The Legend of the Golden Pupu

I’m currently trying to work on some submissions so I’ll set aside writing an article for now. But since I promised myself to update this blog at least once a week, I’ll just put one of my works online.

This one’s a komiks series I made for PSICOM’s humor magazine, “TOPAK!” Sadly, its publication folded last year, leaving the story unfinished. Well, I guess it just found its new home!

I was dissatisfied with the lettering and some of the actual words on the pages, so I made some editing and typed in the letters.

So, here you go:

Update: I just signed up with Webcomics Nation so you can view TLGP there more easily. Here’s the LInk to the series. I’ll do my best to update it weekly.

   
 And oh! Happy Valentine’s Day to all.

Komiks Manila Artist Spotlight: Jonathan Ledesma

As I looked at yesterday’s post this morning, I thought to myself: this is the kind of post I wanted to avoid posting! (Except the one about Leinil Yu)

Several years ago, when I first tried out this blogging thing, I ran a blog that served as my online journal during those times.  But then it came to me later on that I can’t write personal details about my life for the entire universe to read (not that I attract a lot of readers, but you get the point). Other people can, but not me. I was and still am a very much private person.

So what transpired as I tried to keep updating the site was I ended up writing mostly about stupid things. Well not really stupid, but they were nothing very substantial, so I decided to stop blogging until I have better stories and articles to write. I eventually closed the site down as it got trashed by spammers by the hordes.

From now on I’ll try to feature an artist instead of putting up a new trailer, viral clips or even worse, meme’s. I won’t be spending a lot of these features on the past masters and veterans as a lot were already written about them in other blogs. I’d be only repeating what they already wrote, right? Instead, I’d rather focus my articles on the young bloods; the less popular bunch, but not a single ounce less as awesome.

I ran on several choices and at the end, finally picked this man:

The sindikato have put more funding to the now much bolder street kikil kids accessories.(Disgaea, J. Ledesma and bakanekonei)

Jonathan Ledesma –a friend and a co-worker in IAS and Komiks Manila. Lucky I didn’t have to look far!

Armed with a very powerful style infusing manga, western cartoons and highly detailed realistic rendering, Nats’ drawings are unlike no other. He owns every character he draws. May it be of any style and genre, our guy converts them into his own unique version.

“Rock na rock na ba’ng porma ko inay?” (Goblin Death Liege, J. Ledesma)

A prolific artist, he never stops drawing –Which is good for me because I get to see him do his stuff and every step of his tedious process to perfection. Perfection because on many occasions, he just snaps from out of nowhere and starts tearing up a near finished artwork. Dumbfounded, we ask why he would do it, he’ll say he missed out a detail that he wanted to show in the picture and he starts over again from scratch. The rest of us can only shrug our shoulders and go our own ways.

King Leonidas: “Look! Behind you! A giant!”  the Persians: “He-he… Lumang istrok na yan, boy!”(God of War Fan Art, J. Ledesma)

A veteran animator, he worked on many animated cartoons and specials for different animation studios in the country. But nowadays, he works as a penciler for Interactive Arts Services Manila Studio; there he draws kick ass storyboards, constantly laughs at my corny jokes, and gets infected by my LSS (last song syndrome). Recently I heard he’s become a major threat in our upcoming Wii Sports Bowling tournament!

“Palimos pooo…”(Trap Jaw Fan Art, J. Ledesma)

Jonathan Ledesma is known as the heart throb, Shun-008 in DeviantArt. And read his interview with www.RedFriction.com

I’m a Surfer Dude!

 -Internet surfer that is.

I haven’t figured out yet what article should I post next (several unfinished word files in my hard drive), so for the moment, I think I’d share a few things that I find really cool in the internet.

First: Leinil Francis Yu prints on DeviantArt. Traditionally drawn and colored, I can only shake my head in admiration.  The man’s in New York right now for the NY Comic-con, selling these babies along with other prints he has. Search his brilliant DA gallery to find more.

At age 30, Tsipu still gets recurring nightmares about his “mangtutuli”.

A gorgeous woman holding a sword… Threatening or seducing? Choose at your own risk.  

Second: Coke: Heist Superbowl Commercial. While everyone else is raving about the new Transformers and G.I. Joe trailers, I find this clip a lot more enjoyable. Coming from the storyboarding/animatics business, I can imagine how tedious the production was.  You may have already seen it in YouTube, but highly recommend you watch it (again?) here.

He doesn’t like it when people stare at him when he’s peeing.

This bug is very happy to be seeing Coke… and not Baygon.

Third: Google Chrome! This is probably the coolest web browser I’ve ever used and Firefox all of a sudden was trite. The address bar is also the web search bar so you won’t need to point your mouse anywhere else. The tabs pops in at the topmost of the window, a neat downloads scheme, and your most visited sites readily appear on the homepage when you start running it!  Try and download Chrome for free!

There is an anomaly going on in this screen shot. Can you do CSI work and find out what it is?

And Lastly: The Gigaspan Obama Inauguration Photo. This spectacle is unbelievable. Way cool! You can even see the Secret Service agents stationed on the roofs!

To make it even more interesting, I came up with a little game using a few snapshots. Try and find in which part of the virtual mural did I get these from.

  Aretha Franklin and her (literally) two mouths

The bored national guard (who probably voted for McCain)

You got to be insane to find this one!

Until the next post people!

The Top 4 Most Successful Komiks of this Generation (Part 4 of 4)

*Read from the start: (Part 1  Part 2  Part 3  Part 4)

1999

As any artist/nerd does, I carried some of my drawings with me in school. I had my komiks strips neatly tucked in my clear holder, ready for viewing to anyone who would bother. One day, a buddy (God, forgive me, I can’t even remember his name) saw and liked them. He asked if he could borrow the whole thing to show to his landlord, who was a komiks artist. I was hesitant of course. That binder was my life!

 Then he told me his landlord was Pol Medina Jr., you know, the creator of Pugad Baboy? I said: “Why didn’t you say so?” and I pushed my samples to his chest, gave him Jeepney fare, and brisk walked him to the PUV stop. Well, maybe I didn’t.

2001

I got my binder back already. After more than a year after PMJR first reviewed my work, he finally called for me thru the same friend. (Even if I forget his name, he’s still my friend. LOL!)

To make the long story short, I was hired and I got to work with the man on a couple of books (Polgas Comics 1 and 2) –the first couple of times I got published. Back during those days, it just felt really, really… WOW!

Present

Sorry, I just had to share that experience. I can never write this article without mentioning that chapter in my life. It started my career (if I have one) in making komiks and it is to say the least, very much cherished.

Now that it’s done and over with, let us finally complete this list of Pinoy Komiks greats.

Now what stupid person would caption a title? Oops! I just did. Brr…

Back in Komikon 2007, as I scoured the UP Bahay ng Alumni for the best komiks buys, I noticed a long line of people over a booth in one corner of the facility. The crowd was so thick that I couldn’t see past through it to know what booth it was. I said to myself, wow! Whoever was on that booth surely was selling his stuff! I didn’t bother getting a closer look as I got excited more by the exhibits.

I made a couple more rounds in the place; stopping over at the stalls to check out amazing displays; and meeting friends, old and new. It probably took another hour before I finally stopped to relax and get some refreshments over at Chocolate Kiss on the balcony.

From up there, I looked at the crowd below. It was awesome. Yet still, most noticeable was the pile of people lining up on that certain booth. Even after hours passed, the number of fans hasn’t diminished, but instead grew even more. I finally got curious about what it was all about, so I stood up to find a better angle to spot whoever was on that booth.

I almost spanked my head when I saw the man signing the books. Who else it would be? At first I thought maybe it was Leinil Yu, or maybe even better –the usual powerhouse panel composed of maybe Arnold Arre, Gerry Alanguilan, Leinil, et al. But no! It was Pol Medina Jr. –a cartoonist. And he finally graced the Komikon for the first time.

From that day on, I knew, and it was proven, that he is the Philippines’ biggest komiks superstar of this generation –not the famous pinoy artists of Marvel, DC or any other foreign title. Our number one guy makes local komiks! Ain’t it good to know?

Say, “keps!”

For a while, I got lost in the idea that our best komiks artist works abroad (choose your pick in our awesome internationally famed talents). I completely overlooked Pugad Baboy. For a while, I only thought about komiks as the ones that come in the sequenced pages format, and forgot about the unambiguous daily strips that adorn the papers.

Contest it or agree to it, Pol Medina Jr. is the reigning king of Filipino Komiks today. I’m sorry Carlo J. Caparas, it’s not you. The early days had Francisco Coching and Larry Alcala, the 60’s had Nestor Redondo, Alex Niño and Alfredo Alcala, THIS generation has Pol Medina Jr.

From the humble beginnings of a directionally misled cartoonist, and a little help from a student with thesis problems, Pugad Baboy measures its dominance not in years, but in the decades now. Its latest compilation Pugad Baboy XX marks its twentieth anniversary.

Twenty compilations, several side stories and specials, other related titles, novelty items like shirts and figurines, a TV show, and product endorsements; ask anyone that reads a paper and he knows the strip.

In terms of popularity and productivity, no komiks contemporary comes close to Medina and his band of smart ass, obese, characters and their amazing pet dog, Polgas.

Hod-lu thought simultaneously watching DVD’s that make three “X’s” would turn any movie into porn. He was last seen alive arguing in the Muslim DVD peddler’s stall.

Despite having no online presence himself and being randomly seen in conventions, he still has attracted hordes of fans from all over the archipelago and Filipinos all over the world. Some fans even created their own unofficial fan sites and forums dedicated to the komiks strip.

His influence has a tremendous impact to the pinoy komiks strips culture. Such that, hints of PB can be traced in most pinoy cartoonists’ komiks; from the way they are drawn, down to the way the punch lines are delivered. There’s always a bit of Pol Medina in there somewhere

Maritess also once served as househelp for the villain, Blob. (Polgas comics 2, J. Dorado)

Twenty years! …And no signs of stopping anytime soon. That’s quite an achievement! I had a serialized komiks strip that ran in a paper before, and hardly was I able to maintain the cartoons going for two years before I completely stopped doing it. Twenty to me is already phenomenal.

As a kid, I used to wonder why Pugad Baboy strips effortlessly make me laugh, while the others hardly made me smile. So, the young I studied Pugad Baboy to find out. I’m happy to say that I learned a thing or two, which I’m going to share in this blog soon. (Watch out for it. It’s going to be great, I promise.)

Literally a photo of a Pugad Baboy fan. (photo from walangkwenta’s flickr)

On a different note; having known the guy, laughed with him, and having entered his home allowed me to see what’s even more admirable in him than his daily strips. The man is a very dedicated family man who attends to all his family’s needs. I remember coming along with him in his van to personally send his kids to school. We even dropped by to a convenience store along the way to buy them their baons in one occasion.

I saw an image that was completely different than what I expected him to be. I thought he’d be loud and would be making jokes all the time, but that change immediately once you hear how soft spoken he really  is. I thought he’d be the beer-drinking, bully/bum type like his characters, Igno, Bab and Tomas, and not a gentle and caring father.

Maybe that’s why he doesn’t spend much time promoting his cartoons and waste his time doing this internet folly called blogging. It‘s not as if he needs it anyway. Apparently, for our Number One guy in the Pinoy Komiks hierarchy –his family comes first and foremost.

In her escape, Maritess hid under the Blob’s belly, and then ran off as soon as he got out the door.

Official Pugad Baboy site appears to be inactive already:

http://pmjunior.com.ph/

Thank you so much if you made it this far reading.

The Top 4 Most Successful Komiks of This Generation (Part 3 of 4)

*Read from the start: (Part 1  Part 2  Part 3  Part 4)

Alright!

It’s about time I get this article moving. It’s been more or less a week since I left this unfinished document and I thought I’d give it just that. I’m not a professional blogger after all. The workload in the office was light the past week; but there is no way I could write anything in that place –Not when Benjo is around, not when Alex is up to another scheme, and NOT when the Wii plays its inviting tune. But now that it’s another weekend and I am at the comforts of my personal workstation, I can continue.

And the 2^nd place goes to…

“…Speed babad, speed babad, hirap mo ay oveeer!” sings Bumpi as she smells her laundry.

One thing about superheroes that really captures my fancy is the idea of the alter-ego; where Superman poses as a humdrum farm boy and the dashing Spider-man becomes the unpopular Peter Parker, underneath the big city’s canopy. Alter-egos ranged from billionaire playboys, war veterans, small village lasses, and uhmm… why not? Gay beauticians!

Ang Kagilagilalas na Pakikipagsapalaran ni Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah (first release: 2002), written and illustrated by Carlo Vergara kicked off when Ada (our gay hero) gobbled up a durian-sized (and shaped, mind you) extraterrestrial rock that fell and hit him inside his bathroom. It transformed him into a voluptuous super heroine (genuine in all parts), and called himself Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah as given by his friend Didi… Well you just have to either: read the book(s), watch the movie, or catch it onstage (I read it’s being discussed in U.P. classes too!) to find out what happens next.

In the year 3000 AD, Bumpi XVII will become an immensely popular Ultimate Jack ‘en Poy athlete..  

Yes, people. Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah Ze Moveeh (2006) is pinoy komiks’ comeback to the big screen; never before since the Mars Ravelo classics and the Pablo S. Gomez dramas did local komiks made such an impact to this medium. I watched the film not expecting much. I saw it thinking it was my personal duty to support my own industry and to Carlo as well (I’ve met the guy! He recognizes me to say the least). As I expected, the movie version didn’t quite meet with the komiks’ level which makes it highly criticized by many.

As I come to think of it now, Filipinos are way advanced in making komiks than in making movies! This is undeniably true in Zsa Zsa’s case, and this goes back as far as to the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s. Filipino’s are just natural-born komikeros.

Although not satisfied with the film version, I came out of the movie house, happy nevertheless. I knew that would be a start when people start recognizing the local komiks’ potential for a good source of story materials and its marketability for different mediums. There are rumors now of Andong Agimat (A. Arre) and Trese (B. Tan and K. Baldisimo) movies in negotiations and the primetime TV slots are filled with Carlo Caparas’s komiks’ titles. The second Zaturnnah book, Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah Sa Kalakhang Maynila will most likely make it to the big screen as well.

Carlo Vergara has to finish it first though, which I’m sure he would. (See preview pages here)

On the other hand, Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah Ze Muzikal, the franchise’s musical version is getting much better reviews than the movie. It really sucks that I haven’t caught any of the shows over the years so I can’t give my own review. But that’s right people; Ze Muzical has been playing on different theaters for years now, touring even in the provinces. That’s how great it is! –and I’ve been unaware of it after its first run.

Bumpi (again), last year’s stop-dance defending champion, will not be defeated in son, Nate’s birthday party…

But silly ole’ me need not to fret anymore. Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah Ze Muzikal will fly again this February for its sixth, sixth, sixth, sixth, sixth, sixth… SIXTH!  run. There will be fifteen showings scattered all over the love month, so I think there should be no excuse left for me not to catch at least one. I already asked my date to go in advance, so I guess I’m okay. If I still don’t get to see it this time, I might as well jump off a bridge.

Bumpi  finds out that getting a cab in EDSA becomes a breeze every time she joins cosplay events.

So, with a top-selling, National Book Award-ed (2003) graphic novel, an ongoing musical and a movie under its belt, the effeminate, Ada and the Zuper Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah grabs the second place in this countdown. In less than a decade, Carlo and his characters are now cultural icons to Filipino gay communities, who finally have found their champion.  

Soon, there will be a second book! And I’m already sold after a mere six-pager preview.

Bumpi (yet again) couldn’t accept that she lost the darned parlor game.

 Visit Carlo Vergara over here.

To get tickets for Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah Ze Muzical (from Carver’s blog):

“To make reserving your tickets a little easier for you, you can call Lorelei or Paolo at TP:

Or you can contact Lorelei through 09285518645.

Hacker and Darkstalkers

Click on image for submission guidelines.

Udon Entertainment is back this yea… Nah! I’ll just copy-paste from their website.

 “Given the success and fan glee generated by last year’s Street Fighter Tribute book, many of you asked us whether or not we’d do another Tribute book. Finally, we can answer that question.

Talking at length with Capcom and checking the dates, we saw that Capcom’s other popular fighting game franchise was celebrating its 15th anniversary in 2009, and it all fell into place. 

So… after much speculation/expectation, we’re very proud to announce Darkstalkers Tribute!”

There!

The Big Bad Wolf never expected the little girl to be  highly obssessive-compulsive when it come to security.  (Darkstalkers art, G. Escota and M. Taduran)

And speaking of that Street Fighter Tribute book, A lot of our friends in IAS and Komiks Manila’s art made it in that book. Shelly Soneja, Kei Liwanag, Timothy Terenal, Marvin Del Mundo, Samuel Donato, and Mark Taduran: very late congratulations to you all! I hope more of pinoys make it for this year’s “Tribute” book.

Now, ogle at some of their fabulous works! Captions Time!

The mystery of the missing Kamelyo Hinlalaki. *Wink! (SFT, S. Soneja.)

The Scorpio Nights neighbor is back, with more creative antics this time. (SFT, T. Terenal)

Si Haaand! Si The Hand ang nag-hack! (M. Del Mundo)

…………..

Hacked

Pretty boy, Komiks Manila pal, Mannie Abeleda’s DeviantArt account was hacked recently. The bastard (the hacker, not Mannie) even posted a journal entry of outgoing links to different dA sites! He left Mannie an outcast from his own account by changing the password, and then made the man the newest resident of Nepal. I wonder where the bastard (Mannie, not the hacker this time) gets his balut from and who he plays Magic cards with in there.

Seriously, this is really sad because his dA is one of Mannie’s prides and joys. I hope dA helps him out on this. (Link to hacked account)

Still on Mannie on a happier note, he was interviewed in a website called “OYE!” for his work in Family Bones.  (Link to interview)

Magic players in Nepal aren’t as tolerant to trash talkers  as the Filipinos. (Family Bones, A. Abeleda)

The Top 4 Most Successful Komiks of This Generation (Part 2 of 4)

*Read from the start: (Part 1  Part 2  Part 3  Part 4)

 Wooow…. Nokia 3310! 

Falling in at the third spot is Culture Crash Comics (first issue: 1999, last: 2004), a komiks-magazine that started another revolution in Philippine komiks. It came out during the times when the whole nation stopped to watch the epic battles of a laser-sword-swashbuckling giant robot, wide-eyed cartoon figures that can destroy a whole planet in one blast, and spirit warriors fighting in gladiatorial battles in a coliseum –the time when the Anime/Manga invasion was in full throttle.

The komiks community responded and created a new genre to adapt. Pinoy Manga (let’s use that term in the mean time) was born. Culture Crash earned loads of criticisms, but acquired legions of supporters as well. For some time, it created turmoil in the komiks industry. For a while, there was division in opinions, flaring up debates in online forums. The Manga, Classic Pinoy and Western styles of drawing komiks collided in a glorious mayhem!

On the Pinoy Manga side were young guns caught in a whirlwind of a very powerful Anime/Manga influence. The resisting parties were mostly composed of seasoned veterans, who somehow had a difficult time accepting that manga has started its course to reshape pinoy komiks culture. It has been brewing even long before, and now it is ready to take center stage.

In the end, a lot of the guys who had doubts to this new genre had to concede and accept this new bloods as bonafide brothers in the industry, rather than lost, characterless turncoats. Those guys included me!

The fans thought there was something really odd with TVJ during the red carpet premier of Iskul Bukol. ( kubori Kikiam, M. David)

Culture Crash Comics/CCCom/C3, unlike the struggling independent komiks artists in the Philippines, had the funding and mechanisms to widely distribute their stuff. James Palabay (Da Bhoss), made sure he had that covered and at the same time, he compiled a powerhouse team of Pinoy Manga talents to complete his lineup. Palabay, together with his artists, Elmer Damaso (IQ 40), Jio Beltran (JIO), Michael David (Taga-Kanal) and Melvin Calingo (Taga-Ilog) permanently inscribed their names in the history pages of Pinoy Manga, and therefore to Pinoy Komiks history as well.

They came up with a clash of cultures: a komiks unlike anything that’s done before. Being a zine, C3 was a bulletin board for movies, gadgets and pinoy pop culture. But the main dishes of course are the featured komiks created from start to finish by Filipino artists. The style was untraditional with all those sleek lines and stylized anatomy, but Filipino hints in the komiks are undeniable.

 Ada and Dodong had a lot of LQ’s the first time they moved to the big city. (Pasig, Taga-Ilog)

Although heavily criticized, mostly on originality and character, Culture Crash managed to attract a huge fan base and was able to sustain production for five years. Within that timeline, the group produced fourteen issues of pure pinoy manga goodness, and organized two anime/manga conventions.

The C3 Con gathered anime fans in one place to express themselves and their love to the craft. There pinoy manga creators sold their komiks and cosplayers performed to the fans’ delight. Such kind gathering is yet again unfamiliar to us pinoys until Culture Crash.

With the inspiration it provided to pinoy manga fans and creators, and a commercially successful run to boost, Culture Crash is at the tip of the spearhead in the growth of Pinoy Manga.   

Muy-muy and friends won the science fair with their entry, “Ang Baliktad na Halamang Tao sa Paso.” (CCCom reunion, Komikon ‘08, original photo from alpmobs) 

The Top 4 Most Successful Komiks of This Generation (Part 1 of 4)

*Read all: (Part 1  Part 2  Part 3  Part 4)

This post was supposed to be in high spirits when I first thought about it. But after finalizing the shortlist, it turned out to be… quite depressing.

Four! I spent days gathering views from different people in an effort to extend the list to at least five. I originally wanted to do a top 10! I did research until minutes prior to this writing, but I couldn’t add more even if I wanted to. I’d only be fooling myself and you if I did. What a realization!

No wonder the local komiks industry is hardly moving! Too many slots are still vacant. Like a passenger jeepney in a station pila, it won’t go forward until all seats are filled up.

Now don’t be confused. I know there are a lot of really good pinoy komiks out there. If I am to do list for that, everybody knows it is going to exceed way past four. But I’m counting down the titles that had sufficient commercial success and publicity. If you are to dispute this list and thinks other titles should be included, hit the comments! I’ll be very happy to hear it. 

So without further ado, Komiks Manila proudly (still proudly) presents to you these icons, “The Top 4 Most Successful Komiks (1990 to present)”.

All those empty seats must drive the most passionate of komiks enthusiasts and fans crazy! So to you, the talented Filipino Komikero, I challenge you: many slots that are supposed to be occupied are vacant. Go secure your posts! It’s about time we get moving on this journey.

The  Scorpio Nights neighbor upstairs is insatiable. 

First off the list at number four is the hard-hitting, angst driven story of a gun-wielding man who lost his entire self, the moment he lost the woman he loves. It’s a story that kicks you in the face, then later, you feel its impact right through your heart. WASTED by Gerry Alanguilan (first ashcan issue: 1994, completed: 1996) delivered to Filipino komiks fans something that caught them off guard, something new or something they haven’t received from local komiks for a very long time.

Its overall premise is actually a cliché: a guy is dumped by his girl for someone else; he gets extremely miserable; so he goes out blowing people’s heads off with a pistol and a bag-full of ammo! But Gerry is not your average storyteller: he pushed the story to the extreme! He massacred a band of fags; choked to death a public smoker ‘til blood flowed through his arm; and sent a politician flying down from a high-rise building. Such kinds of bloody gore weren’t seen in the local industry before. At least not in the way Alanguilan told them.

He even believed his mom when she said; “Ang gwapu-gwapo mo anak!”

Extracting all his emotions from real-life experiences, and pouring all those glorious angst in a vessel that was to become Wasted, Gerry engages the reader with his honest and very personal story. The writer’s vulnerability during the time of its writing is very apparent in every page, and it induces the reader to become vulnerable as well. And when everything is set, Gerry delivers the final blow in the final chapter, Chapter 8. This in my opinion is the chapter that sealed Wasted as a premium reading material, proudly Filipino-made.

But what is it that put Wasted in this chart? Wasted is not anywhere near to being a household name after more than a decade its first printing. It is only familiar mostly to hardcore komiks fans and maybe to their immediate acquaintances. Other than that, the book hasn’t gained enough popularity to reach the masses’ majority, or at least a significant percentage of it. Despite getting published twice in compiled editions, getting serialized in Pulp Magazine, and getting posted as a web comic (yes, it’s available for free online!); Wasted’s commercial success is still kept in the minimum by the looks of it.

Nibs ignored the “BAWAL UMIHI DITO” sign for the last time. 

But success is measured not only by how many copies you sell and how much money you make. Impact is another gauge that defines achievement. And in this yardstick, Wasted champions the pinoy indie komiks scene.

Everyone who read the book has his story. Budgette Tan’s writes, “…in Wasted’s case, it hit me hard and then I started laughing… Then later I asked myself: Why the hell was I laughing?” (Apologies if I misquote, my Elmer #2 copy is not handy at the moment.) In my case, well, I just remember my heart pounding fast. It was hard to put down the book. I had to go back several pages and re-read it before I was able to finally put it down. Obviously, there was shock… and then followed a massive, lasting aftershock. The last time I checked, that aftershock has reached all the way to Russia! (Wasted in Russian. Read here, Vladimir!)

An artist or writer who just read Wasted and knew even just a little bit of history behind the tale would most likely want to create his own komiks. It was a learning experience just as much as it is inspirational. That of course, I say in terms of knowing your capabilities, which is most especially true during the late 90’s. Through the book, pinoy artists knew that he have no boundaries on which stories to tell and most importantly, he doesn’t need the big companies in order to get “published”. Wasted painted an idea of how far a humble, Xerox-produced mini komiks can take them.

The independent komikeros scored high in Wasted. The independent titles that are sold in booths at the annual Komikon are a testament to that. God knows what’s in store for them and how far they’d go. But to many komikeros, it all started with the story of a man with a broken heart… and a loaded gun. 

Hard-headed Peter Petrelli didn’t listen to his brother, Nathan. 

Every warm blooded pinoy komiks fan should know where to find Gerry.

He is also an active video blogger, friends. I wonder if he already made a video that discusses Wasted. I scoured his videos in YouTube, but I wasn’t able to find one. He has A LOT of videos. I really hope he makes one on Wasted. 

Komiks Manila and Bacon

The articles that I promised in the last post are still in progress as of this writing. I still can’t finish them just yet due to my crazy working schedule, so to fill in the gap, I thought I’d post an enhanced version of this blog. 

What else can you put into your site that is more appetizing and enticing than, err… Bacon!

Don’t quite get it? Click here to see the upraded version of Komiks Manila. 

Heads Up!

_{“Manoy has taken a lot of commuting photos with his camera phone, but never got to copy them in his PC. He settles with an archive photo for this post after a thug picked his phone in his pocket a couple of days ago. Tsk… Tsk… He would’ve wanted that nice MRT shot in there.”}

Hello! I just came home (home’s in down south Las Piñas, friends.) from a gig in QC, wherein I sessioned for this awesome band, Maniac Kiss. I didn’t quite perform well, which is a real bummer. Also, I looked pathetic using kodigos all throughout the set. I just wish I somehow managed to come down the stage cool. But then, I already had my alibis ready even before we got up there. LOL!   

As I was travelling the metro’s highways, I’ve thought of the articles that I’d write for this blog. Since I was the one brainless enough to volunteer to take over the job, I thought I should at least prepare myself. Especially now that some of my friends in Komiks Manila have started promoting this blog in their respective DA journals, which to our delight, tickled several people’s interests. Some even wanted to join! Wow!

About joining the group, well allow us to get things settled down first, and then we’ll get there. We’re gonna be calling for artists, and most especially writers sometime in the near future. When that happens, we will announce it here. So just come back as often as you can for updates.

And while you’re at it, why don’t you post something in the comments section or in the message board and make your presence felt? C’mon you guys! We’ll gladly help you out sell your Komiks or whatever it is that you’re peddling.

Going back to the articles that I am going to write in the following days; I came up with many ideas but I have my thoughts on these three the most:

    An article about some of the most successful comics of our time.

2.       A critique on a recent Pinoy-released komiks. (I haven’t decided which one to critique yet. Any suggestions?)

3.       Maybe an article about comic strips and their artists.

Well, as I am writing this I’m getting more ideas but I’m not going to include them just yet. It’s better for me not to promise you guys a lot of things for now. I don’t want to build up your expectations and then fail you in the end.

Also, I think I’m going to maintain the humor I have incorporated. I don’t want it to sound so serious or even preachy. I’d want it to be more “me”.

I don’t want the readers to have an image of me as someone whose nowhere near my personality, wherein if by some twist of fate, we meet, he’s not gonna give the look saying’ “Huh? You’re Komiksman? Err… Are you sure?”, or something like that.

Mico Suayan is All Geared Up for Comics Superstardom

First of all Mico Suayan is having a book signing of his second miniseries for Marvel Comics on January 10, 2009. It will be held at Comics Odyssey, Robinson’s Galleria. Be there at ‘round about 2 to 4 PM to see him in person and if you’re lucky, you might just get him to sketch for you. If you’re even luckier, he might give you a kiss! If not, then at least you get to see how much of a pretty boy he is. 

Okay, so now that the goofing around is done, I can go on to introducing you to this man, Mico.

I first met this guy I think back in around 2003, in Gerry Alanguilan’s Komikero meeting, wherein we are both members. Then, several years later, we became co-workers, doing storyboards at IAS Manila Studio. A year and a half later, he left the company to pursue his real craft, which is illustrating kick-ass comics for some comics-making company called Marvel.

He’s not really trying to be scary, this is just how he is everytime he looks at the mirror. 

The art he provided for the stuff he was assigned to can only be described with superlatives. His awesome rendering style and his attention to the minutest detail, to me, is his greatest asset. Not to mention his dedication to his work and professionalism. He’d do everything he has to do, anything that is instructed. He’s always the yes man.

He sure has gone a long way since I first saw his works when I met him back 2003, which mind you was already great. But the ones he’s coming up with right now are on several levels higher.

It’s just exciting what the future holds for this young blood and his art. What could it be that stands on the peak of his career? One thing is for sure though, with more and more projects coming his way, all roads can only point to greatness.

One dream I have left for him is to do local komiks work in the future. We already talked about this and came up with a plan to make comics out from his idea, which then I get to expound and write a story with. When it finally happens, we promise it’s going to be a blast.

Captain America: “Wala namang liparan! Naman eh!.” 

Click here to to view Mico’s DeviantArt, and here to see him beating up a co-worker.

Next time, people.

Who is God? He’s A Damn Good Artist!

Okay guys, I am not talking about God, the Creator of heaven and earth. I’m talking about another “God”, Godfrey Escota to be precise.  Take a quick scroll down and have a glimpse of his amazing art, then scroll back up and let me introduce him to you.  Go!

God is one of IAS (Interactive Arts Services) Manila Studio’s prized artists. He holds a team leader post for the Pencils Department, doing storyboards for a clientele that includes advertising giants like Leo Burnett , Saatchi & Saatchi and Arnold Worldwide. Prior to that gig, he was a top ace in an animation studio somewhere in Pasig City.

I probably first saw the lad back in our college days. We went to the same school and took the same course, Architecture. Strangely enough, we didn’t know each other until we became co-workers, years later in IAS. That’s quite amazing considering the School of Architecture in Mapua is only half-a-floor, consisted of around six rooms measly.

At first glance on God’s art, one understands immediately that what he beholds is nothing less than a work of a master. His understanding of the human anatomy and figure is just exceptional. To my personal opinion, this mastery is what allows him to do complicated illustrations with ease and efficiency of a seasoned assassin, well versed in all drawing styles from manga to hyper-realistic renderings.

Frankly as I see it, he is easily the next big thing, the next Leinil Yu or Jay Anacleto, only if he chooses to. This makes me often wonder why he doesn’t.  Most of the time I blame it to his err… happy disposition and sometimes fickle mindedness, but hey, let’s give it to the man to decide when he’s ready.

I share this to give you guys a hint about the hidden gems that we have in the Filipino artists’ talent pool. How many out there are just waiting to be discovered, dug, mined and polished? The answer you’ll find might shock you and set you in a pleasant disbelief.

I remember wondering as I commute on a full bus, how many of the passengers could be artists like me or at least can draw? Could I be the only one? There could be times that I was, but in many occasions, I’d bet that wasn’t the case. There could’ve been Godfrey’s that sat beside me. In fact, there was a Godfrey in my school that I never knew until I started working with him several years ago.

It is just so exciting to think how many hidden God’s are there, lurking in the crowds that we see every day, doing their masterpieces in the privacy of their bedrooms and computers.

Just imagine.

See more of Godfrey in his DeviantArt and IAS blog interview. 

Komiksman

It is 4:25 am of Christmas 2008. What the heck am I doing blogging? Shouldn’t I be sleeping already? The exquisite Noche Buena has already come down my stomach, zigzaging its way through my small intestines, or maybe past it by now.

Oh, well.

I’ve been playing Warrock Philippines for several hours, then I watched Wanted with my sister. She went upstairs to sleep after the movie, I was left alone downstairs. I then surfed the net and checked the mail, until I realized i haven’t  updated this blog for weeks now. 

I browsed the site, stared at it for a few minutes, trying to think of ideas on how to make it more interesting. I already have a mock up for the real Komiks Manila site since last October, but our schedules did not participate well afterwards to this day. Hopefully, we get it up by the first quarter of next year. It’s gonna look much, much better, I promise you. I’ll probably have it on a subscribed web host but definitely, this i.ph blog will still be included.

Anyway, as I looked it over, I saw the contact e-mail I listed to be my personal gmail account. I thought to myself that I should come up with a separate address for Komiks Manila, afterall Komiks Manila is not just me, It is a bunch of artists. It is a name of a group, not a personal monicker/ title.

So, I pulled up Gmail.com and createad a new account. Immediately, I typed komiksmanila for the user name. Then I realized that it would be better if the blogger (yours truly) can be identified with a name of a person and not of a group.  I thought that way, whatever I will write will be stronger and more proper, if there would be a personal touch and not a consensus of ideas of people. That way, this blog can have balls.

I paused for a moment to think of another gmail handle. The next word that came up was “Komiks Man”. The name was coined to me by my friend/ co-worker, Benjo Camay. It is actually a short for, well… Komiks Manila, but it can also function as a term you can use to describe a person (regardless of gender) who does komiks! 

The name was most probably have been used before. But I think it is safe to say that whoever used/ uses the handle is close to being completely forgotten/ unknown. 

Once I got the name dancing in my head, It became really tough for me to let it go. So I made the account, komiksman@gmail.com which will serve from now on as this blog’s readers’ main contact information, and a pseudonym for it’s author.

Now as I write this blog, I ask myself: Am I worthy of the title i just gave myself? Do I have the credentials to back it up? Have i done enough work to the komiks industry and its development and growth?

  Personally, i’d say NO. There are a lot of guys who’ve been there way before I was. And even some of my contemporaries have done so much to the industry at a very young age.

  My contributions in komiks pale easily compared to theirs, that I am fully aware…

  But heck! I’ve beaten them into it, so sue me. ;p

Komiksman

LAs Piñas City, Ph 

P.S.  Merry Christmas! 

And It Goes Down to Blogging

One Tuesday morning, during breakfast, I met with a couple of friends in the office. I did the night shift the day before so my hours of sleep counted to zero. They on the other hand were fresh and all geared up for that day’s work making storyboards for faceless people, (at least most of them) far across the Pacific.

So we went our way to a nearby McD’s and had our fill of greasy fries and pancakes. 

Being comics fans and artists alike, we talked about what was going on in the industry. News about Gilbert Monsanto and the Bayan Knights was new, the Komikon was yet months away from happening that time, the other Comic-Con meanwhile was supposed to happen in a couple of weeks. Too bad it got postponed. 

I remember getting excited in what’s happening. The Bayan Knights, i thought was a fantastic idea. I could imagine how the newbies felt when they were called to participate. What thrill it would’ve been.

Fast forward to November, Li’l ol’ me witnessed Komikon 2008. I looked around and saw only things of beauty. Familiar faces were enhanced with a different glow. I look back now and I’m thinking it was the look of motivation, conviction and commitment, to do comics, regarless of what other people might think. Even those who are dearest to them. Against all odds.

Right then; what was proven in the first Komikon back in 2005 was even more solidified: not only that we have the undeniable talent and passion to do comics, we also have a formidable number of people who has what it takes to get it back in the mainstream. From the veterans and their rich heritage, the forerunners who inspire, to the acne infested kids with their ash cans (alright, there were cute ones as well. ;p) everybody had great enthusiasm, happy to be under one roof with the people they respect and admire.

And what’s even more interesting were the quality of printing and paper used in the indies. It greatly improved compared to the Komikons that went before that. The press printed comics actually out-numbered the photocopied ones. To me that was simply amazing! Seems like the comics guys have gone richer too!

Anyway, I’ll take you back to the McD’s breakfast scene earlier. We were sharing each other comments, rants and raves when somewhere along the way, I coined in a idea to form this group. An artists’ group with not much difference to the others existing and gone.

The ideas we’ve been brewing are almost driving me insane. Now all that is left, is to execute the plan.

This blog is the first step. Welcome to Komiks Manila!

-Jerald Dorado

Makati, Philippines