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Feb

27

Thoughts on the Komiks Congress #4

Filed Under Philippine Comics | 10 Comments

One of the feelings I have for the congress at this point in time is exhilaration. Reading through the newspapers, and watching the coverage komiks has been having on local TV has been very exciting. It’s great seeing all this attention being given to komiks and to those who create them. I feel very proud seeing such great artists like Jess Jodloman, Jun Lofamia, Abe Ocampo and lots more, get much attention, after working silently and in obscurity for many years.

This is one of things I’ve wanted to see for a long time, for the Filipinos to be made aware of these artists, their work, and the enormous history of legacy of komiks this country has.

Another thing I want to see is the return of komiks into the mainstream, where these artists, and a whole new generation of writers and artists, get to contribute. Although I have some real issues about how such efforts are being conducted, as I mention in my previous entries on the Komiks Congress, I remain hopeful and optimistic that this attention, and the efforts of the people involved, will result in a huge revival of a once great and popular komiks industry.

I also feel a considerable bit of disappointment, reading through the numerous newspaper and TV reports echoing the statements of prominent people of the congress, that the efforts of the younger generation of writers and artists are being disregarded. They speak of “reviving” a dead industry, ignoring the fact that there IS a new industry that the younger generation have cultivated through patience, hard work and persistence, sweating blood and tears for the past 15 years. This is an industry that has grown while the old industry was on the wane, when komiks was at its lowest.

Although it was gracious of them to invite participation from the younger generation, I feel disappointed that they are not so gracious in other things. There is hardly any exhibit entries for the younger artists, and we are not qualified to participate in the competition with the cash prizes, offering trophies instead for us “amateurs”. I can hardly call many of us “amateurs”, having worked in comics both here in the Philippines and abroad for more than a decade. This is not about the money, and this is not about pride. This is about professional respect.

I feel personally hurt by this, because I have so much respect for our older generation, and I would have wanted them to be proud of us and our accomplishments. I feel that we’ve done some pretty good work. To welcome us with one hand and shut us out with the other is confusing and frustrating.

Of course, I’m not talking about all of them. I feel that many of them know about us and accept us wholeheartedly, people like Tony DeZuniga, Jess Jodloman, Dell Barras, Jun Lofamia, Alex Niño, Rico Rival, Nestor Malgapo, Yong Montano, Jesse Santos, Romeo Tanghal, Abe Ocampo, Hal Santiago, Steve Gan, and many many more. I feel grateful and honored to be accepted by them.

I also feel very uneasy about how “komiks” is being boxed in within certain limitations. They seem to only highly regard comics written in Tagalog/Pilipino. In fact, the reasons why they want komiks to be revived is because it’s the “cheapest” and most effective way of teaching the national language, and it is the “cheapest” form of entertainment. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that of course, but nowhere in all the coverage have I heard that they consider comics could be anything else but that. I don’t even think that it’s even within their radar to consider that comics could be so much more. That comics is a true art form, that it is possible within this art form to achieve literature. That comics can be an art form where works of great artistic significance like Juan Luna’s Spoliarium and F. Sionil Jose’s The Pretenders can be created.

It’s an idea that I am hoping that the younger generation can share at the congress, and I hope that it’s something that they consider seriously.

As I have mentioned earlier in this post, I’m still very optimistic about this process. I just hope they could be more open and receptive to us than they have so far been.

Thanks to Randy Valiente and Mario Macalindong, our representatives at the congress, I expect an influx of traffic to http://www.komikero.com, as it’s been mentioned and flashed in the couple of TV programs on the Komiks Congress. I thought I’d update the main site so it shows a prominent link to the comics museum, as well as the message board.

The first day of Congress is today! Good luck to everyone who will be going.

Thoughts on the Komiks Congress #1
Thoughts on the Komiks Congress #2
Thoughts on the Komiks Congress #3

Comments

10 Responses to “Thoughts on the Komiks Congress #4”

  1. The Comic Blurb » Blog Archive » Komiks Congress Poster on February 27th, 2007 7:12 am

    [...] Video for the Komiks Congress by Jonas Diego What the F*ck! by Jonas Diego What are Indie Comics? by Jonas Diego Komiks Congress by Jonas Diego Comics Art Exhibit by Jonas Diego Where’re the Kids? by Jonas Diego Thoughts on the Komiks Congress #1 by Gerry Alanguilan Thoughts on the Komiks Congress #2 by Gerry Alanguilan Thoughts on the Komiks Congress #3 by Gerry Alanguilan Thoughts on the Komiks Congress #4 by Gerry Alanguilan Filed: Comics « Headed to the Komiks Congress [...]

  2. Eusebio Yu on February 27th, 2007 1:46 pm

    Hello,

    I have a few points that I’d like to get across. The frustrations that you’ve felt at being marginalized,intentional or not,is understandable. After all, these past decade or so when ‘komiks’ was at an hiatus, so to speak, you and a bunch of creators have pick up the slack and produce a number of excellent alternatives. Your perseverance has somewhat kept the boat afloat. My take on this perceived snub by some of the ‘older’ generation creators is, maybe, the consistency and output of these younger generation creators. These old Komiks writers/artists churn out an astounding amount of work. They do so every WEEK, akin to those Japanese manga. This is what keeps the readers interested. While not all of them are good, you get a few gems every now and then. Aside from a few graphic novels and short stories, too far and few between, what younger generation comic creator can boast of producing a monthly, never mind weekly, title on a consistent basis? I’m not talking about those ‘manga-inspired’ mini comics, which has a market of its own. i’m an older reader(40),But I still remember those komiks of yesteryear. I still buy new comics a lot, so I’m not just whistling dixie. I support any efforts to ‘revive’ the comic industry, new and old. Just show me a good product and I will buy it, never mind the hole in my wallet. That’s my piece. Thanks for the chance for me to say it.

  3. Gerry Alanguilan on February 27th, 2007 6:50 pm

    Excellent point, Eusebio! That’s definitely one big reason why our work has been somewhat disregarded, and I really don’t contest it because I agree with it.

    It just puts into focus the limited way in which “komiks” is perceived, specially by some in the older generation. To them, komiks has to come out regularly, weekly, bi-weekly or monthly, it should be in tagalog, and it should be cheap, and it should appeal to the masses.

    If a comic book does not fall within those qualifications, it is not essential and insignificant.

    It limits the idea of what a “comic book” can be, preventing the form from growing and evolving.

    Comics can be so much more.

    A comics story can be told completely in a few issues, compiled, sold at bookstores, and printed ad infinitum as demand requires, which is what we have done.

    Comics can also be one shot books, sold at bookstores ad infinitum as demand requires, which is what we have done.

    Comics need not be a periodical that comes out on a regular basis. I’m sure many of us never made it an objective to come out with our work on a monthly basis.

    These are things that has never been done with the old komiks. You don’t see compilations of their stories in bookstores being kept in print. But it would be great if that would happen.

    Regardless of these characteristics so different from the old komiks, our work is *still* komiks, with considerable impact on Filipino pop culture, ZsaZsa Zaturnnah being only one example.

    If there is anything the younger generation can teach the older is to open their minds to the potential of the comic book form, that comics need not be limited to a particular format, that comics has the potential for so much more than what is currently accepted.

  4. Josel Nicolas on February 27th, 2007 7:30 pm

    I was hoping that people would consider it more of an artform too, not trivializing it. The way things are now arent the way things are then, if there should be a new industry it should be built on the wants and desires of those people who cared enough to still make komiks when the industry was hybernating.

    I’m not saying that dont put the word out on the old masters, they’re brilliant and an effort should be made at compiling their works into a book.

    I’m all for for exposure, I just hope that what they plan to do and achieve is more than just backtracking towards the past. More than ever, I believe, we should treat komiks like we would any other art form. With respect of content and medium.

  5. hai on February 27th, 2007 8:48 pm

    “In fact, the reasons why they want komiks to be revived is because it’s the “cheapest” and most effective way of teaching the national language, and it is the “cheapest” form of entertainment.”

    I bet they’ll be hiring the “cheapest” artist they can find as well.

    Why do I have a feeling that Komiks Congress is yet again another fan club existing only to indulge its own members?

  6. The Comic Blurb » Blog Archive » The Komiks Congress on February 27th, 2007 10:45 pm

    [...] Video for the Komiks Congress by Jonas Diego What the F*ck! by Jonas Diego What are Indie Comics? by Jonas Diego Komiks Congress by Jonas Diego Comics Art Exhibit by Jonas Diego Where’re the Kids? by Jonas Diego Thoughts on the Komiks Congress #1 by Gerry Alanguilan Thoughts on the Komiks Congress #2 by Gerry Alanguilan Thoughts on the Komiks Congress #3 by Gerry Alanguilan Thoughts on the Komiks Congress #4 by Gerry Alanguilan [...]

  7. Robby Villabona on February 28th, 2007 5:20 am

    Everyone’s got their own definition of what should be called Filipino comics — or KOMIKS. Some people think manga made here shouldn’t be called such. :-P

    It’s all part of the “exclusive” type definition that I’m very much against. The point of view does not recognize that we are a nation with a diverse culture, language, social status, and heritage.

    Such is the beauty of the COMICON sa UP — kahit anong komiks na gawa dito considered Pinoy komiks. It probably reflects the more open thinking and global thinking of the (presumably) younger organizers.

  8. Jonathan on February 28th, 2007 8:21 am

    I’m a bit frustrated in the pace of the Kongreso ng Komiks. It was already late when they started. Because of the lack of time, most was not able to voice their views. Plus they should have told the attendees earlier for the need for the interim secretariat. If it was first tackled earlier then there would have been more time to discuss issues. i hope it goes in a faster pace nest meeting.

  9. Gilbert Monsanto on February 28th, 2007 9:47 pm

    I think that the real difference from the komiks of today is that they were mere contributors of a big company then. Komiks today are done by young, dedicated and should be considered heroes of today. Imagine these creators are not getting much from each herculean step they make just to revive a sleeping giant. When the so called masters turned their backs to work on other more profitable jobs like animation and such when komiks was sick and dying on its knees, we fought harder. They never had the courage to self-publish because they know it is suicide, yet we dove in and took on the challenge. We are the komiks of today. We respect them for who they are and how they inspired us. But for them to claim victory to something they did nothing for a long time? PWE!

  10. Thoughts On the Komiks Congress #5 : Komikero Comics Journal on March 2nd, 2007 5:07 pm

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