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Nov

24

Jonas Diego: Watch Out For This Guy

Filed Under Filipino Artists, Komikero Group, Philippine Comics | 7 Comments

Jonas Diego paid me a visit today, which was timely, since I was home. I wasn’t able to go to school today, partly because of concerns about the weather, and mostly because I didn’t think I was well enough to make the trip to Manila and back. I haven’t been feeling all too well the past week. (Isn’t it disturbing that the typhoon has hardly moved during the past couple of days, just sitting there, gathering strength?).

I’ve known Jonas for a long time. I actually met him on the phone, sometime around 1998 or so. He somehow found out my phone number and called me up, and we talked. Quite soon, he was paying me a visit. Sometimes to just ask about comics, and much later, asking if he could scan comic art he had been drawing. He would visit once every few weeks. Comics is a lonely profession so I really didn’t mind the company. He’d been coming up with his own comic book, “Book of John”, which had artwork that was quite promising. Quite soon, I was godfather to his son, and quite soon, he was one of the founding members of the Laguna Artists’s Group, which eventually became the Komikero Artists’s Group.

Looking back, I’m amazed at how far Jonas has gone. Currently a CEO of a Makati company, providing good employment to many young artists, he’s now positioned himself to contribute something very significant to the comic book industry. I don’t want to betray any confidences at this point, as all will be evident in the next few months.

I’m actually quite happy at how much he has accomplished, knowing fully well how long and difficult it was just to get there. What’s even more gratifying to me is how little he has changed. Success hasn’t gotten to his head and his feet is still firmly planted on the ground. He still finds the time to come over and visit from time to time, even though I know how busy the life of a Makati CEO can be.

I’m excited at what he has planned for the next year. And quite honestly, I just can’t wait to talk about it. But that’s for later.

Jonas Diego’s The Blurb
http://jonasdiego.com/

Photo from October 2003, San Pablo City.

Comments

7 Responses to “Jonas Diego: Watch Out For This Guy”

  1. Rod Samonte on November 24th, 2007 11:51 pm

    Gerry,
    Your blog does not lack of very interesting people that you meet (or discover). Jonas, you have an amazing body of work having just browsed quickly through your blog. We have something in common too, besides being artists, I am a Libran with Acrophobia. Hahaha. Never did try to go up the Empire State or Sears Towers when I was in NY and Chicago. Gerry, thanks, you bet I will be watching.
    BTW, other sites I found equally interesting: EdTadeo, KCCordero, ArtKitekto, Dennis Villegas, mayroon pa but can’t remember.
    Rod

  2. Ed on November 25th, 2007 7:59 am

    Okay tong si Jonas! Isa sa mga idol ko pagdating sa professionalism. Gusto ko sana mag-freelance work for his company pero doing comics alone for Marvel wala na talagang time. Once lang yata (or twice) ako humingi sa kanya ng favour to work pero nauudlot lagi coz everytime I plan to come to him meron na agad akong work (from Avalon) na dumarating.

    Saludo ako dyan kay bossing Jonas. :D

    -ed
    PS
    Rod, thanks! Didn’t know my site is somehow interesting. Hehe!

  3. Azrael on November 25th, 2007 11:35 am

    Jonas ! Libre mo ko! hahahaa

  4. dennis on November 25th, 2007 12:33 pm

    Okay I’ll watch out for him Gerry! :P

  5. Rod Samonte on November 25th, 2007 2:21 pm

    Ed,
    I didn’t know you inked for Marvel. I just found a copy of The Shot Heard Round the World, an X-Man saga pencilled by Leinil and you’re one of the inkers.
    OKs yung Kadiliman mo. Nice pencils to ink.
    And of course you show another perspective of the Komikon.
    Rod

  6. johnbecaro on November 26th, 2007 10:05 am

    Yay! I second the motion!!! ****lolz…Go Sir Jonas!!!!

    seryosly, mabait yang si Jonas..pramis! very low profile yet aahem CEO yan..hekehekehek

  7. Pilar on December 17th, 2007 12:03 pm

    Oh, how I miss this guy. xD

    Sana makabalik ako sa Laguna soon, hehe.