Gerry Alanguilan's Blog, page 26

The Haircut

I'm quite surprised at the reaction my recent haircut has been getting. At the recent Komikon (post forthcoming), a few people made a big deal of it. A few people thought I was sick, and a few thought I was maybe giving a statement (since everything artists do must have some kind of profound reason). I admit I'm sick of a few things, but none of which is the reason for the haircut. And no, it wasn't a statement for anything at all. If you tell you the real reason behind it, you'll just laugh and say it's stupid.

But I'll say it anyway just for the peace of mind of a few people.

When I went out a couple of weeks ago, as in when I stepped out of the house that day, all I wanted to do was to check out some new computers. I had no intention of getting a haircut at all. The thought didn't even occur to me until a few minutes into my tricycle ride. I thought… why don't I get a haircut? And perhaps surprise Ilyn when I get back since she's been asking me to get my hair cut for some time. It has been getting rather long.

Now I have TWO barbers. One barber is an old guy who I had been going to ever since I was 4 years old. I stopped going to him two years ago ever since he poked my neck with his scissors. I'm thinking he's gotten too old to cut hair and should just retire. I just don't trust him with the razor anymore.

So I went to another barber a couple of blocks away from my original one, a young guy who has given me excellent haircuts for the past two years. This is the guy I went to first. The barbershop was empty of customers, except my guy, who had a few people in line for him.

Now I'm NOT the most patient guy. I can't stand waiting. I wanted my haircut right away since I had to go to the mall and look at computers. I didn't have time to dick around the barbershop waiting for my guy to finish. So I thought… I really want a haircut. I wanted it right now.

I decided to go to my old guy. If he's busy then I'll go straight to the mall without a haircut. Not a problem. But the thing was, he was free. And he saw me. He saw my long hair. A big smile broke on his face and immediately prepared the seat. I had to go. But like I said, I don't trust him with the razor or the scissors anymore. The only haircut I can get without him using scissors would be this semi bald cut using an electric trimmer.

I liked the semi bald cut anyway so I went for it.

I'm actually surprised people made such a big deal out of it because I've already done it twice before over the last few years. Anyway, that's my reason for doing it. Nothing serious, nothing profound. It was really just a random thing.

It's the 3rd Summer Komikon This Saturday!

It's the 3rd Summer Komikon this Saturday, April 16 at the Bayanihan Center in Pasig. Where is that? Do I have a map? Click on the link below for all the info on getting there.

How to Get to Summer Komikon!

http://komikon.deviantart.com/#/d399oor

Click for Larger Image

I'll be hanging out at table A09 with Jonas Diego and Johnny Danganan, the same table that Harvey Tolibao will be in for his Sketch for a Cause event!

I didn't get a table of my own this year having nothing to sell. All my remaining copies of Elmer (Komikero Publishing Edition) are with National Book Store and they should be releasing the book very soon. I'll just be hanging out with my camera, and I'll make a video of all the Komikon tomfoolery, silliness, nonsense, malarkey and shenanigans!

As they say in the Pilipens, kitakits!

Women Cartoonists at the 3rd Summer Komikon

Several of the country's foremost women cartoonists will be special guests at next week's 3rd Summer Komikon at the Bayanihan Center in Pasig.

They include: Sherry Lee Baet-Zamar, Tepai Pascual, Steph Bravo-Semilla, Carmina Fajardo Romualdez, Armida Francisco Rad, Joanah Tinio-Calingo, Hazel Manzano, Elizabeth T. Chionglo, and Aileen P. Casis.

Check out the link below for more info on these cartoonists including a short interview and list of works for each.

KOMIKON: Special Guests: Women Artists

http://www.komikon.org/special-guests-women-artists/

When and where is the Summer Komikon and How To Get There

http://komikon.deviantart.com/#/d399oor

Scenes from a Komikon by the Amazing Rommel "Omeng" Estanislao

Omeng Estanislao posted this drawing on Facebook, depicting scenes from a local comics convention.

Please go ahead and click on the image for a much much larger look at the drawing. What's great about this is that many working cartoonists and comics artists are depicted scattered all throughout the floor. And they look like us! Amazing! Can you spot where I am?

This comes just in time for the 3rd Summer Komikon this coming April 16, 2011 at the Bayanihan Center in Pasig. Click on the link below for a map and detailed instructions on how to get there.

3rd Summer Komikon! How to Get There!

http://komikon.deviantart.com/#/d399oor

I won't have a table this time around (nothing to sell), but I will be there all day, hanging out with my Komikero buddies Jonas Diego and Johnny Danganan at their table. I'll sign anything! Including YOU. :D

I wrote about the great Omeng a while back:

The Mad, Funny, Wonderful Little Komiks of Rommel Estanislao

http://gerry.alanguilan.com/archives/3021

Thanks, But I Didn't Create Lastikman

I'm thankful that news of ELMER has gotten around the press, but I do want to address a grievous error that has accompanied it. Apparently, I'm being credited as being the creator of Lastikman. Which is just not true at all.

Lastikman was created by Mars Ravelo long before I was born. And in my mind he was co-created by Mar Santana, being the originating artist of the character.

I was simply one of the writers who had the privilege of working on Lastikman on one book 2004, illustrated by Arnold Arre.

I apologize to the Ravelo Family and Mars Ravelo fans if this has caused them some frustration.

Lastikman: A Look Back

ELMER Nominated for "Best Graphic Album-New" at the Eisner Awards

I actually found out about it last week when my publisher (SLG) sent an email congratulating me about it. I was asked not to share it yet until it was announced but for an entire week I was just reeling from the news. I still am. To be honest, it wasn't something I really thought about. I was happy Elmer found an international distributor and that was it. Being able to share my story with people from around the world was a prize enough for me. But I have to admit that now it's here, I'm very happy. I know it's mercilessly cliché (I hate cliché) but being nominated is such an incredible honor in itself. I'm so ready to have a couple of pigs roasted for the neighborhood right now. But then again, poor pigs. The nomination is a win for me already. I don't think about actually winning it now as there are lots of really awesome nominees. I'm just ecstatic to be counted among them.

Thanks to all those who sent in messages here, at Twitter and at Facebook. I was actually kind of overwhelmed at how much messages I got from you guys. It means a lot.

But let me say congrats to all other Filipinos who had gotten nominations this same year: Mark Torres and Deng Coy Miel (for Liquid City), Noel Tuazon (for Tumors), and Lynda Barry (for Picture This: The Near Sighted Monkey Book)

Filipinos have had a long history of nominations and wins at the annual Eisner Awards. The Filipino who may well have been the first Eisner Award winner was Ronnie Del Carmen in the category "Best Single Issue" for Batman Adventures Holiday Special in 1995. Other winners include Abel Laxamana in 2002 (Radioactive Man) and Lan Medina in 2003 (Fables).

Before there were Eisner Awards, there was the Inkpot Awards, also given annually at the San Diego Comics Convention. Other Filipinos won that award as well including Nestor Redondo and Alex Niño.

Right now I'm concentrating on doing my Marvel work as well as drawing "The Marvelous Adventures of the Amazing Doctor Rizal". I'm currently on panic mode at the moment. I haven't done as much work on that as I liked. But I'm going to do everything it takes to launch at at this year's 7th Komikon.

What is the Eisner Awards?

It's Friday and I'm Happy

Because I'm incredibly happy today (and the fact that it's Friday), I just wanted to share this with you all. I have you have fun!

Banana Boogie by Ludwig L. Ilio

Jingle Magazine was a legendary music and pop culture magazine published in the Philippines in the 70′s and 80′s. It spawned some of today's most popular writers (Eric Gamalinda, Juaniyo Arcellana), directors (Lav Diaz), and even cartoonists (Deng Coy Miel).

Back issues of this magazine sell for an astonishing P500-P2500 at Ebay Philippines.

The cartoons and comics featured in this magazine, specially during the 1970s, presented what may well be the first alternative to what the mainstream publishers were releasing at the time.

The two page comics strip below appeared in the June 1978 issue.

Click for larger images.

The Conti's Bakeshop Philosophy

Attending a birthday party by a friend of ours here in San Pablo, I witnessed the great deal made over this special cake that was being brought from out of town which was supposedly one of the most awesome cakes ever made.

People actually started forming a line to get a slice when this cake, called "Mango Bravo", finally arrived. I was able to get a small slice, just to taste what the fuss is all about. And wow, I gotta say, the thing is like a slice of heavenly puffs of sweet sweet awesomeness.

I immediately wanted to know where I can buy this cake. This particular cake, it turns out, came all the way from Conti's Bakeshop in Santa Rosa, which probably 60 kilometers away. Conti's has another branch in Alabang Town Center, which is farther but actually more accessible to us. There's a few more in Parañaque, Greenhills, Makati, Taguig and Katipunan. All of which are quite far from us.

When we wanted something special for this occasion we were having, we went all the way to Alabang just to get some of this cake to bring back to San Pablo. Yes it was far, and yes, it wasn't cheap (specially if you add the transpo), but I tell you, it was all worth it.

If I was going to put up a bakeshop, I want to make sure that I would have a couple of items that are special as well. Something that you can only buy at my bakeshop and nowhere else. Let's say I call it "Komikero's Special Spicy Dinuguan Sans Rival". And if our cake is special enough, I am confident that people from faraway places would actually bother to come to San Pablo just to buy it, and would pay good money to get it.

Why then, would I offer something like Mocha Cake when everyone else is selling Mocha cake? If you wanted Mocha cake you can get it anywhere. You can get it at Kalahi, Gem Cee, Red Ribbon, Goldilocks, and all other bakeshops in town. But if you want that "Komikero's Special Spicy Dinuguan Sans Rival" for your wedding or your birthday, you don't go to all those same old places. You come to ME. Even if you lived far away. And you will pay me good money for it.

Now I want you think about that, and think about that really hard.

Think about how that applies to comic books.

That said, best of luck to all of you!

The Sad Tragic Truth About Johnny, Jonas and ME

Watch on You Tube

What can I say? It was starting to get ridiculous you know? Every year I do an April Fool's Gag right on this day for the past 6 years or so. It's become a tradition. The bad thing about traditions is people start to expect it. Whatever I do or say on April 1 on this blog is immediately met with suspicion. I guess it's my own fault.

So I upped the ante. It was like a dare to me. All these people who say they know what I'm going to do… it was a challenge to me to do something that will get them. GET THEM HARD.

So I hatched an elaborate plan with good pals (yes, good pals) Johnny Danganan and Jonas Diego to make this year's April Fool's gag very memorable. People will hate us, I know, but it will be memorable. What we planned was so epic that we dare not show our hand so obviously so early.

And so I did TWO April Fool's Gags. One fake April Fool's Gag on midnight, making people think it's the one I'm going to do. At the same time, our main gag has already been in progress for the past few days.

Yes, we started to fight. We started to tear each other's head off. That's what we agreed to do last Komikero Meeting. We would be cool about it, be subtle about it. But it would escalate on April 1 where all hell just breaks loose.

In the meantime, I planted a fake April Fool's gag on midnight about me doing an ELMER SEQUEL because I supposed to have realized I could not draw people properly. It's subtle as well, and I honestly feel bad for those people I duped. For that I wholeheartedly apologize. But yeah, I GOT YOU. Just to clarify, there's no Elmer sequel, and I'm still working on Amazing Doctor Rizal.

And yeah, there were people we got with our epic main gag. Even those who were suspicious of us from the start had doubts I'm sure of it. I think it's a successful April 1 for us, but yeah, I perfectly understand if you all hate us now. But please don't hate us too long, and watch out for what we're going to do in 2012 because that will be MORE EPIC!

Happy April Fools everyone!