OMG!!! Komiks!

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noreply@blogger.com (Neko Mimi) — Mon, 22 Apr 2019 19:27:00 +0000

Komiket, Comics Dojo and Komikon Now Offering Workshops

noreply@blogger.com (Neko Mimi) — Mon, 14 May 2018 05:16:00 +0000

Three komiks creation workshops are now available for fans of all ages who want to create and sell their own komiks.

Komiket University

Now on its 4th year, KomiketPH is back with their workshop entitled Komiket University. The 4-day weekend workshops started in 2015 and has become the starting point of many Komiket Award winners. Komiket creators such as Paolo Herras and Tepai Pascual will be sharing their own experiences as they were starting out as well as tips and tricks on how to make it in the komiks industry. The facilitators will also be giving one-on-one advice on how to improve your storyline and polish your final work.

Registration is currently ongoing. Workshop fee is Php 3,500 which covers the whole 4 days. It will be held at Fully Booked BGC in Taguig.

Sensei Sessions

Another komiks organization who are offering workshops is Comics Dojo. Comics Dojo was organized by GOOGOOHIT in 2016 when the group realized that there are a lot of workshops on various arts and crafts, but almost none for creating komiks. Comics Dojo began offering various "Sensei Sessions" wherein local creators talk about a specific area of their craft. For 2018, they will be offering 2 Sensei Sessions: Writing for Comics and Drawing Comics.

Although the first session has already finished, registration for the second session is still ongoing. Each session is worth Php 1,000 and will be held at the Union Church of Manila Library in Makati.. For more details on the second session, visit the event page.

Comics Dojo is also organizing the 12 Hour Comic Day Manila challenge wherein comic creator newbies and professionals come together in one venue to complete a full comic within 12 hours. Those who managed to complete the challenge will be able to launch their creations in the next komiks convention. This year's challenge date is set on July 21, 2018 with the comics launching on August 4 during the Komikon Indieket.

Komikon Komiks Kamp

Komikon launches its second komiks creation workshop entitled Komikon Komiks Kamp. It will cover everything that a komiks creator needs to know: from komiks creation to selling komiks.

Registration will be ongoing until May 26, 2018. It will be held on all 4 Saturdays of June at the Bayanihan Center. Workshop fee is Php 4,000 and each participant will have their free slot at the Komikon Indieket on August 4.

Aircondition Units Run Away as Summer Comes to the Philippines

noreply@blogger.com (Neko Mimi) — Sun, 01 Apr 2018 05:42:00 +0000

Author's own aircon now in custody

Filipino netizens were caught off guard when reports of runaway airconditioners (a.k.a aircon) started appearing in social media.

The first reports came in around 8am today, April 1, 2018. According to witnesses, while two people were discussing about the escaping aircon units, the said appliances sneak behind them and makes a run out of the door.

Here is the unofficial and incomplete list of eye witness accounts (in no particular order):

Some of the documented sightings of the bizzare aircon phenomenon

Some of the previous owners only stood in shock after seeing the escaping appliances (who wouldn't be?) while other went in pursuit. Others continue to argue as to who was the first one who documented this extraordinary event. As of writing, there has been no information as to where the aircon units ran off to, or what happened to them afterward.

Citizens are therefore warned to keep their doors shut to prevent escape and loss of further units. Any information on the escaping aircon units should be reported immediately to the authorities. Be up to date with the latest reports by typing the following hashtag: #AstigPagOrig and #KomiksLife.

UPDATE:

Early this afternoon, we receive reports that the strange phenomenon has also began to affect airconditioning units of automotive vehicles.

Eyewitness account by JoPa's Toons

Even historical figures who are not familiar with appliances are now trying to figure out this mystery, but to no avail. Yes, history has changed today.

Translated from old baybayin scrolls by Tepai Pascual

Eyewitness accounts continue to flood in as people began posting about their recent sightings of the missing airconditioners.

Photo taken during the AirConCon by Liga ni Likeman

One undercover agent was able to escape despite being noticed by the runaway aircons.

Brave soldier caught on cam by Jon Zamar

As of 7:00 PM, after an almost 12-hour ordeal, the mystery is finally revealed.

Aircon Go Home as witnessed by Visconde Carlo Vergara

Still the mystery remains. Where are the airconditioners going? Why did they leave the planet right when we need them? Will they come back? What kind of pasalubong will they bring? For now perhaps, we will never know. Authorities are now placing strict regulations on cooling appliances like electric fans and even refrigerators to make sure that the incident will not happen again.

It looks like it will be a very hot summer in the Philippines.

----

This post is inspired by the multitude of comic strips posted by numerous komikeros as an April Fools Day prank. No airconditioners were harmed during the creation of this post.

KomiketPH Announces the Winners of the Komiket Awards 2018

noreply@blogger.com (Neko Mimi) — Wed, 07 Mar 2018 04:56:00 +0000

Komiket PH recently published the list of winners of the 3rd Komiket Awards 2018.

Komiket Awards features komiks published during 2017 and reviewed by the jury composed of Sienna Olaso (Film and TV Production), Nida Ramirez (Publishing) and Arnold Arre (Komiks and Animation).

The following are the winners for each category:

Best Komiks - "Ultimo," by Ruvel Abril.
Best Student Komiks - "Palaso" by Marian Hukom.
Best Writer - Ruvel Abril "Ultimo," and Lizette Daluz "Talumpati."
Best Illustrator - Ruvel Abril "Ultimo," and Issel De Leon "Daloy."
Geiser Maclang Alamat Award Winner - Ma-i Entico for "Emla and Bugan," and "My Name is Agung."

Winners were announced during Komiket held last February 24-25, 2018 at the Eton Elements Centris in Quezon City.

Nominees also received a special Komiket Awards Nominee badge which they can put at the cover of their komiks.

The deadline of entries for the 2019 Komiket Awards will be on October 13-14, 2018. All komiks published prior to this date will be eligible for the award. To learn more on Komiket and the Komiket Awards, visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/komiketinc/.

Pugad Baboy Moves Into a New "Pugad"

noreply@blogger.com (Neko Mimi) — Fri, 02 Mar 2018 00:31:00 +0000

Photo from Rappler

Pugad Baboy will be moving to a new nest, and this time, it will be back in the broadsheet print.

February 2018 ended with a surprise when news website Rappler posted a strip named "Lipat Bahay" for their regular Pugad Baboy post in the website and in their Facebook page.. It features the Pugad Baboy protagonist, Polgas, being thrown into a portal, with the logo of Rappler visible in the background.

"Lipat Bahay", published on Feb 28, 2018. Photo from Rappler

The following day, the website published a strip entitled "Final Strip".

"Final Strip", published on March 1, 2018. Photo from Rappler.

In this final strip, Polgas goes through the portal and finds himself in a different location, only to realize that he arrived at the office of The Philippine Star.

This was not the first time that the comic strip has moved to a new nest, or was published in the broadsheet. Pugad Baboy was first published at the broadsheet Philippine Daily Inquirer in 1988. It appeared for 25 years until the news company decided to discontinue publishing the strip in 2013 after a series of comic strips sparked controversy. Pugad Baboy creator, Pol Medina Jr., officially resigned a few days later.

What seemed to be the end of Pugad Baboy only opened new doors for opportunity. Fans were once again greeted with good news when the comic strip reappeared a few days later, not in print, but in the internet. On June 17, 2013, Rappler published its first Pugad Baboy strip. As if to follow the new media that it was published, the comic strip also featured a new format, giving readers 3 separate endings for each strip to choose from. Pol also released several story arcs in Rappler including "Ang Punyal ni Devlino" and "The Girl from Persia".

While the move surprised many of Pol Medina's fans, a lot of them, including fellow comics creator Lyndon Gregorio of Beerkada, expressed delight that the pugad is moving back to broadsheet print.

Screenshot from Lyndon Gregorio's facebook post

Despite the changes, Pugad Baboy will still be available in print format. Books containing the collection of the comic strips that were printed in the last 30 years are available in major bookstores and comic shops nationwide. It is also sometimes available during major komiks events like Komikon and Komiket (Please see their list of participating artists).

COMING SOON: Sorrowful, Sorrowful, Mysteries (TV series and film)

noreply@blogger.com (Neko Mimi) — Wed, 07 Feb 2018 23:35:00 +0000

Photo by Viva Entertainment

Komiks creator Manix Abrera has just signed a contract with film-maker Epik Studios for the TV and film adaptation of one of his comic books.

The contract signing for adaptation was held last February 6, 2018. Entitled "Sorrowful, Sorrowful, Mysteries", the film will be based on the creator's 7th book of the same title. The book was also the inspiration for the stage play performed last April 2017 by UP Los Banos' theater group, Tabsing Kolektib.

Video by Flipgeeks

Epik Studios has been bringing komiks into the big (and small) screen through TV and film adaptations in the past few years. In 2017, they premiered the TV adaptation for the graphic novel "Tabi Po" by Mervin Malonzo. They are currently working in the film adaptation of the komiks "Pedro Penduko: The Legend Begins" which was released by the same studio in 2016.

Manix Abrera is the creator behind the works Kikomachine and News Hardcore. His comic strips, which first appeared in Philippine Daily Inquirer, feature several anonymous characters and their humorous and out-of-this-world take on their experiences in life.

Kikomachine and News Hardcore are available in select bookstores nationwide. To find out more about Manix Abrera and his works, visit his website, Manix-Abrera.com.

Source: Epik Studios, Flipgeeks, Viva Entertainment

FILM SCREENING: Komikero Chronicles

noreply@blogger.com (Neko Mimi) — Tue, 06 Feb 2018 03:30:00 +0000

Pinoy komiks documentary, "Komikero Chronicles", is among the films lined up for the month of February at Cinema Centenario.

Directed by Keith Sicat, the man behind the award winning films: "Rigodon", "Ka Oryang" and "Woman of the Ruins", "Komikero Chronicles" takes the audience through the history of Philippine komiks, its influences from other cultures, and how it evolved from the time of Jose Rizal to the present day.

As an additional treat to komiks fans, the documentary also features interviews from internationally known comics artists and creators like Gerry Alanguilan, Arnold Arre, Carlo Vergara, Mervin Malonzo, Budgette Tan, Steve Gan, Filomena Coching, Wilce Portacio, Leinil Yu, Tony Dezuniga and more!

The screening schedule for the documentary is as follows:

February 03 (Saturday) - 5:00 PM
February 10 (Saturday) - 7:30 PM
February 16 (Friday) - 7:30 PM
February 24 (Saturday) - 2:30 PM

Tickets are priced at Php 200 and are available for reservation. Walk ins will be accepted but the seats are subject to availability. For more information on the film showing and/or how to reserve your tickets, visit the Cinema Centenario facebook page.

Who's Coming to ComicCon Asia 2018? (Partial Guest List Announcement)

noreply@blogger.com (Neko Mimi) — Tue, 23 Jan 2018 15:28:00 +0000

ComicCon Asia promises to be one of the biggest pop culture events in the country. The event first made noise around social media in early 2017. Despite the numerous rumors faced last year, the organizers confirmed during the press conference held last January 17, all the plans they have in store for all the Filipino geeks out there.

In the recently concluded press con, the organizers finally revealed the names of the guests who will be participating in this year's event. Among the Filipino creators who will be gracing the event are Harvey M. Tolibao (DC/Marvel), Carlo Pagulayan (DC comics), Armand Serrano (Walt Disney Studios), Ian Sta. Maria (Lego), and Yael Yuzon (Spongecola). The organizers also did not hold back in inviting international guests. Joining the guest list are NBA star Ray Allen, the original Black Ranger, Walter Jones, and of course, the legendary superhero mastermind himself, Stan Lee!

Comics fans will also be able to access a workshop led by Dr. John Lent of Temple University and the publisher and creator of the International Journal of Comic Art. The panel will be joined by creators from other Asian countries such as Toni Masdiono (Indonesian School of Design), Nguyen Thang Phong (Vietnam), Jerry Hinds (Association of Comic Artists Singapore) and Adi Nazri (Malaysia Comics Enthusiast Organization.).

As for cosplay geeks, other cosplay guests include Chad Hoku (Hoku Props), Linda Le (Vampy Bit Me), Nana Kuroma (Austrian cosplayer), Jay Tablante (cosplay photographer), and Anna Redei (Enji Night).

Expect more guests to be revealed soon as the organizers are continuing negotiations to invite even bigger stars for the Anime and Gaming communities.

ComicCon Asia happens on March 24-25, 2018 at the SMX Convention Center, Pasay City. Entrance fee is Php 800 (1-day pass) and Php 1300 (2-day pass).
For more updates and details, visit their official website and/or Facebook page.

Zines Invade the South with Munzinelupa

noreply@blogger.com (Neko Mimi) — Fri, 19 Jan 2018 09:00:00 +0000

According to Wikipedia, a zine is

A zine (/ziːn/ ZEEN; short for magazine or fanzine) is most commonly a small-circulation self-published work of original or appropriated texts and images, usually reproduced via photocopier. Usually zines are the product of a single person, or of a very small group.

In the Philippines, zines are not a new thing. They have been around for some time now, made available in art fairs, pop-up shops, cafes, comic cons, music festivals, and many other related events.

This year, one of the biggest zine events will be happening in Muntinlupa. Dubbed as Munzinelupa, you can read a wide variety of zines while you chill out to music performances, watch indie films, or even join a workshop.

Grab artworks and other merchandise by the following artists:

Asshulz
Momcrew
Magpies
rtmoratin (Richard Moratin)
Jasminelutero / art
Komiks Sundays
Josel Nicolas
Makô
The Cabinet
Xeus Dela Cruz Foja
Zeempleng Tao
UP Film Circle
Wombatrai
Haliya Publishing
Electromilk
Czar Kristoff
Studio Soup Zine Library
Alex Certeza
Jed Gregorio
Loser Mangaka
Zop Ad Hoc Collective
Blanche Llanes
Rare Drama Aisle

Munzinelupa will be held at the Picked Cafe and Gallery on January 27, 2018 from 1PM to 7PM. Entrance is free.

BOOK LAUNCH: Dead Balagtas Tomo 1: Mga Sayaw ng Dagat at Lupa by Emiliana Kampilan

noreply@blogger.com (Neko Mimi) — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 07:00:00 +0000

This weekend will mark the official book launch "Dead Balagtas Tomo 1: Mga Sayaw ng Dagat at Lupa" by Emiliana Kampilan.

Starting as a Facebook webcomic in 2013, Dead Balagtas was known for its witty and satirical take on the notable events and personalities in Philippine history. In 2017, Emiliana launched the story "Mga Sayaw ng Dagat at Lupa" in the official Facebook page where she narrated the geological origins of the Philippine islands through a series of short stories. It was made available for pre-order last November during Komikon 2017, and was released by Anino Comics in December the same year. Those who pre-ordered a copy were able to get (1) exclusive limited edition Dead Balagtas sticker and (1) pocket calendar together with their book.

Aside from the book launch, there will be a premiere signing for "Ang Hari ng Komyut" and "Sandali".

"Hari ng Komyut" by Lizette Daluz is a collection of six-panel comics about a model commuter and his adventures during his travels while the collaboration work of Mikey Jimenez & Mikey Marchan, "Sandali", is a compilation of slice-of-life stories in Manila. Both books were first released during Komikon 2017.

These books as well as the other titles of Anino Comics are available to purchase online through the Adarna House Publishing Online Store.

Book launch will be held on Sunday, January 21, 2018 at 2pm in the 3rd floor of Fully Booked, BGC, Taguig.

***

Be updated with the latest komiks events! Check out our Schedule of Events page!

Artists Lineup for the 2018 Manila Hobbies and Collectibles Convention

noreply@blogger.com (Neko Mimi) — Sun, 14 Jan 2018 16:37:00 +0000

Several komiks artists will be participating in this year's Manila Hobbies and Collectibles Convention happening on January 20 - 21, 2018 at the Megatrade Hall 3 of SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City.

Among the guest artists are Freely Abrigo (Kulas), Andrew Villar (Ambush) and Gio Custodio (Loser Mangaka). Other artists in the Artist Alley are Patty Arroyo, Lowe Beltran, Jeff Benitez, Ron Escultura, Ruben Nacion, JC Panlilio and Amos Villar.

Now on it's third year, the Manila Hobbies & Collectibles Convention will showcase 58 exhibitors of toys and collectibles from all over the metro. Among this year's line up of activities will be the Collectors display, Exhibit of Life-Sized Statues, toy auctions, Gundam Caravan, Artist Alley and more.

Ticket prices remain at Php 100.

For more updates and information about this event, visit the official event page or the organizer's page, Hobby at Worx.

***

Be updated with the latest komiks events! Check out our Schedule of Events page!

Schedule of Komiks Events 2018

noreply@blogger.com (Neko Mimi) — Wed, 13 Dec 2017 04:57:00 +0000

Are you ready for 2018?! There are a ton of komiks events in store! Here's a rundown of some of the komiks events we are looking forward to next year! Also included in the list are other non-komiks events where komiks creators will be participating in. If you know any events that should be included in this list, send us a PM in our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/omgkomiks/

*TBA - To be announced
*n/a - Info not available/not applicable for this event

JANUARY

13 => BAP CHILDREN'S WORKSHOP: Comic Storytelling by Manix Abrera

Venue: Bellas Artes Projects, Makati City
Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/110474729748038/
~~Other details:~~

~~Event is free and open to children ages 7-12~~
~~Slots available for 15 children only.~~

20 - 21 => MANILA HOBBIES AND COLLECTIBLES CONVENTION

Venue: Megatrade Hall, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City
Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/122588608444326/

~~21 => BOOK LAUNCH: Dead Balagtas Tomo 1: Mga Sayaw ng Dagat at Lupa by Emiliana Kampilan~~

Venue: Fully Booked BGC, Taguig City
Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/aninocomics/photos/a.711099155638053.1073741828.701844373230198/1567905329957427/?type=3&theater
~~Other details~~

~~Book signing~~

~~Stars in Jars by Dean Francis Alfar and Sage Alfar~~
~~Hari ng Komyut by Lizette Daluz~~
~~Sandali by Mikey Jimenez and Mikey Marchan~~

27 => MUNZINELUPA

Venue: Picked Cafe & Gallery, Muntinlupa City
Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/175020913241444/

~~28 => BOOK LAUNCH: Sinag #1 by Topher Constantino, Ace Chin, Rico Rival, at Peejay Catacutan~~

Venue: Activity Center, Children's Playground, Rizal Park
Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/projectherophikappamu/

FEBRUARY

3 => EXHIBIT OPENING: Mandirigma ng Kalawakan by Manix Abrera

Venue: Galerie Stephanie, Quezon City
Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10204190182952283&set=a.1026322395819.4064.1758079263&type=3&theater

3 => BOOK LAUNCH: Sambuig #1 by Eman Paelmo

Venue: n/a
Event Page: n/a

3-4 => OTAKU X SKETCH EXPO

Venue: Megatrade Hall 2, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City
Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/200135927226347/
~~Other details:~~

~~Doujinshis by independent local artists~~
~~Drawing tutorials~~

3, 10, 16, 24 => MOVIE SCREENING: Komikero Chronicles

Venue: Cinema Centenario
Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/PHCinema100/posts/144791942822052

10 => KOMIKET MAKATI

Venue: Hole in the Wall PH
Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/408828632873318/

11 => HALIYA MANAWARI

Venue: Buku Buku Cafe, Las Piñas
Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/350883472045993/

17 => UP ELBIKON

Venue: UP Los Baños, Laguna
Exhibitor/Booth Registration Deadline: January 12, 2018
Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1498694706834671/

24 - 25 => KOMIKET

Venue: Elements Centris, Quezon City
Exhibitor/Booth Registration Deadline: January 7, 2018 (early bird)
Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/831501650354145/

MARCH

10 => STICKER CON MNL

Venue: Bayanihan Center, Pasig City
Exhibitor/Booth Registration Deadline: November 15, 2017
Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/128473921206266/

18 => BORN TO MAKE HISTORY: A Yuri on Ice Fan Gathering

Venue: Bayanihan Center, Pasig City
Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/950315491797216/

24 - 25 => COMIC CON ASIA

Venue: SMX Convention Hall, Pasay City
Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/153904175225813/

APRIL

14 => SUMMER KOMIKON

Venue: Bayanihan Center, Pasig City
Exhibitor/Booth Registration Deadline: TBA
Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/540012973000107/

21 => COMIC ODYSSEY GALLERIA OPENING

Venue: Robinsons Galleria, Quezon City
~~Event Page:~~ ~~https://www.facebook.com/comicodc/posts/2095889440427584~~

MAY

5 => FREE COMIC BOOK DAY

Venue: Various venues
Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/freecomicbookph/

5 => LOCAL LOCA

Venue: Cubao Expo, Quezon City
Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/haliyapublishing/photos/a.1660601020646913.1073741830.1559174347456248/2136458899727787/?type=3

12 => HALIYA MANAWARI X BOOK TALAKAYAN

Venue: House of Justeas, Mandaluyong City
Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/haliyapublishing/photos/a.1660601020646913.1073741830.1559174347456248/2136458899727787/?type=3

12 => SENSEI SESSIONS: WRITING FOR COMICS

Venue: Union Church of Manila, Makati City
Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/364945977246579/

12 => FANFES MANILA

Venue: SMX Aura, Taguig City
Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/481670432230708/

19-20 => KOMIKET SOUTH

Venue: Buku-Buku Cafe, Las Piñas/SM South Mall
Exhibitor/Booth Registration Deadline: n/a
Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/komiketinc/

26 => FLIPS FLIP KOMIKS, THE AGE OF CONTENT CREATION

Venue: TBA
Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/322273921637149/

26-27 => MALOLOS TOYS AND HOBBIES CONVENTION

Venue: Malolos Sports and Convention Center, Bulacan
Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/MalConPH/

JUNE

16, 17, 23, 24 => 4TH COMIC BOOK CREATORS WORKSHOP

Venue: Fully Booked BGC, Taguig City
Exhibitor/Booth Registration Deadline: n/a
Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/komiketinc/

8-10 => TOYCON 2018

Venue: SMX Convention Hall, Pasay City
Exhibitor/Booth Registration Deadline: TBA
Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/toyconph/

JULY

21-22 => CEBU LIT FEST X KOMIKET

Venue: Cebu
Exhibitor/Booth Registration Deadline: TBA
Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/komiketinc/

27-29 => ASIAPOP COMICON

Venue: SMX Convention Hall, Pasay City
Exhibitor/Booth Registration Deadline: TBA
Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/apccmanila/

AUGUST

4 => INDIEKET

Venue: Bayanihan Center, Pasig City
Exhibitor/Booth Registration Deadline: TBA
Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1690866560944523/

SEPTEMBER

12-16 => MANILA INTERNATIONAL BOOK FAIR (MIBF)

Venue: SMX Convention Hall, Pasay City
Exhibitor/Booth Registration Deadline: n/a
Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/manilaintbookfair/
Other Info:

Silent Komiks 12 and 14 at the Visprint booth

OCTOBER

13-14 => KOMIKET

Venue: Elements Centris, Quezon City
Exhibitor/Booth Registration Deadline: TBA
Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/komiketinc/

TBA => HISTORYCON

Venue: TBA
Exhibitor/Booth Registration Deadline: TBA
Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/HISTORYasia/

TBA => ELECTRONIC SPORTS AND GAMING SUMMIT (ESGS)

Venue: TBA
Exhibitor/Booth Registration Deadline: TBA
Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/ESGSPhilippines/

NOVEMBER

17-18 => KOMIKON XIV

Venue: Bayanihan Center, Pasig City
Exhibitor/Booth Registration Deadline: TBA
Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1144524632350932/

DECEMBER

**Last updated: May 9, 2018

Toto Madayag to Release His 3rd Book Soon!!

noreply@blogger.com (Neko Mimi) — Thu, 28 Sep 2017 15:34:00 +0000

Teaser image from Libreng Komiks posted on Sept. 22, 2017

Komiks creator Toto Madayag revealed the cover of his upcoming 3rd book, "P*cha E 'Di Komiks Pa Rin: Vol. 2 " last September 23, 2017 featuring his famous and booty-ful original character, Genie!

Preview of the 3rd book and the exclusive sticker pack.
Image from Libreng Komiks

His 3rd book will feature strips from his online komiks page, Libreng Komiks. The first 1,000 people to pre-order until October 30 will receive exclusive freebies which includes a free sticker pack and a mystery postcard.

Toto's first two books: P*cha E 'Di Komiks and Bawal Mamatay May Tumawid na Dito are also available online at the Libreng Komiks Facebook Page.

Indie Spotlight: Things to Remember by Jess Santiago and Jez Nabong

noreply@blogger.com (Neko Mimi) — Mon, 05 Oct 2015 14:10:00 +0000

Things to Remember by Jess Santiago and Jez Nabong

Title: Things To Remember
Acquired on: Komiket 2015 (Elements at the Centris, October 3, 2015)
Selling price: Php 80.00
Written by: Jess Santiago
Illustrated by: Jez Nabong
Language: English
Cover: Colored, printed on bond paper
Illustrations: Black and white
Type: One-shot comic
Published under: Self-published (Komiket University Graduates)

Storyline (From the synopsis):
They love her. She doesn't remember.

Banchi must help Hon remember their daughter before she and her family come for breakfast. It has been months since they last saw Hon; and with her memory fading, the chances of her recalling them are slim. Banchi has tried everything to rekindle the past, but nothing has been working.

After all their years together, what is the one thing Hon will never forget?

Nekomimi's Pawspective:

Art (4 paws) - First thing that I love about this komiks is the art. The cover alone was eye catching at the same time tells a lot of what the story is about. The unique art style also complements the story well, giving it a warm feel.

On the other hand, I did have a bit of a problem with the flashback scene. Maybe because I was exposed to manga too much that a small text box indicating the time didn't work well for me. There were hardly any clues in the background to indicate that it was in the early 60's. Aside from the scenes in the bedrooms, the house looked a bit empty and unused. The memorabilias and photos placed inside boxes gave me this idea that Bianchi and Hon just moved in and/or is moving out of that house, which I think might not be the creators' intention.

Story (4 paws) - I really love how they portrayed the love shared in the family, especially between Banchi and Hon. The flashback reminded me strongly about the love story of Ellie and Carl in the movie Up. The ballpen and notepad, which were the significant elements in the story also symbolized the love between the family members. I also like how Jen explained the situation to their kids and how her family made the Things To Remember list as some sort of a family tradition passed on from her parents.

Timeline wise, I think it would work better if the meal was set during lunchtime instead of breakfast. Seeing that the Jen's family needed to use a car to get to Banchi and Hon's house indicates that it is located somewhere far, and can take about an hour or so to reach the destination (that without considering Philippine traffic).

Price (5 paws) - The art and story for this 60-page komiks proved to be worth the price. However, I would be willing to pay an additionial Php 10-20 pesos for a version with glossy print and thicker/board cover as these improvements would definitely help bring out the beauty of the cover and illustrations.

OVERALL RATING: 4 PAWS

Things to Remember helps remind you of what is most important: love and family.

There is a good marriage of the art and story in this komiks. The komiks also appeals to the younger audiences as both the art and story are toned just right for them. This is one of the komiks I'd gladly let my future kids and grandkids read should I need to explain to them about alzheimers or amnesia.

Truly a great komiks debut for Jess and Jez! They really did good job creating a komiks of this genre. I look forward to reading more of their works in future komiks events! I would not be surprised if at some point in the future they'd get a career in creating children's books as well.

Jess and Jez are just two of the 20+ graduates of the recently concluded Komiket University. Read my review on the Komiket University at my next post.

TRANSCRIPT: Live Chat via Twitter with Paolo Chikiamco

noreply@blogger.com (Neko Mimi) — Fri, 02 Oct 2015 05:05:00 +0000

Book covers and creator profile picture from Flipreads.com

Paolo Chikiamco, one of the great minds behind Alternative Alamat, Mythspace and High Society, entertained his fans during the Live Twitter chat held at 5PM last October 1, 2015.

In his live chat, he gave his take on the various creatures in the Philippine Mythology as well as the legends/folklore that inspired him to write his greatest works. He also revealed some of the pages for his newest project, Muros. (If you are having difficulty reading the text, please click on the screencaps to go to the actual post.)

And with the Komiket looming in this weekend, we took the chance to ask Paolo some advice for aspiring komiks creators coming from his own experience as a komiks writer.

The live twitter chat was organized by the ebook publishing company, Flipside Publishing. According to their twitter account, they would be organizing more Live Twitter chats with more authors and komiks creators in the future.

Glad to hear that you enjoyed, @anneplaza! Yes, we're planning to host more live chats. Let us know who you want to see on #TalkFlip next!
— Flipside (@Flipsidepub) October 1, 2015

Ebook versions of Paolo Chikiamco's Alternative Alamat, Mythspace and High Society can be downloaded through their ebookstore, Flipreads.You can follow Paolo via Twitter at https://twitter.com/anitero.

Beyond Komiks: Fairy Tail and Attack on Titan Manga in Filipino

noreply@blogger.com (Neko Mimi) — Sat, 25 Jul 2015 07:00:00 +0000

Manga covers courtesy of Viva-Psicom

I heard all the rumors. Then I saw them in the shelves of bookstores. I was even invited to go to the book launch (and actually went there).

And on that day, I received a friendly reminder that Filipino-translated literary works are slowly invading our local bookstores.

I present to you: Attack on Titan and Fairy Tail... Philippine Edition.

I am not a huge fan of literary work translated from English (or any other foreign language) to Filipino. Not that I hate the language (because if I did, I wouldn't fall in love with komiks in the first place.) But it's more of how the work is translated and the quality of the book all in all. This is why even after all the hype, it took me this long to actually release my review on the Philippine Edition. These were actually some of my fears that I would encounter with these two titles.

Translations would be too literal and/or use uncommon "deep" words that are hardly being used in common conversation.
Jokes and/or storyline can get lost in translation. It can become different altogether.
The pages would follow a "left-to-right" reading pattern rather than the traditional manga style of reading "right-to-left". This happened to the English-translated manga I bought back in 2001 entitled "The Girl from the Red River" by Shinohara Chie. The real English title was The Sky Is on the Banks of the Red River or "Red River" for short. All the pages were "corrected" to follow the comic book style of "left-to-right". This had cut what supposed to be is a full page spread into two back-to-back pages, which made reading the "manga" confusing and frustrating at the same time.
Text from speech bubbles not cleaned up well that parts of it will still be visible and/or text boxes will appear a shade lighter than the speech bubble. I saw this happen with the Red River manga as well.
Overall quality will be compromised.

I really did not have any positive expectations with the Philippine Edition (Ph Ed) of these two titles. But my curiosity got the best of me and I decided to borrow a copy to do a quick review about it.

My overall verdict? 4 PAWS

Quality - Viva-PSICOM, the team that made all of these possible, made sure that the Ph Ed is as close as the original manga itself. From the cover up to the quality of the paper, all of this is similar, if not the same, as the ones that are used in the Japanese manga. It copied the original so well that if you put the Ph Ed beside the English version in a shelf where only the spine is visible, there is a chance that you wouldn't notice you got the Ph Ed until you notice the Viva-PSICOM logo or that the text are in Filipino.
Translation - I was so relieved that they used conversational Filipino during the translation. This made it easier to read and also better to comprehend. They avoided translating every single word and retained select English words that did not need to be translated and/or did not have a direct translation in Filipino.
Price - The price range for original English translated manga usually starts at Php 250. Ph Ed manga currently sells for Php 190/volume, which is for me a really good deal considering that they kept the physical quality and translations as much as possible.

Though I would like to give it 5 paws, there are still some things that I think Viva-PSICOM can look into. I was actually upset at how the back cover for Fairy Tail failed to describe Happy correctly (if re-translated to English, it would say that Happy is Natsu's friend that talks like a cat). This is actually minor, but I do hope that in the future volumes, these translation errors would be minimized, if not disappear over all.

The question is, would I still read the next volumes? Maybe.

As I said at the start of this post, I am not a huge fan of Filipino translated literary works. I always had the prejudice that quality is compromised over quantity when it comes to these kind of books. I'd still read it, but I wouldn't really invest in it. I would rather set aside my budget to supporting the local komiks.

But it does look like that the market is receptive to the Ph Ed titles. Viva-PSICOM has already released volume 3 of both Attack on Titan and Fairy Tail. Kondasha representatives also announced during the Manga and Anime Festival that they would release more titles in Filipino soon.

It was a big risk for Viva-PSICOM and Kondasha (the Japanese company behind these two titles) in releasing the Ph Ed but I admire them for their bravery. The market right now is starting to appreciate more and more titles written in the national language. Books written and/or translated to Filipino are starting to get readership. Maybe these Philippine Edition manga would be what pushes the Filipino-translated prejudice out.

After the Kon: Things You Might Have Missed at the ToyconPH 2015 (Warning: Image Heavy)

noreply@blogger.com (Neko Mimi) — Mon, 22 Jun 2015 05:19:00 +0000

Childhood nostalgia. Fan geekery. And a whole lot of fun! This is how I can describe this year's ToyconPH 2015! This was the first time I'm attending the ToyCon despite having heard of it before as I was more of an anime fan than a geek back then and I have very little interest (and very limited budget) in buying toys. I'm really glad that I got invited this year to be a part of the Biggest Toy Convention in South East Asia.

ToyConPH 2015 was held at the SM Megatrade Halls in the 5th Floor of SM Megamall (Mandaluyong City) last June 19-21, 2015. The event was so big that aside from occupying Megatrade Halls 1, 2, and 3, ToyCon also added the Meeting Halls A and B as their event venue.

It was a mishmash of several events happening all at once and I honestly found it difficult to stay in one place alone. Hall 1 contained all the toy merchandise booths with stuff toys, nendroid figurines and Funko Pop figures dominating the merchandise in most shops. If you're hungry or looking for comics and cosplay stuff, you can head over the entrance at Hall 2 where the food stalls and other non-toy merchants are located. A lot of activities were happening every hour at the Main Stage found at Hall 3. And if you were looking for fellow toy collectors or like to take pictures of the collections by other people, the Toy Gallery at the Meeting Halls A and B would had been your sanctuary.

Next year's Toycon PH promises to be bigger and better as they cap their 15th Anniversary by holding the event at the SMX Convention Hall in SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City!

Here's some of the things that you might have missed during ToyconPH 2015:

On Stage

Geeks battle for fandom supremacy in the Pop Quiz

Nobita's moment with Shizuka and Damulag (Giant) being "too friendly"

Merchandise

Take the ToyCon 2015 vibe to work

Recycling at its finest: bottle caps into accessories

That moment when you notice the male doll was
hugging male dakimakuras (body pillow)

Finally after years of searching, I got to try using Neopiko pens
for coloring! (I need to work on it though.)

Art books and manga drawing books were also sold.

English version of famous manga magazines were also up on sale.

Why they put that cat head on Len's body is still a mystery for me.

Super discounted comics. I even got 5 comics for Php 100 (not in picture).

Like what the sign says.

Comic book signing for Rocketgirl by Pocket Fulla Pillz

When you need bangs but don't wanna go for a permanent haircut.

If you are familiar with these smilies then it means
you spend too much time on Facebook Messenger.

When someone asked Funko Pop if they have
Batman in pink, they took it as a challenge.

Aww hell no Kitty.

Lost the Marauder's Map on the way back from Hogwarts?
Get a new one right here!

Hello I am Baymax. Your personal health companion.
Now stay still while we perform your "operation".

Cosplay

Cosplayers everywhere!

Korrasami FTW!

Simon looking for a certain little vampire girl.

Full artillery Gundam

Kawaii first time cosplayers with their mommies.
Demon Homura and (sleeping) R2-D2

Two Predators taking a time off from their hunting duties.

Toy Gallery

Unique Finds

Nostalgia trip with the old school console games and jams from the classic turntables

The Alcala Legacy (Masters of the Universe comics), The Hulkbuster Armor,
and the Minions photo booth
(UPDATE as of June 23, 2015: The photo booth backdrop and letters
has been relocated to a smaller but nearby SM mall.)

Komiks Review: Sixty Six by Russel Molina and Ian Sta. Maria

noreply@blogger.com (Neko Mimi) — Sun, 14 Jun 2015 14:43:00 +0000

Sixty Six
by Russell Molina and Ian Sta. Maria

Title: Sixty Six
Acquired on: Sixty Six Book Launch at Comic Odyssey, Fully Booked, BGC, Taguig (June 13, 2015)
Selling price: Php 275.00
Written by: Russell Molina
Illustrated by: Ian Sta. Maria
Language: Filipino-English (Taglish)
Cover: Matte board, colored
Illustrations: Black and white
Type: Compilation comic. Used to be sold as separate chapters.
Characters: Recurring.
Published under: Anino Comics (Adarna House)

Storyline:
Celestino Cabal, a.k.a Mang Tino, celebrates his 66th birthday and gets an unexpected gift. Now endowed with mysterious superpowers, Mang Tino goes around town at night hunting down criminals and giving them a piece of justice.

What I love:

Amazing details and visual storytelling
can be found in every page!

There is so much to love with Sixty Six. First, was the storyline. Superheroes usually start their crime fighting at the age of 13. But Mang Tino started at an age when most people are starting retirement. And for his age, crime fighting wasn't even an option given that his body isn't at its best shape. Another thing that I love about his character is how "human" Mang Tino is. All throughout the book you can see how Mang Tino loves his wife, Aura, despite the latter suffering from Alzheimer's. They remind me a lot of the couple Carl and Ellie from the movie "Up". He also has a soft spot for kids, being a father himself, as shown in his inability to hurt children.

Lastly, the art. Each page was a definite page turner, especially the action scenes! The realistic style of drawing definitely complements the serious tone of the storyline. I also like how each page is filled with just enough details to highlight both the dark and light scenes all throughout the book.

What I don't like:

It has been a while since I read a book with a cliffhanger that got me screaming "BITIIIIINNNN!!!" And Sixty Six is definitely one book that did it. I wouldn't be able to accept it if there is no Book 2! (Please tell me there is a Book 2)

Overall Rating: 5 PAWS
This is definitely a Molina-Sta. Maria masterpiece must-read and a great addition to the komiks shelf! If you don't have a copy yet, better hurry over to Comic Odyssey in Fully Booked BGC as signed copies are only available until supplies last.

And the winner for the Filipino Reader's Choice Awards for the Comics/Graphic Novel Category is...

noreply@blogger.com (Neko Mimi) — Sat, 07 Dec 2013 13:15:00 +0000

Photo Source: http://tresekomix.blogspot.com/2012/10/trese-5-midnight-tribunal.html

Congratulations to Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo for winning this year's award at the Filipino Reader Con held today, December 7, 2013, at the Ateneo Rizal Library!!!

Indie Spotlight: Silver Star by Freya Dy

noreply@blogger.com (Neko Mimi) — Tue, 19 Nov 2013 15:01:00 +0000

Silver Star by Freya Dy

Title: Silver Star
Acquired on: Winter Komikon 2013 (November 16, 2013)
Selling price: Php 50.00
Written by: Freya Dy
Illustrated by: Freya Dy
Cover: Colored, printed on bond paper
Illustrations: Black and white except for title pages
Type: Compilation comic. Used to be sold as three separate chapters.
Characters: Recurring. Also appeared in other titles of the same author/group.
Published under: Filipino Utilized Manga Magazine 3 (FUM Magazine) - Indie

Storyline:
Silver Star is a story about Freya, an intern nurse who has the ability to see stars around a happy person because of a star-shaped mood necklace she bought from another nurse. She ends up staying over at Kinang Daycare when she fails to catch the bus ride home. There she meets Dent, a 7-year old kid who suffers Receptive Language Disorder. He wears a bandage around his head because his father had hit him one time that he got drunk and the latter was sent to jail because of it. His mother would often leave Dent in the daycare whenever she goes to visit her husband in jail.

Freya took special interest in Dent because of all the children in the Daycare, only Dent didn't show "stars".
She made several attempts to try to connect with Dent and make him smile, but all her efforts seem to be in vain. She regains hope when a single star appears around Dent when she started talking to him about his drawings. Dent also learns to trust Freya by allowing her to help him drink the medicine he hates.

When the time for Freya's departure came, she decides to give her necklace to Dent, thus passing the "star-seeing" ability to him. Dent laughs for the first time when he sees the stars shining around Freya. She leaves with a smile on her face, hoping that Dent will remain as happy as he is now.

Neko Mimi's Pawspective

Title page for Chapter 2. Photo is blurred due
to the photographer's lack of steady hands.

Art (4 paws)The manga art style was perfect in portraying a sweet and light story like Silver Star. But of all three chapters, my favorite was Chapter 2. Every detail, from Freya's clothes to the stars themselves were hand drawn, and if my deduction is right, hand colored as well. The chapter's title page showed the author's talent with colors even when using colored pencil.

It's a bit disappointing that the whole comic was printed in black and white, as the beauty of the whole comic would have shone out if it was done in full color. Some details, like the action lines in the background, were hardly visible in the black and white format.

I would also like to commend her good use of panels and the consistency of her artwork despite the fact that Chapter 2 was not digitally cleaned up like the other two chapters. IMHO, she has a lot of potential as a manga artist and should continue to keep drawing to perfect her talent.

Story (4 paws)
It was love at first read. Silver Star is a one-shot divided into three chapters. Based on the art style, I

One of the pages in Chapter 2.
You can clearly see the hand-drawn details
in her clothes and in the speech bubbles.

believe that each chapter was released at a different time, like perhaps two different Komikon events prior to Winter Komikon 2013. But despite the time gap between chapters, the author was able to smoothly transition the story from one chapter to the other, making it easy to pick up where the previous chapter left off.

Each character was well portrayed in a way that I can easily identify the personality of one character from the other. I especially love the idea of the mood ring jewelry having some sort of magic that allows people to "see" emotions and the part at the ending that hints that there are others like Freya as well.

Though the story is easy to read and understand, there were some parts that were confusing for me at first especially at Chapter 1. Because she had left the explanation of Freya's power at the very end of the chapter, from the first page up to the last page of Chapter 1, I really thought that the author just loved using the star screentone. :P I guess I should follow Dent's advise and be more observant? Hehehe...

Another observation I had for Chapter 1 was that the ending felt conclusive. Had I bought this in individual chapters, I might have thought that the story ended there. On the other hand, I like how the author did a recap before continuing the story in Chapter 3 because it gave the new readers an idea what went on with the previous chapters even if they have not read it before. I think the author should continue to utilize the recap in her future one-shot works.

Price (5 paws)
Komikon has actually given a new meaning to "What can you buy with your 50 pesos?" (a parody to the famous Cornetto tagline). Almost all of the komiks, especially the indies, sell for above 50 pesos, most of which were not worth the price that I paid for in terms of quality and quantity of pages. One of the main reasons I picked up Silver Star was the price. At that time, I have Php 100 remaining comic budget that I thought of spending on two indie komiks for review. One of those komiks I picked up was Silver Stars, and I have to say I do not regret it. With about 20 pages of beautiful art and unique story, it was definitely a sweet deal.

I'd be willing to pay a bit higher if it was in full color. And if it were compiled together with the other stories (that the author mentioned in the Introduction). But if you ask me if I'll buy her komiks again? The answer is a definite YES.

OVERALL RATING (4 paws)
I can see that the author has a talent in writing and drawing for this kind of genre as the story and art blended well together. For me, the author, Freya Dy, is one indie komiks rising star to watch out for. I do hope she continues to write and draw as I look forward to reading more of her komiks in the future.

After the Kon Reports: Winter Komikon 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Neko Mimi) — Sun, 17 Nov 2013 11:45:00 +0000

Event poster taken from Komikon.org.

It's a day after the Komikon and I still have the leftover genkiness from all the feels from yesterday! And I can say that this has been the best Komikon I've ever attended in the past 3 years.
I arrived at the Bayanihan Center at around 11:30 am and was a bit surprised that there weren't many people crowding around the Ticket Booth as it usually did. This year's Komikon coincided with both the Otaku Expo in SMX Convention Hall and the Mallwide Sale at SM Megamall which may have contributed to the slow morning crowd. Still, I was a bit surprised that I was able to get the two freebies: the BONE Sourcebook and the Event Catalog, which also doubles as a souvenir sketch pad that your chosen artists can sketch on. (I only remembered that I had one after lunch so I wasn't able to get that many sketches. T_T)

Sir Lyndon Gregorio and the Rise of the Jhologs!

My first stop was Lyndon Gregorio's table to get a Komikon 2013 Exclusive copy of Go Beerkada: Revenge of the Jhologs. This is the second part to the Beerkada graphic novel Go Beerkada: Rise of the Jhologs that was released years (?) ago. Since a certain Potatohead wanted a copy, I bought two.I also got a copy of the first graphic novel as I've only been a Beerkadette two years ago (courtesy of the same Potatohead) and haven't read it yet.

Lyndon was also selling several button pins for the cause. Name your price, and that amount will be added to the donation pool. I got mine for Php 10, which would have been my change for the three komiks. Said pin was added to Potatohead's Smuggled Goods.

"Fear not the Dark" says Sir Budjette Tan

Next stop, Budjette Tan of Trese. Despite the fact that I love folklore and mythology and the supernatural detective stuff, I've only bought one copy of Trese, which is Trese 5: Midnight Tribunal for the contest. I had been waiting on a friend who has a complete set of copies of the series to lend it to me. Unfortunately, here I am still waiting. But then again, Visprint also released a compilation book for Trese entitled "Book of Murders". I can't help but stare at it, touch the hardbound cover, browse a bit, and then put it back. For the Komikon, the book was sold for Php 800 compared to its market price of Php 950. But still... ugh. T_T

Sir Robert Magnuson meets
the Girl with Cat Ears! Meow~

Cats usually don't like meeting one of their own kind, but I couldn't resist the cute and adorable face of Kuting Magiting. That's why I didn't miss the opportunity to head off to Robert Magnuson to get the first edition of Kuting Magiting. Last Summer 2013, I was one of the lucky few who got the i-Slap copy of Kuting Magiting, and from what I've browsed so far, there were a few changes, though the storyline remains the same. As a kid, I used to read one of his earlier works, Shirley's Pets. It was published on Junior Inquirer every Saturday. And later that afternoon, I was also able to meet Shirley, his wife, from whom the SP series was inspired from.

It's never too early to start them young. If you're looking for a comic for your kids, I'd recommend the Kuting Magiting series and the other books that Robert has written and/or illustrated. All of them are suitable for ages 2 and above.

On my second pass, I took out my Pugad Baboy collection and lined up at Pol Medina Jr.'s table to have it signed. PMJ laughed as he took note of how old and dilapidated my copies where. I told him my story as he started to sign each copy. Pugad Baboy was the comic book that me and my cousins shared with each other. We would pass down the copies between each of us until they grew up and finally passed it to me for safekeeping. Even though I only understood the green and political jokes when I grew older, I continued to love Pugad Baboy and it was one of the comics I look forward to reading in the Philippine Daily Inquirer. I originally had copies of Best of Pugad Baboy, PB 3, PB 4 and PB 6, but they were all dilapidated and got lost.

"Gusto ko hawak ko yung vintage." ~ Pol Medina Jr. —

I head back to the Visprint table (while longingly looking at the Book of Murders), got the Book 2 copy of Filipino Heroes League, and had it signed by Paolo Fabregas... Well more of, he drew Kid Kidlat on it! XD

Forgot to ask Sir Paolo Fabregas if there is an opening for new superheroes in the FHL.
Maybe they can use a girl with cat ears?

Senti Saturday with Sir Dexter Roxas and Sir Jun Dayo

Afterwards, I left the main conference room and head off to the Indie Tiangge where I met two artists who once worked for Funny Komiks. First was my drawing inspiration/idol, Dexter Roxas! His first series, Adeneiss X or more commonly known as AX, debuted in Funny Komiks and even had a sequel, AX II. Now he's working on the "prequel" of AX, which is AX Genesis.

Just a table away was Jun Dayo, who had also worked in Funny Komiks before. I'm not very familiar with his work though, because he got published way before I started to read FK. He is now dedicating his work to bringing back the old FK through Pinoy Old School Komiks.

All the sentai feels! Lakas maka-throwback!

The cast and crew of Blue Bustamante were also present at the Komikon! Blue Bustamante is an indie film about an OFW who works as a stunt double for a sentai show. Aside from promoting the film, merchandise such as action figures, posters, stickers, and T-shirts were sold during the event. There was even a short game where Jun Sabayton had a "giling" dance showdown with two other male participants. All I can say is that if you were watching the showdown, it's something you cannot unsee (LOL),

After watching the short presentation about Blue Bustamante, I head back to the Visprint table to find Carlo Vergara, the author and artist of Zsazsa Zaturnnah. All I got was the second book, which I had acquired from the contest, but I'll probably get the first book next con. The first book had been adapted into a movie and a musical a few years ago.

I hope he didn't notice the "Complimentary Copy" stamp!

Grafitea satisfied my tea cravings!

I was getting pretty tired at this time so I went out to try and claim the milk tea I won from the Bring Me Game. I realized that this was a Buy 1 Take 1 Coupon, which means I'd be drowning myself in two milk teas. I decided to save the coupon and give it to my artist friend Miko, who was coming over to the kon that afternoon. I bought myself a glass of Cool Winter Milk Tea from Grafitea, a food truck that specialized in cold iced tea and milk tea.

Their milk tea was delicious! Creamy and light, it can give other more expensive milk tea brands something to be worried about. Miko arrived late but we were able to catch up with the truck before they officially closed. XD

The line was expectedly long for Manix Abrera. I actually didn't bring anything for Sir Manix Abrera to sign (coz all of my Kikomachine komix were already signed), but I got a free copy of Tibok ng Utak from the NBDB (National Book Development Board) booth which he had illustrated, so of course I just had to fall in line! XD

Feeling pa-deep lang hahaha!

The Cosplayers and the Komikon Loot
A couple of surprises I got at the Komikon this year.

First, was the cosplayers. There were several cosplayers walking around but I only got to take a picture of the three most notable:

Cosplayers found!
Nepeta from Homestuck, Babman from Pugad Baboy, and the Kambal from Trese!

I also got a lot of freebies this year! Only two of the freebies were acquired after purchase (AX bookmark and pin, and Anti-Hero).

Who doesn't love free stuff?

Since Lico Reloj was also there, I also got my fortune told. Looks like I'm going to have a fruitful year ahead. :) P.S. Lico wrote a comic called Butthurt Philippines which has gained a following among my FB friends.

Before I go to the loot, let me show you some of what the authors signed:

Finally signed! Yay!!!

And here's Potatohead's Smuggled Goods:

Lyndon's getting tired of not being able to draw you, Potatohead.
Next time, ask for his signature personally.

Finally... Dun dun duuuuunnn!!!! I present to you my Winter Komikon 2013 loot!!!

It's going to be a long and fun weekend. XD

Winter Komikon 2013 is definitely awesomesauce! They were able to succeed in their fund raising activities without making Komikon a charity event. In fact, I think that's what made this Komikon extra special.

I can hardly wait for the next Komikon in Summer of 2014!

~Neko Mimi over and out! = ^w^ =

Winter Komikon 2013: An Extraordinary Komikon for an Extraordinary Cause

noreply@blogger.com (Neko Mimi) — Sun, 17 Nov 2013 01:33:00 +0000

This year's Winter Komikon 2013 proved to be unlike any other Komikons from before. In the wake of Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), komiks artists and fans unite at the Bayanihan Center not just to enjoy komiks but to help to the cause of bringing relief to the typhoon survivors. Almost every booth held up signs pledging to donate all or part of their day's sales to the cause.

The Komikon organizers themselves contributed to the cause by donating 100% of the merchandise sales and performing a Silent Auction of one-of-a-kind artworks made by famous komiks artists like Kajo Baldisimo (Trese) and Manix Abrera (Kikomachine).

All the efforts have not been in vain because at around 6:30 PM, the organizers announced that Komikon was able to get about Php 100, 000.00 overall donations! WHEE!!!

I'd like to take this chance to thank EVERYONE who made this extraordinary event for an extraordinary cause possible.

To the fans who did not just support the komiks industry but also the cause, THANK YOU!
To the artists and merchandisers who contributed their profits and/or donated their artworks for the auction, THANK YOU!
To Philippine Red Cross for coming over and sharing this extraordinary event with us, THANK YOU!
And most of all, the biggest of THANK YOUS to the organizers and volunteers of this year's Winter Komikon who made all of these possible!

Every single one of you had just proved that you don't need a cape, secret identity, or superpowers to become a superhero. Because each of you, through your hard work and best efforts, had just saved a life.

I salute all of you!

~The Girl with the Cat Ears
Photo collage by Fotor.com

Beyond Komiks: Other Things YOU Can Do for the Typhoon Yolanda Survivors

noreply@blogger.com (Neko Mimi) — Thu, 14 Nov 2013 02:05:00 +0000

Pray for the Philippines by Shirielise

It's already about a week since Typhoon Yolanda devastated the Philippines and still, the news about the devastation and current situation of the survivors continue. There is an endless call for donations as the current stocks of basic necessities in the disaster-stricken areas rapidly deplete. Everywhere you hear people and institutions pledging part of their salary or their sales to the cause. But aside from donating cash or relief goods, there are also other ways on how you can help your fellowmen in this time of crisis:

Volunteer - donating institutions need as much manpower as possible to help organize, pack, and distribute the relief goods to our fellowmen. Contact the nearest charitable institution and ask if they are still in need of volunteers. Volunteering deals a lot of physical hardwork, so this is not for those who have health issues like asthma.

PSST!!! There are schools and universities that also distribute relief goods during times of disasters. Catholic/Christian schools and/or universities usually do this as part of their Outreach program. Try to contact your alma mater and ask how you can donate or be a volunteer to the cause.

Share Online - don't let those status notifications on your Facebook News Feed get buried under all the selfies and rant status posts. Share as much of those status posts on your Timeline as much as possible. The more people that the status post reach, the higher the chance that donations will come.

PSST!!! Make it more personal. Tag at least one friend to your status post. If you prioritize tagging your friends who like to volunteer or donate, it will help them find the charitable institution closest to them and give them an idea on how to extend help.

Console the relatives - this is the best time for you to be with your family and friends, especially those who have relatives and friends living in the disaster-stricken areas. Most of them are probably feeling depression or shock from the recent events, even though they are not directly affected by the typhoon. And a lot of them are worried because of the lack of communication from their kin. Do your best to console them. Help them find their lost relatives by going online and checking the lists posted by the various municipalities or using the Google Person Finder - Yolanda.

PSST!!! If you've regained contact with your relatives in Tacloban and they are familiar with the Tacloban relatives of your friends and neighbors, ask about news from them and relay it to their kin. Their relatives might be close by but have no means of contacting their kin in Manila or other parts of the world.

Create your own fund raising event - you don't need to be affiliated with Red Cross to start your own fund raising event. We've heard and read stories in the internet about kids raising funds for the Yolanda survivors by selling lemonade or putting part of their allowance in a dedicated coin bank. You too can create your own mini fund raising event. Set up a Garage Sale wherein the proceeds will go to the Yolanda survivors. Sell off your handcrafted merchandise. Or ask your neighbors for relief goods and volunteer to bring them to the charitable institution of your choice.

PSST!!! Try to have the fund raising event at the same time as a big fund raising event that is happening in a different venue. You will have somewhere to drop off the relief goods/donations at the end of the day, and it might not be as far as the charitable institution of your choice.

Give Professional Help - if you're a professional in the medical field, please extend your help to the survivors of the typhoon. Having survived a super typhoon takes a lot of toll on the body. After experiencing a series of hunger, thirst, and cold, there are a lot of sick people there that needs attending. But aside from physical health, the mental health of those who are well needs attending too. The shock, panic, and depression caused by the loss of family, friends, shelter, livelihood, etc. has left the survivors traumatized. Right now, they are in great need of doctors, nurses, surgeons, and psychologists. You may ask your charitable institution how you can come along with the other volunteers who will be distributing the goods directly at the disaster area.

PSST!!! You don't have to be a doctor to give professional help! Did you know that komiks artists are pledging their Komikon profits from the sale of komiks, sketches, and merchandise, to the survivors of Typhoon Yolanda? To find out the artists who are participating in the fundraising event and how you, as a komiks fan, can help, visit http://www.jeralduy.com/search/label/Yolanda.
UPDATE!!! (11-17-13) Cargo planes from the Philippine Air Force are now helping transport the survivors from Tacloban to Manila at the Villamor Air Base. They are now in need of people to man the airport and make sure that the survivors are well fed and taken care of. For more information, please contact Jenn at 0917-8729848.

These are just a few of things that you can do to help the survivors. Act now. Help. Because every little thing that you can do can change the lives of the survivors of Typhoon Yolanda.

A Tribute to Childhood and Humble Beginnings: Pilipino Funny Komiks

noreply@blogger.com (Neko Mimi) — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 09:34:00 +0000

As one choco milk commercial has said: "Great things start from small beginnings." For our first komiks feature, we will be giving tribute to the komiks that started it all. Not just for me, but for most of the komiks enthusiasts that I know.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you:

Pilipino Funny Komiks by Islas Filipinas Publishing Co., Inc.

Pilipino Funny Komiks, more commonly known as "Funny Komiks" or "FK" for short, first made its way into the news stands in the 1978. I got my first copy around 1990, when I was just three years old. My mother and I had a ritual: she would bring home a copy after work on Friday nights. We had this silent agreement that I had to be good the whole week so that I could be guaranteed a copy of Funny Komiks by Friday evening. (I guess that pretty much explains why I have several missing issues. :P)

My entire childhood was devoted to collecting copies of FK, and I had copies dating back to 1990 until I learned recently that the oldest copies had been "accidentally" sold off to the junkshop. (ARGH!!!)

How high is the pile? My dog Cappuchino did the honors of providing the scale.

Unlike other komiks that focus on a single story per issue like most American comics, Funny Komiks is a collection of several stories in one issue. This is similar to the layout of manga magazines from Japan, except each issue of Funny Komiks is about 20-30 pages long. This is the layout that has been long adapted by komiks artists. (How long, I'm not really sure. My mother says that layout has been around since her time so I guess its pretty old.) But because of this format, each story only have three to four pages long of exposure time before giving way to another story, leaving the readers hanging in suspense until the next Friday when the next issue comes out.

Yep. Bitin much, right? And yes, it's not just once did I scream, "OMG!!! I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT!!!" mentally (and sometimes, out loud.)

Still, what can you expect for something worth only a few pesos? I used to buy it for P5.00, but I have read from the milestones in their special anniversary issue that their copies used to be priced at 10 centavos!

But this strategy was probably the secret to FK's success as they continued to become one of the bestselling komiks even after the other komiks began to disappear from news stands.

(Salvaged) Pile No. 2: Circa 1995 - 2001

Still, all good things must come to an end. By the time the new millenium started, Funny Komiks began to suffer a decline in sales. I noticed this as lesser and lesser newsstands offered FK until it finally disappeared altogether in 2007 (*). It managed to reappear in 2009 (*) in two succeeding issues but because the look, feel, and theme had changed, it failed to pick up where the old FK had left off.

The stories changed over time, though they continued to evolve together with the changes in the tastes of the generation.

The oldest copy that I have at the time of writing is a Christmas Issue from 1994.
Ad placement for Cetrin Energy Drink not intended.

Not limiting themselves to comedy, Funny Komiks welcomed artists that showcased new content. At the time that mecha cartoons and anime was popular, FK came out with cyborgs in the form of Combatron, Jonax, Viktar Starkid, and Voltek Payb (a comedy parody of the mecha series, specifically Voltes V). As for super heroes, who can forget the rotund Pinoy version of Superman, Super Blag! with his unusual flying pose and his named coined from the sound he made whenever he landed?

When the movie Casper came out in 1995, FK released a new series entitled Bamper which is about a female ghost and the young boy she was guarding. The comedy line did not escape this trend as FK also published localized versions of Tom and Jerry (Tomas and Kulas), Dennis the Menace (Pitit, Eklok), and Planet of the Apes (Planet op di Eyps).

It did not take long for the anime and manga influence to appear in Funny Komiks. Some of the famous titles were Tinay Pinay, AX: Defenders of the Universe, Dragon Force, and Kenji: Hero Warrior. There are more titles under the Funny Komiks name and you can find more information/scanlations of the old and recent stories published in Funny Komiks at Komiklopedia.

With this collection of talented komiks artists, one cannot deny the fact that Funny Komiks became their first or final stepping ground into or out of the komiks industry. Some FK artists now work as illustrators for children's books. Others went to other countries to perfect their craft and make a name abroad. While those who are still part of the local industry continue their struggle and pursuit of their life's work and are now making their mark on the generation of today.

Looking back at my copies of Funny Komiks, I feel a sense of nostalgia as I remember how FK was a big part of my childhood. The characters of the stories were my best friends, and the artists and writers my own inspiration to become a komiks artist and writer myself. It might be wishful thinking, but I do hope that Funny Komiks makes another comeback, with the same theme, same feel, and same look. If possible, even the same artists. So that when the time comes, I will be able to pass down the stories of FK to my kids, and so that they too will be wrapped in the same magic that only komiks have.

*sigh*

If only I can tell you all about those stories! Like the time when Tinay Pinay busted out the aliens or when Eklok went caroling with ghosts or when Combatron fought off Mega Death and...

Wait a minute! Why don't I tell you my Top 5 Favorite FK Stories instead?! And I can also share with you links where you can read copies of them online for free!

That means I have to re-read Funny Komiks again... and CHOOSE ONLY FIVE?!

WTF. This is going to be hard. Let me think about this for a sec.

...

For the love of Funny Komiks and OMG!!! Komiks!:Challenge Accepted Meme image from Photobucket.
Edited using MS Paint. THIS is why I am still a frustrated komiks artist.
(And yes, those are cat ears. Deal with it.)

Ok! It's final! So watch out for my next post!

For now, I'll be taking off my cat ears and fulfill my spiritual duties for the Lenten Season. But I'll be back! And when I do, you better be ready! Because your summer is about to be Komified!

Neko Mimi, over and out!

Footnote:
*approximate year only, based on the observed visibility on newsstands.

The Girl with Cat Ears would like to extend her thanks to Ms. Tarie Sabido of Into the Wardrobe for proofreading this post.

The Mystery That is OMG!!! Komiks!

noreply@blogger.com (Neko Mimi) — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 13:57:00 +0000

Welcome Komik Fans to OMG!!! Komiks!, where we save the world one komik at a time! I am the Girl with Cat Ears (a.k.a. Neko Mimi), and I will be your guide to the awezumest world of the Filipino komiks!

I'm guessing you have that smug look because I made a typo in my blog name and had to deal with it. Well, I'm sorry if I'm a disappoint but I'm sticking to the word "komiks" instead of "comics" because that's the way it's supposed to be spelled. Because I'm not going to be talking about American comic books like the Sandman, Justice League, X-men or Spawn. I'm talking about Pinoy Komiks, the ones made by Filipinos locally and/or internationally.

The Pinoy Komik industry was not as lame (I'm sorry!) as it is now. Rizal was credited to be one of the first few who wrote komiks back in his time, but the real boom of the komiks in the Philippines was during the 1920 up to the early 2000 where komiks were a mainstream form of entertainment for everyone. It's easy to see why, since there was no Internet then (or people were just starting to overcome their social anxiety with the Interwebs).

Nowadays, with people glued to anything offered online, printed komiks are facing a decline not just in sales but also in audience. But OMG!!! Komiks! is going to change all of that! By reading one komiks at a time, I will save the unappreciated komiks from the clutches of the Recycle Bin of Disappointments and Frustrations and rule the world!!!

*insert canned applause here*

Hahaha. Okay. Maybe *not* exactly like that. But you get the idea. :P

But why komiks? Why not books? Or art? Or maybe food?

It's not because I don't like books, art or food. God knows how much I love these three. Let's just say its my way of paying komiks back. It was through komiks that I learned to read and draw. I've also met a lot of wonderful like minded people who are into komiks like me.

I also want to help komiks artists, writers, and publishers who, having found no financial benefit from creating komiks here in the Philippines, fly off to another country and make their name there. I got nothing against that. They are seeking greener pastures that can't be found here. I think that if we were to support those in the Pinoy Komiks industry,they would have another reason for staying and pursuing their current works.

Sounds like a tall order huh? It is, seeing that the number of indie komiks increase every single convention. But I will do my best to review each and every one of them, even if I'm just going to be a single speck in the interwebs universe.

Whew! Ok. That's it.

Neko Mimi, Over and out!