This is the time to post my illustrations "publicly" on the internet. Although I tried having my webspace before just for my own satisfaction, now I think is the proper time to be involved in this Comics Revival that my fellow Komikeros are trying to setup, by posting my works too, online. This I suppose just shows how global the Filipino Komikero is. From the land of Milk and Honey to the deserts of Arabia..., now in the booming economy of another once "desert city" called DUBAI, the Komikeros are alive and also kicking butts here, FYI.As time would require I will post some of my works here for public viewing. Just for us to inform the comics industry (if still there is one) that Komikeros exist in this part of the World. I could say that I am a neophyte, because I haven't really had this big chance of making comics for major publications. On the other hand, I can say that I am a veteran because comics was in fact in my blood and I've been doing comics since my Dad allowed me to use his fountain pen, which he used for lettering comics titles at Graphic Arts Service, Inc. (GASI).
Yes, my father was a letterer for GASI titles, like Zuma, Galema ang Anak ni Zuma, Kuwentong Barbero, Kuwatog, Pompa, The Hands etc., He was also an officer of this organization at GASI called WIKA. I was literally breathing ink and paper not only from my father's hands but also from this printing press located at the ground floor warehouse of their office in Murphy, Cubao, Quezon City. Pablo Libiran and Tito Ogie (I forgot his surname) and Mrs. Paguio used to cuddle me in their arms, everyone wanting to adopt me. Names like Tito Tony (Toning Bulag as they call him, sorry I have to describe him), the late Helen Meriz, Mar Santana, Nar Castro, Hal Santiago, Sonny Trinidad, Rudy Nebres, the late Mang Anong who was my father's closest friend, Mang Mar, Rudy Florese, Mang Nestor, Mang Ben (Maniclang), Tito Jim Fernandez and the others who I just saw after two decades in Ka Gerry's (Alanguilan) website, were to me are common as the comics titles that used to be rented from the window of our house in Tandang Sora. Aliwan, Holiday Komiks, Pioneer, Pinoy Klasiks, Kislap, and... (this only shows na tumatanda na rin tayo talaga, at napag-iiwanan na, mahina na ang memorya), are some of the most-well-loved, highly anticipated, source of fine and classic entertainment before. And as for me, an oasis of great inspiration and influence in my career as an artist.
My father is Bob Turda, a letterer, who taught me the rudiments of this classic art of comics making. Although he did not have the chance to polish his skills in drawing, I know that he left his own legacy and style doing his craft as a leterrer. Before, a leterrer who does it manually, not with the aid of a computer, was an essential part of the whole layout and comics making process. If i could remember it right, lettering was done first before the final (inking) illustration. I think I know, 'cause i used to erase these lines that my father made in this half-sized cartolinas. I even put tracing paper overlay to assign colors for the strippers (not the ones, these komikeros visit at night) to follow. See, do these kids know that coloring comics before was not done with computers? I don't even remember that they colored it with watercolors, not until four-color printing became affordable and was applied in comics coloring. I for one did this in a campaign comics done by Nar Castro, about a decade ago. Comics before, i mean the production side of it, was a tedious job. You not only do your own pencilling but your own inking as well. And in my father's case, not only the lettering but the coloring as well. Unless of course he wanted to buy me a Sarsi to color one story.
But what am I talking about? With the decline of the industry in the Philippines, comics publishing has not been as difficult as it is now. What with Ka Gerry A., writing, lettering, drawing and by heaven's coloring his own comics, not to mention, even publishing it by his own. Pardon my pessimism, but you cannot be the judge, the jury and the executioner at the same time. I know I have the same thoughts as some of the other komikeros outside of your zone. And the discussions in the Pilipino Komiks Message Board (PKMB) of Ka Gerry, prove this.
These words and discussions instilled fire on a flickering coal like me. The initiatives and the ongoing projects of the Guhit Pinoy here in the Middle-East and in our country as well, added more fuel in these flames. The 1st Philippine Comics Convention held October of last year was truly a breakthrough, a combustion of sort.
Every Komikero from all walks and not just talk, from every corner of the globe should each put his own coal in this burning furnace to reawaken a once great era. Let me and others be an instrument in this cause. Let us not build factions from the "old school" to the what... is there a new school, anyway, huh?! Kids? Let us show our works through different forms (online, print, movies, etc.,) Let us encourage everyone to show their stuffs and be not afraid, so the whole world can see how good the Filipinos are. How great Komikeros we are.
