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Jan

12

Sorry Ed. Sorry KC.

Filed Under Comics Artists, Elmer, Filipino Artists, Komikero Group, My Art, My Comics, Timawa, Video Blogs | 14 Comments

Adam David’s review of Elmer for the Philippine Free Press is now online and uploaded at my site as a scan. I redesigned the Elmer sub-site a little bit just to reflect the completion of the comic book.

I just got home from Manila. I was down there visiting Leinil Yu for one reason or another. I spied some awesome artwork at his desk, like this terrific drawing of Black Bolt, as well as a cover to Ultimate Hulk and Wolverine. I was supposed to interview him on video, but I opted to do it next week when I’ll be staying there overnight so we can have more time. Edgar Tadeo will be there too. That’s my way of coercing Ed, who at this very moment has no idea he will be spending the night at Leinil’s next week but since it’s here in my blog he won’t have any choice but to go. Sorry Ed.

I wrote a short superhero story last night for this anthology I’m contributing to. Superhero stories have been a bitch to write, but this one, which I titled “Last Hope”, seemed like the easiest thing in the world. No, actually, it wasn’t easy. But for the first time I feel like I wrote a superhero story that seemed right. Like everything fit and fell into the right places. I can’t wait to draw it.

I’ve been corresponding with John Nee over at Facebook. John Nee was one of my bosses over at DC/Wildstorm back when I was working for them. It’s funny that I get to talk to him now. He mentioned watching my You Tube videos and I swore I turned red right there. Crazy. My former boss, watching my You Tube bidjos. He even called my videos BIDJOS. Oh maaan. Can’t be helped I suppose. Those things are up there, and I put them there. Anyone can see it. I mean, what did I expect? But it’s all right. No concealment was intended. I knew it can be watched by anyone at anytime, and I’ve got nothing to be ashamed of or embarrassed about in any of my videos. That’s me having fun! So yeah! Bidjos! I’ll be making more of em!

Speaking of which…

Congrats to Kajo Baldisimo, artist of TRESE, for landing a gig with Dark Horse! No wonder he quit his day job. He has a new day job! I hope he continues Trese on the side because really, him and Budjette on Trese is simply GOLD.

Just now I got a horrifying email from my Timawa editor KC Cordero. They haven’t gotten TIMAWA 15 yet. It’s horrifying because I finished and uploaded Timawa 15 a week ago and sent him an email of its completion. For some reason, the email never got to him. This is horrifying because I hate being late for Timawa. I immediately resent him the download link and now all is fine. For some reason, Timawa will still make it to the February issue (out this January 23).

Thankfully, I won’t have to disappoint loyal Timawa reader Trebornoican, an OFW in South Korea who I met at You Tube. After the cliffhanger of Timawa 14, he said he couldn’t wait to see what happens next.

Jonas and Johnny will be coming over tomorrow, January 13 for the street dancing competition that’s part of the San Pablo City Coconut Festival 2009. No, I don’t think we’ll be doing any dancing, but it would have been cool to the Elf Dance with the Komikero gang and catch it on video! But no. We’re just going to watch.

Comments

14 Responses to “Sorry Ed. Sorry KC.”

  1. Rod Samonte on January 13th, 2009 2:12 am

    Gerry,
    I can’t really tell if Adam David is castigating you, criticizing you, or praising you, but it’s probably a mixture of all of the above, as he navigates from political, philosophical, social and artistic issues, finally ending in praises for Elmer. First he starts his article by mentioning, right off the bat, Carlo Caparas, yes that guy. He does, however, misspells komiks to komix (is there such a word? unless it’s his own coinage). The Pilipinized word for comics is komiks. Were you really actively against Manga? I don’t think so. And what is a “flimsy cover?” Then he rights himself by praising your “meticulously-rendered pastoralia” and devotes one long or two paragraphs to your excellent line drawings. He is right of course, when he says there is “love” in all of the art. Overall though this guy writes well, and the fact that he wrote about you is great, and overall it’s more praise than criticism.
    Rod

  2. Gerry Alanguilan on January 13th, 2009 7:23 am

    I think komix is a term to mean independent Philippine comics, as comix in the US means independent comics. I wasn’t against manga per se. I’m as much a manga reader as a lot of people. But I felt and still feel uncomfortable using a style that’s so recognizably Japanese to create comics here in the Philippines. I think our formidable talents as Filipinos could be better used to try and create something original. Blaze a trail of our own rather than follow in the footsteps of others. But people can’t help their influences I guess. I just hope that continued exposure to all kinds of art, and not just comics, would eventually help evolve the work of our artists. All good artists will eventually find their own unique voice anyway.

  3. Rod Samonte on January 13th, 2009 7:45 am

    Gerry,
    Absolutely, no matter what your beginnings or influences are, you will eventually find your own niche. Many Pinoy Manga illustrators are really excellent, and I think some of the illustrators you feature in your blog started in Manga. Congrats to Kajo Baldissimo. Wasn’t he Manga influenced? The komix/komiks terms is a minor point of course. The main thing is your work was noticed and reviewed.
    Can’t wait for your Leinil Yu interview. Can you feature works that we’ve not seen before?
    Rod

  4. Gerry Alanguilan on January 13th, 2009 8:24 am

    Rod, yeah, featuring some of the younger/young-ish guys would be a good idea. There’s a few I really haven’t featured yet like Harvey Tolibao, Jason Paz, Heubert Khan Michael, Stephen Segovia, Hai Ibardolaza, Jason Amor, Andrew Drilon, etc. Andrew Drilon is making waves for himself as a new voice in independent comics abroad.

  5. Ed on January 13th, 2009 8:55 am

    Haha! Next week is OK. Yeah, I’ll be there and I will drag Anne with me.

    Naks! MTV! Guest appearance ka na lang, Gerry. Hehe!

  6. Rod Samonte on January 13th, 2009 9:27 am

    Gerry,
    Pretty soon American Comics will be all-Filipino, hahaha. I’ve seen Tolibao’s work here, wasn’t sure he was Pinoy. There’s a Sicat inking over Lan Medina. Wonder if he’s Pinoy. But with a name like that, he’s got to be Pinoy, right.
    Can we see that Black Bolt drawing? Or is that still under wraps?
    Rod

  7. Gerry Alanguilan on January 13th, 2009 9:42 am

    Yep, Boy Sicat is Pinoy. I wasn’t able to get a photo of the Black Bolt drawing though. It was great. Fully pencilled with shades. Not really for inking.

  8. Markus on January 13th, 2009 11:55 am

    Cant wait to read more about that Superhero story you wrote, Gerry. I’m sure it will be good :)

  9. kc cordero on January 13th, 2009 12:34 pm

    gerry,
    oo, medyo late ng one week ang the buzz ngayon kasi cover buy ng isang advertiser. :) happy fiesta!

  10. auggie on January 14th, 2009 6:21 pm

    Rod,

    For the record, yung KOMIX, pinauso iyan noon ng CRAF Publications. Pa-gimmick lang siguro nila Pidong Alcala at Madz Castrillo para maiba sila. Gumimik dn si Jim Fernandez, BOLNIKS, naman ang kanyang publications, pero shortlived lang.
    Ano nga pala ang inside story doon sa EC Comics noong early 50s na nag- morphed into MAD COMICS ?

  11. Jiggy Cruz on January 14th, 2009 10:09 pm

    Hi Sir Gerry!

    Last hope seems like such an interesting story!!! Can’t wait to read that!!! I hope it becomes reality real soon!

  12. Gio Paredes on January 15th, 2009 12:20 am

    Hello Boss Gerry

    Is the superhero story the next project of Komikero Publishing after Elmer?

    (I have this little gut feeling that your going be inking again the pages of Leinil Yu.)

  13. Gerry Alanguilan on January 15th, 2009 12:31 am

    Gio, if I were given the choice, to write and draw my own stories, or ink someone else, I’d choose to draw. As an artist, I would want to draw. So yes, I’ll be drawing that story on my own, not for Komikero publishing, but for an anthology in the US. :D

  14. Rod Samonte on January 15th, 2009 4:16 am

    Auggie,
    Thanks for the info, but that was used only for Craf Publications, right. Regarding how MAD came to be, it seems Harvey Kurtzman needed a raise, but in order to increase his income he needed to come up with a new publication, here’s the story in toonopedia: http://www.toonopedia.com/mad.htm
    Rod