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Feb

17

Saturday Night

Filed Under General | 2 Comments

If I were not going to meet John Beatty, and a few other people with regards to the Komiks Congress, I would not be going to Manila tomorrow, Sunday. If I can help it, I’d rather not leave. Less and less I’m inclined to go to Manila, specially when I’m commuting because it really takes a lot out of me. I can’t just go in an out and then go about my business. These trips usually take the entire day and I’m dead tired, unable to do anything else when I get back.

I’m very much a homebody, and the Internet has been a big factor in allowing me to stay that way. My idea of a perfect day would be to wake up to the crowing roosters, prepare toast, butter and coffee for a nice long leisurely breakfast, do some work writing or drawing, have a nice lunch, walk to town to buy old books, walk my dog, water the plants, have a nice dinner, sit back and watch some DVD or TV, read a book, and I do all of that in the company of my wife. It’s a nice boring life, and I really wouldn’t have it any other way.

In a way, being a comics writer and artist is the perfect job for someone like me. It allows me to stay home and be isolated as I write and draw. But sometimes, having this job has its downsides as well. I came in wanting to do comics because I simply love this unique medium. I love to read it, and I love putting one together. I like the process of writing and drawing and being able to share my stories with other people.

It’s very strange when people email me saying that they want to become famous like me, earn money like me so they want to do comics too. I feel like I just want to scratch my head. Those are things I never did comics for. Famous? Are you kidding? You’d have to be Jim Lee or Todd McFarlane before you’re really any notably famous in comics, so really, fame in comics is nothing. It’s a downside that I really don’t like. It’s a job I love doing, but unfortunately, it comes with a certain degree of attention, specially if your work gets to be read by a lot of people. People start to get strange ideas about you, they start to have all sorts of expectations that they feel you have to live up to.

It does feel great when people do come up to you to ask you to sign your comic books and ask you to draw. It’s the fact that you managed to create something that’s had some effect on the lives of people.. that’s one of the things I find meaningful in with the attention me and my work has so far gotten.
And as much as it brings in a lot of things I’d rather avoid, the attention is something I’ve learned to welcome, because it is what’s allowing me and helping me get my work read by a lot more people.

Comments

2 Responses to “Saturday Night”

  1. Jonas on February 18th, 2007 7:13 am

    It’s a double edged sword. Anyways, see you later. :D

  2. Ed on February 18th, 2007 9:20 pm

    I stayed in Com-Oddy til 8:30 coz Sandy invited me to have a dinner with them. Too bad you had to go home early, Gerry. We had a nice talk, and gosh, I can relate from his position; as an inker and a digital artist as well.

    :)