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May

3

Free Comic Book Day 2009

Filed Under Comics Artists, Filipino Artists, Philippine Comics, Photographs | 17 Comments

My plans for going to Manila early was a bust. I left the house around half past 9, and arrived at Robinson’s Galleria in Ortigas at around 12:30pm. Time flew in the bus as they showed Rambo 4. As far as I know, all Rambo did was mope a lot, shoot some arrows, run like hell from a big bomb, and shoot people with a huge ass machine gun and that was it. Julie Benz, in spite of her disheveled state, still looked gorgeous.

I planned on getting some lunch first, but I wasn’t feeling particularly hungry so I went straight to Comic Odyssey. Sandy, the store owner, invited quite a lot of artists to participate. There were no less than 16 artists doing signings. The store itself wasn’t huge so I was wondering how they were going to fit all of us signing in there, plus the crowd who will be getting their free comics plus having their comics signed.


Photos by Azrael Coladilla

I need not have worried because Sandy had reserved a large portion of the center aisle outside the store and set up tables and chairs for us. It was looking like a proper mini comic book convention! The only difference being… there were tons of free comics. Sandy was not only giving away the duly designated FCBD comics, he was also giving away a large part of his inventory.

I was amused to find out that FCBD had official lollipops and mini robots, which Sandy passed around. I’m keeping my lollipop in the ref as a souvenir!

I teased Wilson Tortosa endlessly about his new comic book Wolverine: Prodigal Son, and how Wolverine’s outfit looked almost exactly like Wilson’s outfit, right down to the hair. He protested quite animatedly, but everyone could see it. Wilson, the cosplayer!


Photo by Edgar Tadeo

I signed a lot of comics, including a copy of the now rare first print of Wasted. I always feel great when I see that one because it’s been out of print for like 10 years and I’m happy it’s still going around. The copies I’ve seen are quite battered, obviously from multiple readings or having been passed around. I have to commend the original printer of this book because it’s amazingly sturdy. The pages are still all attached!

I always enjoy these kinds of things. I get to meet those who read my stuff, and get to hang out with the guys. All of us there in one place at the same time… that rarely happens now. We all had a great dinner afterwards, thanks to Sandy! I tried the Fish and Chips, which was pretty good, but I’m sure the original UK version would be much better. One day, maybe!

Afterwards, some of the guys decided to head to Felix Cua’s Druid’s Keep in Magallanes to continue FCBD there. Leinil went off with a friend to see Wolverine. Ed went home to try and make babies and I went back home. It was a long trip ahead for me.

I got a bunch of New Mutants comic books from the store, inlcuding assorted back issues, and Books 3 and 4 of the New Mutants Classic trade paperback collection which collects ALL of Bill Sienkiewicz’s work on the title. I’m a HUGE New Mutants fan, and I’m excited that Marvel is bringing New Mutants as a title back, and with much of the early team intact. I was initially insanely envious that Ed would get to ink a few pages of that, but in the end, New Mutants is a book I’d rather read than ink. If I had inked it, I probably wouldn’t enjoy it as much as a fan.

Time flew swiftly in the bus back home as they showed “Assassin” with Bridget Fonda. She’s gorgeous, even now. I didn’t like the movie much though.

Huge photo coverage of Free Comic Book Day by Azrael Coladilla. Thanks Az!
Photos from Edgar Tadeo

Comments

17 Responses to “Free Comic Book Day 2009”

  1. Nyek! - EdgarTadeo.com - Blog Archive » FCBD 2009 Pictures on May 3rd, 2009 10:25 am

    [...] Photos by Azrael Coladilla. Blog entry by Gerry Alanguilan. This entry was posted on Saturday, May 2nd, 2009 at 11:00 pmand is filed under Nyek! Updates, [...]

  2. Azrael on May 3rd, 2009 10:50 am

    hahahaha..to Ed in making babies!!

    more power to all of you!!!

  3. Pinoy Comics USA on May 3rd, 2009 2:00 pm

    I can almost recognize everybody now in the pictures. But which one is Carlo Pagulayan?
    Rod

  4. Gerry Alanguilan on May 3rd, 2009 2:08 pm

    Hello Rod! Here’s a photo of Carlo Pagulayan: http://caloyski.multiply.com/photos/photo/24/46

    He’s the one on the extreme right, with the shades.

  5. Ed on May 3rd, 2009 3:45 pm

    We watched Wolverine movie, Gerry…after that we tried makin’ a baby. If it’s going to be a boy I’ll name him Logan. Hehehe! :D

    It was nice seeing everybody at the FCBD.

  6. frbarba on May 3rd, 2009 5:30 pm

    yep, great event sir gery! i was there making a hit and run thingy

    i was thinking of doing an ambush interview of y’all but i got intimidated after i saw you kinda brooding, lol, sorry, maybe at MCC, peace!

  7. Pinoy Comics USA on May 4th, 2009 12:06 am

    Gerry,
    That’s Carlo Pagulayan? He looks as young as Mico Suayan. All these guys Tortosa, Tolibao, even Leinil, etc all look like kids. Gerry, you’re looking like the oldest in the group, hehehe.
    Yet, these are some of the best comics illustrators in the world. Amazing.
    Rod

  8. Gerry Alanguilan on May 4th, 2009 12:11 am

    Yes, Leinil is actually 10 years younger than me. Wilson and Carlo are probably Leinil’s age, and Harvey younger. The only one older than me is Lan Medina.

  9. Aaron on May 4th, 2009 4:51 am

    Kamukha nga ni Wilson! Haha! It’s been a while since I last saw you guys! Great to see you!

  10. Gilbert on May 4th, 2009 12:28 pm

    Wala yatang bidyu ngayon? hahaha :)

  11. Gerry Alanguilan on May 4th, 2009 1:33 pm

    Gilbert, wala e. he.he. Di ko nadala ang camera ko.

  12. frbarba on May 4th, 2009 4:42 pm

    hehehe…ako meron =] not much, edit ko muna

  13. Miko on May 4th, 2009 9:36 pm

    Thanks so much for the ELMER: ABSOLUTE EDITION :D It’s really something, to say the least. I wasn’t able to stay for FCBD to get freebies and mingle with the artists but this gift set made the day at Galleria truly worth it!

  14. John Beatty on May 5th, 2009 5:32 pm

    WOW! Wish I could have been there!

    To all reading this, I miss all of you and hope to return sometime soon…we’ll have to get together for a day! :D

    Ingat!
    -John

  15. frbarba on May 6th, 2009 6:38 pm

    hey guys! my humble coverage of this event can now be seen here

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLrOZNfhOcQ&feature=channel_page

    @gerry: no problem sir, always a pleasure covering these kinda events =]

  16. Dandi on May 13th, 2009 12:07 am

    Hey Gerry, I’m the one who asked you to sign my copy of Wasted. I didn’t even realize it was “rare” until Sandy pointed that out to me on that day, haha.

    Anyway, yeah, it’s pretty sturdy. Almost looking like I just got it a couple of months ago instead of way back in 1997-98 at some shop in Baguio City. I didn’t even know what it was about or who you were. I just picked it up and read the hell out of it.

    Thanks for the autograph, dude :) This book helped me during that time more than you can imagine.

  17. Gerry Alanguilan on May 13th, 2009 12:14 am

    Hello Dandy! Thanks very much for your message. Thanks for giving Wasted a chance and I just want to let you know that it was deeply helpful to me too, while I was making it.