Indie Cosplay!

Journal Entry #60
9/10/2012


Been a long time journal...so allow me to babble a little longer than usual...

I mentioned a while back that we started the 100 Araw ng Komiks Campaign.  We're on the third month, but still focused on promoting komiks.  We posted videos for imaginary soundtracks for our titles, made memes, and this month, we're already posting teasers for our October project.

Then there's the GTMACCCon event.

For months now, we've been preparing for the event in October (a few weeks before Komikon).  GTMACCCon was known for supporting the local publications by promoting them through cosplay. It was a great initiative!

So I was busy with contacting the organizers, Silaya's cosplayer, making character studies to base costumes on, and making promo images.  I've always wanted somebody to cosplay any character from Cresci Prophecies...

But I didn't think of it much, until I was coordinating with Karla to cosplay Silaya, via Kit Perez (of GTMACC).  I tried to meet up with her several times before the pre-event to give her a copy of the book, but Murphy's law got in the way 3 times.  @_@

We chatted on facebook instead to talk about Silaya (who had the best costume in the book so far), her costume, and the pre-event preps.  As I saw the progress of the costume, I started to feel excited!  *___*

We started posting teasers for the event, and for the October project...

Then finally, it was saturday!  We got there early, and saw Tepai's character Visdei, cosplayed by Paulo (a fellow IKM member).  One by one the cosplayers arrived for the photoshoot, it was really cool seeing them fool around in their outfits.

We met Dante (another part of the PointZero roster), and Hubby looked really happy with the costume outcome, and the sword looked awesome!

I was still waiting for Karla, until a girl in gown rushed to the booth and talked to me.  I was caught off guard, then I realized it was Silaya! Her shawl was flowing behind her as she rushed off to fix her hair for the shoot! XD

She was so nice in person!  I gave her Idris's feather for props too!  Tepai mentioned there was a goddess amongst us!

While the shoot was going on, we were at our respective booths having fun. I chatted with Ray (of Revel studios), and Ladystorykeeper. I got some good feedback for Vol.3, which indicated that I'm going the right direction for the pairings.

The most fun we had was with Visdei's wig.  Almost all the IKM guys present wore the wig, including Hubby!  XD  We were all laughing as the guys tried it out!  XD  Dante (Cosplayed by Frederick) and Mina (in her casual clothes.. :D, they're also PASIG fans btw),  was game with our own photoshoot with hubby... Too bad you missed it if you weren't there.  :P

After the shoot, I gave Karla copies of the book, so she could finally get to know Silaya.  She also brought me some great news for October's catwalk/cosplay competition. I got even more giddy!  XD

She also mentioned that some people got curious about the character she was portraying, and the comic the character was from.  I think that was why GTMACC did this cosplay initiative in the first place, and from what Karla told me, it seems to be working... :D

It was a great day.  We can't wait for the day our characters would do the catwalk and skits.  Thanks to Kit and Andrew for the opportunity to see our characters in the flesh! 

In the meantime, I'll still be working with the cosplayers for the GTMACCCon 2 event, Volume 4 production, and komikon preps.  

Things like these, makes all the effort worth it!

-- Joanah T.C. (writer and artist for Point Zero)

Then came Lakan and Makisig...

Journal Entry #59

July 23, 2012

Good Morning,

It's never too late to start. 

All you have to do is take the first step.

There's a difference between "those who can" and "those who did".

Well first of all you can call me giosdesk. I'm a comic artist. Preferably you saw me on Facebook on the IKM group, or at the Indieket Event at table I12. It's my first time to join such event and to be a participant/seller. The experience is awesome, and very fruitful. I'm a graphic artist by day and a vigilante at night roaming the streets of imagination and what not. Scourging the underbelly of the subconscious and tinkling with the machinery of creativity. Unless the baby cries and needs to change the diaper.

I always wanted to be a cartoonist by profession but theres this thing called RESPONSIBILITY and yours truly needs to man up and take it. Well I think all of us wanted that, doing what you LOVE thingy, but here in our country thats kinda, NOT THE IDEAL CHOICE. I've been doing comics strip waaaay back in high school, then college, I was a regular cartoonist for the Advocate (FEU student publication). Then graduation, I still do strips but for personal satisfaction. But got married, had kids, then stopped. Comics ended right there.

But the passion is still there, it's my forte, it's what I'm good at. I don't want to fail my heroes, Rene Aranda, Jess Abrera, Nonoy Marcelo (fellow Advocate and Tamaraw) and Pol Medina Jr. in strips and humor. So I did a personal project for giosdesk, since I'm now a father I wanted to share that experience, so I created Lakan at Makisig Komiks, yes thats the name of my 2 boys. I get my inspiration, ideas and motivation from them. I'm creating comics but wasn't able to commit due to work and family. I'm kinda new in the head of the family section. But I met this awesome cartoonist over at multiply, Freely (naks), we've exchanged mails and he really inspire me to work on my comics and I really like his style and humor, its like western cartoon but speaks tagalog. I finally met Freely at FCBD 2011, nice fellow. I did strips now and then, but not consistent. I tried to print copies and sold them to friends early 2012. Freely advice me to join Indieket last July which I did and here I am now.

After Indieket, I was inspired to create more comics, and was really motivated that I am able to post one-comic per day on giosdesk Wordpress. YAY! Lesson here is that, if it's your passion, do it. No one will do it for you. Quite a long story, thanks for taking the time to read. Thanks to the people I met at Indieket, to those who purchased and those who laugh, it melts me. Looking forward to meet more of you guys and MABUHAY ang PINOY KOMIKS!

giosdesk, writer/artist/model
Lakan at Makisig

Syempre,syempre, PAN DE HAMON!

Journal Entry #58
July 13, 2012

Hello, buhay indie peeps!
It's me again, Dark Chapel of SSM!
Reminding everyone of the upcoming event this Saturday.
The very first grand indie komiks market, INDIEKET.

Where SSM! would be stationed at IT114 together with our brothas from another mothas, PELIGRO COMICS & MACOY.

As expected, SSM! won't be going there empty handed and if we're going down we're going down in a BLAZE OF GLORY!

Presenting the three course meal that is ....SSM!

BOOM!
How d'ya like dem apples?

And an encore printing of MONA #1. Now with TYPO/LIQUID FREE covers and interior pages.

The only trouble I'm having right now is being unable to purchase the proper/appropriate plastic bags for the new books. And hopefully would be able to resolve this situation later this afternoon. I'm really kinda O.C. about presenting my books bare because part of our appeal WAS the packaging so I really had to do something about this ASAP.

But the books were all done,as in KAHAPON PA!=D

So that's about it.See you this Saturday.

Buy the books and have a whale of a good time.

SSM!, over and out.

--Dark Chapel/Silent Sanctum Manga/EIC/Dolphy Fan

SSM twitter

100 Araw ng Komiks: One Year Later

Journal Entry #57

It has been a year since the first day of the campaign.

It all started with an incident in Toycon 2011.  At that point, the local Komiks industry has been struggling to keep afloat for years, despite popular notions of its "demise".  A lot of professional and underground independent komiks have been continuing this artform.  A lot of influences popped up, and what's good about this is, more artists are getting interested in making their own publications.  Whether they're newbies, or pros, it doesn't matter, as long as somebody is still interested in making their own comics locally.

Ever since I got myself into making indie comics 16 years ago (you know, the first time I decided to make my own comic), I got immersed in the art of making comics.  I fell in love with the possibilities.  I was already into writing when I was in highschool, and I liked to draw.  Drawing my own stories gives me a sort of high that school plates could never give me.  It was work and play merged into one! But If you put so much effort into drawing something, and your friends somehow gets sucked into the world you created, it gives you a satisfaction that makes all the hardwork really worth it.

So after meeting comic enthusiastic college mates, after joining an indie comic group, after meeting CCCOM, after selling in a shop, after getting criticisms, after joining a big convention (getting amazed by how many of us are actually making comics),  after many KOMIKONs, after meeting the veterans of the Golden Age, komiks historians, meeting more indie artists, participating in exhibits, seeing the real komiks industry... I was already in fray.  And I loved all that creative energy!

And then we met a kid who hardly knows about Panday, or Darna....Or any local komiks title creator,  Despite the TV shows and MMFF adaptations in recent years.  It was sadness at the Komikon booth.

I was already in Indie Komiks Manila group then, and we were all trying to promote our own titles, and helping each other out in comic production.  A year before, it was National elections.  I saw my FB feed fill with campaigns for politicians.  And we're all comic enthusiasts.  Why not campaign for Komiks? So we did.

Early teasers

So many people pitched for 100 Araw ng Komiks, and one of them is the FB page which is now a year old.  It was a campaign filled with infos on the history of komiks from Komiklopedia, from various resource persons and blogs. We promoted new comic artists and new comic titles.  Many komiks enthusiasts participated.  Many responded and shared trivias and posts.  For 100 days, we campaigned for KOMIKS.  

Four months after the 100-day campaign, I shopped for a few indies (during Komikon), and introduced myself to one of the creators of Spanton as one of the admins of the 100 AnK page.  And then the guy mentioned that some of their buyers actually heard of their titles via the page posts. I was really happy to hear that we helped them promote their titles.  We actually did help them!  Wow.

It was a small victory, but a victory nonetheless.

Now a year has passed.  Were' still posting komiks related stuff on the page, now with more than a thousand likes (I have no idea if they all check it regularly).

I really don't know the extent of the campaign, or how many people it actually reached.  I don't know if we made a significant boost for the local industry (or at least for the small komiks community where I belong), but I'm really hoping the ripples of 100 days will reach far...

But it won't become waves, if we only stop at ripples.  It's time for us to build some muscle, and create the waves we've been waiting for...

Time to spread the power of Komiks Art Beybeh!


--Joanah t.c., Member of POINT ZERO, Indie Komiks Manila, and 100 Araw ng Komiks

(P.S.  Indieket is coming up on July 14th.  Preparing for that now...Salamat din sa mga gumawa ng Power of Art docus at Komiks art docus for the inspiration! Trabaho na tayo!)

ROYAL RUMBLE

Journal Entry #56 

6/27/2012

Hi Journal

Ako si Francis Martelino, yung gumawa ng "HOPE"," Hotdog Prince" at " Ano ang gagawin mo sa 24 oras na natitira bago gumunaw ang mundo?" Ako rin ung isa sa mga founder ng KOMIKULT. Heto na last day na ng pasahan ng requirements para makapasok sa Indieket. Hindi pa rin ako mapakali hanggat sa makareceive ako ng email na nagsasabing talagang pasok na ang KOMIKULT sa Indieket. Sana makapasok kami para makastart ng magpromote ng komiks kasi isa un sa mga pinakamasayang part ng pagkokomiks.

Gusto ko lang i-share sa inyo yung 1st run ng KOMIKULT sa Komikon. Sobrang saya ng experience kasi sa wakas mababasa na ng mga tao yung storya na gawa mo. Hindi ko akalaing magiging ganun kasuccessful ang una naming try. Bukod sa ndi kami nakapaghanda ng maige, puro last minute ung mga ginawa namin preparations including ung komiks. Andami ring setback. Biglang nasira ung printer, nasira ung photocopy machine ng paborito naming xeroxan, nagkulang ng pamasahe pampunta sa mga group meeting at marami pang iba. Kaya rin siguro ako tuwang tuwa nun kasi pagkatapos ng lahat ng pinagdaanan namin ay nagbunga anman ang aming paghihirap. Bilang baguhang grupo, starstruck kami sa mga nakita naming favorite komiks writers/artists. Ang galing lang e, isang araw binabasa mo gawa nila at nangangarap kang maging kagaya nila isang araw, tapos ngayon after ilang years, pareho na kayo ng ginagawa. Tandang tanda ko pa, umaga nung komikon. Nagaayos na kami ng table ng bigla naming namalayan na na katapat na booth pala namin ung mga idol namin mula sa Culture Crash. Grabe lang, akala ko lalangawin yung booth namin dahil natapat kami sa kanila pero buti naman hinde. :D Nandun din pala si Jinri Park. Wala lang.  Sumali din kami dun sa komiks creations contest pero ndi kami nanalo. Sana merong copy na binebenta ung mga winners ng contest para mabasa ko gawa nila. Natapos ang aming komikon experience sa Jollibee kung san namin ginastos ang lahat ng kinita namin.(Bukod sa komiks)

Hindi pa dun nagtatapos yung saya ng Komikon experience. Pagkatapos nun, marami kameng nakuhang feedback mula sa mga bumili ng komiks namin. Sobrang nakakagaan lang sa loob na ma nakaappreciate ng gawa mo at ndi nagatubiling sabihin sayo yun. Malaking bagay yun samin bilang mga komiks artist. O baka ako lang kasi first time ko. Hahaha. Hindi lang namin alam, na baka yun na yung last naming Komikon. Dahil ilang linggo lang pagkatapos nun sinorpresa kami ng INDIEKET. Ang ROYAL RUMBLE sa WRESTLEMANIA ng Komikon. Nung una, sabi ko sa sarili, parang imposible na talaga makapagkomikon ulit. Top 10 sa sales ang kelangan at wala kami ganun karaming time para makagawa ng bagong komiks. Pero sabi nga nila "Kung gusto may paraan, kung ayaw ay laging meron palusot." Napagtanto ko rin na maganda rin na may event na talagang pang indie komiks lang. Spotlight sa mga artist na suki sa mga xeroxan. Hula ko balang araw magiging kasinlaking event nito ung Komikon. Kung sino man nakaisip ng idea na ito ay talagang dapat bigyan ng standing ovation.

Tatapusin ko ang entry ko para pasalamatan ang Komikon at yung mga bumili ng komiks namin. Seryoso, sino bang matinong tao ang bibili ng komiks tungkol sa isang hotdog na naglalakad sa panahon ng kastila? Salamat talaga! Sana rin dumaan kayo sa booth namin kung sakaling makapasok kami ng Indieket. Tapos Komikon hopefully. :D 

-Francis Martelino, salarin sa paggawa ng HOPE, Hotdog Prince, at Ano ang gagawin mo sa 24 oras na natitira bago gumunaw ang mundo?( from KOMIKULT)

Woohoo!! Indieket!!!!

Journal Entry #55

June 19, 2012    

Yo Journal!

Ilang weeks na lang Indieket na. Nakakakaba! Hehehe. :D  Things have been pretty difficult in terms of preparation lalo na ngayon at start na naman ng klase. Nahihirapan din ako magbalance ng time kasi sabay pa ang work sa paggawa ng comics. Mas nauubos pa nga ang oras ko sa pagpeprepare ng comics ko kaysa sa pag aasikaso ng ituturo ko.hehe ‘Di bale nabawi na lang ako pag nagkaklase na. Extra effort talaga kapag isinasapuso mo yung pagcocomics. :D

Hmmmm. Indieket. Wala talaga ako idea. Nakakatakot lalo na at first time. Eto na yung iniintay kong break (naks!) para sa comics ko. Sana magustuhan ang mga pinaghirapan ko. Sabagay hindi ko pa din naman alam if qualified ako para sa Indieket. Naku sana.hehe Basta excited na ako sa Indieket!!!!!! Sana makasali na ako pati yung mga kagaya kong bago sa industry!! :D

Here are some sample pages of my two independent releases, side by side with their cover designs.

The first issue of Eternal Crisis comes out with a new packaging. Binago ko yung cover kumpara dun sa unang beses ko sya ni-release para mas astig. Hehe basta sa tingin ko astig naman sya.hehe Wala kokontra. :D

Da Adbentsur op Cotton issue #01 will also be available for Indieket.

Yun lamang po! Yeahbah! :D Kitakits tayo sa Indieket!


Mabuhay ang kartunistang pinoy!



-- Nino Balita, Writer and Illustrator for Eternal Crisis and Da Adbentsur op Cotton

System... Stabilized

Journal Entry #54

06/18/2012

(Entry #5 for "Callous Comics")

It's been a while!  Lots to talk about too!

My new webcomic, "M.O.U.S.E. - Multiple Ordnance and Utility Synthetic Entity", had launched a few weeks ago and I'm pleased to hear that so far people have been enjoying it!  Furthermore, Pilar Nenita Esber's art had been well-received, to say the least!  Pilar and I were even guests in the TGT podcast which was a lot of fun!  Summer Komikon 2012 had come and gone and "Callous Comics - On Lighter Dreams" was my best seller!  And I was quite surprised to learn that I was the highest-earning independent comic as well!

Now that my nightly routine has somewhat stabilized and I'll be starting this year's fantasy storyline in "Callous Comics".  It had gone through several re-writes for it was hard to follow the grand epic that was "On Lighter Dreams".  So, I decided to scale it down a lot and keep things personal.  For a long time my working title was "Legend Song".  Then recently I changed it to "Serene Swords".  Finally, a last gasp change brought my storyline title to something I previously posted right here in "Buhay Indie", "Heartstring Pizzicato"!  In the end I really like this new tale and I hope everyone will too.

-- 

Best Regards,

Carlo Jose San Juan MD