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Oct

11

Sterling Komiks Series 3

Filed Under Filipino Artists, Philippine Comics | 13 Comments


The new batch arrived in San Pablo in the last few days, possibly today. Thankfully, all five titles came at the same time. I have to admit, I do get a rush of excitement when I get these komiks in my hands.

First, the good:

Opening Gwapo Komiks, I was impressed to see Thor Infante’s art in “Lumaban Ka, Totoy Bato”. I’ve always liked Thor (Tor?)’s art, but his debut in the previous issue was something less than thrilling. I thought it seemed too rushed and the art wasn’t reproduced very good. On this issue though, the art was reproduced much better, and Thor’s art looked much much better. His art has that scribbly scrawly almost impressionistic kind of rendering which looks rushed but actually looks quite good.

Arnel Avetria took me by surprise, who has two stories in this batch, “Bakas” from Gwapo Komiks and “Malaki ang Respeto” from Klasik Komiks. He’s drawing much better here than he did in “To Love and To Hold” being serialized at the Daily Inquirer. Looking at this work there, and his work here, the difference is almost like night and day.

As usual, Hal Santiago mops up the floor with everybody with his stunning artwork for “Kroko” and “Parcenet-Isolde”. Curiously, he’s dropped the “Official Greatest Illustrator” tag, but Kroko still remains as the most unique comic story in the entire world by having the singular distinction of having been “Directed” by the writer. I’m hoping that Mang Hal keeps it up as he’s definitely an inspiration to many other artists, who gives the readers nothing but the best regardless of the rates and everything else. Mang Hal is drawing far better today than he did at anytime in the 80′s and 90′s, which is really something else.

Overall, a lot of the artists are drawing far better today than they have in the last couple of decades. For some artists it’s not saying much, and I’m really disappointed at a few of the artists who fail to see what an opportunity this is. If they can’t be bothered to do better work, then there are a lot of other talented artists, like Charlie Baldorado, waiting in the wings to take their spot.

The Bad:

3 installments in, it’s becoming clear that certain outdated practices still persist. I think it would be far better for other people to address the issues with regards to the stories. I’m an artist so it’s the art and the welfare of the artists I fixate on. I’m also a writer, but it’s clear to me that the writer always had, and still continues to have the upper hand in this supposedly “collaborative” relationship.

I have to say, it’s an unhealthy status quo because the artists have been horribly disadvantaged for DECADES. Even when confronted with a better way that benefits everybody, the ugly status quo persists.

If people truly believe that comics is a collaborative medium, then please let it not stop with TALK and let it continue into PRACTICE where it really matters. I understand that equality for the artist will not happen overnight. These are practices that have been in place for decades so I’m not asking for the entire cake.

Why not start with the credits? Look at every single cover above this post. KROKO by Carlo J. Caparas. BEAUTY QUEEN by Carlo J. Caparas. ANDRES de SAYA by Carlo J. Caparas. GAGAMBINO by Carlo J. Caparas. HIWAGA NG CADENA DE AMOR by Carlo J. Caparas.

If we consider our artists our TRUE collaborators, then please include their names in this equation. Include the names of Hal Santiago, Joey Celerio, Joe Mari Moncal, Karl Comendador and Lan Medina. Without these artists, these stories will NOT be komiks. Is this so difficult a concept to grasp? Is this so difficult a practice to implement? All it takes is a few letters in their proper place!

Equal credit is something that is practiced right now by the comics produced by the younger guys, and I honestly think this is something that the older guys can learn from us.

I have great hopes for Sterling’s second line of comics featuring the work of a younger group of writers and artists. I have to say, I’ll be far harder on these guys than I am the older ones because they are the ones who should know better. They’re the ones that should set the example of how these new practices in comics are beneficial to everybody, and not just a few people. Jonas and Lawrence, I’ll be watching you.

********

Komiks.ph is reporting about an article that appeared in an issue of the Philippine Collegian, the Universtiy of the Philippines’ Weekly student newspaper entitled “Limited Edition: Caparas’s Claim of Reviving Komiks“. The article quotes from this blog a bit as well as from other sources.

You can download the entire issue, in PDF format, here.

The article’s conclusion is probably something I won’t completely agree with, because with or without Carlo J. Caparas, Philippine comics will continue to exist. But unless the Editorial of these komiks realize that a lot of their practices and notions are now outdated, they will only be perpetuating situations and circumstances that helped the decline of the old industry in the first place.

Comments

13 Responses to “Sterling Komiks Series 3”

  1. Azrael on October 11th, 2007 9:57 pm

    yikes..issue 3 na pala
    wala pa ko copy nung issue 2.

    mukhang di pang estudyante na naman yung cover ng estudyante komiks.

  2. Rod Samonte on October 11th, 2007 11:15 pm

    Gerry,
    Hurray. Komiks was, is, and will always be part of our culture. Nakakatuwang makita ang mga issue na ito.
    Rod

  3. auggie on October 12th, 2007 12:44 am

    Gerry,

    This new guy Arnel Avetria is entirely new to me, but I find his work interesting. Could you give me a background info on him ? Thanks.

  4. LAR on October 12th, 2007 1:29 am

    Na-excite din ako nong nakabili ako ng copy ng bagong issues ng mga komiks na ito. Ang sarap mangulekta. :)

  5. nashman on October 13th, 2007 12:06 am

    Outside the Philippines, people would be going “Carlo Caparas who??” But mention the illustrators’ names instead and they’d be easily recognised…

    Maybe this is just the branding deal worked out with sterling? True, why cant the inker, artist, writer be recognized properly in the billing! Maherap ba yon?

  6. Adrian Barrios on October 16th, 2007 5:40 am

    WOW! – Master HAL SANTIAGO! – I wish i’ve finished my class with him – i had him for a couple of months before i migrated to U.S. – My Father “graduated” from him. WOW – Bow talaga ako dyan! – Galing Galing – i wish i could see the pages! Can anyone please post it up here?

    Thanks
    Adrian

  7. landok on October 23rd, 2007 4:50 pm

    di ba meron naman signature o pangalan ng mga illustrators sa cover art nila? pero dapat meron din printed na “iginuhit ni hal santiago” etc etc.

    baka nakonsensiya na si hal sa paglalagay niya ng “the official greatest illustrator in the philippines” na sarili niyang tawag sa sarili niya. nyahaha! sabi niya “official” e sino o ano ba ang office o ahensiya o autoridad na nagbigay kasi sa kanya ng ganoong tag o label? siya lang naman di ba?

  8. Sterling Komiks Series 4 : Komikero Comics Journal on October 29th, 2007 1:11 pm

    [...] As much as I like Mang Hal’s work on Kroko, the covers for #3 and #4 of Klasik Komiks are almost identical. In fact, if you set them side by side, the action depicted on #4 seems to have happened mere moments *before* the scene on the cover of #3. Click here to compare. Let’s have a cover for “Pagkislap Ng Mga Tala” for variety. [...]

  9. anna bettina s. nepomuceno on December 3rd, 2007 1:34 pm

    wow!!!ganda ng estudyante komiks sana makatakas na c beauty queen kay stalker….

  10. stefan on March 4th, 2008 9:03 pm

    hello san ba nakakabili ng mga ganitong comics… wala kasi sa national bookstore eh… please reply urgent thanks…

  11. Gerry Alanguilan on March 4th, 2008 9:32 pm

    Stefan… di sya available sa mga National Book Store, sa mga mall etc. Pag may bagong labas, available sya sa mga magazine and newspaper sellers sa bangketa. Matagal na mula ng may bagong labas kaya medyo mahirap na makakita. Pero kung maghahanap ka, may makikita ka pa rin. Punta ka kung saan may malapit na palengke at puntahan mo lahat ng nagbebenta ng dyaryo doon.

  12. arthur on May 6th, 2008 5:56 am

    Nag-google ako ng “the official philippines’ greatest illustrator” kaya ngayon ko lang nakita itong article. Sa pagkaalala ko kasi may “mali” sa label na ito. Hindi ba dapat “the philippines’ official greatest illustrator” pwera na lang kung may “official philippines” as in may “fake philippines” ba or something.

    Anyway agree ako kay Gerry at ngayon ko lang nakitang ganito kaganda ang gawa ni Mr. Santiago. Isa alng ang ibig sabihin nito: Mahusay magbayad si Mr. Caparas.

    Tungkol naman sa uncredited artists, wala tayong magagawa kasi si Mr. Caparas nga ang publisher nito. Pwera na lang kung gumawa tayo ng petition o ano.

    Aywan ko lang sa “artists have been horribly disadvantaged” kasi sa pagkakaalam ko, credit-showing aside, mas malaki ang bayad sa artist kaysa sa writer. May nabili kasi akong ’70s komiks na may naka-staple pang payment vouchers for the creators.

  13. adrian on May 23rd, 2008 5:53 pm

    meron bang nabibilhan ng mga komiks na yan abroad? gusto ko din mangolekta.