23 Responses to “Carlo J. Caparas’ Komiks Stories: Your Opinion?”

1. Jose Mari Lee on August 27th, 2009 5:53 am

   The problem in CJC’s writings are as follows:
   • Little or no resersch whatsoever

   A very good example of this is a serialized nobela he wrote for Atlas. A mother is prostituting to save up for her daughter’s OPEN HEART SURGERY in the Philippines. Well, it so happened that during that time I was writing fact sheets on heart disease at the Philippine Heart Center for Asia.

   THERE WAS NO OPEN HEART SURGERY IN THE PHILIPPINES THAT TIME.

   Then why would CJC not know this? Is it hard to dial the number of the heart center to inquire for accuracy’s sake of his story?

   But, the usual too confident know-it-all komiks king kuno, does not have the time to do that. Hence, the blunder. When I phoned Tenorio about it, he nearly had a heart attack. But it was too late, the series had already came out and since the story was totally based on that OPEN HEART SURGERY premise, it became a lost cause right at the bat. There was no turning back.

   • CJC’s writing has no sophistication

   Most of his serialized stories are very shallow. Whatever the dialogues say, that’s it. There are no gray areas like what we get from Ravelo, Coching, Gomez and Clodualdo del Mundo. His characters, are not well-defined, not sharp enough to make that character unique and be absolutely different from other characters in the story. I even wonder if CJC has heard of the so-called CHARACTER DOSSIER. Del Mundo and company did this, but CJC obviously did not. Is he being foolhardy? Arrogant, perhaps? Over confident? Or simply stupid?

   Search me.

   He succeeded in ANGELA MARKADO to create a unique character and some intriguing subordinate characters like the lesbian character, but even this story was quite reminiscent of a Francois Truffaut film. Nevertheless, I still believe that Angela Markado is his best work.

   His characters’ demeanor and even reasoning, are not very bright. I want to see characters who are witty and strong. Ravelo, Coching and Gomez showcased this in their work. CJC did not.

   The dialogues are good enough for an elementary school child. Try re-reading the dialogues in HIWAGA NG CADENA DE AMOR (Sterling’s GUWAPO KOMIKS). Goodness gracious me.
   Supposedly, the characters speaking are highly educated, filty rich, sophisticated, hip people, pero ano ang lumalabas sa mga bibig nito? Inanities. Taglish na puro nonesene. Naka-apat na installments na, wala pang nangyayari. Akala yata niya ay ito ang MARUJA CJC version. Obvious naman na reincarnation ito. Nosiree, ni sa kalingkingan ng Maruja ni Ravelo ay wala ito. Sorry, CJC. Try again, please.

   • CJC’s writing is EXTREMELY SLOPPY.

   May isa siyang serialized komiks sa Kislap noong 1970s, kung di ako nagkakamali, Bakekang iyon, si Mar Santana ang nag-drawing. May PRANKSTER na sige ang tawag sa telepono. Ang nakapagtataka, may FRANKSTER sa story ni Caparas. Paulit-ulit iyon sa installment ng series. Kung may 15 times binanggit ang word na FRANKSTER (in bold, capital letters). Ito namang editor, another sloppy guy. Bakit hinayaan itong word na ito na maging FEKFEK sounding? Sana ginawa na lang FRANFURTERS. Hay, Nakakabaliw.

   • CJC loves to rehash his material.
   SOMEWHERE
   MINSAN PA SA LUMANG SIMBAHAN
   NOSTALGIA

   Nasaan ang kaibhan nito?

   WALA. Inulit lang with different characters and titles. Minsan and Nostalgia are hack creations.
   Ilang Buwaya na rin ang nakita ko sa obra niya? Ilang gagamba na? Ilang maton na? Paulit-ulit lang, iba lang ang title at setting.

   • CJC’s films will test your patience

   If patience is a virtue, one must be compelled to watch a CJC masterpiece. If that person does not walk out, that person should be honored by Arroyo with National Artist Award for staying put till the end of a Caparas film.

   The first Caparas film I went to see was that HORRENDOUS, ATROCIOUS, PEDESTRIAN, LOOPHOLE-STUDDED, NONSESICAL FILM called:

   KUNG TAWAGIN SIYA’Y BATHALA

   I gave Mr. Caparas the benefit of the doubt when I went to see his first feature film. The first 15 minutes was just too much to bear and I had to walk out. The first 15 minutes were nothing but gibberish, no strong set-up, and it was
   embellished by the much abused filmic devices available in the annals of hackneyed filmmaking: SLOW MOTION, ZOOM IN, ZOOM OUT, TERRIBLE SOUND, DISJOINTED SCENES, HORRIBLE DIALOGUES and the film was just ALL OVER THE PLACE!

   Conclusion: I am not a virtuous person. I walked out of the theater after 15 minutes.

   • CJC should GO BACK TO SCHOOL

   Instead of running as a SENATOR (Holy Cripes On Toast!), CJC should actually go back to school. Get a 4-year degree. A bachelor of Arts in Mass Com or English, or Speech and drama will do the trick. Para naman kung kaharap niya ang mga nagsasalita ng English sa mga TV interviews ay hindi na siya mangangatwiran ng: “Ayan, ang gagaling ninyong mag-ENGLISH. Kaya nga panahon na para magkaroon ng NA (not applicable?) na galing sa masa.” o kaya, mga buweltang: “Palibhasa BATA ka pa!” kapag kaharap ang isang kritiko ng pelikula.

   Sinabi na nga natin, na ang pagtutok ng camera at gumawa ng shot ay siyang pinaka-basic na bahagi ng filmic expression. Nasa content ang ipinag-iba nito. Kailangan ang matatag na foundation ng knowledge, lalong-lalo na ng logic, sa paggawa ng story at pagdirect ng pelikula. Pero kung nasa premise pa lamang ay bugok na ito, hindi na puwedeng isalba ang iyong pelikula.

   Hindi tamang i-equate ang iyong galing sa pagdirihe ng pelikula sa haba ng pila ng manonood. Hindi puwedeng daanin ito sa PARAMIHAN. Hahangaan ka kung matino ang produkto ng iyong imahinasyon na masusi mong binuo, na tulad ng mga ginawa noon nina CLODUALDO DEL MUNDO, AS TENORIO, MARS RAVELO, FRANCISCO COCHING, PABLO GOMEZ, JIM FERNANDEZ, ELENA PATRON, REDONDO BROTHERS at marami pang iba.

   Ewan ko lang kung nasa state of denial ang ating National Artist, pero bakit parang hindi niya naririnig ang mga sinasabi ng tao tungkol sa kanya? Instead of being defiant, he should pause and reflect and maybe he would eventually see the light and admit his shortcomings as a writer, an artist (kailan?), and as film director.

   Hanggang dito na lamang po muna at hanggang sa muli nating pagniniig upang talakaying muli ang National Artist for Visual Arts & Film.

   Siya nawa.

2. Gerry Alanguilan on August 27th, 2009 7:37 am

   Thanks very much, as always, for your thoughts, JM! You’re right, I should check out the Sterling comics. OO nga pala. I have complete runs of those. I read the one that was serialized in Inquirer, and it was particularly bad.

   When I posted a snippet of “To Have and To Hold”, CJC’s serial in the Inquirer with artist Arnel Avetria back in 2007, even the normally quiet Arnold Arre had something to say:

   “Hey guys,

   The latest I saw of ‘To Have’ was in last Saturday’s Inquirer. There seems to be very little logic to Carlo J’s writing. If you haven’t seen it, the scene goes like this:

   Arv and girl are seen in what seems to be a forest. Arv says that he wants her to be his wife, to which the girl replies: “pero hindi papayag ang parents ko”. Arv, in a very odd and inapropriate manner responds with “Love, omnipresent with might, you sway even the realm of son and sire…” which results in the two of them entwined in a romantic embrace with flowers floating in the foreground.
   Huh?

   I feel doubly bad that something as dumb as this could occupy half of the page. I hope this is not the ‘future’ of Komiks/comics.

   Arnold”

   http://gerry.alanguilan.com/archives/199

3. Gerry Alanguilan on August 27th, 2009 8:19 am

   Reminder: Don’t post anonymously. There are reminders on the blog, near the comments box, and now here. If you can’t comply, then please don’t bother posting as your comment will be deleted automatically, unread.

4. gilbert monsanto on August 27th, 2009 11:04 am

   Napanood ko siya sa TV kahapon at malinaw na ang lahat.

   Yung boto na para kay FPJ ay napasa niya kay GMA, kaya daw natalo si FPJ. So yan ang kapalit.

   Nung tinanong siya ng diretso kung siya ba ang nagdibuho ng mga komiks niya. Well, let us just say na malayo ang sagot pero malinaw na hindi.

5. justin on August 27th, 2009 4:13 pm

   i just read that caparas is planning to run for senate http://www.pep.ph/news/22968/-ELECTION-WATCH:–Carlo-Caparas-plans-to-run-for-senate-in-2010

   God Have Mercy On Us!

6. Gina Ravelo on August 27th, 2009 4:23 pm

   Gilbert, do you actually believe Caparas can sway votes like that old maggot, er, faggot claims?

7. Gerry Alanguilan on August 27th, 2009 8:08 pm

   Hello Everyone! I understand that many of us are in agreement that CJC is not the great man he believes himself to be, and I completely understand that many of you, specially those who have been his peers, have been hurt and adversely affected by the actions and words of this man over the years, but I suggest that we desist from name calling.

   By maintaining our civility and objectivity, the worse people’s impression of him will be, and the deeper he will dig his own grave.

8. gilbert monsanto on August 27th, 2009 9:12 pm

   Nah, duda rin ako na Caparas can sway votes but still, it only shows that there is a BIG chance na pinapalitan lang ng pangulo ang ginawa niyang deed for her. Who knows kung saan pa sila nagpapartner.

9. auggie on August 27th, 2009 10:12 pm

   Hmmm, I owe you pala ano ? Eh ki Manoling, ano naman ang I owe you one sa Kanila ?

10. Gina Ravelo on August 28th, 2009 1:43 am

    Sorry. I should have known better.

11. Fermin Salvador on August 28th, 2009 2:23 am

    I did not seriously follow any of Capural’s stories/novels even if I did see their titles left and right in different komiks from my boyhood until the late 80s when he was still into komiks. Even the plot of the more popular Panday, Tuklaw, Bakekang, etc. are somewhat sketchy (pun intended!) to me. What I admired even then were not really the novelists but several stylist short story writers.

12. Jose Mari Lee on August 28th, 2009 6:09 am

    Auggie:

    PCSO.

13. Borgy on August 28th, 2009 8:54 am

    Something that bugs me to no end is CJC seems to keep forget to mention the influence that his collaborators had with his success in translating his novels to film. Major Case in point: FPJ.

    The Panday in the serials is almost unrecognizable next to the film version. Much of the fantasy/gothic elements that made Panday an icon were from Da King’s suggestions/prodding. Even as the director, the film’s direction is solidly FPJ-signatures (panoramic shots, varying camera speed, solid action sequences). Yet when interviewed CJC claims all the credit for the character’s enduring success. This also goes for The “Totoy Bato” movies. And yet, without FPJ’s “magic touch”, the remakes of the franchises are lackluster at best… especially when CJC himself helmed them (*cough* Hiwaga ng Panday *cough* *snort*).

14. Gerry Alanguilan on August 28th, 2009 9:09 am

    Borgy, I do consider FPJ to be a definite co-creator of the popular Panday as we know it, along with Steve Gan and and CJC. Then there’s the involvement of Pablo Gomez, the exact nature of which I’ve yet to determine. Hey, see you Sunday.

15. Jun Pamintuan on August 28th, 2009 7:43 pm

    Steve Gan definitely gets the credit as co-creator of Panday. Steve Gan clearly was the first to draw Panday in published comics.

    Let’s take Marvel’s Punisher:
    Conway (the writer) had drawn a character with a small death’s head skull on one breast. Marvel art director John Romita, Sr. took the basic design, blew the skull up to huge size, taking up most of the character’s chest, and added a cartridge bandolier that formed the skull’s teeth (which appeared in ASM 129/first appearance of Punisher). Amazing Spider-Man penciller Ross Andru was the first artist to draw the character for publication.

    So who gets credit as the Punisher’s creator/s? All of them gets their due credit.

    And with all that I don’t as heck know “why” in the world CJC gets all the credit for Panday. He doesn’t even mention the name Steve Gan when asked about Panday. I think he doesn’t even consider Steve Gan as the co-creator of Panday. And yep, FPJ clearly had a very very large contribution to Panday’s transition from comics to film. If FPJ wasn’t there, who knows what kinds of “ordinary people” Panday might be slashing instead of creatures, skeletons, undead, etc.

16. Pinoy Comics USA on August 29th, 2009 1:47 am

    Gerry and all,
    Check out Video 48′s latest post. In later years it seems Coching had included Javinal in the credits like so: Pistolero nina Francisco V. Coching at Federico Javinal.

    Also check out earlier postings of Coching movies:
    Coching’s first serialized novel and probably the first in the history of Philippine comics to be filmed was Hagibis in 1947, starring Fernando Poe, Sr. Hagibis, which ran in the pages of Liwayway magazine from 1947 to 1950 was to become a big hit at the tills.

    Coching definitely has history behind him had he been chosen as NA. What were those panel of judges thinking?

17. Gerry Alanguilan on August 29th, 2009 6:33 am

    Hello Rod! Yes, towards the end of the 60′s and for the rest of the 70′s. Coching and Javinal became very close collaborators. I know Coching continued to write and Javinal drew, but the exact nature of their collaboration on the art I’m not sure of. Coching may have inked and or corrected the art one time, and then leaving Javinal alone the next. Coching continued to do some covers on his own.

18. Carlo J. Caparas is a National Artist (Lord, Have Mercy!) : Komikero Comics Journal on August 29th, 2009 8:24 am

    [...] Carlo J. Caparas’ Komiks Stories: Your Opinion? [...]

19. AJ Bernardo on August 31st, 2009 11:14 pm

    Nireview ko ulit yung Gwapo Komiks na dinekwat ko mula sa katulong namin. Nakuha palang artist ni CJC si Eisner Award(c) winning artist na si Lan Medina ano? From Fables to Cadena de Amor FTW!

20. Gerry Alanguilan on September 1st, 2009 5:18 am

    AJ, si Lan Medina kasi veteran ng komiks industry natin. Marami syang nagawang komiks dito sa atin noong araw.

21. kathleen estampador on September 5th, 2009 10:41 am

    Pwede bang mag-react kahit early 20′s pa lang?
    Bilang isang young aspiring comic book artist na gaya ko (naks), ano ang masasabi ko sa mga obra ni Caparas? Ehem:

    Nung unang kong nalaman ang balita na bubuhayin ni Caparas ang industriya ng komiks, syempre natuwa ako. So inabangan ko nga ‘tong proyekto niya. Then nakita ko sa Inquirer ang “To Love and
    To Hold” dramakomiks-kuno niya. Baygali!

    Ambabaw ng story. Napaka- cliche ng storyline. Sabihin na nating babae ako at normal na sa Pilipinas na kinakikiligan ng mga kababaihan ang mga “nakakakilig” na mga kwento ng romansa lalo na sa mga Tagalog romance pocketbooks; pwes hindi ako kinilig. Walang lalim ang love story, amfufu, typical straight from the Tagalog romance storyline- nag-iibigan sina lalake at babae, mga kontra ang mga parents nila. Wala man lang thrill, o side tracks or character development, WALA! Bilang isang kabataang tulad ko na hinahanap ang sarili sa mundong kinagagalawan niya, me napala ba ‘ko dito sa komiks novela niya? Na-realize ko ba ang importansya ng pag-ibig? Ang kahalagahan ko bilang tao? Ang kakayahan ko bilang kabataang Pilipino na baguhin ang Pilipinas? Hindi! Ginawa pa siyang National Artist, kung tutuusin hindi naman nya ako na-inspire maging kagaya niya. Tsk.Tsk.Nanghinayang ako sa apat na comic strips na tinanggal dun para lang mag-give way sa komiks nyang alam mo na ang ending. Buti pa ang Divine Comedy ni Steven Pabalinas me silbi, talagang tumatatak sa ‘kin mga punchlines n’on kahit papaano.

    Then lumabas na nga tong mga komiks series nya. Una kong buklat ng Gwapo Komiks nya, first reaction ko; Ano ba yan, yun na ba yong kwento??? Ang lalaki under ke misis,si Miss Universe pinagnanasaan ng isang manyak, higanteng bayawak, higanteng gagamba, wala na bang iba?
    Then nitong nakaraang mga araw, nalaman ko na lang me kwento na pala siyang ganito dati pa! Dati pa! Hindi pa ko pinapanganak meron na syang ganitong storyline, bente uno anyos na ko, ganito pa rin ang kwentong ikukuwento nya sa Pilipinas! Buhay pang tatay ko non, meron syang komiks strips sa isang tabloid na “Tawak”, amfufu, after ten years, nabuhay na naman si TAWAK! At ganun pa rin ang storyline. 10 taon ng patay tatay ko, buhay rin ang Tawak strips, at ganun na ganun pa rin ang kwento, anak nga lang ni Tawak ang bida.

    Ganun ba talaga ang istilo ng National Artist natin? “Bumuhay ng mga patay?” Umulit ng mga luma ng istorya? Ganitong klase ba ng artist ang kelangan kong sundin para maging comic book artist rin ako? Paulit-ulit na lang na mga kwento, wala namang nararating. Baka ganito rin ang kahihinatnan ko kung susudin ko sya.

    Pasensya na po sa napakahabang comment. Pero bilang isang kabataang Pilipino na umaasa pa rin na mabubuhay ang libangang kinahihiligan nya, gusto ko ring marinig ng mga nakatatanda rito sa mundo ng komiks na meron pa ring mga kabataang nagbabasa pa rin at magbabasa pa ng mga librong likha ng mga tunay na mga artist ng Pilipinas. Sinasabi nating kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan, ito bang mga klaseng mga babasahin ang gustong ipabasa ni Carlo J. Caparas sa mga tinaguriang Pag-asa ng Bayan? Kung ako magkakaroon ng mga anak, hindi ko ipakikilala si Caparas sa kanila.

    Salamat po.

22. jemz roldan cardana on September 12th, 2009 9:34 pm

    dear Sir Carlo j. Caparas,

    I’m a fun of yours since i was child
    even i did not read all your comics i still idolize
    you. same my brother too. one of the reason why i idolize you is that i also created comics and i dreamed someday that it will publish. i had so many story that i made since elementary. but my stories got burn. i really really want to achieve my goals and dream, that someday i will be a man like you. but still there so many problems that i see. I’m just a poor. even i know poverty is not hindrance to success. but i dont think if i can really do this
    i also believe that you deserved to be the national artist of our country because your not only a comics writer your also a director and a true legend.
    i hope you will response on my comment.
    sana din po matulungan nyo ako. bigyan nyo naman po ako ng tips kung papaano matutupad lahat ng pangarap ko. tulad ko alam ko po na nagsimula din kayo sa pangarap. kaya ngayon yan matagumpay na kayo
    more blessing to come sir and i hope the critics will accept you to be the national artist..
    this is jemz roldan cardana of Marikina

23. Rose Ibarrita on September 29th, 2009 10:29 am

    Magandang Araw Po!

    Kay ganda ng araw ko ngayon dahil sa mga nabasa kong mga opinyon ng ilang mga nakabasa na ng Pinoy komiks.

    Wala pa ring pinag-iba….katulad noon…ang mga kaibigan kong matatalino “raw” ay hindi kilala ang mga writers at illustrators ng komiks at hindi raw sila nagbabasa ng komiks….Pero alam nila ang detalye ng mga kuwento sa komiks….He he he.

    Marami nang dapat na naging National Artists mula sa Komiks industry….Dapat magkaroon na ngayon….

    Hindi kita kilala Carlo J. nang personal…pero sa komiks ako mas nahasang magbasa.

    Noong nasa “zenith” ang komiks, daan-daang tao ang nagkatrabaho…Academic scholar ako noon…pero hindoi sapat ang financial support ng scholarship para sa aking pag-aaral…Nagpupunta ako sa Chronilce building (BenPress)…Nakapagsulat ako at nabigyan ng pagkakataong maging illustrator din…Pampagkain ko rin ‘yong kinita ko sa komiks at hindi na ako kailangang manghingi pa sa Nanay kong maysakit noon.

    Purihin ka Carlo J. sayong adhikain….Maniwala ka sa hindi…You are a living hero ….Kay ganda ng komiks mo…Marami kang mabibigyan ng trabaho…mas marami ang mga kabataan na maiingganyong magbasa. Alam kong kaya mong isabay sa panahon ang ‘yong komiks…I know you can!

    Bibili kami! Dahil hanggang ngayon…basta nalamang komiks…andoon pa rin ang excitement na tingnan ang drawing…makiusyuso sa kuwento… Cheers to all your writers and illustrators….