Monday, August 31, 2009

K8 back cover



(click image to enlarge)

This will be the back cover of Kalayaan 8. Created by the very talented Jusef Karlo SeravaƱez. Sabi ng asawa ko na ang gwapo daw ni Kalayaan dito. Parang selos ako ah. Grrrrr.

This issue would probably the most violent and action pack issue yet. And yet, in this issue, Kalayaan also will be emotional because of the things that Alipin will say to him. Just imagine your dark self had come alive and start telling you the things that you always wanted to say and thing you always wanted to do. Things that you always wanted to say but could not, because of some ethical things that are holding you back.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot. Gilbert Monsanto him self will be doing the colors of issue 8. I am just so excited.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Gary come home

This is the new favorite song of my 6 year old daughter Catherine. She just simply love it. :D





Gary, now I know I was wrong
I messed up, and now your gone

Gary, I'm sorry I neglected you
Oh, I never expected you to run away and leave me
Feeling this empty
Your meow right now would sound like music to me
Please come home, 'cause I miss you, Gary

(Gary come home...)
Gary come home
(Gary come home...)

Gary, can't you see I was blind
I'll do anything to change your mind

More than a pet, your my best friend
Too cool to forget, come back
'Cause we are family
And forgive me for making you wanna roam
And now my heart is beating like the saddest metronome
Somewhere I hope you're reading my latest three-word poem:
Gary come home

(Gary come home...)
Gary come home
(Gary come home...)
Gary come home
(Gary come home...)
Gary come home
(Gary come home)
Ahh...
Gary, come home
Gary, come home
Gary, won't you come home

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

BK Jokebox by Ramil Ibay

(click image to enlarge)

I always wanted my character Kalayaan to appear on a comics strip. Many thanks to Ramil Ibay for making this very nice comics strip. He is also a fellow Bayan Knights member with his very interesting character Maso. So please check out his own blog at http://www.badgetmil.blogspot.com


Monday, August 24, 2009

Keep moving forward


Have you seen the Walt Disney movie "Meet the Robinson"?

I highly recommend it for those who have not seen it yet. It has a very good message that the writer wants people to see. In a nut shell, never give up the things that you want. Weather that is an ambition, career, business, wealth or even love. Just keep moving forward no matter what. No matter how hard the road is, no matter how many critics say bad words to you, no matter how many people say that it will never be done, and no matter how many times you have failed. Just keep moving forward in life. Your dream will end the moment you just give up.

I remember a story once. A wise native American Chief was asked by a small boy. "Sir, how come when our rainmaker dances, it always rains?". The Chief looked at the small boy and smile. "It is quite simple actually. They never stop dancing until it rains."



Friday, August 21, 2009

KOMIKON AWARDS 2009

KOMIKON AWARDS 2009

You may now start voting at the KOMIKON.ORG website http://www.komikon.org

Here are the instructions on how to vote there:

  1. New users must register at http://www.komikon.org/wp-login.php
  2. After registering, check your email for your temporary password. Change this temporary password to a new one.
  3. Login at the same link above. You will be directed to the Dashboard.
  4. To vote, simply click on ‘Visit Site‘ or go back to Komikon Awards.

YOU ONLY HAVE TO REGISTER ONCE TO VOTE!!!

VOTE NOW!!!


See KOMIKON AWARDS Polls for DA Users here http://komikon.deviantart.com/journal/26462618/

VOTING BALLOTS are available in:

Comic Odyssey
  • Robinson’s Place, Level 3 Ermita,Manila
  • Robinson’s Galleria, Level 3 Expansion Mall,Edsa cor. Ortigas
Comic Quest
  • Lower Ground Floor Bldg. A, SM Megamall
  • 2nd Floor Main Bldg., SM City North Edsa

Monday, August 17, 2009

MCC 09: Indie Komiks Panel


I guess this is the most memorable time for me during the whole Metro Comic Con 2009 event held last Aug. 8 - 9. I was so nervous, excited and very much happy roll into one. I was lined with the persons that I admire the most. To be frank, I really felt that I am not worthy to be lined up among them. And being up on a stage with many people watching you is totally new to me, I was so nervous. And a camera with BIG two projector both on the left and right side of the stage did not help either.

There is a blog that had transcribed the Question and Answer portion of the panel. I felt that it is a little bit incomplete. I guess because the author of that blog relies solely on his memory of the event. I also felt that my answers were a little bit short because of time constraints and because of the nervousness that I felt. So I will just try to answer some of the questions arise on the event here.

Q1: Why do you still call yourselves “Indies”? There is no longer a local comics industry right?

Yes, there is no longer a local comics industry in terms of massive distribution. And when I say massive, I mean distribution from Luzon, Visayas to Mindanao. But there is still an independent (Indie) local comics that is being published on a few stores in metro manila. Distribution is the BIGGEST obstacle right now of an Indie publisher like me. If there is only a way that we could distribute our comics nation wide with a reasonable price.

Q2: How vital is the Internet to komiks?

In terms of marketing and promotions of our comics, the Internet acts a very vital role. It advertise our comics 24/7. Even when we are sleeping at home, somewhere out there, our comics are being seen, read and even heard (vidoes) because of the power of modern technology. Majority that buys my comics are people that first saw it online, rather than being seen on the selected stores that they are being distributed.

Web comics is also a good way to promote your comics. Just like what Budjette Tan did with Trese. People had an glimpse of how good his comics is. And for Kalayaan comics, I have published the whole issue 1 to 4 online. Issue 4, as people had already read it, is a cliff hanger. I am very much confident that people will seek issue #5 and its succeding issue because of the first 4 issues. There is still nothing like the printed paper version of the comics that your can carry anywhere, compared to its digital form that you must turn on your PC or Laptop in order to read it.

Q3: How much would the suggested retail price for a komik be?

Gilbert Monsanto had already said an approximate 2x to 3x from the cost of the comics it self. I very much agree with the 3x from the cost due to the following reasons. There are a lot of hidden cost behind making a comics. Aside from the cost of photo copied internal pages and the colored cover of my comics. We must also compute for the transportation, mistakes or bloopers of production. There are also complementary copies that you have to give to the store owners, friends and relatives. There are also lost in inventory. Those are the un-accounted copies that got lost somewhere. Damages of comics because of mishandling.

And there is this thing called consignment fee. This is the fee where the store gets it share of the profit. Some very kind store owner only charge 20% to 25% from the Sudgested Retail Price (SRP). But the most known book store in the Philippines charge as high as 50%. So if you are selling your comics for let say P60. A single copy that sells, you get P30 and the store gets P30. So meaning to say, you must keep your production cost way below P30. Assuming your production cost is P20 (photo copied paper, colored cover and all). You have a very thin profit margin of only P10 per copy. Which will handle all of those hidden cost that I have just mentioned above. Take note lang po. Wala pa po dyan ang bayad sa artist na nag drawing ng mga pages, nag lagay ng letters, nag layout at nag kulay.

Q4: Does the local comics industry fail to progress because all the characters are based on Philippine culture and characters that wears a 3 stars and a sun?

There is this well know writer that once said that "There is no bad characters, only bad writers". I my opinion, no matter how crappy your character is. If your story is very well written, It will definitely compensate for the whole comics it self. No matter how cool looking your character is, if it is badly written. You will end up with a crappy comics.

Batman is a cool character, and so is Spawn. But many years ago, when they had a cross over. It flunked big time. Simply because it was poorly written.

When "Invincible" of Robert Kirkman first came out. I totally ignored it because I thought it was a crappy comics with a crappy character. But after reading it. I was totally blown away. Not only by the art, but mostly because of the story and consistency of its releases. There is always something new, always something intriguing and there is always a little bit of something for everyone. Comedy, Action, Love story, Mystery,Suspense and much much more. I sometimes feel that the story from the big two company is some what just being recycled. Invinvible is a breath of fresh air.

Okay back to the topic. Medyo na lihis ako ng konte dun. Balik tayo dun sa 3 stars and a sun na costume. Ang pinaka point ko lang sa mga nabangit ko eh kahit na 3 stars and a sun pa yan o hindi. Kahit naka bahag pa yan na parang igorot o hindi. Kung maganda naman ang story mo, maganda pa din ang kalalabasan ng comics mo. ito pa rin ang mag dadala. The story is the foundation where you are going to build your comics (and even movie for that matter) .The bottom line is, story pa rin ang magdadala as a whole.



Saturday, August 15, 2009

BK 3 Preview


BK 3 Preview by Gilbert Monsanto

Friday, August 14, 2009

Kalayaan 8 cover BW


Here is the cover of the next issue of Kalayaan. This issue will be a little bit more violent than the usual. It is always something I am always trying to hold back because of the younger readers. But since I notice that my audience are matured enough and majority of them are already adult. I said to my self that I will let loose a little bit of violence in my comics.

This issue is also a clash of ideas (and not only fist) between two opposing sides. I have also throw a little bit of side comments on some (government /partially owned) giant corporation in the Philippines. Pahapyaw lang ng konte sa mga serbisyo nila.

I hope I can finish this one before Oct. 18,2009. The Komikon BIG day.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Komikon Awards Poll

There is an online voting for the Komikon Awards were my comics was nominated in two different category.

GRASSROOT AWARD: CLICK HERE

and

BEST COMIC SCENE: CLICK HERE

This is a poll for DeviantArt members only, but the organizer said that there will be another site dedicated of non-DA members.

Being nominated alone is already a big honor for me. So win or loose, I am already happy. :D

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Sad news in a fun event.

I really felt sad about what happened to a Chez of Sputnik during the Metro Comic Con. Her MacBook Laptop was stolen during the first day of the event. I felt very angry at the person that did this to her. She is a very nice person. Why does this has to happened to her? Ang mga corrupt government official na lang sana ang nanakawan.

The events was supposed to be fun. Now people like me that have found out about this incident will be more vigilant and a little bit paranoid on leaving our valuable things. It totally ruined the mood of any event like this. When I was having a good time during the event the thought of her was always on the back of my mind. I was imagining what was going through her head right now. In a way, I am indirectly affected by this, because all of the file of Sputnik resides on that laptop. Including the records of the deliveries of Kalayaan comics I made, and all of the sales record of sputnik. I only hope that they made a back up of their records. I always have this thought that the data that is contained in our computer are more valuable than the machine it self.

In my assessment, it was done by a professional thief. He/she knows the venue where to get valuable things. Gusmastos pa sya ng P100 para sa entrance ticket para makapag nakaw lang. And from the things that I heard. Split seconds lang daw at bigla nang nawala sa table ang laptop. Professional talaga ang mokong. May araw ka din.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Panawagan kay Carlo J. Caparas

I was watching the news last night regarding on the CJC issue for being a national artist. Ipinakita dito ni CJC na nag babahay bahay sa mga lugar ng mahihirap. He is doing this to get some support from the "MASA". At kitang kita dito na nag papamigay ng P100 each sya na palihim (pero kitang kita naman). Tuwang tuwa ang mga mahihirap na binigyan nya syempre. At meron pang isang naka sando na lalake na bumulong sa kanya tapos sabay abot naman ng pera si Carlo J., parang nakakita ako ng jeepney at bus driver na nag bigay ng pera sa pulis na nangongotong.

I guess this is his tactics in getting support from the so called "MASA". But for me, let us just stay with the facts that he is not qualified to receive the NA (National Artist) in Visual Arts. Simply because he is not an illustrator, he is a writer. I think Gerry Alanguilan could explain this better that I can. So please watch the video below.

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Panawagan kay Carlo J. Caparas

Monday, August 10, 2009

Metro Comic Con Aftershock

I was absent today (Monday) at work because I was not feeling good. Probably because of over fatigue for the two days event of Metro Comic Con. But I am feeling better now, after having the much needed sleep this afternoon.

Here I am, posing at the big BK Tarp. I just simply love this poster. Gilbert totally did an awesome job with this.

We had a Bayan Knight costplayer duting the event. This is "Nino" a half vampire, half human created by Teardrop. Teardrop is actually costplaying his character here. Sya po iyan, si Teardrop po iyan naka costume na iyan. :-) Sayang at wala si Manila-Man.

Me and Carlo Vergara (creator of Zsazsa Zaturnnah) . Carlo just bought issue 6 and 7 of Kalayaan. Kumpleto na nya ang issue 1 to 7. Many many thanks po. Sayang at hindi ko dala ang book nya, nag pa sign sana ako sa kanya. :-(

That is none other than Reno Maniquis him self. One of my all time idol in comics. Buti naman at nakapunta sya sa event.

Thursday, August 06, 2009

Nominee for BEST COMIC SCENE



Nominee for BEST COMIC SCENE
Kalayaan flying off in shame on discovering that he was sterile (Kalayaan Issue 4)

Monday, August 03, 2009

Modus operandi

I just got this disturbing post from a friend... please read.

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Sumasakay ba kayo ng ordinary bus?(this is not for the rich people fo sho) mga i call it "jacket in da hands gang" at "backpack in front gang" di ko alam kung anong tawag nala sa mga peste nilang samahan. MODUS OPERANDI nila ay magnakaw ng mga gamit(cellphones ang pinaka target) ang siste: didikitan k ng mga PESTENG TO kakapain ang bulsa mo ng di mo mapapansin,(aral na aral ang mga hampaslupa) kung mapansin mo man at mapatingin ka mapapansin ... READ MORE

Sunday, August 02, 2009