SUMMER KOMIKON 2013 (RECAP)

Summer Komikon 2013 situational cartoon by Rommel Estanislao

Summer Komikon 2013

April 13, 2013 10:00 am - 7:00pm

Baynihan Center, Unilab compound, Pasig City

Late February this year, local comic creators started posting, or changing their Facebook profile photos or covers to chibified komik characters.  Hmmm...  Then eventually, it was revealed that the theme of this year’s Summer Komikon will be for kids.

Komikon gave away five complimentary tickets to a lucky person who had identified the most Komik characters, artists, mascots and fans from Rommel Estanislao’s epic Summer Komikon 2013 situational cartoon (seen above).

Komikon also gave away two complimentary tickets each for the first five who submitted their picture taken with a Summer Komikon 2013 poster at any National Bookstore branch, and five tickets for the first participant who submitted their picture with Summer Komikon video playing on NBS.  Entrance was 100 pesos, and for children 12 years below, it was free until 12 noon.  For those who bought tickets 0001-0100 pre-sold at Comic Odyssey Robinsons galleria, got free Komikon/Comic Odyssey loot bag with giveaways.

 Or just buy the ticket at the venue on the day of the event and get some freebies; an Orange Komikon/Comic Odyssey loot bag with event poster, komikon tabloid, and a fan; the early ones also got The Manila Bulletin newspaper, and some got Next Issue, 7-eleven Avenger card or Titus pens.  And all ticket holders can claim a free The Hobbit cup from 7-eleven.

http://www.komikon.org/summer-komikon-2013-floorplan-directory/

The event started at 10:00 am.  It was a sunny day and the crowd got bigger and bigger, big thanks to the nice air-conditioning of Bayanihan Center and 7-eleven’s free unlimited Slurpee, we forgot how hot the weather was.  Attendees, participants, exhibitors, sponsors, guest etc felt more secured as the Komikon organizers had at least eight CCTV cameras installed and monitored throughout the event.   Additional Bayanihan security guards and new floor layout - there were only one entrance and exit door open at the main hall and no one was allowed to go out through the entrance; even the Organizers.  Service doors were also closed and tightly guarded.  Komikon also appointed volunteers/marshals to provide additional security.

 

Conference room BCD - Indie Tiange and KomikoNook

The Indie Tiange was located at conference room BCD separated from the main Hall featuring 30 talented independent artists/groups.  This year, they got bigger space/table to showcase their works.  Variety of nice komiks to choose from Ikos Komiks, T-Phase, Dayo comics, Kowtow, Happy Lockjaw, Vicatan studio, Piktaw Comix, among others.  Pinoykon’s Jeffrey Benitez was also there with his own komiks Junior and Kapitan Bandila, he also sold some blank cover variants.  Also, Macoy with his sons Eiji and Eric were there with their collaborated komiks.  This year, a screen was provided so that the people in room BCD can watch what was happening on stage at the main hall; but without audio.  KomikoNOOK, where you can read komiks for free, was also in room BCD.  They added more chairs so more people can read and relax.

Inside conference room E, guests artists from Singapore; Otto Fong and C.T. Lim, talked about self-publishing in Singapore.

In conference room F, KomiKalye, where you can have your comics signed and have personal drawings from pinoy artists working for international comics like Harvey Tolibao, Carlo Pagulayan, Stephen Segovia, Heubert Khan Michael etc.

The Summer Komikon crowd Hall A and B

Halls A and B, where the main program was held.  Lots of nice things to buy, notably comics from the bins of Comic Odyssey and Comicxhub, PSICOM’s super affordable books, shirts from Moobytoons, BLACKink graphic novels with new releases such as Bloodhounds, The Reaper #2, Animen #3, Manila Vice, Angels vs Devils etc.


Paolo Fabregas

Visprint also launched new titles; Filipino Heroes League book 2 by Paolo Fabregas, Kikomachine Komiks blg. 9 by Manix Abrera, The Dark Colony book 1 by Budjette Tan/Guerrero/Tapia.  Gerry Alanguilan also had his Wasted graphic novel reprinted.  NBS launched Who is AC? By Hope Larson and illustrated by Tintin Pantoja.  NBS, Ian Sta. Maria and Mervin Ignacio had Skyworld signing; Ian also gave away some of his sketches to those who brought Skyworld graphic novels.  And the Komikon merchandise; orange loot bags, blue Summer Komikon 2013 shirts, Sulyap Anthology, and Komikon buttons.

  

Michael David - creator of Kubori Kikiam

 There were also new titles to chose from; Toto Madayag’s Kolsenter, Mark Rosario’s My Wife is Pregnant, Kai Castillo’s Agawan Base, Paolo Herras & Tepai Pascual’s Noodle Boy, Pelikomiks Studio’s Zombinoy #4, Russel Molina & Ian Sta. Maria’s Sixty Six, Lyndon Gregorio’s 12^th Beerkada book - Musikada, Ariel Atienza’s Westside (blank cover) #4, Jon Zamar’s Codename: Bathala #3, Ed Tadeo’s Jacara Zar #2,  Rh Quilantang’s Hipon Gamay #2, Michael David’s Kubori Kikiam coloring book, etc.

Ambush by Andrew Villar, Boy Ipis by Michael Ignacio, and Boy Bakal by Carlo Valenzuela, now on TPB format

Macoy’s Ang Maskot indie komiks turned indie film trailer was viewed; Ketchup Eusebio (And Maskot) was also there.  Carlojoe Javier and Bogart the Explorer were also there to promote their film Untitled Superhero Movie.

Again, Hero sausages, the best Hungarian sausages, had the sausage-eating contest.  There were lots of nice prizes for the Bring-me game, like free 50-tokens from Quantum amusement and I-On energy drink.

The Game of Thrones contest had the coolest price; The Iron Throne paper weight.

Winners from Comic Creation and Character Making contest took home some komikon goodies.  Among 30 submissions for the Character Making contest, Mila Aswang outshines the others.  Kowtow Komiks took the Indie Tiange Best Seller award and won an automatic slot on the coming 9^th Komikon.

Harvey Tolibao announced his HMT comic board winners.

Indie Tiange Moving Up ceremony introduced the first batch of graduates; Kai Castillo, Paul Michael Ignacio, Aaron Felizmeno, Mel Casipit, Wan Mananita, Rh Quilantang, Tepai Pascual, Rommel Estanislao, JP Palabon, Gio Paredes etc.

Tepai Pascual, the class valedictorian gave a very inspiring Graduation speech.

The Manila Bulletin cartoonists where called on-stage, then something happened; Rommel Estanislao’s proposal to Ails Casis.

At around 8:00 pm, the Halls were almost cleared, but still there was a crowd by the Visprint table; Manix was still signing for his fans.

It is indeed a wonderful event.  Everyone who attended would surely agree with me.  Congratulations Komikon for a wonderful experience.

If ever you missed the event, you can still catch some Indie Komiks at Comic Odyssey Robinson's Galleria, new titles available are; Wasted by Gerry Alanguilan, My Wife is Pregnant by Mark Rosario, Jacara Zar #2 by Ed Tadeo, Codename: Bathala #3 by Jon Zamar, Kubori Kikiam coloring book by Michael David, Luzviminda by Ray Magbanua, Piktaw Comix, Dayo comics, etc.

 - Kristopher Dimaano Garello

What a Wonderful Year it has been

A great comic artist had died.  A comic book shop in Cubao just closed.  A comic convention has just been rebranded.  And an issue of Komiks being dead.  And here, I will be saying that it is very much alive and 2012 is a wonderful year for Komiks.

I got so many reasons why I said so.... and these were some..




Pitumput Pitong Puting Balahibo ng Pusa by Ikos Komiks

 

Manila Aftermath by T-Phase

This year, we saw promising talents form T-phase, Ikos, Catch, Happy Lockjaw, Rawwr, Ang Gerilya,  etc.


Zombinoy by Pelikomiks

 

Crime-Fighting Call Center Agents by AJ Bernardo and Noel Pascual

Instant favorites like Zombinoy and Crime-fighting Call Center Agents released three issues within the year.

We also had seen Gilbert Monsanto's new Rise of the Demigods (Leather, Eros, Alakdan, Hellsword) titles.
 

Carlo Valenzuela



Rommel Estanislao

 Carlo and Omeng introduces their new heroes Pi-Totoy and Bruho Barbero.

Maktan 1521, Mark 9 verse 47, Gwapoman 2000, Patintero, Mukat, Ang Morion are now on TPB.

The first part of the much awaited new Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah book is now bookstores.

NBS had just published Ignacio and Sta. Maria's Skyworld.

Indies like Kalayaan, Anak Bathala, Anak ng Tupang Itim, etc hitting the shelves of NBS.


Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo

Budj and Kajo's Trese constantly being a bestseller.


Manix Abrera signing Kikomachine Komix

 Manix having long lines of fans.

Summit Media had just published Kwentillion.

Tiktik: The Aswang Chronicles comic book adaptation of the movie of the same title.



Black Ink comics are now being sold on Precious Pages Bookstores.

Me beside my favorite section on Comic Odyssey... The Indie Komiks shelves..

Comic Odyssey, Planet X, Comicxhub, etc helps promoting indie komiks.

Komikon got bigger and bigger.  We are seeing Komiks characters being cosplayed at GTMACCon.  Conventions outside metromanila were held in Baguio, Ilo-ilo, etc.

 

AZTIG Calender by Rommel Estanislao

 The Industry might be strugling.. But the Komik community is very much alive and will continue to get better in the coming years...

Happy New Year sa ating lahat...

- Kristopher Dimaano Garello

KALAYAAN volume 1 ni Gio Paredes

Si Kalayaan ay una kong nakita sa pages ng Bayan Knights #2.  Isa sya sa mga member ng Powerhouse Division, na may mala-superman na power.  Sunod ko sya na-encounter sa Sulyap anthology, featuring Kalayan #1.

Fast forward!

Sa National Bookstore ko nabili tong book ni Gio Paredes.  Akalain mo yun? Isang indie komiks na nasa bookstore (sobrang dedicated talaga ni Gio sa mga gawa nya.  Pagkaka-alam ko sya pa mismo nagdadala ng Kalayan sa National Bookstore)?  Sana dumami ang indie creators na tulad nya.

Balik sa book.

Ang Kalayaan volume 1 ay collected edition ng single-issues #1 to #4 ng Kalayaan, plus some materials na makikita sa #0.  Sa simula, di ko nagustuhan ang komiks na to.  Nag-eexpect kasi ako na Pinoy na Pinoy ang makikita ko.  Dahil siguro sa mga kalaban nya na parang walang bakas ng pagiging Pinoy ang hitsura lalo na yung mga name nila (Blood Fang, Die-Cut, and Vorgon); foreign na foreign.  Pero sa mga sumunod na chapter, sobrang nagustuhan ko na ang takbo ng kwento.  Lalo nung talagang pinakita sa kwento ang kultura ng Pilipinas.  Mula sa pagiging matulungin sa kapwa, hanggang sa pagmamahal sa pamilya na mahusay na inilapat sa mga pahina ng komiks.  Pinakita rin sa kwento ang mga isyu sa Pinas tulad ng kahirapan, edukasyon, politika, justice system, atbp.  At ang inaakala kong super lakas na Kalayaan, meron palang tinatagong kahinaan.

Sa pag-usad ng kwento, marami nabubunyag tungkol sa pagkatao ng ating bida, bilang John Dela Vega, ang alter-ego ni Kalayaan.  Isinabuhay nya ang isang typical na Pinoy na biktima ng kahirapan na naghahangad ng pagbabago.  Dahil sa magandang loob at tapang, sya ang napili na maging test-subject sa project Kalayaan.  Bilang isang Kalayaan, na may natatanging lakas, sa tulong ng genetic enhancement at high-tech na damit at sandata, nagawa nyang maging bayani ng mga Pinoy.  Dahil sa pagkakamali ng kalaban na nag-aakala na mapapatay ang ating bida sa kanilang paraan, si Kalayaan ay nagtaglay pa ng mas higit na lakas na magagamit nya para magagapi ang kalaban, ngunit may nag-aabang ng kapalit...

Tulad ng nasabi ko na, di ko muna nagustuhan ang Kalayaan, ayoko kasi sa superhumans e.  Pero iba si Kalayaan. Sobrang likeable yun character dahil sa napakahusay na pagsusulat ni Gio.  Hindi sya yung superhero comics na puro bakbakan na nakalimutan na nila pahalagahan yun personal na kwento ng character.  Sobrang ayos yung backstory. Talagang na-introduce yun character ni John dela Vega, na nilapatan pa ng pagguhit ni Gio. Damang-dama ko ang bawat emosyon, ang bawat luha ni Kalayaan.  Si Kalayaan, ang superhero na iyakin.  Sobrang nakakalungkot yun ending ng volume 1, apektado ako...

Sa kabuuan, sobrang na-enjoy ko tong volume #1 kaya sinigurado kong lahat ng susunod pang issue ay susubaybayan ko.  Di nagkamali si Gio na bigyan ng Bandila-inspired costume si Kalayaan, sya talaga ang NEW PINOY SUPERHERO.

- Kristopher Dimaano Garello

Ang Kalayaan volume 1 ay mabibili sa maraming branches ng National Bookstore, Bestseller, at Comic Odyssey sa halagang 180 pesos lang, sulit na sulit..  Currently, meron nang 13 issues ang Kalayaan na maari mabili sa Comic Odyssey sa halagang 60 pesos.  Maari nyo rin sila mabili personally kay Gio tuwing may comic conventions, pede pa kayo pa-autograph o pa-picture.