31 Responses to “The Uncollaborative Nature of Comics in the Philippines”

1. adam! on August 17th, 2009 7:43 am

   Isn’t it strange then, if it is the father who is only ever remembered, that he is the only one who ever benefits?

   of course, it is. my issue here is all the arguments against crediting caparas as a komix guy – that komix is a VISUAL MEDIUM – has been to the detriment of the acknowledging of the fact that komix is a COLLABORATIVE MEDIUM, as invoking it to be solely a VISUAL MEDIUM heavily implies that the bigger part of the equation solely rests on the shoulders of the artist. by choosing to fight one extreme (the writer as god) via the opposite extreme (the artist as god) we are only trying to disprove one mistake by trying to propagate yet another. if we know it isn’t true, why champion it just to discredit something that is wholly problematic to begin with?

   the bigger issue here for me is WHY the first komix person – the first knowingly given the award for strictly komix work – had to be caparas. like what everyone here, including me, has been decrying for the past five years or so, why not coching? why not alcala (larry man o alfredo)? why not redondo or niño? bencab’s statement indicates that there is STILL extreme high snobbery among the “high arts” peeps when it comes to the “lower arts” like fashion design and landscape art and hairdressing and arguably even komix, even when he actually bothered to quote you, i truly think it didn’t come from the most honest of places, and is a glimpse of how really most of these people in high places see this art we all truly honestly earnestly love.

   (even the fact that the only accessible page on nestor redondo’s official website shows not his komix work but a selection from his fine arts work i think broadcasts the reality that komix is still in the ghettos for most of us here)

   i still believe that most of the fuel for the fire of anger for caparas receiving the NA is from personality issues and not the fact that he is merely the writer in the equation, or that what he’s doing is trash. i mean, why aren’t we up in arms when GMA7 (and even Mango) labels DARNA as “Mars Ravelo’s” and not “Mars Ravelo’s & Nestor Redondo’s?”

   Many Filipino comics illustrators, and I know this to be true first hand, who have died carrying pain in their hearts for having been used and taken advantage of. Ask any of them who are still living now. Ask their families. Many of them won’t go on the record with it, but they will tell you and you can see it in their eyes the frustration and anger that many of them feel.

   How many times have I spoken about this at my blog? How many times and how long have I spoken about komiks illustrators not being given credit where credit is due?

   the only way WE as individuals can effect the changes we are looking for – equal credits, royalties, etc – is to bother to apply them to ourselves right here right now as we go about doing our creating. we should actually bother to not repeat what has been going on for the past fifty years or so, and effort not to inflict the same conditions on other people, ie, “kasi mababa ang pagtingin ng writers sa artists, so dapat mababa ang pagtingin ko sa writers ngayon para bawi-bawi.”

   the only way WE as individuals can effect the changes that we are looking for is if we do bother to be straight and true and forthright about our art. nothing more, nothing less.

2. Gerry Alanguilan on August 17th, 2009 8:11 am

   “i still believe that most of the fuel for the fire of anger for caparas receiving the NA is from personality issues and not the fact that he is merely the writer in the equation, or that what he’s doing is trash. i mean, why aren’t we up in arms when GMA7 (and even Mango) labels DARNA as “Mars Ravelo’s” and not “Mars Ravelo’s & Nestor Redondo’s?”

   I’ve already written about this before, not only in CJC’s case but other writers like Mars Ravelo, Jim Fernandez, Pablo Gomez. I suspect that when and if (that’s a big IF) Mars Ravelo is declared National Artist, people will react, but probably not as vociferous as they have with CJC. Of course, I will be here to point the same thing out, as I have done before, but I suspect that I won’t have as many voices agreeing with me when the time comes.

   I’m sure you understand that the reason I have for my mostly objective argument is that I refuse to go down the same gutter as Carlo and his supporters do. If you find that there is a lack of objection thrown his way outside of the “Visual Artist” argument, it’s only me trying to keep this discussion civilized, and to keep the subject on what matters from a rational, logical, and possibly even legal point of view. Those things are hard to argue against. That’s why they are mostly avoiding it, as they keep on talking about things that only divert from the issue. They know that if we stick to the issue at hand, they will be at the losing side of the argument.

   But I tell you, I have tons and tons of subjective argument against this guy that it’s becoming painful not to let go. And for someone emotional like me, you know that it’s taking a gargantuan effort just keeping it all in. I just might write all these down sometime soon, and I tell you, it’s going to be quite the can of worms.

   I have no worries about the current generation of creators when it comes to things like this. I’m sure Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo, the biggest example our generation has to a collaborative team, will surely set the example of what true collaboration means.

   Definitely there is still great bias against comics. I am sure that with or without CJC, Coching and the rest would still have a difficult time getting this title. I have detected the same thing you noticed with Bencab’s statement. We certainly have a long way to go yet.

3. Darren on August 17th, 2009 8:13 am

   Very well said! As a Filipino-American artist, I was very disappointed when I heard about this National Artist debacle. It’s a very good thing there are people like you who will stand up for what is right.

4. Francis on August 17th, 2009 8:49 am

   how many artists of CJC’s popular komiks are still alive? why are we not hearing from them or their families? perhaps if they speak up, this movement against CJC being a national artist will gain more traction since their words will have far greater impact to the public than ours ever will. what with them actually having a part in the creation of CJC’s “body of work”

5. Gerry Alanguilan on August 17th, 2009 8:56 am

   Francis, two have already spoken up, Nestor Malgapo and Dell Barras. I suspect many others won’t because unfortunately, it is the nature of artists to lie low and avoid trouble. And unfortunately, this is also one reason why this has gone on for so long. Some of them may be afraid of retribution, and some might be concerned that it may cost them jobs in the future.

   I do urge any komiks illustrators out there, if you are reading this, or if you know someone who is, to speak up about this issue. I think it’s time to stop being afraid or else you’ll die afraid, and that’s not a pretty sight. If you’re still counting on jobs from CJC in the future… you all know what happened with Sterling, and what you all hoped would happen DIDN’T happen. Many of you were disappointed. Angry? NOW is the time to say something about it. I will post your statements here.

6. Ed on August 17th, 2009 9:12 am

   PGMA is like the man who went to the cock fight arena carrying a duck for a battle.

   I wonder who wrote that joke. It’s striking.

   Reno Maniquis creator/artist/writer of Maskarado posted something from the heirs of Mars Ravelo to CJC: http://tr.im/wvO6

   I get upset sometimes when I see only the name of Ravelo on the title of Darna TV series.

   Buti pa si Stan Lee considered Steve Ditko as his co-creator. Mr. Carlo J. Caparas, mahiya ka naman. Or kaya ka siguro naka-shades, cap at balbas-sarado you’re hiding from embarrassment? :P

7. Gerry Alanguilan on August 17th, 2009 9:23 am

   If and when I do talk about Mars Ravelo with regards to Darna and Nestor Redondo, as well as Mars Ravelo’s other collaborators on his other creations (Mar Santana and Lastik-man, Elpidio Torres and “Jack en Jill”, “Roberta”, “Bondying”, “Dyesebel”) I will be far more respectful as I have a lot of respect for Mars Ravelo. I don’t have an ounce of respect for Carlo Caparas for all the things I have witnessed him say and do during, and since the Komiks Congress in 2007. In that you are right. I have a big personality issue against CJC. I’m withholding my ammunition in this regard until I’ve exhausted all objective argument.

8. Francis on August 17th, 2009 9:25 am

   perhaps from now on we should always refer to mars ravelo as “the real komiks king” not only to honor him but to also inform the public that there is a fake komiks king out there

9. Gerry Alanguilan on August 17th, 2009 9:51 am

   I would agree it’s not CJC, Francis. But personally if there was ever a King of Filipino Komiks that would be Francisco V. Coching, first and foremost. I’d probably say that Mars Ravelo is the queen, but that might not sound right. The thing with Mars Ravelo, as I’ve mentioned earlier, is that he always had collaborators who co-created these characters with him. In fairness, he himself drew Varga, Rita, and the first installments of Buhay Filipino. But Coching, for the most part, wrote and drew most of the creations he was known for: Lapu Lapu, El Indio, Pedro Penduko, etc. Only 4 of his 50+ komiks novels were not made into films.

10. adam! on August 17th, 2009 10:03 am

    … if there was ever a King of Filipino Komiks that would be Francisco V. Coching, first and foremost.

    i agree, and i think the largest most enduring tribute we can give the man is to make his works available to be read and enjoyed and studied by all, which is precisely why i’m excited about the two coching books you posted here a week or so ago. it surely beats being given an award that’s always been dubious to begin with.

    I’d probably say that Mars Ravelo is the queen, but that might not sound right.

    ewan ko lang, ha, pero it sounds very very right to me …

11. Francis on August 17th, 2009 10:11 am

    komiks queen would probably raise a lot of eyebrows hehehe! perhaps a komiks kings trinity then? the 3 kings of komiks. coching, ravelo and who else? alcala? redondo? niño? or perhaps Alanguilan? hehehe but for me you are more of a komiks jack than a king or queen. or would you prefer a joker? :)

12. Reno on August 17th, 2009 10:40 am

    The thing with these “titles’” is that they are all self-made. Remember when Jim Fernandez was the “Greatest/Finest Writer” and Hal Santiago the “Greatest/Finest Illustrator”? It was due to them winning awards from the KOMOPEB, but the award surely wasn’t phrased that way. Even Jack Kirby’s “King” status was something Stan “The Man” Lee added to the credits box. But somehow they got stuck. I’m not sure how Mars Ravelo first became the “Komiks King,” but I’m sure the circumstances were similar to the aforementioned creators.

    But I guess I’m veering off-topic. :)

13. Jose Mari Lee on August 17th, 2009 11:54 am

    “50+ komiks novels”

    Let’s make that 5,000 to topple one national artist.
    =)

14. Gerry Alanguilan on August 17th, 2009 12:35 pm

    Reno, dun sa isang installment ng Timawa, nilagay ko doon “Author and Directed by The Official Greatest Male Artist below 40 years and above 38 currently residing in Banayo Compound, San Pablo City! Gerry Alanguilan!” Of course nung time na yun 39 lang ako.

    Sabi ni Ilyn pala before pa raw ng Komopeb meron na raw mga title title na ganun.

15. Ryan Parreno on August 17th, 2009 3:20 pm

    Let me repost an earlier tweet:

    Perspective: Osamu Tezuka created over 700 manga/anime series in the span of almost 50 years. He wrote, illustrated and animated. Tall order.

    As for Komiks king nominations, I’m surprised none of you brought up Kenkoy creator Tony Velasquez as a contender. Granted, his role as a bossing to all these other writers and illustrators (at one time managing both Caparas & Ravelo, working on the same komiks titles!) might have hurt his image to his fellow creators, but he’s also made noteworthy accomplishments in this field. I’m not taking sides, Coching’s up there as well, but Tony definitely deserves to be added to the mix.

    Whether CJC gets entitled or not, can we start another campaign to the NCCA to make another category for komiks creators? One where writers, artists, maybe even editors (who are also part of the collaborative process) get equal chances at getting the award? Siguro naman that would be actionable and something we can convince even people on the other side of the fence to agree to?

    Finally, let me laud you on avoiding subjectivity in this whole issue, Sir Gerry. Maybe you can tell the story of what happened between him and Sterling Publications (I really don’t know any details about it, but had long-held suspicions that it was just another of his rackets), but for now, I agree that this is the best position to take until we can avert the upcoming entitlement of the National Artists.

16. Ryan Parreno on August 17th, 2009 3:25 pm

    Oo nga pala, bakit Queen si Ravelo? Buti kung alam nating silahis siya, ika nga ni Brocka ‘Ako ang tunay na Bulaklak ng Maynila.’ (Charing!)

    Srsly,let;s give him a cool title, like ArchDuke, or (my fave) Komiks Kaiser. Kaiser ng Komiks Mars Ravelo, has a nice ring to it if you ask me.

17. Gerry Alanguilan on August 17th, 2009 4:51 pm

    Yeah! Arch Duke! Guys, forget about that “queen” comment. I wrote it down to mean nothing but a position of high power beside a king.

    But yeah, Tony Velasquez is certainly a big deal himself. He wrote and drew a lot of comics that do need to be seen again. Hopefully, the PICCA History of Philippine Comics Book project will cover this.

18. Jose Mari Lee on August 17th, 2009 11:18 pm

    Reno:

    In Ravelo’s time there were no awards for komiks. But, because he was very prolific, loved by the readers and stayed too long in the industry (unlike Coching who left earlier), it just happened that everyone in the industry considered him to be KING of komiks. And no doubt that PABLO GOMEZ was the prince, again because he stayed in the industry from early 50s, wrote a lot of successful serials and is still writing even as we hit the keyboards now.

    No, unlike some National Artist, these two pillars of RP komiks never bragged to anyone that they were king and prince of komiks. Ravelo and Gomez even refused to be interviewed during the height of their popularity. The people in the industry themselves gave them these titles (not officially as in, done with pageantry and all), but readers agreed as well.

    The sweeping titles came later on, I think in the mid 80s and many agree, not only me, that the awards were worded in a sweeping fashion and therefore – quite unappropriate.

    Kaya nga: Till the sun grows cold, and the stars are old, and the judgment of the book unfold, Hal Santiago will be the GREATEST KOMIKS illustrator ever lived in the Philippines.

    :)

19. auggie on August 18th, 2009 10:02 am

    JM,

    There is a new Thread regarding Ravelo’s children commenting on the recent fiasco. Check it out on http://www.spot.ph It’s a revelation. The children were pissed -off by the comments of Manoling.

20. Ryan Parreno on August 18th, 2009 4:50 pm

    Kailan ko rin palang i-fact check comment ni Reno. If you pruchased or read a copy of ‘A History of Komiks in the Philippines and Other Countries’, you’ll know Don Ramon Roces did create an award giving body to honor his greatest performers, and there was an actual event covered in the book. I don’t think either Ravelo or Caparas was awarded (Ravelo was probably already self-publishing na, dunno about Caparas), but they gave recognitio nto the brothers Tony & Damy Velasquez, Hal Santiago, Nestor Redondo, etc.

    Admittedly, may bias din yun kasi para sa mga favorites ni Roces, but still it was recognition within the komiks community. It’s testament to the end of that once-prolific industry that people don’t actually remember.

21. Ryan Parreno on August 18th, 2009 10:59 pm

    1983 saw the Komiks Operation Brotherhood or KOMOPEB award ceremony. I retract what I wrote earlier – they gave Life Achievement Awards to Mars Ravelo and Caparas, as well as Tony Velasquez and Francisco Coching. Unfortunately, I can find no direct info about the event, only info about who won awards. If anyone has a copy of the book I mentioned, it would help greatly in clearing things up.

    You have to hand it to those guys too – Komiks Operation Brotherhood totally sounds like some underground spy organization. They were all members of the covert komiks spy agency!

22. Robby Villabona on August 20th, 2009 3:05 pm

    Not to say that CJC deserves the title but…

    I think it’s impractical to recognize collaborative work via the National Artist title. A writer works with several artists in his lifetime. How do you pick and choose which ones share the award with the writer?

    If a comics illustrator (who didn’t write his own stories) won, should the writers he worked with also win the title? What if he worked with 100 writers in his lifetime?

    I think the shared credit for writer and illustrator is just for purposes of recognizing “creators” of certain characters and titles. The National Artist title is a different matter altogether.

    Setting aside for the moment CJC’s actual achievements and credentials, this point of yours about how equally important writer and artist in the creative process is actually a counter argument to your point that CJC is not a visual artist. If a large portion of his recognized body of work was writing for a visual art (comics), then I would think that makes him qualified. The final output of that writing were visual art pieces, even if he didn’t draw them himself. Similarly, a film director’s final output is the movie, even if he didn’t act in it himself. On this point, I actually agree with Floro Dery’s argument that he is qualified as a visual artist having been a writer for a visual art form.

    I actually don’t think he deserves the award, but from a technical standpoint, I believe he’s qualified.

23. Robby Villabona on August 20th, 2009 3:10 pm

    Just to drive home the point above — if Alan Moore were Filipino and were awarded with a National Artist title for visual arts, how many people do you think will object on the basis that he didn’t actually draw the comics he created?

24. Gerry Alanguilan on August 20th, 2009 3:24 pm

    This is an argument I’ve seen before, and while I can go so far as to say that komiks is indeed visual art, and the writer is part of that process, there’s actually no definite provision in the NCCA guidelines to allow a writer to get the title.

    If we will return to the what is covered in the “Visual Arts” scope of the guidelines, this is what we will see:

    “Visual Arts – painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography, installation art, mixed media works, illustration, graphic arts, performance art and/or imaging”

    If we go by this, then it stands to reason that no komiks writer is actually qualified to get the title, and not just CJC. Aside from the obvious fact that CJC is not a visual artist, this is the legal point that I’m standing on to support this protest.

    This is an unfortunate flaw in the guidelines as it stands now. To allow komiks writers to get the title, the guidelines need to be amended, if not in the Visual Arts category, then in the Literature category.

    It is clear, at least to me, that these guidelines were drafted without even considering komiks. This goes to show how little regard there is for komiks as a whole in the art world.

    You have to understand that at the very least, we agree that CJC doesn’t deserve the award, but to take a stand simply on “He doesn’t deserve it.”, we are standing on shaky subjective ground. We will have discussions on “What is Art” and “What makes an artist deserving of the National Artist Title” which will have plenty of shades of grey on all sides. It’s a discussion that will most likely go on and on.

    I had to find a stand that would be difficult to argue against. Specially an objective stand that’s backed up by facts, or at the very least *a* fact.

    With the argument I’ve so far made, that CJC is not qualified because he isn’t a visual artist, there is concrete basis for it. A technicality yes, for the moment. There are other reasons why CJC isn’t qualified from a slightly subjective point of view, which I will list in another comment.

    If the guidelines are amended, and or the Supreme Court upholds the Presidents prerogative to chose National Artists regardless of credentials, then I will continue with other arguments. Believe you me, this is just the start of it. I’m just exhausting all objective argument at my disposal at the moment.

25. Gerry Alanguilan on August 20th, 2009 3:29 pm

    “Just to drive home the point above — if Alan Moore were Filipino…”

    Not too many will object I’m sure. But I will still be here and point it out nevertheless.

    The reason why people are reacting so ferociously against CJC is not merely because of the fact that he’s not a visual artist (that is simply my objective mode of attack). CJC also fails miserably in other critiera (like Critical acclaim for his work, like respect from peers,etc., things Alan Moore need not worry about).

26. Gerry Alanguilan on August 20th, 2009 3:38 pm

    You see it’s rather tricky in a collaborative medium like comics. How can a writer be awarded separately from the artist? Specially the National Artist title? The biggest objection I have to CJC getting the National Artist for Visual Arts is that it discounts the work of the illustrators, who had a huge hand in co-creating those stories.

    The collaborative nature of creating comics is still a concept that’s difficult to grasp. How can you award it? If they make a subcategory, National Artist for Komiks, and just award the writer, what then of his collaborators?

    I’m thinking one solution would be to create subcategories. National Artist for Komiks Writing, and National Artist for Komiks Illustration. Yeah, I know. Like I said, it’s not going to be easy. I’m sure someone can come up with a better solution. Anyone?

27. Gerry Alanguilan on August 20th, 2009 3:58 pm

    Of course, I haven’t even begun to cite *other* reasons why CJC is not qualified for this title. If you will look at the criteria for National Artist from the guidelines, it’s very plain that CJC fails on several of these all at once. (The bottom one being a rather important one.)

    4. CRITERIA FOR SELECTION

    The Order of National Artists shall be given to:

    Living artists who are Filipino citizens at the time of nomination, as well as those who died after the establishment of the award in 1972 but were Filipino citizens at the time of their death;
    *Artists who through the content and form of their works have contributed in building a Filipino sense of nationhood;
    *Artists who have pioneered in a mode of creative expression or style, thus, earning distinction and making an impact on succeeding generations of artists;
    *Artists who have created a substantial and significant body of works and/or consistently displayed excellence in the practice of their art form thus enriching artistic expression or style; and
    *Artists who enjoy broad acceptance through:
    - prestigious national and/or international recognition, such as the Gawad CCP Para sa Sining, CCP Thirteen Artists Award and NCCA Alab ng Haraya;
    - critical acclaim and/or reviews of their works;
    - respect and esteem from peers.

    I could have easily wrote this the first time around as part of my protest, but there is a certain amount of subjectivity to these criteria. Nevertheless, I think I can make a further argument against CJC’s qualifications based on these.

28. Robby Villabona on August 21st, 2009 12:10 am

    I think at this point it’s the selection process (that supposedly wasn’t followed) is the strongest argument. Whether that’s the case or not, I actually don’t know. The argument that he’s not a visual artist is a bit shaky, and can be shot down by what I’ve already mentioned. Had he been made National Artist for literature, what would make him technically disqualified?

    After all, the important thing in this is not whether CJC deserves the award or not, but the question of should one person (the President) have the prerogative to add anyone she wants to the list of awardees. As I understand it, Presidents have had the prerogative to add one name since the time of Ramos. But to add four names and remove one — that certainly begs the question of should future Presidents continue have this privilege. When abused, it renders the selection process pretty useless.

    “Not too many will object I’m sure. But I will still be here and point it out nevertheless. ”

    True, but I doubt you’ll be organizing an online petition to have him removed, right?

    “I’m thinking one solution would be to create subcategories. National Artist for Komiks Writing, and National Artist for Komiks Illustration. Yeah, I know. Like I said, it’s not going to be easy. I’m sure someone can come up with a better solution. Anyone?”

    I don’t think that’s practical. What’s to stop people from asking for separate categories for painting, sculpture, digital art, political cartoons, street art, photography, etc. etc.?

    I think it’s tragic that CJC gets recognized as National Artist before Francisco Coching. But overall, I think this makes it a lot easier for the real deserving comics artists to get the title now. If only because the status quo of Coching not having it will be even more embarrassing to maintain.

29. Kathleen on August 21st, 2009 2:09 pm

    I’m giddy about the subjective thingy against CJC. I know that it’s not right to divulge into skeletons in the closet of others, but I dunno.
    About the collaborative awards problems,are there award giving bodies to comics in America? Guess we can take cues from them on how to properly give awards to deserving people.
    Since the first time I became aware of the existence of this guy, I knew that behind that dark shades is hidden dark intentions. Made me remember those Pugad Baboy strips I read pertaining to him. XD

30. Gerry Alanguilan on August 21st, 2009 2:48 pm

    Industry awards like The Eisners do have many separate categories. Best comic book, best writer, best artist, best penciller-inker team and so forth. I don’t have an idea what the equivalent of a National Artist title is in the US though.

31. Ryan Parreno on August 26th, 2009 4:12 pm

    @Robby Villabona

    Actually, this makes it worse for komiks creators. Since the 1st National Artist to come out of their ranks is being disputed as unqualified, and also his subsequent behavior unbefitting a person so honored, it gives komiks creators a bad name. As if it wasn’t hard enough to pass Coching et al. though the selection process before, now there’ll be even more objections to adding future komiks creators, regardless of whether these future nominees are qualified or not.

    And on the flip side of things, if becoming National Artist has become reduced to a matter of politicking, then the value of becoming one has been lost (although of course that’s the elephant in the room).

    @Gerry

    The closest analogue to the National Artist in the U.S. would be the National Heritage Fellowship, given by the National Endowment of The Arts. I don’t believe there have been any objections to anybody awarded the National Heritage Fellowship, but the NEA has been criticized over the years for funding controversial artists. Here’s the most recent:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Endowment_for_the_Arts