Ervin’s

I’ve never run 10 kilometres before, mainly because…well, I never saw the need to. And I still don’t.

And there I was, at the Singapore Bay Run on Sunday morning, getting warmed up for a sweat fest I didn’t even signed up for.

Ok, it was a company thing (even though only a third of our staff took part) and being in a position where I suppose I should show an example and some spirit, I went along with it. The 6km Fun Run actually appealed to me more, but I was to have no choice. It’s 10k or the walk of shame.

0745: Off I went, iPod blasting.

1km: Feeling good.

2km: No problem.

3km: Keep breathing, keep breathing…

4km: Should have chosen the Fun Run. I was made for the Fun Run.

5km: Only halfway? WTF??

6km: The thought “Why am I doing this?” crept into my head for what would be the first of at least 6 times. I was dying out there and no one gave a shit.

7km: That’s it. I stopped for a cup of 100 Plus. Like the first taste of wine after crossing a desert. Hot women ran past me as I tried to hide behind a paper cup over my mouth.

8km: Picked a good-looking gal to pace, but she soon pulled ahead, leaving me grasping for air.

9km: Final push. I imagined Richard Simmons chasing me. My head was about to explode.

10km: Who’s the man? WHO’S DA MAN?!

The most ridiculous part of the morning was yet to come: Everyone gathered at McDonald’s for breakfast. I had a hash brown and a McGriddle (which was disgusting). My body must hate me.

Postscript: I just signed up for the Standard Chartered Run in Dec. 10km, baby. I’m so owning it.

And so here we were – at the fabled San Diego Comic Con.

I’ve seen some big shows (NAB in Las Vegas probably topping the list) but this is just something else.

The beauty of the whole thing is that it’s for the fans – from the gigantic pimped out booths to the sprawling hordes of costumed aficionados. The 4 days were one big celebration of all things sci-fi, fantasy, comics, anime, popular entertainment culture and above all, the untouchable joy of pure, absolute fandom.

What amazed me most were the speaker panels. There must have been at least a hundred, probably more. I could only attend a few, and none of the ‘big’ ones such as the Watchmen and The Spirit panels cause the crowds were just impossible. But even those I attended fed the soul like chicken soup for a cold.

That’s what special about the Con – you hear from the folks actually creating the work – artists, writers, production designers, animators. Some are young and genuinely brilliant; others older but speak with such reverence (often about the fundamentals of the craft) it’s hard not to be captivated.

Just listening to Stan Lee talk about the creation of Iron Man and his process that led to the character’s development was a fascinating and unforgettable experience.

From left: Mark Fergus (Iron Man co-writer), Zak Penn (Incredible Hulk writer), Stan Lee, Jeff Goldsmith (Creative Screenwriting Magazine)

It’s certainly an energizing change from the usual business conferences where network executives talk about stuff that more often than not feel rehashed.

Comic Con was everything I’ve been told it is and more. It’s an awe-inspiring experience that affirms the wonders of imagination and celebrates the child inside every person that never grows up. It’s an event every creator in the field of popular entertainment (or otherwise) should attend at least once, with costume or not.

Sign me up for 2009. I might just bring along my lightsaber the next time.

WOW.

Did anyone expect anything less from China? After over a hundred years of ‘humiliation’ by the West and even Japan, this was the moment for China to make an official announcement of its status as an emerging superpower; to throw a party that would make every country – especially those that excluded China from their parties before – look on in awe and astonishment.

The messages of world unity, friendship etc. were all there at the opening ceremony. But the resounding message I hear all night is: “Top this, World.”

You get the feeling that Zhang Yimou, the director, was handed a blank cheque – spent all you need, just make sure that this is a show that owns them all.

And it was. Stirring, mesmerizing and at times genuinely moving, it was as much a spectacle as it was a catharsis for Chinese pride; a vindication of the trials and tribulations that the country has endured, despite its many imperfections.

When an airborne Li Ning sky-ran the circumference of the Bird’s Nest roof to ignite the Olympic cauldron, accompanied by a galaxy of fireworks, any Chinese watching must have felt a palpable sense of history and pride.

Cut to a day later and the Singapore National Day Parade. One can’t help but feel a little sorry for everyone involved in what must cruelly feel like a sideshow to the event that transpired in Beijing 24 hours earlier.

It was a draining 16-hour flight, but not much worse than any other long haul flights I’ve been on. At least it was direct. I could have done without the eagerness of the Indian bloke beside me raring to get a conversation going though.

Flight: Singapore to LA (direct)

First thing Indian bloke said: “So, you going to LA?”

……

Most of what I feel about the US in terms of personal experience is based on New York City since it’s the place I’m at the most when I’m in America.

Now NYC can get a little rough. It’s a city throbbing with energy and urban culture and there’s much to like about it, but it’s a tough-talking town and there’s a relentlessness to the city’s pace.

LA, on first impressions (it’s 18 years since I was there), seems far more laid back. People seem to take their time going about their business. It feels like a Sunday afternoon on the streets of Sunset Boulevard even though it’s pushing rush hour on a weekday. And the supermarket cashier actually thanked me with a smile after I paid for my groceries.

Strangely enough, the place reminds me of Perth – really spread out, low rise buildings, a fair amount of greenery and quiet at night.

Most of West Hollywood actually feels like a pretty nice neighborhood. I didn’t feel compelled to have a roam of Rodeo Drive mostly because it was baking hot. But we did drive by and I caught a queer-looking Asian man in a glitzy green tuxedo suit arguing with a shop owner.

I was told there’s a shop there with no price tags on their goods. Apparently if you had to ask for the price, you shouldn’t be in there the first place. That’s just deranged.

After weeks of practicing right-hand-side driving on Grand Theft Auto IV, I’m glad we ended up not needing to rent a car. My good man and agent Troy was kind enough to chauffeur us around town for our main appointments at the studios.

Walt Disney Studios, Burbank

Jim Henson Company (coolest offices I’ve seen. Just edges past Studio Ghibli)

The meetings went well enough. I’m getting used to this speed pitching thing, though it does get tiring and by the end of the day part of me actually didn’t give a damn about the show anymore. I just wanted to lie down and watch Comedy Central (it’s a sin that it isn’t available here in Singapore).

The combination of traumatic jet lag and full day schedules means there was little time for partying. But I definitely aim to check out the scene at the Sunset strip the next time I’m over.

Next Up: San Diego Comic F*****k Con!

After The Dark Knight, Chris Nolan could direct a kitchen sink and I’d still wait in line to see it.

You couldn’t compare The Dark Knight with Iron Man or Spider-man or any other superhero movie that’s ever been done. This is a complex, character-driven crime film deeply rooted in psychological and moral conflict. It transcends the genre in a way that completely validates the power of great direction, screenwriting and performance – even when dealing with a character dressed up as a bat and a villainous clown.

And Harvey Dent – I didn’t see that one coming. His tragedy is almost Shakespearean in scope. I’m still floored by how the Nolans (screenwriters) brought it all together on the page – the character arcs of Batman, Dent and Gordon while the elemental Joker tears through each one like a poisoning force of nature.

I sincerely hope the film gets best direction, adapted screenplay and acting nods for the award season on top of the technical categories it is sure to be represented in. This is an amazing piece of film making and storytelling that stays with you long after you take in the sad fact that the irrepressible Heath Ledger will not be in the next film.

The Dark Knight is riveting, gut wrenching, emotional and utterly unforgettable. Its ending is tragic, hopeful and heroic all at once and I for one would have little complain if the series ended there.

It’s unthinkable that a third film would top this one, but I still hope to see a properly decked out Batcave in the rebuilt Wayne Manor.