Hooh! Quezon City, another time and energy consuming trip from my hometown Dasmariñas in Cavite but everything was "worth" it. It's already the 24th day of November 2008 Monday,my proud mama's birthday. It took me a while to post this because of again technical Operating system problems (when will the conflicts eND?!!). Okay enough rambling and on with the coverage of the 4th Annual Komikon 2008.
I started leaving for Cavite at around 6:30 in the morning to avoid being stuck with the heavy traffic (and believe me when you get stuck in traffic here in the Philippines, you will be stuck for hours.). To my surprise, the trip was almost flawless and the bus I took only encountered a few light traffic along the way, making the trip from Dasmariñas Cavite to Diliman Quezon City a fast one (two hours or less to be precise).
Cam whoring chronicles number 1 (wahahaha) This is me on the bus
For Caviteños like me who wanted to go to University of the Philippines Diliman Quezon City, here is the right economic route to take (Thanks to Azrael for this transportaion guide):
From Dasmariñas Town Proper ride a bus until Pasay LRT/MRT Station. From thrn on ride a bus heading to SM Fairview and request the bus conductor to drop you off Philcoa. *** From Philcoa ride a jeepney taking the "UP ikot" route. Finally ask and request the jeepney driver to drop you off at the Bahay ng Alumni.
*** I don't know if I've been duped or what but the driver drop me off in some point so I still took a jeep going to Philcoa. Stupidity will really cost you about eight pesos more hahahaha
What welcomes us is this small exhibit section of classic comics. With some exhibit on artworks or Alfredo Alcala and Mars Ravelo to name some (actually I forgot the rest of the great Pinoy artists... shame on me).
Great artists, fellow comics and art enthusiasts started flooding the Bahay ng Alumni after lunch as seen in this photo.
The newly formated TV 5 (once was ABC 5) was also at the Komikon giving away free gift bags. I never know what was inside it because only people who draw and get the paper with the word "congratulations" in it wins. I really have no luck with raffles T.T
DAMEAT (http://dameat.deviantart.com/) was also present in Komikon (as they always are in the very first komikon and other anime and comics event). They offer hats as part of the HATAH! HATAH! campaign and food (I hunger for food and everytime i see those food I get frustrated. I didn't ate til 7:30 in the evening T.T I ran out of budget for the food... at least I have tons of comics yohoho). I am a member of DAMEAT but not that very active, so I just logged on the attendance and wondered mindlessly around the Bahay ng alumni (Yeah! like a zombie).
Of course, Komikon will not be complete without the indie comics section. This is where aspiring and budding artist feature their work to be purchased by the world. There are many great indie's here but I can only avail up to a certain extent.
These are some of the creative artists behind some of the titles at Komikon, with Hubert Khan Michael (the one in glasses) as the creator of Unstoppable
This is Sir Gerry Alanguilan (http://www.komikero.com) signing my first and fourth(final) issue of the masterfully crafted "Elmer" comics. A comic book quadrology (hahaha that's what I call it) which I personally recommend. A story worth reading and will keep you wanting for more up to the end. I never knew I would appreciate non-manga style of comics this way in my life.
This is sir Gerry Alanguilan's signature and an evidence that he was at Komikon. I believe this is Jake the son of Elmer. Siggy drawn in the "freedom wall" or as i call it freedom tarpaulin
This is the four issues of Gerry Alanguilan's "Elmer". Took the picture at home to show off to the world this great comics made by a proud Filipino.
This was the Freedom Wall where everyone can basically write anything (hahaha just wanted to explain it yohoho). The first few signature was drawn by Sir Gerry Alanguilan of Elmer Comics, Pol Medina, Jr. of Pugad Baboy, and Syeri of Car Pool... I didn't even dared to wrote after them that's why I roam around for a while and an hour it was already packed with random siggys and hilarious caricatures.
This is my siggy (signature) in the freedom wall. Yup, my siggy was Gagamba-la a hilarious character in the popular Philippine Gag Show Bubble Gang. He is Gagamba-la, a annoying and meddlesome man in a spider-suit. Thus the word "gambala" which means meddle or disturb, and "gagamba" for spider, thus the name "Gagamba-la". Here is the video of Gagamba-la:
This is "Trese" (or the number "thirteen") a paranormal detective comics which features local Philippine mythologies and folklores as characters (protagonists and antagonists. another great comics with a brilliant story, and art. Another comic book which deserved to receive high praises. Satisfaction guaranteed, if you like detective, action, horror, suspense, fantasy and mystery stories
This is the great artist behind the creation of TRESE
This is the "main man", Budjette Tanwho's the brain behind Trese. Tan plus Baldisimo equates to an outstanding comic book called Trese
This is sir Arnold Arre a brilliant master of stories and art with a list of story-driven comic book novel creations such as the one I availed "Andong Agimat", which I heard is going to be adapted into a movie. It looks really engaging in the first few pages and skillfully plotted and drawn. I have to read the rest of the story to find out more...
These are the people behind the once was Culture Crash Comics, they are the ones who truly started and revived the comic book industry here in the Philippines back in the year 2000, it was a dark time for the Philippine comics industry and they are the only one who brave and started a new Philippine Comics Revolution.
Nope, i am not in the church nor receiving communion. This is a self-camwhoring of myself (yup, that is how I portrayed myself in this picture nyuk nyuk nyuk) while I listen to the featured artists on the Q&A stand the Culture Crash comics or CCCOM Staff. I dared to ask the question, as I could remeber I asked this question:
Basing on the latest trends today, will you allow your Culture Crash Comics original stories be adapted as a fantaserye or television series upon knowing the capacity of local television companies to render poor 3d effects or graphics? if yes, why? If no, why not? And if you are given the choice, who(celebrity) will you pick to play as one(or more) of your characters?
Well, that was quite a question I made up hahaha. The very witty Michael David (creator of Kubori Kikiam) is cool with the idea and he wanted Rovilson Fernandez to play as Benjo. He also joke if Elmer Damaso(creator of Cat's Trail)he would probably choose Tuesday Vargas as Airee, Wangbu/Jose Manalo as Butler, and Vic Sotto as Polaris. Jio Beltran is okay with the idea and wanted all the cast of bubble Gang to play his characters in Solstice Butterfly. Taga-Ilog disagreed and wanted to finish first the story before he allows the major television stations to ruin his story by rendering it in "crappy"(this is my versionof his explanation) graphics or animation, maybe he will allow it to be adapted as television series but not in this generation. Jessie James Palabay is somewhat okay with the idea.
The one hour Q&A was over and they strut one more time for the public to feed on their flesh hahahaha. Hope they make a comeback because the Philippine Comics industry needs brilliant minds and arts which Culture Crash Comics pioneered (for the new world)... and of course they kept us, the fans hanging and waiting to what will happen next to our favorite CCCOM titles.
This is sir Jio Beltran, creator of Solstice Butterfly, a short-lived story in the great line up of Culture Crash Comics titles. Finally got his signature and a photo as well... Yosh! Thus, a fan is satisfied.
This is sir Jessie James Palabay, Da Bhoss and brains behind the CCOM favorite One Day Isang Diwa. He signed my issue 1 a couple of times because of the crappy inking of the pen ahuhuhu but finally I found a working pen and let him signed it.
Do you know what is agitating and irritating, it is when a fan took a picture of one of his most idolized artist only to find out that he accidentally erased his photo with that artist. gyaargh! Nobody to be blamed but me and my crappy pc who didn't cooperate as I copied the images from my digicam gyaaargh! I lost a photo together with Taga-Ilog and Sir Gerry Alanguilan T.T Oh why cruel world.... Nagdrama? hahaha This was the only photo i retrieved, the bucket of Taga-Ilog.
After the CCCOM, it is Sir Gerry's turn to sit on the hot spot and be asked with questions regarding elmer and his other works. He wittingly answered all of the questions on the story behind Elmer and his Rizal's Missing Adventures. I really look up to Mr. alanguilan because of his dedication and exceptional artistry as a Filipino.
There are some prominent blogging icons and great artists in Komikon, one of which is Gorgoro of http://gorgoro.multiply.com/
I didn't caught this GMA Network's coverage of Komikon. The once was glorified anime nation was now the "replay anime nation" as what GMA Network do is do reruns of Ghost fighter, doraemon, and flame of recca, and uh! there is also Voltes V. I guess, that is why ABC 5 is now being a new and promising station because they are giving rich and fresh anime series and television concepts, thus the TV Tag "Shake Mo TV Mo!"
I swore that this bag was in good condition before I stucked it in my laptop bag but after walking and purchasing comic books after comic books guess, it couldn't stand it any longer. Let's pause for a while and let us remember the once was price to the first fifty early attendees... you have served your lifespan well.
Batman is my all-time favorite character and to my surprised a Filipino once rendered the Dark Knight. This opportunity will not passed my eyes, so when I was about to take a photo of myself (camwhoring again) a fine lady offered her assistance and do the photographing for me. Thanks Miss Paula.
These are the great mainstream titles I bought the indies are not yet included. Some of the titles will be featured on the new blog I am thinking of with. a new one? I already have four, hope I can still handle one more... hehehe
Grabbed this one from Azrael, This is Mark, Jori and Me plus Az taking the photo. .. and we are the wonder Girls... ahem ahem... I mean the Transformers Philippines Boys hahahaha Check out our blog at:
http://transformersph.blogspot.com/
For more photos you can see them here:
Foto Kobereydz op the Komikon 2008
