Mar

16

How to Save Newspapers

Filed Under Internet, Video Blogs | 6 Comments


Stop the Presses: How to Save Newspapers by Ted Rall and David Essman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7qd8v8v2qk
I saw this video via the Comics Reporter.

The video is funny, but the subject matter not so much. The fate of newspapers is pretty grim. We don’t feel it yet here in the Philippines, but technologically advanced countries like the US do. Newspapers have closed, and creative people are getting laid off slowly but surely. Some publications have gone web-only.

But HOLD THE PRESSES! I think I may have a solution! Oh ho yes, I do!

What if, in the future, print newspapers become completely “print on demand”? Newspaper dispensers in the street wouldn’t contain newspapers but a printer and a whole lotta paper. If someone wants a print version of the newspaper, they can just get one from the dispenser.

BUT HERE’S WHAT’S INTERESTING!

The dispenser/printer prints only the most up to date news, depending on what time of day you buy the newspaper. Let’s say there’s a developing story, like an Election where results are coming in all day. You buy a newspaper at 10am and you get the results that are currently available at 10am. When you buy the newspaper at 3pm, you get the results that are currently available at 3pm.

Feature articles, reviews,cartoons, editorials, etc. get a maximum life of like 24 hours before being replaced, but news change minute by minute, second by second.

The newspaper you get may well be different from the newspaper the guy ahead in line got just a few seconds before!

In this setup, only those who want print will get theirs in print, while those who want to read it online can still continue to read it online.

Hey, you heard it here first!!

Mar

15

Komikon Summer de avance is Next Month! (Image Updated!)

Filed Under COMICS CONVENTIONS, Philippine Comics | 27 Comments

Komikon Summer de avance (or Summer Komikon) is on April 17, 2010! That’s only less than a month from now. I’ll be there to pimp both ELMER and Bold Star, and to launch a new title: UMLAUTS and ATOM BOMBS #1, my return to photocopy comics!

By the way, apologies to everyone for not showing up at Renaissance yesterday. I’ll make it up on future dates!

Thanks to Jon Zamar for the image above.

Mar

12

Where I Was Last Night

Filed Under My Art, My Comics, Photographs | 24 Comments


With Cresencio “Bum” Tenorio


Those are REAL clay pots!!


With Rachelle Gerodias and Bum

Glad to be home. I’m still feeling sick, but I didn’t feel it too much today. It was maybe the adrenaline. It was awesome to finally meet Rachelle Gerodias, who “met” me at You Tube. She’s an honest to goodness soprano and when she sang oh my God, where the hell did my jaw go? Oh, it’s on the floor! She’s so awesome.

It was also great to meet Bum Tenorio, writer for the Philippine Star whose first words to me were, “I read Wasted!” He said he even wrote a review for it way back 1998. Bum is awesome company with his hysterical tales and insight.

Resting now. Hope to get back to work tomorrow.

Mar

10

Renaissance Book Tour, Comic Odyssey Sale

Filed Under COMICS CONVENTIONS, Comics Artists, Filipino Artists, Philippine Comics | 6 Comments

Renaissance Book Tour

Renaissance goes on the road! Our first stop is this Saturday, March 13, 2010 at the National Book Store branch in the new Glorietta 5. I’ll be on hand to sign and sketch for a cause. Hey, Tony De Zuniga is going to be there!

I always make it a point to support our local comic book stores as much as I can as they provide an important and vital link between us creators and those who read our work. Comic Odyssey owner Sandy Sansolis has been very supportive of local creators through the various signings he organizes all throughout the year.

In fact, he’s doing so again when the first issue of Ultimate Avengers by Leinil Yu and myself is released. Sandy is going to be conducting a signing at one of his shops, to coincide with Free Comic Book Day on May 1, 2010.

Unfortunately, I myself probably won’t be around for FCBD it’s likely I wouldn’t be in the country. Apologies to Sandy! I’ll make it up to you at the next signing!

In the meantime, their store is going to have a huge sale THIS weekend at their Robinson’s Galleria and Robinson’s Malate branches.

Mar

8

To Comics Fans in Cebu and Baguio

Filed Under COMICS CONVENTIONS, Philippine Comics | 3 Comments

From Jonas Diego:

Cebu and Baguio

I will be in Cebu this coming March 16, 2010 Tuesday and in Baguio on March 18, 2010 Thursday for a business trip.

If anyone from the local Cebu and Baguio comic book industry (creators, publishers, retailers, and fans) are free, maybe you guy would want to hang out, talk comics, and maybe come up with something we can do for the Cebu and Baguio comic book community.

Write me a note at admin(AT)jonasdiego.com so I can e-mail you my mobile number.

Hope to see you guys there!

************

Jonas Diego is a comics writer and artist and co founder of the Komikero Artists Group. He has also proven to be an excellent organizer of comic book events. He was responsible for organizing both the 2nd San Pablo Comics Festival, along with the KomiksTrip Comics Convention in UPLB. He also regularly conducts comics workshops, talks and seminars in Manila, Laguna and nearby areas.

To the fans of comics in Cebu and Baguio who have visited this blog many times wondering about comics conventions in your area, I think it would be a good idea to get your legions together and hear what Jonas would have to say. Best of luck, and I hope I visit one of your events one of these days!

Mar

7

Philippine Adventure & Romance Stories #1 at Summer Komikon!

Filed Under COMICS CONVENTIONS, Comics Artists, Filipino Artists, Philippine Comics | 20 Comments

Some of you may remember me talking about this title back in September 2009:
Philippine Adventure and Romance Stories Preview
http://gerry.alanguilan.com/archives/1998

The first issue has finally been printed and was soft launched during Renaissance at SM Megamall on February 21. A few local creators were on hand to promote and sign copies including Rico Rival, Abe Ocampo and Clem Rivera.


From Left: Abe Ocampo, Rico Rival and Clem Rivera

The title will be officially launched at Summer Komikon on April 17, 2010, and will have more of its creators on hand to sign copies.

I was able to get a copy during Renaissance and I have to say it’s a pretty nice package. I think this comic book is remarkable in that it represents a significant leap in the evolution of Philippine komiks.

While Carlo Caparas and Sterling Publishing released new komiks in 2007 which offered nothing new in terms of format, storytelling, production values from how komiks were published decades ago, the publishers of PARS (Philippine Adventure & Romance Stories) took its cue from the younger generation and released their comic book in graphic novel format, full color in glossy paper, and what’s more, it’s completely in English. It’s in English, I’m told, because the comic book will actually be distributed more widely abroad.

The publisher for this is Goldenlife Development Foundation, Inc., who is basically Art V. De Guzman Jr., editor and one of the contributing writers. For all practical intents and purposes, this is a self published comic book by a veteran komiks creator.

When Rico Rival signed my copy “To Gerry, We’re now in the same boat!”, I took it to mean that we’re all independent publishers now, and I think it’s simply fantastic.

The contributing writers include: Sarah Villanueva, Ed Galang, Jun Malgapo, Melo P. Soberano, Victoria Urbina, Romy D. Bohol, Flor Salanga, Marie F. Ruiz, Ramon Sedonio, and Art V. De Guzman Jr.

Contributing artists include: Nestor Malgapo, Manding De Guzman, Rico Rival, Abe Ocampo, Noli Panaligan, Nardy Cantillo, Clem Rivera, Tor Infante and Ferdee Bambico (colorist)

Editors are Art V. De Guzman and Nestor Malgapo
Art Director is Nestor Malgapo
Consultant is Arovel L. Jundis
Circulation Manager is Mitzy G. Velasco

The comic book is standard sized at 7″x10.5″, 112 pages, full color, glossy paper. Regular retail price is P950, but they promised to have a special convention price for Summer Komikon.

Sa lahat ng bumubuo ng Philippine Adventure and Romance Stories, Mabuhay Kayo!

Mar

6

Hey, why isn’t my comment up?

Filed Under Internet | 6 Comments

Which among the words “No Anonymous Comments!” is so difficult to understand? Or is the combination of all three words simply too complex for your mind to grasp?

No anonymous comments means no anonymous comments. No code names. No pseudonyms. No handles, except unless I know you personally. This is NOT a joke.

Stop being puzzled. Work it out in your head. CAREFULLY. You’ll get it eventually.

Mar

5

New Wasted Story

Filed Under My Art, My Comics, Wasted | 9 Comments

When the Komikero Artists Group launched our (impossibly) regular series “Komikero Komiks Anthology” (now on it’s 6th issue) early last year, I thought I would create a new stand-alone WASTED story. I’ve always tried to avoid creating anything new with regards to Wasted because I wanted to create new things, other things. Having been happy with having created numerous stuff like Timawa, Johnny Balbona, Humanis Rex!, and ELMER since writing and drawing Wasted, I felt comfortable enough to return to it.

And so “CONFESSION” came to be. It’s a new 6-page Wasted story which can stand on its own (somewhat), but if you have read Wasted before, you would get a much better appreciation of it. This story happens immediately after issue #3 of the original series.

You can read “Confession” in its entirety here, or click the image below:

Creating new Wasted material almost 15 years after the strong emotions which drove me to create Wasted originally, was strange. Anger drove the creation of the original Wasted. As with anything I write, my state of mind and emotion always informs the work I do, whether I intend to or not. Having been very happy and content with my personal life for the past decade or so, the new Wasted material was informed by such happy emotions. It’s perhaps why “Confession” turned into a comedy of sorts. I didn’t intend it, but there you go.

It was nice revisiting Wasted, but I think Confession would be the first and last time.

Read the original WASTED in its entirety here:
http://wastedonline.blogspot.com
Official WASTED site:
http://alanguilan.com/sanpablo/wasted
WASTED on Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wasted_(comics)

Mar

3

Umlauts and Atom Bombs #1 at Summer Komikon

Filed Under COMICS CONVENTIONS, Filipino Artists, My Art, My Comics, Philippine Comics | 3 Comments

Umlauts and Atom Bombs is a collection of short comics stories, illustrations, doodles and whatnot, worked on between the deadlines. It’s like a grown up Crest Hut Butt Shop, but not really.

This first issue features “Mitch and Mischa“, written by me and illustrated by veteran komiks illustrator Marivi Hilos-Nepomuceno, whose specialty was drama/love stories for GASI Publishing in the 80’s and 90’s.

Marivi is also a fellow architect, and fellow member of the United Architects of the Philippines, San Pablo Chapter. She’s also a professional photographer. Marivi and I worked together before, when she contributed an illustration for WASTED, which appeared in the photocopy series, as well as the Final Edition published by PULP.

Marivi and I worked together on a short story called “The Letter”, which was supposed to have been the third issue of “The Dead Heart Stories” in 1998. We have subsequently decided that we could produce something better. We’ll be working on a much longer story, which will see release at the Annual Komikon in October.

“Mitch and Mischa” was to have been illustrated by the late Arlan Esmeña, but he passed away before he could start work on it.

Umlauts and Atom Bombs #1 will be a photocopied mini comic book (half short bond paper size), and shall be released at the Summer Komikon on April 17, 2010, Bahay ng Alumni, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City.

Feb

27

Fascinating Coincidence

Filed Under Philippine Comics | 7 Comments

Flipping through a 1953 issue of Liwayway Magazine, I was immediately struck when I saw this illustration.


Illustration signed by “Leynes”

To my eyes, the couple looks so much like Arlan and his wife May. Arlan only looks slightly similar, but May looks almost exactly the same. You can see for yourself in the tribute video of Arlan I made earlier. I had scanned this, printed it out and gave a copy to Arlan a couple of years ago and even he was surprised at how close the features were.

I think it’s simply coincidence, but what an awesome coincidence it is. Seeing the page again as I browsed this Liwayway issue, I thought I’d post it here.

Feb

25

Komiks Documentary (In Tagalog) from 2006

Filed Under Comics Artists, Filipino Artists, Philippine Comics, Video Blogs | Leave a Comment

This video is actually a school project by students of De La Salle University in Dasmariñas, Cavite. They interviewed me, along with many other comic book people in 2006 for this project. They had given me a copy, and reviewing it again recently I thought that it would be such a waste to just let it languish in obscurity as I found it to be pretty good.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjIdiSr1wKU
Pinoy Komiks, 2006
Directed by Pammela Belbis
Written by Jannel Miranda
Produced by Erika Ebora

The video features comic book people like Budjette Tan, Dennis Villegas, Jonas Diego, Michael David, Manix Abrera, Lyndon Gregorio, Mrs. Luming Coching, Terry Bagalso, Boboy Yonzon, Norman Isaac, Gilbert Monsanto, Reg Ting and so many more….

This video was uploaded to my You Tube account with the permission of the students.

Feb

24

KomiksTrip Video by Flippish.com

Filed Under COMICS CONVENTIONS, Philippine Comics, Video Blogs | 3 Comments

Taking you back a couple of weeks to KomiksTrip because Flippish.com did this really extraordinary video of the event:

Get Adobe Flash player




http://www.flippish.com/komiks-trip/2010/02/18/

KomiksTrip 2010
http://gerry.alanguilan.com/archives/2404

Feb

23

Renaissance: Comics Convention for Charity

Filed Under COMICS CONVENTIONS, Comics Artists, Filipino Artists, Philippine Comics, Photographs, Video Blogs | 2 Comments

Flickr Gallery
http://www.flickr.com/photos/komikero/sets/72157623365279479/

Photos from Edgar Tadeo
http://www.edgartadeo.com/?p=1917

Mcoy’s Photos
http://mcoy.blogspot.com/2010/02/renaissance-megamall-pics-n-stuff.html

Carlo Pagulayan’s Photos
http://caloyski.multiply.com/photos/album/50/Renaissance

Turns out, comics colorist for Marvel Jay David Ramos is a ROCK STAR! Oh, yeah!

Feb

22

Thank You

Filed Under Bold Star, COMICS CONVENTIONS, Comics Artists, Filipino Artists, Komikero Group, Video Blogs | 1 Comment

I want to thank the organizers of yesterday’s Renaissance event, all the artists gave their time to do sketches, Leinil Francis Yu, and all the people who came and supported us. It was completely unexpected that the money generated from the sketches, as well as Leinil’s sketchbooks and original artwork, was eventually donated towards the family of Arlan Esmeña. I am deeply touched by the gesture and on behalf of Arlan’s family, I really wish to thank all of you for your effort and generosity. I am not aware of how much Arlan’s hospitalization and treatment, and now funeral arrangement had cost, but I’m certain it must be astronomical. This would definitely help them out a lot. Thank you very much from the bottom of my heart, and and at the very top of my lungs. You’re all AWESEOME, guys!

Arlan’s wake is currently being held at his own home at Maharlika Village here in San Pablo. He will be buried tomorrow, Tuesday, in Dolores, Quezon.

Arlanzandro C. Esmeña
December 8, 1973 – February 18, 2010
http://gerry.alanguilan.com/archives/2370

Feb

21

Renaissance is TODAY!

Filed Under COMICS CONVENTIONS, My Art, My Comics, Philippine Comics | 22 Comments

February 21 Update: Renaissance is TODAY, but I will be late. Lots of work stuff still to finish. I’ll be there around 11:30am onwards.

The first thing that people ask is… what is “Renaissance”? There seems to be some confusion as to what it is, I know. Even the posters that have come out have been kind of vague. The simple answer is that it’s very much like a one-day comics convention. It IS a comics convention. The difference is, it is a comics convention for charity. Ticket sales, as well as the money earned from sketches, and the money earned from a special book that’s going to be launched at the event, will go to charity.

What is this special book? It’s a book that collects illustrations from many of the best Filipino illustrators in comics and animation in the world. Who are going to be in this book? In this poster is a list:

The illustration I contributed is the one on top. Also in the book is a kick ass collaboration between Whilce Portacio and Philip Tan!

The awesome thing is… every single piece of original art in this book are going to be auctioned off at EBAY, the profits of which will also go to charity.

What is this charity? It’s been agreed, specially in the light of the good results of the Ondoy auctions of last year, that many of our fellow professionals in comics need our help financially to deal not only with tragedies like this, but also for personal tragedies like sickness. A charity will be established specifically for this purpose.

So yeah! If you want to help out, please visit us this Sunday, February 21 at the Megatrade Hall 3, SM Megamall. Doors open at 10am and I’ll be pretty much there the whole day.

I’ll be doing sketches! I’ve pledged to do at least 10 sketches for the event. If you want a sketch from me, please reserve it at the door when you arrive. I’ll be pretty much hanging out at my table the whole day selling ELMER and BOLD STAR.

Ticket price is P100, but please bear in mind, that goes to charity. If you think it’s too expensive, and you think helping comics creators in need is not worth it, then you just better shut up and keep your opinion to yourself because if you blurt it out, I’ll kick you in the nuts, we’ll never speak again, and I’ll pretty much grow old thinking how much of a selfish cheapskate you are.

See you there!