I thought it would be nice, as an occasional exercise, to take a random panel from one of my old komiks, restore it, translate it, and then color it. It’s really fun to do, and it would give our non-Filipino readers the opportunity read it. I don’t think I can do this for longer pieces though. This way, I can spotlight various artists from various komiks magazines.

On a certain level, it’s easier to do superhero stories abroad, like in the US. They’re a very strong country economically and politically. If superheroes existed there, they don’t have to worry about problems in that regard. Superheroes are free to worry about more mundane things. Things like super powered villains who want to take over the world, or evil geniuses who want to drain the world’s oceans.

Here in the Philippines, our economic and political problems are much more severe. There are the huge problems of poverty, education, political corruption, crime, rebellion and so forth. If a superhero existed, for him to don a colorful costume and deal with evil geniuses out to drain Manila bay of water, or fight with an evil creature with snakes for hair, is patently ridiculous. Why isn’t he dealing with poverty? With starvation? With education? With the corruption that infects society not only politically, but the very spirit of the Filipino?

If I had powers myself the very first thing I would do would be gather up all these idiotic and corrupt politicians and beat them senseless.

For a superhero in the Philippines to ignore such harsh realities seems rather off kilter to me. And I believe this is at the very root of why I find it so hard to do it.

I’ve been trained by my reading habits to consider superheroes the way foreigners do it. Superman, Batman, and all those guys are huge influences. To attempt to do that kind of thing here would only transplant foreign sensibilities to vastly different local sensibilities.

I would like my superhero to be the result of the Philippine circumstance. To be the product of our unique problems, needs, dreams and desires.

Which is why I find Carlo Vergara’s ZsaZsa Zaturnnah so fascinating. While sidestepping the country’s harsher realities and problems, Carlo was able to create an entertaining and involving story that’s so distinctly Filipino and has now made deep inroads into Philippine pop culture.

Is that the secret though? As a fan, I myself would rather not read the real world in my comic books. I want to be entertained, and I want to escape. A comic book creator can create a different reality in his story after all. A world where such sordid problems don’t exist or if they do, their existence is not essential to the story.

When Marvel and DC attempted to address the real world problem of hunger in Africa in the twin benefit books in the 80’s “Heroes for Hope” and “Heroes Against Hunger”, it was spectacular in that it became a gathering of many of the greatest comic book creators in one place. But the story? The stories for both books sucked really bad. There were flashes of genius in the little bits like those of Alan Moore and Stephen King, but the overall plot seemed overwhelmingly unsatisfying.

Because you know deep in the back of your mind that superheroes can’t deal with real world problems because it puts them in a very awkward situation. These are problems that they cannot solve.

There’s an answer in there for me somewhere. Perhaps I need to ponder it a little bit more.

Oh man, it looks like a room full of naked men. That’s what I immediately thought about looking at this detail of the Timawa finale. Timawa ended in the June issue of The Buzz Magasin, and from here, I don’t know what the future holds for this character. There’s no plans of compiling it at the moment. If there were, I’d probably add more pages towards the end to flesh out the story as I originally intended. But for now, Timawa is at an end.

I’m sad, but at the very least it gives me more time to draw other things.

This experience has probably taught me that writing superheroes is still a very hard thing for me to do. At least, it’s very hard to write down my idea of what a really really good superhero story is.

It has informed the writing that I’m currently doing for another comic book. I’m not drawing this one, but the artist is supremely kick ass. I find myself enjoying writing this one. The difficulty is there, but I’ve set a clear direction of what needs to happen so I have a clearer grasp of what I need to do.

I’ve also done further restoration and coloring on some of Francisco V. Coching’s work, including the artwork that’s going to be used on the covers of both EL INDIO and THE LIFE and ART of FRANCISCO COCHING coffee table book to be launched this August. I wish I could post a preview of the the artwork as I’m particularly proud of the restoration and coloring I’ve done on them. But I can’t. ha! ha! Once I can, I definitely will!

The inking thing hasn’t started yet. I’m ready to take it on whenever it does start. I’m very excited about that. 2009 is split right in the middle between completely sucking, and completely awesome. I’m just about to step into the awesome side and God damn, it’s about freakin’ time. The past couple of years has just been… indescribable. In the meantime, I’m hanging by my balls. To anyone out there who owes me money, right now is about the right time to help me out.

Artwork for “Where Bold Stars Go To Die” is only a few pages away from being completed. YEAH! My pal Arlan Esmeña has done a tremendous job on the artwork so far. I’ve enjoyed our collaboration so much that I’m already planning our next project together.

I can’t believe who I got to do a pinup for Bold Stars. I’m so ecstatic that this artist agreed to do it. He’s not Filipino and he’s not typically known to be a comic book artist, but man o man, his artwork is awesome.

I’m also trying to get in touch with other artists to do pinups for it, and being really shameless about who I ask. I mean, what am I gonna lose? The worst that can happen is they refuse. One already has. ha! ha! I guess I just wanted to make this comic book special because it’s Arlan’s first comic book and he’s done a great job. I’m also rather proud of the story I’ve written. It has a rather provocative subject matter so I’m both excited and anxious at how it would be received.

I’m an off and on reader of FHM Philippines. For the *ahem* articles. Well, not just the articles. I need it for reference. That’s right. Reference. I’m an artiste after all. *ahem*.

And for a long time after seeing FHM feature all kinds of ordinary Filipinos from all walks of life including balut vendors, fish ball vendors, tricycle drivers and the like, I thought well, I wonder when they’ll feature comic book people. And invite ME to pose? I mean, one can harbor deep dark fantasies, right? I mean, am I right? Yes, I am.

And so when FHM Philippines sent an email asking if they could interview me for the mag, I jumped at the chance. I went to a local parlor and had my hair and nails done. I had my whole body waxed and you know, did a bit of gym. Doesn’t take much workout anyway to get into this fierce fighting figure that I have. I was all set and ready to punch walls, you know what I mean?

The article came out in the JUNE 2009 issue with that cover right there, and it’s available right now!

All right. I’m a chicken. A CHICKEN! All that buffing up and I’m a chicken.

Kidding aside, it’s hysterical! They never did get to take a picture, and I got a little too busy to shoot and send one so they went ahead with the idea of someone drawing us. “US” meaning myself, Carlo Vergara, Budjette Tan, Arnold Arre and David Hontiveros. They interviewed us separately and fashioned a group interview out of it.

And Carlo Vergara, with all his magnificent shining talent, drew all of us according to who we were in comics. Of course, I came in the chicken suit. And I just laughed my head off when I first opened the page to see it. Carlo, you’re my hero!

Thanks to B.A. Borleo and FHM Philippines!

The book blockade has finally been broken!

But is it really? I hope people who supported the protest against the book blockade wouldn’t lower their guard so soon. It’s one thing for the President to issue an order, it’s another thing what Customs will do.

What if they still continue to tax your books at your local post office? What are you to do then?

Books are not the only things involved in this.

If one reads the provisions of the Florence Agreement carefully, it frees not only imported books from tariff, but a lot of other things as well:

Books, publications and documents

(i) Printed books.

(ii) Newspapers and periodicals.

In the Nairobi Protocol of 1976, the agreement is further refined:

Annex A

Books, publications and documents

(i) Printed books, irrespective of the language in which they are printed and whatever the amount of space given over to illustrations, including the following:

(a) luxury editions;

(b) books printed abroad from the manuscript of an author resident in the im-porting country;

(c) children’s drawing and painting books;

(d) school exercise books (workbooks) with printed texts and blank spaces to be filled in by the pupils;

(e) crossword puzzle books containing printed texts;

(f) loose illustrations and printed pages in the form of loose or bound sheets and
reproduction proofs or reproduction films to be used for the production of books.

(ii) Printed documents or reports of a non-commercial character.

(iii) Microforms of the articles listed under items (i) and (ii) of this Annex, as well as
of those listed under items (i) to (vi) of Annex A to the Agreement.

(iv) Catalogues of films, recordings or other visual and auditory material of an educational, scientific or cultural character.

(v) Maps and charts of interest in scientific fields such as geology, zoology, botany, mineralogy, palaeontology, archaeology, ethnology, meteorology, climatology and geophysics, and also meteorological and geophysical diagrams.

(vi) Architectural, industrial or engineering plans and designs and reproductions thereof.

(vii) Bibliographical information material for distribution free of charge.

Annex B

Works of art and collectors’ pieces of an educational, scientific or cultural character

(i) Paintings and drawings, whatever the nature of the materials on which they have been executed entirely by hand, including copies executed by hand, but excluding manufactured decorated wares.

(ii) Ceramics and mosaics on wood, being original works of art.

(iii) Collectors’ pieces and objects of art consigned to galleries, museums-and other institutions approved by the competent authorities of the importing country for the purpose of duty-free entry of those types of materials, on condition they are not resold.

There are many other items covered in the Nairobi Protocol which you can find here, and the original Florence Agreement here.

I’m coming back to this because it’s clear that the agreement includes graphic novels and comic books. Customs people can easily make the “interpretation” that they had been instructed to exempt only “BOOKS”. After all, “BOOKS” has been the main operative word of this entire protest. And yet, the Florence agreement includes so much more than just books.

The exemption SHOULD include comic books and graphic novels. And through this, comic books imported from abroad should become more affordable.

I hope the local comic book shops take advantage of this as I know fully well how much they are paying Customs with every shipment just to get their comics to the readers.

****************

Some authors have expressed gratitude for the taxation of books because they believe that when faced with expensive imported books, the people would read local books instead. This is of course, an assumption on their part that people simply don’t buy and read local books for no other reason than people prefer imported books, regardless of quality.

I don’t agree with this. I believe quality wins out. If your book is good, people will buy it whether it is local or imported. I don’t want to be forced by circumstance to read something I don’t want to read. If no one is reading your work, then there’s a good reason for it. You might just have to be prepared to accept that your book may not be as entertaining as Harry Potter. But if you think your work is good and would sell if only people will read it, well… what are you doing to promote it? What are you doing to get your work out there? Or are you just sitting on your ass waiting for people to come? It’s not enough that you write your book. You have to find ways to make people aware of it.

It’s also about subject matter. Except for a few people, hardly anyone wants to read intellectual masturbation. Many people are turned off by vocabulary that’s too deep. It’s one thing to want to raise the standard of writing and the quality of stories, but it’s another thing to write something so intellectualy impenetrable that you would alienate your audience.

Don’t be jealous of the audience of JK Rowling if your own work needs a dictionary for people to understand.

I’m not afraid that less expensive imported comic books would eat away the audience for my local comics work. I say bring it on. Bring it the fuck on. I believe in my work and in spite of the Secret Invasions and the Infinity Crisis comic books, people still read and buy my work. And I’m really proud of that.

My small group which includes Arlan Esmeña, Zara Macandili, Pilar Esber, Ilyn and me left San Pablo at six in the morning. We arrived at the venue relatively early at 8 am. We had a quick set up so I had plenty of time to go around and talk with people I knew before the doors opened. As far as Komikon goes, I know a lot of people.

There were a couple of my friends attending Komikon for the first time including Robert Magnuson, who is the artist of an upcoming graphic novel for Adarna. We talked comics and Star Trek. The graphic novel he is doing is massive. I can’t wait to see it when it’s done.

Robert Magnuson and Steven Pabalinas

Jamie Bautista, also a Komikon first-timer, is the publisher of Nautilus Comics, including Cast and Arnold Arre’s Martial Law Babies. He’s also doing Private Iris with Arnold. He’s also the printer for ELMER. He said it was kind of hot. Was it? I never noticed. But I guess the huge cooling fan situated behind me at my table had something to do with it.

With Norman B. Isaac

With Tuxs Rutaquio, “Ada” in ZsaZsa Zaturnnah Ze Musical.

My friend Chez was there, manning the Sputnik booth all by herself. Their indie selection was just awesome! I said hello to the Bayan Knights team, specially Gilbert and Glenda. Beside my table was Jonas Diego’s Robo Monkey table. And when the convention doors opened at 10am, they hadn’t arrived yet! Apparently, they pulled an all nighter just to finish putting together Komikero Comics #1. Johnny was the first to arrive with April, then Jonas arrived much later carrying a small box of comics. The 50 copies of Komikero Comics #1 that were produced quickly sold out. Even I don’t have a copy. Honestly! Those who have been wanting to buy it, sorry! We are planning on putting everything online soon.

Komikero Komiks #1 on display. It’s blank so that the creators at the Komikon can sign and sketch on it. Photo by Azrael Coladilla

I went to the Comic Odyssey booth for what turned out to be a stunning find. It’s so hysterically stunning that it rivals even Howard Carter’s discovery of King Tut’s Tomb! I found a first edition Marvel Illustrated Novel Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley’s FRANKENSTEIN, illustrated by Berni Wrightson! I went… OMG! I grabbed it, knuckling a couple of fan boys in the eyes, and kicking a couple of nuns in the ankles who were all angling to get it. I’m kidding, but once I had it, I didn’t let it go, and ran away cackling. Thanks to Sandy Sansolis for making my day!

Once back at the table, it was my turn to be grabbed and dragged kicking and screaming to a nearby cafe by a couple of characters who turned out to be the nice guys of Vibal Publishing. They’re nice because they’re going to be finally publishing Francisco V. Coching’s EL INDIO on August 19 2009, and will have a launching at the National Museum, under the shadow of the great Spoliarium no less! El Indio is only the second book Vibal will be launching that day. The first is “The Life and Art of Francisco V. Coching” to which I also contributed an essay. August will be awesome, I’m telling you guys right now!

David Hontiveros and I talked about The Spirit comics and film while we were both manning the urinals at the boy’s room. I haven’t seen the movie, but I’ve read the comics. I’m kinda dreading seeing it based on the bad reviews, but I will go and see it sometime just to have my own opinion.

Upon seeing my hero Carlo Vergara, I went and asked him to sign my copy of Graphic Classics: Ambrose Bierce, to which he contributed the art to “The Monk and the Hangman’s Daughter”. Budjette Tan was there, but I didn’t ask him to sign anything. Sorry Budj!

David Hontiveros and Carlo Vergara. In my thousands if pictures in my hard drive, I’ve never had any photo of David where I could see his hands.

I was waiting for the organizers to announce the Komikon plans for that huge PICCA event in October. PICCA is the Philippine International Cartoons, Comics and Animation Festival that’s going to be held at the SM Megamall from October 15-18. I was aware of this because I’m one of those helping organize the event.

It’s a huge thing, and a big deal, so my ears were peeled towards the stage for any announcements. The only announcement I heard was my name being called to the stage, along with Sir Orvy Jundis. And as we sat there on the stage, in front of everyone in the Komikon, we were asked to announce the PICCA. Oh, I’M going to make the announcement. ha! ha!

It was also announced that another Komikon will be held on October 18 at the SM Megatrade Hall, which would be, in effect, the 4th day of the PICCA. There’s lots more to be said about this huge event, but I will make a separate post about it soon.

At 7:00pm we packed up, and as it has become our tradition after selling ELMER at the Komikon, we passed by KFC and had a bucket of chicken before we went back home.

Komikon Summer Fiesta 2009 Video!

Video hosted on Facebook:

Photo coverage by Azrael Coladilla
Blog/Photo Coverage by Lyndon Gregorio
Krisis! Komix
Kantogirl
nopickup
Blog and Video Coverage by Ryan Gerard
(more links as they come in)

Summer Komikon 2009
Bahay ng Alumni, UP Diliman, Quezon City
May 16, 2009

Manila Comic-Con, which is scheduled for August 8-9 at the Megatrade Hall in Megamall, has a project that might be interesting to a lot of artists, the IamNinoy 100 Initiative. They’ll be publishing a book on Ninoy, and they’re looking for submissions.

The deadline is on July 15.

I’m not completely sure if I can be there at the Manila Comic-Con because it’s a possibility that I might not be in the country by then. I’m still trying to work it out that I can be at the Manila Comic-Con for at the very least August 9.

I planned on getting some lunch first, but I wasn’t feeling particularly hungry so I went straight to Comic Odyssey. Sandy, the store owner, invited quite a lot of artists to participate. There were no less than 16 artists doing signings. The store itself wasn’t huge so I was wondering how they were going to fit all of us signing in there, plus the crowd who will be getting their free comics plus having their comics signed.

Photos by Azrael Coladilla

I need not have worried because Sandy had reserved a large portion of the center aisle outside the store and set up tables and chairs for us. It was looking like a proper mini comic book convention! The only difference being… there were tons of free comics. Sandy was not only giving away the duly designated FCBD comics, he was also giving away a large part of his inventory.

I was amused to find out that FCBD had official lollipops and mini robots, which Sandy passed around. I’m keeping my lollipop in the ref as a souvenir!

I teased Wilson Tortosa endlessly about his new comic book Wolverine: Prodigal Son, and how Wolverine’s outfit looked almost exactly like Wilson’s outfit, right down to the hair. He protested quite animatedly, but everyone could see it. Wilson, the cosplayer!

Photo by Edgar Tadeo

I signed a lot of comics, including a copy of the now rare first print of Wasted. I always feel great when I see that one because it’s been out of print for like 10 years and I’m happy it’s still going around. The copies I’ve seen are quite battered, obviously from multiple readings or having been passed around. I have to commend the original printer of this book because it’s amazingly sturdy. The pages are still all attached!

I always enjoy these kinds of things. I get to meet those who read my stuff, and get to hang out with the guys. All of us there in one place at the same time… that rarely happens now. We all had a great dinner afterwards, thanks to Sandy! I tried the Fish and Chips, which was pretty good, but I’m sure the original UK version would be much better. One day, maybe!

Afterwards, some of the guys decided to head to Felix Cua’s Druid’s Keep in Magallanes to continue FCBD there. Leinil went off with a friend to see Wolverine. Ed went home to try and make babies and I went back home. It was a long trip ahead for me.

I got a bunch of New Mutants comic books from the store, inlcuding assorted back issues, and Books 3 and 4 of the New Mutants Classic trade paperback collection which collects ALL of Bill Sienkiewicz’s work on the title. I’m a HUGE New Mutants fan, and I’m excited that Marvel is bringing New Mutants as a title back, and with much of the early team intact. I was initially insanely envious that Ed would get to ink a few pages of that, but in the end, New Mutants is a book I’d rather read than ink. If I had inked it, I probably wouldn’t enjoy it as much as a fan.

Time flew swiftly in the bus back home as they showed “Assassin” with Bridget Fonda. She’s gorgeous, even now. I didn’t like the movie much though.

Huge photo coverage of Free Comic Book Day by Azrael Coladilla. Thanks Az!
Photos from Edgar Tadeo