Local Ant Man praised by the director of Ant Man

An ant now connects Hollywood and Singapore.

Mr Ian Toh, who runs local music school Thunder Rock School, received a nice surprise this week when the director of the movie Ant-Man, Peyton Reed recently praised  his Ant-Man costume on social media.

On his personal Twitter account, Reed, who brought the Marvel superhero to the big screen this year, called Mr Toh's outfit the best Ant-Man costume that he has seen.

“It feels good to be recognised by none other than the director of the Ant-Man,” said Mr Toh.

“I didn’t even like Ant-Man until the movie came out.”

Perry’s recognition is the cherry on top of a good week for Mr Toh, 30.

He was named the best dressed  at Zouk’s Halloween party on Oct 31.

And it’s no wonder - not only did he make the helmet and the suit from scratch, with the help of a seamstress, he constructed Ant-Man’s “antmobile” Antony himself.

Antony is the ant that Ant-Man rides in the movie.

It is the centrepiece of Mr Toh’s costume.

Mr Ian Toh riding his steed Antony at Zouk. PHOTO: MR IAN TOH

Mr Toh did not tame a real ant of course, he made his “ant” out of a cheap electric scooter and ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) foam.

“I saw the electric scooter on sale at Groupon for $150 so I decided to buy it and turn it into Antony,” he said.

He painted the styrofoam to match the head of Antony and shaped the EVA foam to form Antony’s antenna, legs and body.

He first made the costume without Antony for the Singapore Toy, Game and Comics Convention in September.

He hand-made the helmet using EVA foam and got a seamstress at Tekka market to make the outfit.

According to Mr Toh, it took the seamstress two months to sew the outfit.

“The seamstress complained that she has never made this sort of costume before,” he said.

“But for Zouk’s party. I wanted to make the costume stand out a bit more so I decided to make Antony,” he said.

After just one day of making Antony, Mr Toh was ready to ride Antony into Zouk.

He estimates that he spent about $400 for his whole costume.

In return, he won four return tickets to Tokyo on Scoot, $1,000 cash, accommodation provided by Roomorama and a party experience.

The avid costume maker plans to bring his parents on the trip.

“This is the least I can do for them after clogging up the house with all my costumes,” he said.

The bachelor, who lives with his parents and younger brother in a semi-detached house in the northeast of Singapore, started making costumes five years ago.

Mr Ian Toh suiting up. This time as Iron Man. PHOTO: MR IAN TOH

He has made several Iron Man costumes, a Batman costume and a Groot, spending an average of $200 on each.

In fact, in 2010, he also named the best dressed during Zouk’s Halloween party, dressed as Iron Man.

For that, he had won himself a trip to Frankfurt, a trip which he also brought his parents on.

He admitted that things have gotten a little out of hand because he estimates that he makes about five costumes a year.

“After I’ve worn them, they just sit in the house taking up space,” said Mr Toh.

“My mother is pretty irritated that the house is filled with all my costumes,” he added with a laugh.

“So taking them to Tokyo is the least that I can do.”