Gerry Alanguilan's Blog, page 18

At KOMIKON, the 7th Annual Philippine Komiks Convention (UPDATED!)

The crowd at Komikon yesterday, right on top of this post, just to give you an idea of how crazy it was. I was taken quite by surprise by the sheer amount of people who showed up. Having gone to this thing for years, I have a fair idea of the amount of people who visit. The mornings are usually rather calm, with things picking up after lunch. But the crowd this time around was intense. From the moment the doors opened in the morning up until the event closed at 7pm, it was this crowded. I saw a lot of new faces, which is great!

Click for larger image.

That photo above represents the stash I got from Komikon. And to think I barely had time to leave my table and go around and buy stuff. These are the only things I managed to get, but this is by no means the entire output of the convention. From the looks of it, I probably got only less than 10% of new komiks being offered on the floor. I wish I could have gotten more, but that's how it goes, I guess. It may seem like I'm complaining that I can't break out of my table for long periods of time, but I'm really not. It was great so many came over to buy Elmer and Bold Star and my other stuff for sale, including some original artwork. It was great meeting everyone who came. I just wish I had more opportunity to go and buy stuff. After all, I'm still very much a fan myself.

The Tintin stuff over there are gifts from French journalist Laurent Melikian, who visited the Philippines specifically to attend Komikon. Isn't that amazing?

With Laurent.

Laurent also brought with him the Prix Asie ACBD 2011 Trophy from my French publisher Editions Ca Et La.

Here are more photos from the event.

The calm before the storm.

The line outside.

Tepai Pascual.

Doc Carlo Jose San Juan taking a break from his medical duties to sell his comic book… about a doctor and a talking duck?

Law Student Teddy Pavon cramming for a test before selling the print version of his webcomic Work in Progress.

Johnny Danganan sells comic books that features Johnny Balbona, a character I created based on him.

Melvin and Joanah Tinio Calingo

Komiks veterans Jun Lofamia and Bert Lopez

Komiks veteran Rico Rival

Yes, I brought my work seat to the con. Got a problem with that? :D

Storm and Beast!

With Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah creator Carlo Vergara

On stage with Komikon organizer/host Sherry Baet Zamar

Hey, Baby! With Ariel Atienza, Tony De Zuniga and Lyndon Gregorio

Heubert Khan Michael, Wilson Tortosa and Edgar Tadeo

With Leinil Francis Yu and Edgar.

GMA 7 Video Coverage:

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KOMIKON 2011 is Today! (UPDATED)

Spending the day getting ready for the 7th Annual KOMIKON, the Philippine Komiks Convention. I can't believe it's already seven years running. Not only is this thing still going strong, it's even expanded to include a special Summer Komikon every May or April for the last couple of years. That's two KOMIKONs a year! That's not counting Metro Comic-con and the other events all throughout the year outside of Manila. There was one in Los Baños, another in Baguio, another in Cebu, and in December, there's one right here in San Pablo. I'll be posting the life out of that one after Komikon.

So much new KOMIKS coming out at Komikon. Here is but a sampling of Macoy's site. If anyone out there still thinks Komiks are dead in the Philippines, then they're just plain STUPID.

Although I'm still promoting Elmer and selling Bold Stars, I do have new stuff coming out. And it's crazy. It's the return of Johnny Balbona!

Johnny will be making an appearance in Komikero Komiks Anthology #8, to be sold at Jonas Diego's table. Oh yeah, here's a map of the venue itself so you can much more easily find us.

Click for Larger Image

Here's Ariel Atienza and Lyndon Gregorio, two of the Komikon organizers in a radio appearance yesterday, promoting the event.

Video by Mark Cerbo

As I mentioned, the amount of komiks coming out is INSANE. I wish to buy them all, but of course, I wouldn't be able to. If I don't buy your comic book, it's nothing personal. Keep in mind that there's only so much I can buy and there are specific things that I really wish to get. I'm really looking forward to Edgar Tadeo's Jacara Zar, Gio Paredes' Kalayaan Volume 1 TPB, Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo's Trese Book 4, Gilbert Monsanto's new stuff…. and so many more.

I wish I have a bit of time to go around. Since I don't have a new release, I think I can afford to wander the venue a bit. Yes, I'm really excited for today! See you all there!

More info on Komikon (What, where, when): http://komikon.org

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KOMIKON 2011 is Tomorrow!

Spending the day getting ready for the 7th Annual KOMIKON, the Philippine Komiks Convention. I can't believe it's already seven years running. Not only is this thing still going strong, it's even expanded to include a special Summer Komikon every May or April for the last couple of years. That's two KOMIKONs a year! That's not counting Metro Comic-con and the other events all throughout the year outside of Manila. There was one in Los Baños, another in Baguio, another in Cebu, and in December, there's one right here in San Pablo. I'll be posting the life out of that one after Komikon.

So much new KOMIKS coming out at Komikon. Here is but a sampling of Macoy's site. If anyone out there still thinks Komiks are dead in the Philippines, then they're just plain STUPID.

Although I'm still promoting Elmer and selling Bold Stars, I do have new stuff coming out. And it's crazy. It's the return of Johnny Balbona!

Johnny will be making an appearance in Komikero Komiks Anthology #8, to be sold at Jonas Diego's table. Oh yeah, here's a map of the venue itself so you can much more easily find us.

Click for Larger Image

Here's Ariel Atienza and Lyndon Gregorio, two of the Komikon organizers in a radio appearance yesterday, promoting the event.

As I mentioned, the amount of komiks coming out is INSANE. I wish to buy them all, but of course, I wouldn't be able to. If I don't buy your comic book, it's nothing personal. Keep in mind that there's only so much I can buy and there are specific things that I really wish to get. I'm really looking forward to Edgar Tadeo's Jacara Zar, Gio Paredes' Kalayaan Volume 1 TPB, Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo's Trese Book 4, Gilbert Monsanto's new stuff…. and so many more.

I wish I have a bit of time to go around. Since I don't have a new release, I think I can afford to wander the venue a bit. Yes, I'm really excited for tomorrow! See you all there!

More info on Komikon (What, where, when): http://komikon.org

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See you at the 7th Annual Komikon!

This coming Saturday, November 19, is the 7th Annual Komikon, the largest comic book convention in the Philippines. And yep! I'll be there the entire day so if you have anything you wanted signed or if you just wanted to talk, I'm game!

Click for Larger Image

Thanks to Komikon for making me a guest this year. That probably means I'll get to do stuff at the event. I don't know what that is yet, but I'm ready for anything. National Book Store is a co-presentor this year, and since they published ELMER 2nd Edition, copies can be bought at their booth, which shouldn't be too far from my table. For my part, I'll be selling "Where Bold Stars Go To Die", although admittedly, I only have a few copies left. I'll be letting go a few original pages from Superior and Ultimate Avengers for a vastly reduced Komikon-only price, for those who have been wanting to buy original comic book art but couldn't afford to.

I'll be scampering like mad to finish my short Johnny Balbona story in the next few days which will go into the newest issue of Komikero Komiks Anthology. This is the craziest Johnny Balbona has ever been, and I can't wait to unleash him. This anthology will be sold at Jonas Diego's table.

For those who wish to go, the Komikon is going to be held at the Bayanihan Center in Pasig. I really like this venue because it feels like a tiny San Diego Convention Center. It's large, it's cool, far easier to access than previous venues, and best of all the comfort rooms are CLEAN. As in utterly CLEAN. Yep, nothing's too good for my ass.

Click here for instructions how to get there.

I wanted to share this video I came up with back in 2006. A lot has changed since then, but I wanted to present it as is in an effort to remain objective. I wish I could update it and include the numerous other creators I've unintentionally left out and all those new creators who have come in since then, but it may take a far longer song than this one to get them all in. Nevertheless, this video still evokes some very strong emotions in me whenever I see it.

Yes, whatever quirks and warts and controversies and dramas Philippine komiks may have, I still just love it to death. See you at Komikon!

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Help For Illustrator Bert Lopez at Komikon 2011

Some two weeks ago, Filipino komiks illustrator Bert Lopez was featured on GMA 7′s charity program "Wish Ko Lang". Bert was a successful komiks illustrator until he contracted leprosy and all his friends and family abandoned him. He has since been cured, but he has living a very destitute life, unable to work due to his failing eyes and depressed at being alone.

Being featured on "Wish Ko Lang" has given Bert a new lease on life where he was given three sets of new eyeglasses, new clothes, new bed and cabinet, groceries, and more importantly a large supply of art materials which he can use to create artwork once again. Wish Ko Lang also organized an exhibit of his works where he got reunited with his old work mates.

Unfortunately, Wish Ko Lang couldn't track Bert's family down no matter how much they tried. As Bert himself said, "Mahirap hanapin ang nagtatago." You can watch the two part program in the videos below (In Tagalog).

Part 1

Part 2

Randy Valiente has said he will be bringing Bert Lopez to the upcoming Komikon 2011 on November 19 at the Bayanihan Center. Bert will be bringing his artworks there to sell. It would be nice if we could help out and buy his artworks, or even if to just drop by his table to say hi. I think he would appreciate it very much.

TIME

When I was very young, time seemed to move really slow. I remember being seven for years. Now that I'm older, time seems to be moving really fast. I guess it's because I'm working now. When I was young I didn't have a care in the world. I could afford to see how slowly a day passed by. Now it seems I'm always so pressed for time. And working in comics makes me value time even more.

Creating comics take an incredible amount of time to do. I spent years just doing Elmer and now I'm spending years just trying to get Dr. Rizal off the ground. On top of that is the inking jobs from Marvel that take even far longer to do. Before I go on I must say that I'm NOT complaining. I love the job. I'm just stating the fact that being in comics takes up an incredible amount of time in my day.

I can no longer count the numerous times I had to beg off invitations to talks, meetings, events, conventions, trips, etc. because I just didn't have the time. There are meetings I suddenly can't go to, projects that I can longer commit to, because I have to stay home and work. It's hard to explain sometimes and make people understand. Like yesterday was a Sunday. I had a meeting for a school reunion, and I could no longer attend because I needed to finish pages. Today is a holiday, but I'm still working.

PICCA, the Philippine International Cartoons and Comics Festival is still ongoing and I used to have an active role in it, but again, due to work, I've had to decline further participation because I just could no longer spare the time. PICCA by the way, happens at the end of this month.

It's also why there have been less San Pablo Comics Festivals than I would have normally liked. I just can no longer commit to organizing it. I can't attend the meetings, I can't manage the various little things needed to be done to make such a festival go forward.

I was invited to France for a three week tour for Festivals and Conventions because of the nominations that ELMER had gotten at such events. But I knew I had a lot of work I had to do, and I couldn't afford to take off for three weeks. I was feeling poorly earlier on and that contributed to that as well. But sickness or no, I still had to work.

Once again let me reiterate. I'm NOT complaining. I don't regret missing out on a lot of these things. In the end, they all fall secondary to what I really want to do, and that is create comics. My focus has always been creating comics. It's what I love to do, and I must apologize to everyone if I choose it over everything else (well, except family that is).

Arlan and Me Drawing

Rummaging through my old hard drive I found this video I had forgotten was shot, of Arlan drawing a page from "Where Bold Stars Go To Die" and me drawing Elmer while we listen to a comics podcast and trade ideas and stories. It's a relatively quiet moment, intense as we were on what we were doing.

Now that Arlan is gone, I find footage of him more and more valuable. I had forgotten this, and I couldn't help but shed a tear when I saw it again. This was taken November 18, 2008, only three years ago. And yet in just three years so many things have happened.

November 5 Comic Book Signings

There will be two comic book signing events on November 5, 2011. The first one will be at Comic Odyssey, Robinson's Galleria in Ortigas featuring Stephen Segovia and Michael Jason Paz from 1-5pm.

I might drop by early to say hello to the guys and to Sandy of Comic Odyssey, but I won't stay long. I'll be having my own signing, along with Mico Suayan at a new comics store called Comicxhub, located along Shaw Blvd. It's always great when a new comics store decides to open for business. It's great for us and great for comics. I'll be there at around 3pm onwards, and I'll sign anything you bring me, as long as it's by me. I won't be able to do any sketching though, just signing. See you guys there!

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Comic Odyssey Page at Facebook.

ComicxHub Page at Facebook. Map to Comicxhub.

Elmer Won the Quai des Bulles – Ouest France 2011

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News from my European publisher Serge Ewenczyk of Editions çà et là just a few minutes ago: Elmer has won the Quai des Bulles – Ouest France 2011. Photo of Serge above. I'm really just writing this down like a robot because my emotions are currently going ballistic and I really don't know what to do or say. I'm still like oh maaaaaan.

Below is the list of finalists for the award:

Here is the announcement from the Quai Des Bulles blog: http://quaidesbulles2011.blogspot.com/2011/09/la-selection-ouest-france-quai-des_6333.html

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Filipino Komiks Illustrator Bert Lopez on "Wish Ko Lang" Today, Oct 29, GMA 7

Photo from Arman T. Francisco

It just come to my attention that Filipino veteran Komiks Illustrator Bert Lopez will be on "WISH KO LANG" a TV program on GMA 7, which will be on later today, October 29 at 4:00pm.

This is a profle (in Tagalog) of Bert Lopez on Arman T. Francisco's site: http://arman-komixpage.blogspot.com/2011/01/bert-lopez.html

Although it's always great that Filipino artists get featured like this on television to highlight not only the talent themselves but also Philippine komiks in general, having an artist, or any person for that matter, featured on "Wish Ko Lang" is always sad. For those unfamiliar with the show, it's very much like a "Where Are They Now" program of people who had formerly had been active in media whether in music, film, TV, and this time Komiks. These are people who have fallen on rather difficult times due to a variety of reasons like age, sickness, injury and so forth.

I don't know exactly what difficulties Bert Lopez is facing, but Arman's page here will give you an idea.

There had been a call for other artists to participate in the taping to give support to Bert Lopez, but I didn't find out about it until now. For now, all I can do is mention this so in case you're home later this afternoon, you can tune in to GMA 7 at 4:00pm and see what Bert Lopez has been up to.

I'll try to see if I can dig up some of his artwork in my archives.

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