Mar

13

The Forgotten Malang, A Career in Cartoons

Filed Under Filipino Artists, Philippine Comics | Comments Off

The Forgotten Malang, A Career in Cartoons
Susan A. De Guzman and Giselle P. Kasilag
Published by the Crucible Workshop

A new book collects the cartooning work of Mauro Malang Santos, one of the Philippines’ most popular and most respected painters.

From the back cover:

“Long before he became one of the Philippines’ most acclaimed painters, Malang enjoyed a ‘past life’ as a cartoonist. Prior to being hailed as a master colorist, with his vivid renditions of his signature women vendors and cityscapes, he was immersed in a world of black and white.

Tracing his artistic roots, this comic book represents a sampling of his prolific output from the 1940’s to the 1960’s – cartoon strips such as Kosme the Cop, Kosme the Cop (Retired) and Chain Gang Charlie; the one-page wordless villagescape series called Malang’s Menagerie; illustrations for legal columns; editorial cartoons; spot cartoons and more.

Decades later, many of these pieces remain as amusing as when they were first drawn for a different generation of readers, thus proving the lasting appeal of the visual pun and the timeless humor of the artist who made it his specialty.”

I got a copy of the book last night from the Crucible Art Gallery at SM Megamall. I’m not sure where else it is available though. If you’re interested, maybe you could give them a call at their Pasig City office at 635-6161 to 63 or write them at:

The Crucible Workshop
Unit 3C Strata 200 Bldg.,
Emerald Avenue, Ortigas Center
Pasig City

The book is large at 8.5″x11″ and 112 pages. Each copy sells for P350.

Reading through the book last night, my favorite has to be “Kosme The Cop, (Retired)”. Malang had already been doing cartoons for more than a decade when he created this strip and his cartooning skills have considerably evolved. Simple and wordless, the Kosme The Cop (Retired) strips are hilarious. I can’t help but chuckle to myself at the end of each strip.

Kosme the Cop Article at Malang’s Blog

I also learned bits of really interesting information. Malang and fellow Liborio “Gat” Gatbonton published “The Bug House” in 1950, which is considered as the very first English language Filipino comic book.

More information on Malang at his official blog.
http://malangsantos.blogspot.com/

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