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Mar

9

Signature Story

Filed Under Creating Comics, Elmer, My Art, My Comics, Wasted | 7 Comments

Over at Twitter, Charles Tan asked the question, “Which published story of yours would you like to be known for as your ‘signature story’“?

I had replied that I would like to think I haven’t written it yet. After all, I’ve so far published only very few stories. There’s Wasted, Elmer, Timawa, Humanis Rex! the Siglo stories, the Dead Heart stories, Last Hope, Last Meow, Johnny Balbona, Lastikman…. ok, so NOT so few after all.

Which would I choose as the one most representative of what I want to say as a creative person?

I had replied that it’s not really up to me, but it’s up to those who read it. For many people, I’m the “Wasted” guy. For some, I’m the “Chicken” guy.

But looking at all the things I’ve written, I do have to say that I’m not ready yet to definitely point and say, “That’s my signature story!” Like I said, I’d like to think I haven’t written it yet. But I am pretty happy with Elmer, with Wasted, and a lot of other things. But I’m not yet ready to settle and say that’s the definitive thing that you’ll get from me. Because I’d like to think I haven’t even begun writing the story that would be completely me.

And to be completely honest, I’ve only just begun to learn the art of creating comics. After 17 years in the business, I’ve only begun to realize the nature of comics as an art, as a medium of telling stories. I’ve been pushing to create stories that are the result of a true collaboration of story and art. And I’ve only begun to scratch the surface.

Too many creators are approaching comics as a novel, where description is all and art secondary. Too many creators are approaching comics as an art portfolio with pretty pictures, but the storytelling is awful. Art is created to impress visually, but not to tell the story.

ELMER was a serious attempt on my part to create something that tried to take advantage of the storytelling strengths of the comics medium. I tried to create art that served the telling of story as the first priority. Although I’m happy with what I’ve made, I was probably only marginally successful in what I tried to achieve.

Comments

7 Responses to “Signature Story”

  1. Miko on March 9th, 2009 10:36 pm

    Considering the stories that you have shared through your art so far, I’ll gladly await your “signature story” then… And share it with my friends as I have been doing with the your other stories :D

  2. Jun Pamintuan on March 9th, 2009 10:43 pm

    For many people, Gerry is the “Wasted” guy, for some, he is the “Chicken” guy..

    for me..

    he is “Gerry the Barbarian”
    http://edtadeo.deviantart.com/art/Gerry-The-Barbarian-20244848

    hehe, but seriously..as Gerry is suggesting, he feels like there is so much more that he hasn’t tried and explored yet. So much more to achieve and reach. Let’s just wait for his future works. And yes..for me, story “is” more important than the art when it comes to reading comics. (Art is important too of course because it’s a comic, but the story is mostly what people will remember, not the art). That’s why it’s called reading a comic-book, not sight-seeing.

  3. Pinoy Comics USA on March 9th, 2009 11:17 pm

    Gerry,
    You might be the Wasted Guy or the Chicken guy, but above all you are KOMIKERO. Google-search Komikero, and you will find about 300 or more hits and it’s about you.
    Now let’s see, what exactly does komikero mean. Well, it could mean one who makes komiks or a comedian, one who makes us laugh. Well, indeed you could be both, you are very funny in your bidjos, and you make komiks.
    Rod

  4. Gerry Alanguilan on March 10th, 2009 6:22 am

    Oh, you misunderstand my meaning, Jun. My whole attempt at making my comics was to ensure that both words and art go together to tell the story in a true collaboration where art or story didn’t dominate over the other. They’re both equal. And that they mesh into one cohesive whole. I believe that is the true nature of comics. Comics is a unique medium in which both story and art tell you what happens. It can’t be just about the story and it just can’t be about the art.

  5. Jun Pamintuan on March 10th, 2009 12:04 pm

    @ Gerry, ah yes, I can see what you mean when I saw “Wasted”. The art and story went very well with each other. I liked the story because it seemed to tell the reader so much about what was happening to the main character and you can really see the rage, sadness, etc. in the art. Plenty of emotion that the reader can really feel. Sadly, I was just a kid back then when it was released so I didn’t get the chance to buy it because I wasn’t much into comics back then. And now here I am trying to hunt down first prints and praying for a reprint or a compilation. Elmer too..it was released during a time where I was having a comic-break (no budget for comics yet so I didn’t buy any comic for a set time). And again..here I am trying to find myself an issue 1 because I can’t find any, all I see are issues 2-4.

    I’m not all out that a story is more important compared to art. Story is more important for me but art of course is important as well in a comic because it’s a comic, it’s just that the artist must come up with something wherein the story and the art “must” meet each other so the comic will turn out well. (Some artists can draw well, but they fail when it comes to interpreting scenes and stories). I even consider an artist who is not good at drawing but can interpret a story very well by means of art as a better artist as compared to an artist that can draw very well but can’t interpret or make the reader feel what’s happening. (And yes, it happens, some artists are like that wherein what happens is the story and the art don’t go well together).

  6. Jun Pamintuan on March 10th, 2009 12:21 pm

    What I mean to say in short is..
    For me, a good comic must have a good story and not necessarily a “good-looking-art” but rather an art which can really interpret and give the reader a front-row seat on what’s happening in the story. Drawings and art in comics doesn’t always have to be good-looking for it to go well with a story, rather it must be well put that it can really deliver a good story or idea.

  7. Gilbert on March 10th, 2009 12:29 pm

    I hope it gets out within our lifetime :)