in her LV bag, she hears a thumping sound moving closer to her. She turns around but Moon doesn't have a chance to scream as with a single swipe, her jugular is cut opened, spurting bloods of which the creature greedily gorged on. Her neck is nearly severed. The creature then wraps around his arms around Moon, nails dig deep into her flesh, crushing her to death before dragging her into the garbage chute. Moon's decomposed body is found a week later by the garbage collectors fill with horror. Coroner again concludes that her death is the same as Mrs. Paw. The senior officers re-open the case and officially elevated the case as a suspected serial killer with Inspector Biao once again heading the investigation.
Ah Ying and Ah Ho join Uncle Lam and Uncle Chan at one of those folding plastic tables after closing the stall. They unanimously agree that the vampire must be destroyed or the entire occupants at the housing estates would be at risk of losing their lives. Uncle Chan questions whether they should seek Tycoon Yam's permission first. Uncle Lam disagrees. The contract is to ensure that Huang's body remain preserved and not re-animated as a vampire. Bill has failed to do that. Furthermore, they all agreed to undertake the jobs under the term that should things go out of hand, they would need to take the necessary steps to contain the situation. A man walks toward them. It is Tycoon Yam with two bodyguards. They shared with him their final decision. Yam is not happy. The deaths are collateral damages to him. He wants them to capture the vampire but not destroying it. Yam warns them not to do anything outside of his strict instruction and leaves. The four of them keep silent before leaving after finishing up the beers.
The next day after finishing his day shift at seven in the evening at the studio, Sam is standing cautiously in front of  Unit 1351. Using a skeleton key, he apprehensively enters the house. Immediately his senses are overwhelmed by smells of death. The entire floor are littered with empty tins, takeaways, plastic water bottles and beer cans. Not a single furniture. Curiously there are no cockroaches, flies nor rats. Not even the sound of house lizards. The windows are all covered up with black garbage bag plastics. Using a lighter, Sam looks around and about to leave when he sees a curtain inscribes with spells. His gut feel is to go out from the unit immediately but curiosity got better of him. He lifts the curtain and sees a fallen coffin. The entire room walls are inscribed with spells and yellow papers. Empty vials are littering the entire floors with traces of dried bloods. He felt a chill running along his spine. Like someone, or something, is standing behind him. Sam cautiously walks out from the room and then speedily exit the unit. As he exits the unit, he could feel something brushed against his back. He slams the door close and hurries to enter his unit. Sam screams out when a hand placed on his shoulder. It is Inspector Biao. He asks Sam to join him for a late supper at a stall.
Inspector Biao tells Sam that he had broken a law by entering the unit but he would close an eye if he were to share with him what he knows. Sam replies saying he doesn't know anything as he just moved in. Sam further asks if he were implied in the murders of which Inspector Biao said no. After a few beers, Sam asks Inspector Biao if he believed in the supernatural. The officer gives out a smile. He shares that when he is still a patrol officer, he comes across a case of which until today he couldn't comprehend. An infamous gangster suspected to be implicated in several murders was walking out of a massage parlour and spa when he and his partner spotted him. Attempting to question him, the gangster ran. Both the police officers ran after him into an alley. The gangster produced a handgun and fired at them. It hit his partner in the throat. Biao retaliated by emptying his bullets onto the gangster six times. His partner died on the way to the hospital. The gangster survived. Because of the gangster's affiliation with a powerful secret society, he was given a light sentencing. Two years later, Biao saw the same gangster, then looking well off with his lackeys at a steam boat stall. The gangster saw Biao, recognised and mocked him by making a gun sign, laughing. Suddenly an oncoming garbage truck's front tyre exploded and out of control, rammed into the gangster, running him over. His body was dragged for at least fifty meters before crashing into a shop, coming to a halt. Biao immediately ran toward the scene. Crowds were gathering there and the driver was shaken with fear. It was then he thought he saw his deceased partner amongst the crowds. It isn't a hallucination. It is his partner before dematerialising before him. Inspector Biao then finishes his beer and takes leave. He warns Sam not to enter the unit again as it is under investigation.
Uncle Lam, Ah Ying and Ah Ho begin to prepare items to carry out the task of containing and capture the vampire. Glutinous rice, jujube seeds, adzuki beans and vinegar. Others include a blessed ba gua sign, a wooden sword inscribed with spells made from peach tree, several rolls of thick threads saturated with black ink and blood of black dogs and a hand bell. A plastic lighter and two bottles of petrol are also prepared. A copy of I Ching and Tong Shu are also gathered. All these are put into backpacks and satchels. Uncle Chan arrives and asks if they were ready of which all of them nodded. A short prayers and rites are performed. Before departing, Uncle Lam gives a quick briefing. A person would turned into a jiangshi or vampire if that deceased individual died with extreme hatred or negative emotion, as well as couldn't give out his or her last breath. A jiangshi is impervious and extremely strong. He reminds everyone to be careful not to go the distance of three steps near the creature unless it has been subdued or weakened. Lam and Chan also add that the negative energy is particularly strong that night. They should have waited for a more favourable time and date but it would be too late.
Divorcee Ms. Hui and her six years old son have just came back from a school trip. They stays at the eighteenth floor. The elevator stops at the thirteenth floor. The door slides open but there seem to be no one there. Ms. Hui presses the close door button. Suddenly the vampire Huang drops down from the ceiling of the elevator and proceed to violently kill both mother and son, simultaneously draining them of blood.
Sam hears the commotion and runs toward the elevator but all he sees are sights of bloods and gore. After throwing up at the sight, he is jolted by the appearance of Lam, Chan, Ying and Ho. Uncle Chan looks at the elevator floor indicator. It is moving all the way to the thirtieth floor. Sam is confused but joins them using the second elevator. Ho says something about a vampire which perplexed Sam. He thought it is only myth and legends or some imaginary stories made up by movie makers. Ironically Sam even doubled up as one on a set for a stunt.
There is a slight drizzle, occasional lightning and thunder. The roof top of the depilated apartment is crisscrossed with electrical wirings and antennas. They move quietly while keeping an open eye for the vampire. A lightning blazes across the cloudy dark sky. And there it is. Standing motionless in a catatonic like state. Sam accidentally trips on one of the wires and stumbles. The jiangshi jolts into motion and turns. It hops and leaps with supernatural strength towards the group. Uncle Lam quickly drew out the wooden sword and stabs at it. The jiangshi bounces backward and crashes against a wall. Lam then scatters the glutinous rice at it. The jiangshi screams out an unholy sound no living being would make. Uncle Chan then uses the adzuki beans and throws it at the vampire. The jiangshi is now trembling all over, growling with pain. Ah Yin then lights up the two bottles of petrol, throws it on the creature with precision, lighting it on fire. The creature howls. Unfortunately, the fire burns the gunny cloak away but not the vampire. Sam stands up and looks at the event unfolding before his eyes with mix of fascination and horror. And for the first time, sees for himself a real life jiangshi.
It is still garbed in a faded Qing Dynasty officer uniform. One of the eyes is swollen shut, and the left portion of its lips has been cut opened nearly up to its ear, exposing rows of sharp fangs. It is bald and its skin is that of a dead person, purplish blue black like gangrene. All fingers ended with razor sharp talon like nails. They quickly unfurl the thread balls and moves deftly like gymnasts and acrobats, creating a net pattern based on the ba gua stance, tying down the monster. It squeals and cries. Ah Ho then takes out the jujube seeds to nail it into the vampire's acupuncture points at the back. Growling with anger, with sudden tremendous strength it slashes out at Ah Ho, cutting deeply into his right arm across his tendon. As Ah Ho staggers back and screams in pain, the thread net loosen. The jiangshi frees itself, ripping through the net. Uncle Lam uses the ba gua to incapacitate it. The vampire retreats with a lunged backward. Uncle Chan grabs the wooden sword and thrusts at the creature once more. But the impact snaps the sword into two. The jiangshi pushes and thrusts itself forward with deadly momentum at Uncle Chan whose sword holding arm is instantly snapped into two, bones jutting out with sickening cracking sound. It then impales Uncle Chan through the chest with it hands. Uncle Chan died instantaneously. Ho has lost too much blood and died. Uncle Lam shouts for them to retreat but the vampire leaps and blocks them at the exit door. Instinctively, Sam reached out for the vinegar and splashes it at the face. The creature shrieks and temporarily distracted. Uncle Lam grab Sam and Yin and push them out of the exit door and then locks it from outside. Sam and Yin attempt to re-enter but the metal door gives out a violent thud as Uncle Lam screams out in his death throes. The vampire then slams itself against the door repetitively as Yin grabs Sam and run down the stairway.
The bodies are taken one by one out of the apartment rooftop. Crowds gather and are shaken with fear as rumours reached feverish height about supernatural occurrence. Sam and Yin are detained at the police station for questioning. In the interrogation room, Inspector Biao shared with Sam that Chan, Lam and Ho's bodies had been severely mutilated and mangled, and again severely drained of bloods. Sam told Biao everything. In a separate room, Yin said the same thing. They are detained for forty eight hours but without much evidence to implicate them, Sam and Yin are released. After the funerals of Chan, Lam and Ho, Sam and Yin meet up. At least six more residences have been found dead with two more reported missing.
Inspector Biao arrives at Unit 1351. The lightings at throughout the corridor are out except for a few fluorescent lightings which one was flickering. Biao put on a pair of gloves, switch on an LED torchlight and entered the unit. It was a nightmarish sight. There are pieces of torn clothes, bones and decomposing flesh. Dried bloods everyway. Biao pulls out his handkerchief to cover his mouth and nose. Something moves. Biao flashes the torchlight at it. The jiangshi is standing as still as a statue, facing Biao. Its jaw is biting on a large chunk of flesh, which looks like a piece of headless human neck. Biao freezes on the sight. Suddenly a hand grabs him. Biao instinctively pulls out his gun. Yin and Sam grab the inspector's hand and signal him to be quiet. They exit from the unit.
The three of them arrives at Ah Lok's house at outskirt. Biao is shaking and pale. Sam and Yin decides to finish up what the late Uncle Chan, Lam and Ho did. Before that Yin gives Sam and Biao a crash course on all about jiangshi and the methods to counter it. Yin and the late Ho are students of Uncle Lam, a master Taoist whom hailed from the last line of pure Taoist grandmasters. Uncle Chan is Uncle Lam's brother in practise. Yin shares that he possesses the gift of the third eye. He sees three malicious spirits within the jiangshi, making it impervious and powerful, something which is not recorded nor reported in any ancient texts or scrolls. He deducts that they must have gathered within the corpse due to extreme negative energies and unresolved anger. The number of victims the vampire had claimed have also elevated its qi to unprecedented height.
They began to prepare the necessary tools and equipment based on old texts and scrolls kept by the late Uncle Lam. Ah Lok wants to join in but is forbid by Sam. Biao suddenly laughed and said that why not just use bullets, grenades and kill the vampire instead of relying on ancient method. He half jokingly said that killing a black dog, regardless even if it was a stray, it is against the law and inhumane. As Sam, Yin and Ah Lok prepare, Biao goes to his Mercedes four wheel drive and produced two semi-automatics, grenades and bullets. Yin then comes out with the idea of engraving each bullets with spells and scriptures. Biao also chips in, improvising several self made gadgets which he thought would be more effective as well as procured SDU tactical body armours and helmets for them. There are also flare gun and sticks. Ah Lok gives them two machetes, inscribed with spells. Yin then asked Sam and Biao to stripped to their briefs, much to their bemusement. He then uses the black dog blood and inscribes Taoist protective spells on them. They then departs for the housing block. The wind howls.
It was the seventh lunar month. The Hungry Ghosts Festival is in full swing with people praying, burning joss sticks and giving offerings. The strategy is to lure out the jiangshi in the open, subdue it through the ba gua stance using the black dog blood drenched ropes and decapitate it. But the issue are the three malevolent spirits - Huang's, the mother and the son - making it difficult. Yin would need to exorcise the spirits first. Biao radio his squad to stand by at the apartment without revealing the supernatural aspect, just saying that the murder suspect has been identified. He orders them to be on high alert.
Through a spell, Yin stirs the jiangshi actively, which roars with hunger. It hops and exits unit 1351. The other end of the corridor has been inscribed with spells and scriptures. Sam, Biao and Yin look at Mandarin Huang hopping out. It growls and leaps at them. But they are prepared. First, they unleashed the net against it. Trapped, Biao used his improvised stunt gun and shot at Huang. It bounced off its body. Sam then threw glutinous rice at the vampire. Biao unloads his semi-auto gun at the jiangshi. Each bullet enters its body and each wound starts to ignite with flicker of flame. The jiangshi staggers but still stand. Yin succeed in inserting the jujube seeds onto its back. Although howling from pain, the vampire proves too strong by then. Its talons like claws would have slashed Yin to ribbons but thanks to the body armour, Yin is saved from grievous injuries. It thrown Yin off, hurling him into the air and landed on the floor, bones broken. Sam then leaps onto the jiangshi seemingly without any concern of his own safety. Yin, despite the injuries, begins to chant, summoning the spiritual powers of the late Uncle Chan and Lam. Sam goes into a stance. A battle of good and evil ensue. Sam moves and deftly wrap the thread around the jiangshi but is overwhelmed. The monster opens his jaw wide open, going for Sam's neck when Biao aims and shoots a flare gun right into the vampire's gaping maw. Sam punches the monster away, his eyes nearly blinded by the flare. Yin then begins another chant and performs exorcism. Huang's convulses, its jaw burning from the flares. Yin uses all his might to pull out the malicious spirits of the mother and son, separating from Huang's own. He trapped both malicious spirits within himself, falling unconscious. The jiangshi leaps at Biao, but Sam, possessed by the spiritual strength of Uncle Lam and Chan, jumps and pull it down mid-air as it is entangled in the threads, falling with a strong impact upon the concrete pavement. Biao takes the opportunity to produce a flask containing liquid nitrogen. He throws it at the vampire, and shoots the flask with such precision. The flask breaks and liquid nitrogen splashes all over Huang, and begins to freeze. Sam quickly grabs the two machetes and severe the vampire's head from its shoulder. It staggered backward, yet still stands. With a mighty kick, Sam pushes Huang and it falls over the corridor balcony. It breaks apart upon impact on the ground floor from the thirteenth floor. The police squad on standby is perplexed and amazed at the sight. They thought it is a statue which has fallen from above. Sam convulses as Uncle Lam and Chan's spirits leave. Biao and him help carry Yin. They have finally manage to destroy the vampire.
No one is allowed to enter the site of the incident and sealed up. The Chinese Ministry of State Security has taken over the case. All evidences of the jiangshi are confiscated. Witnesses, including Sam, Biao and his CIB team are forced to signed official documentation of confidentiality. Biao and his team are highly commended for solving the case, officially reported as a serial killer murders. The murderer is shot and fallen to his death. All three are threated for their wounds by specially assigned doctors from MSS. Sam half jokingly asks if they would turn into a jiangshi like in the movies. Tycoon Yam comes under investigation from the Chinese authorities for smuggling of antiques and national artefacts. He tries to use his vast network of connections with politicians and prominent individuals, but the Commissioner of Police of Hong Kong personally confronts him saying that he has crossed the line. Yam later disappears. He is found murdered two years later in Malaysia. Yam's body is found by the Royal Malaysia Police cut into pieces, buried in cement. Apparently the case involves a medium and her assistant with Yam seeking power of obtaining invincible body from weapons through black magic which gone horribly wrong. Sam continues his job as a stunt person but obviously finds himself another place to stay. He later becomes an acclaimed action choreographer. Yin carries out the ultimate sacrifice of using his spiritual strength to contain the two malicious spirits. Catatonic, Yin is committed to the sanatorium. Biao is promoted and rises through the ranks quickly, solving many cases. He and Sam sometimes meet up. They also visits Yin from time to time. Years later, Biao writes a supposedly fictional short novel based on the entire experience with input from Sam. The apartment complexes occupants continue their lives as usual but the thirteenth floor remains off limit except for officials from MSS entering and leaving occasionally.
2013. A famous scriptwriter comes up with a script based on the novel. A movie, with financial back up by a reputable production company and directed by well-known Japanese horror director based on the script is released to critical acclaim. The casting are offered and accepted by veteran actors and actresses from 80s horror movies. Ironically, the action choreographer is Sam Hung, whom also doubles up as the vampire in action sequences.

..........................................................................

Rigor Mortis is a 2013 Hong Kong horror film directed by Juno Mak, multi-talented artist but whom once became infamous for an incident involving ICAC investigation, and also produced by Takashi Shimizu, famous for being the creator of the Japanese Ju-on series and American The Grudge franchise.  The film is a tribute to the 80s popular Mr. Vampire film series. Many of the former cast are featured in this film: Chin Siu-ho, Anthony Chan, Billy Lau, Richard Ng as well as Chung Fat. Lam Ching Ying, popular for his iconic role as Taoist priest in nearly every Mr. Vampire franchise, unfortunately has passed away in 1997 before this movie is made. Additionally, Chung Fat, who starred in Encounters of the Spooky Kind, is also featured. This is Storm Collectibles 1/6th scale version of the vampire featured in the movie, played by Richard Ng, a departure from his signature comedic role. This is my first figure from Storm Collectibles of which I purchased directly online and was delivered earlier. The figure is good, capturing the feel of the celluloid version, with the exception of course, the colour, which I feel a tad too flesh like. A touch of more greyish tone would be nice. The figure comes un-clothed, so I need to insert those pesky Chinese buttons which took me nearly two hours. Like those pesky military figures. The figure joints are a tad loose but alright. However, my expectation for the Chinese coins mask is not met as I was hoping for individual, perhaps, die-cast pieces. Now that would be awesome. Putting on the mask also needs adjustment and, I might be wrong here, fits only the first headsculpt (there are two headsculpts). I shown it to Chloe and Dylan but they just brushed it off, not what I expected. Kids nowadays are so different from my generation. I would run off if I seen this figure.

Monday 19 October 2015

ThreeA - Miss & Mrs : R-Rated Smilling Nabler Guy Random Blind Box Thingy.












Rated R. Restricted Nabler Boys imagery. Under 18 boys might get too excited. Some nudity and sexuality. What are you waiting for?
- write up on the box wrapper.

The eroticization of the gaze is homologous with the discourse of power/knowledge.
- promo write up.

The illusion of pop culture asks to be read as the ideology of the fallenauts.
- promo write up.

The (re) formation of desire clarifies the position of the fantasy of the gendered body.
- promo write up.

If you fear it, f*** it.
- promo write up.

What you were "deleted" was wrong. Wake -.
- poster write up.

Screwin' may be the only way that I can truly be free
from my f****ed up reality
so I dream and stroke it harder, 'cause its so fun to see my
face staring back at me
- Korn, A.D.I.D.A.S.

A (mis) interpretation:

Unit type: Sexriod.
Model type: The Nabler v.2 - excommunicated 1984.
Designation: Ron P.
Alias: Smiley Cum.
Affiliation: The Nablers - Salo District Gang.
Manufacturer: The Thruxton Industries.
Armour type: Plasteel ceramic composite alloy.
Armour thickness: 20mm.
Height: 6 feet.
Weight: 250kg.
Power plant:  Hydrogen fuel cell.
Std. armaments: "Libido" - lust tube.
Abilities: "Fornication" - lust manipulation; pleasure manipulation; escapism.

The Nablers are sexroid supposedly the male counterpart of the prototype female cyborgs envisioned by the late Luthor Bean Sr.  which was an instant sales hit particularly amongst the machine fetish population of Tokaido City, Eastasia. However due to an un-resolved anomaly involving the frontal lobe of the volunteers, these basically male pleasure models were turned into uncontrollable and terrifying sex deviants. Tens of thousands were produced by the Thurxton Industries before they were recalled. The recalling process fail as the Nablers were highly intelligence and cunning, hiding before their captures. Typically cladded in a t-shirt, combat shorts and a pair of sneakers, the Nablers would terrorize New Andria with glee, sexually manipulate their victims and heightened their pleasures to level unachievable under conventional means nor methods. As such even when a Nabler is captured or apprehended, the New Andria law states that it would be mutual consent. Until the robot and cyborg bounty hunting specialist and investigator Peppermint Grove pointed and proved that within each Nabler, a programme known as the "Fornication" are secretly encoded within each of the sexroid. The programme manipulates lust and pleasure, and as such participants or what Peppermint calls victims, are not consensual. Thurxton Industries got away scott free from any legal implications due to their immense influence and highly insulated connections, and wealth. Thus the Nablers are again outlawed but rampant, creating havoc wherever and whenever they can such as the highly embarrassing Ecclesiarch Incident involving Deacon Slocum and his congregation  in Megagrad, Eurasia. Some are even recruited intentionally by certain gangs. In the pleasure sub-district of Salo, Elaine von Sydow, the fearsome owner and head of the SXCLB Enterprise is known to have a number of Nablers with her.
Nablers are basically cyborg. In their previous life, they are condemned humans recruited from penal colonies, particularly from Butcher's Bay. The success of the female cyborgs lead to Richard Thruxton to instruct Luthor Bean Sr to come up with a male version. He is near completion until the Alpha Q Rothchild Research and Development Station Incident. Thus while the Nablers have all the specifications required for its existence and function, its frontal lobe area seems to be irrevocably corrupted once produced. Some whispers it could be the work of Queen Mortis, the female cyborg sexroid whom started the Leviathan 1 Tournament War from the power of the Warp Gods.
A Nabler is secretly programmed with "Fornification", allowing it to manipulate and induce lust in its target or subject. It can sense and manipulate the lust, sexuality, sexual attraction and sexual desire of people, animals and other creatures, whether by increasing, decreasing, causing or otherwise channeling lust, even manifesting the emotional energy to physical level. Each Nabler comes with a lust tube, a form of advance tentacle, dildo like mechanism, known as "Libido". It is rumoured that Luthor Bean Sr. was forced to include this based on Thruxton Industries market research team whom found that majority of the target markets love hentai movies involving monsters with tentacles. However, a strong willed individual is capable of withstanding a Nabler's pleasure effect.
Victims or consensual individuals engaging in the acts of pleasure and sexual deviation with a Nabler is risky. The height of pleasure induced by a Nabler often results in addiction, physical and emotional dependency, and mental breakdown. Serious cases result in coma and even death. The more activities carried out, the more an individual would repeatedly seek out a Nabler to attain or re-achieve the so-called "first experience". The effect of the post Great War on the economies and societies also led to a sense of disillusionment, resulting in more humans voluntarily seeking out a Nabler. Once a victim is ensnared by the pleasure induced by a Nabler, the term is called "cuffed". A Cuff would continuously abused until she or he is physically wasted away and died, usually from sexual activities related diseases or lack of feed.
Nablers are particularly cunning with neuron programmed exclusively for physical lust and pleasure seeking only. They are capable of self preservation and quite effective in escaping from authorities. Yet, they are still cyborgs by design, and they quite fear robot bounty hunters, particularly Peppermint Grove. They are incapable of fighting back regardless of their plasteel ceramic encased body and would prefer to run away when encountered. Their lust abilities have not effect on Pep and on a good week, she could brought back a hundred severed Nablers heads in return for credits. Severed Nabler heads are still functioning, those which escape would continue to engage in acts of what they are created for. As such, once captured, they are immediately sent to Re-Syk Centres of Bexhill to be dissembled and recycled.
Nablers are viewed with distain by the porn and sex industries, as well as human gigolos. Anti-Nablers advocate such as Isobelle Pascha, herself a nymph with lust inducing powers, often spearhead talks known as "Go Natural Not Steel" and meetings to destroy these rogue cyborgs once and for all. Ironically, the basic design template of a Nabler would be used to produce other cyborgs the likes of ANKOUs.
 
..................................
 
The Nablers are one of the most iconic imagery from Ashley Wood. Explicit and without restrain, the originals come only with singular head. 3A released a first wave but I skipped it because it is the frown version. Then I am quite happy with this second wave even though it is blind boxed, meaning random colour (the one I got is red). The posing is inspired by the arts of Ashley Wood obviously.