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Jul

4

EXODUS, November 1994

Filed Under Comics Artists, Filipino Artists, Philippine Comics | 16 Comments

The word about the Exodus guys came to us during what was probably THE very first independent comics-related event… a one day mini comics convention if you will, in front of Platinum Comics one day in 1994. It was the first time ever that the various burgeoning comic book groups met in one place. The word about Exodus was that which came the loudest because we heard that they’ve got some really REALLY good artists.

There was a long table in front of Platinum which one group occupied for an hour before another group took over. A lot of people came. It was nuts… MADNESS…. as I remember it, but a really great day. Locally made “Ashcans” were making the rounds like the one for Aster, which would eventually be published by Entity Comics in the US. I don’t remember seeing the Exodus ashcan or any of the members. I probably did, but I just don’t remember.

I did eventually meet the group but by this time, they were able to go beyond the ashcan phase and had their comic book printed standard sized, and in full color. At the time, I remember going…. wow! The word that had come to us earlier was quite justified. There were some really terrific artists in the group. Their work had a certain polish to it because as far as I know, some of those artists were already professional comic book artists, working for GASI on various komiks titles.

EXODUS COMICS PRESENTS: REVELATION
Story Plot: Mike Tan and Exodus Team
Script: Mike Tan

Artists:
Roy Allan Martinez, Lui Antonio, Gilbert Monsanto, Louie Salvio, Jim Jimenez, Jay Jimenez, and Lando Inolino.

Roy Allan Martinez immediately jumped out to me as a spectacularly good artist. Little did I know that I would one day work with him, and that he would one day become one of our best working artists. I really don’t want to compare (but I will anyway), but among the many artists to come out in my generation (with the exception of Nick Manabat, who is in a league all on his own), I like the work of Roy the best. I didn’t like how his art looked when I inked him on the books we worked on (Wetworks, Grifter, Hazard, Loner). I sort of feel that my inking had tamed his lines somehow. Roy always produced the best artwork when he inks himself.

I wish he would draw more though, because his art and the insane quality of it really needs to be seen more.

I would also eventually become friends with Gilbert, who remains to be one of my closest comics compatriots to this day. Madness, eh, Gilbert? :) Jim and Jay, who I don’t see often, are two of my favorite Alamat people. I have a very funny story about Jim Jimenez and me (a story he is aware of all too well) which I just have to share here one of these days (along with my Russel, Leinil and me story).

Comments

16 Responses to “EXODUS, November 1994”

  1. Myke08 on July 4th, 2008 5:09 pm

    Sir Gerry, yan yun Exodus comics ko na kasama ng Pnoys, ArCON at Alamat 101 na nabasa sa kwarto ko ng naiwan ko un binta na nakabukas at umulan ng malakas. Maraming nabasa at nasayang, nagdikit-dikit kasi mga pages kaya tinapon ko nalang. At yup! Sa Platinum sa Galleria ko din nabili at pinirmahan ni jim jimenez at gilbert.

    Malaking SAYANG.

  2. Gio Paredes on July 4th, 2008 6:14 pm

    I remember going back and fort with the pages of this issue just to see who did what page(s). And I quite agree with you boss Gerry. Roy Allan was the name that I remember the most, because of his art work that had stands out from the rest. (I also don’t want to compare… :-) )

  3. Ed on July 4th, 2008 6:36 pm

    One of the BEST I’ve seen way back in the mid 90′s. I agree with Roy’s work inked by himself. Nasty yung dating pag sya nagi-ink. I salute these guys. :D

  4. Eusebio Yu on July 4th, 2008 6:36 pm

    Among the early to mid 90s, one of the best local ‘Image inspired’ artists around was Roy Allan Martinez. His work on ” The Wicked ” was breathtaking. Too bad the writing leaves a lot to be desired. He also did a run on ” Son of M “, which was somehow a bit softer and tamer than his previous works. You have any idea what he is up to now, Gerry?

  5. Jay David Ramos on July 4th, 2008 10:31 pm

    I remember this was the first comics I saw which Filipinos made that had an Image quality back then. I was in elementary then in faraway Iligan City, Lanao Norte; and a classmate of mine brought his copy of this in school(which his mom bought from Manila as pasalubong).

    When I realized that this book, which I thought was imported, was actualy created by Filipinos –I wanted to make comics, too.:D

    This was one of the works that fueled my dream to work in comics one day. Then I heard about Leinil Yu (I cut newpaper clippings about him). Then I got to see a Tales of Darkness cover which was inked by a guy with a surname that sounded very Filipino — “Alanguilan”?

    I still couldn’t believe that I would one day share a studio with Lui and Jim.

    The Exodus guys were really pioneers in the local comics renaissance, as well as Alamat. And believe me, comics enthusiasts from Mindanao aspired to work with them. I know me and my friends did.

    You guys are awesome!

  6. Rave on July 4th, 2008 11:47 pm

    Trivia Question: Bakit EXODUS ang napiling title ng grupo?

    Answer: Exodus ang gamit na pen name ni Mike Tan as a writer during his GASI days. Editor kasi sya ng GASI komiks and he had to use pen name to write.

  7. Jon on July 5th, 2008 7:15 am

    I like the second issue. Mas OK ang art and story, plus my sightings pa ng LAKAN (yun ang sayang at hindi na ako nakabasa o nakabili pa ng kopya).

  8. Gerry Alanguilan on July 5th, 2008 8:26 am

    Jon, di naman lumabas yang lintik na Lakan na yan…

  9. Rod Samonte on July 5th, 2008 12:32 pm

    Gerry,
    I have no doubt, the local komiks industry did die, when bad illustration dominated the scene, probably in the 70′s and 80′s. However, your last two or three entries show the rebirth, the renascence from its moribund state, a rising from the ashes, if you will or to use a more popular term a “Renaissance” of Pinoy Komiks, historically, an event we can place somewhere around the 90′s. I am ecstatic to see Pilipino Komiks in the hands of capable young artists and writers. Mabuhay kayong lahat.
    Rod

  10. Vir on July 5th, 2008 3:17 pm

    “bad illustration dominated the scene, probably in the 70’s and 80’s”

    nasaan ka Rod noong mga panahong iyon?

    90s ang maraming pangit na illustration sa local comics, just look at the pages of GASI’s horror comics, ginawang praktisan ng mga wannabes.

  11. Rod Samonte on July 5th, 2008 9:29 pm

    Vir,
    Thanks for correcting, I left the Philippines in 1979 (when I discovered excellent Pinoy illustrators working here, see my blog in Gerry’s blog roll under Rod Samonte), and I assumed what I said, since all the excellent Pinoy illustrators were here in the States. Let’s say, my historical perspective of Pinoy Komiks is awry, my nearly 40 years here in the States didn’t help any, of course, and my recent knowledge, come only from reading this Komikero Journal. Still, Gerry is showing all these quite excellent komiks (all of which I’ve never seen before), that appeared in the 90′s. If there were bad illustrations in Pinoy comics in the 90s, along with these quite excellent ones, no matter how bad, they were still contributing to a revival of what I had assumed was the moribund state of the local comics industry previous to that. I’d better not assume dates here, or that whether they were bad or good (since I can’t say that for sure if I haven’t seen them) from now on, but it would certainly help a lot if there were a book of the history of Komiks in the Philippines, but here again, I am assuming that there is none?
    Rod

  12. gilbert monsanto on July 6th, 2008 2:50 pm

    Rave:

    I am sorry, but hindi dahil Exodus ang pen name ni Mike Tan kaya yan ang ginamit namin sa komiks.

    Exodus ang pangalan ng group at title ng book, dahil lumalabas kami sa makalumang paraan at pag-gawa ng komiks. We wanted something new, a big change. Kaya kahit na namulubi kami sa pag print nito, ginawa namin. 98,000 pesos lang naman ang print cost nito. Nagpitch in kami lahat galing sa mga savings namin just to produce this baby.

    Mike Tan, sa huli na lang namin hiningi ang tulong niya. Matagal na namin siyang editor and malaki ang tiwala namin sa kakayahan niyang magsulat.

    Kung titignan mo ang walking man sa logo, yan ang exodus!

  13. gilbert monsanto on July 6th, 2008 3:01 pm

    Rod and Vir: Sa tingin ko, kahit anong dekada, meron talagang work na di pa hasa. Dahil lahat naman ng mga nagsisimula ay saka na lang gumagaling sa pagdaan at pagpanday ng panahon.

    Kahit ako wannabes noon. I’d like to think that I cleaned up and got my act together because that is what I needed to survive this industry.

    Pero ang problema naman talaga ay hindi sa mga artists kundi ang mababang compensations sa lahat ng efforts nila. Kahit naman sino di gaganahan kung maliit lang ang page rate. In fact, dapat hangaan ang mga tao na sumoporta sa komiks noon hanggang ngayon. Dahil, nagpakabayani sila sa larangan na mahal nila.

  14. Rod Samonte on July 6th, 2008 8:58 pm

    Gilbert,
    Kaya nga mabuhay kayong lahat na nagpupunyagi at nagtataguyod sa ating komiks. Kung hindi sa inyo at mga tulad ninyong nagmamahal sa Pinoy Komiks ay maari ngang yumao na ito tulad ng laging nababanggit.
    Rod

  15. Gerry Alanguilan on July 6th, 2008 9:18 pm

    Maraming salamat, Rod! :D

  16. jim on July 7th, 2008 11:06 am

    maski nung struggling writer pa ko nun sa sonic at gasi, hanga na talaga ako sa grupo na yan, at oo, lalo na kay roy. i even remember him drawing a horror script of mine, a la jim lee’s deathblow yung style.
    hanggang ngayon, i try na pakyawin yung mga issues niya ng WICKED na wala pa ako. dun yung pinaka magagandang gawa niya. sumunod yung wonderwoman. medyo “tame” na rin yung house of M.
    sa mga dark at horror themes talaga siya astig!
    sana nga tumanggap pa siya ng mga ganung projects.