MORE HUMOR!

This is what blogging can do!

My comment in Randy Valiente's famous blogsite “Malikhaing Komiks” (Likhang Pilipino sa Kumplikadong Mundo), was nominated as a finalist in his own Voters Choice Awards. It was a commentary on how the ongoing discussion felt like to me, during the ranting and bashing of writers and artists about the state of Comics art in the Philippines.

Randy by the way is a fellow Komikero who has established a very amusing blogsite for Komikeros and non-komikeros to express themselves in the most ‘vicious’ way they can. Randy also has put in here very compelling blogs about his plight to continue the legacy of the Komikeros, his frustrations in the struggle, future plans to somehow revive the Philippine comics industry and very impressive works of art.

The “awards” has two categories, the ‘let-me-think’ category and the ‘let-me-toink’ category. The first category is for messages that are intellectually inspiring, thought-provoking, messages where you can learn lessons from, while the ‘let-me-toink’ category are the ones that has no sense, irritating, dumb, nasty, outrageous and simply stupid. Well, these are as far as Randy’s classification is concerned.

Fortunately, my comment was nominated for the latter. Really, I’m glad Randy placed it in the “let-me-toink” category. For me, posting and blogging are supposed to be fun. It was my purpose in posting my message there anyway. Besides, most of the time jokes and humor have their tinge of reality in them. And sometimes, the most stupid and impractical things are the most useful. Yes! Actually, I find these “let-me-toink” messages more interesting and truthful than those highfalutin comments in Randy’s blog.

Here are the finalists… (drum roll please!)
(Pardon the french-terms they are not translatable.)

1. Bluepen- Diosa: at sa gumagamit ng alyas na puros kabaklaan ang laman. Tingnan mo yung maskuladong bakla. Check mo lang kung tama ang pagkakalarawan ko sa'yo. Sabi mo kc nde halata sau na bakla ka. buti nde ko sinama ang tagdan nyang nakatali sa likod.Eto! na naman ako, ayoko sanang patulan eh. Kaso grabe mang gulo itong super KSP na matandang huklubang bading na to.

2. Gilbert Moncupal- Mga pre, tingnan 'nyong kulay blue at maliit na pen sa caricature ni Bluepen. Me TULO o!

3. Silent Reader- Nakakabuwang ka at ang mga katulad mong yakyak nang yakyak ng pagka-Pilipino, tapos ngayon audience ka lang pala. Tangna! Kung talagang gusto mong iangat ang komiks natin, KUMILOS kang iho de puta ka. Hindi iyang puro talak ka sa mga gumagawa ng komiks para sa English audience. Ako audience rin lang, at nagbabasa lang ng messages dito. Pero ngayon, napuno na ako sa kasasatsat mong el gran de puta ka. Bading ka bang leche ka? Yang mga salita mong pa-sister-sister ka pang chupadero ka. Kung audience ka rin lang pala ay magtigil ka na at wala kang silbi. Bumili ka lang ng mga komiks nina Gerry Alanguilan, Manilaboy, Reno, at kung sinu-sino pang mga colonial ang mentality. At least may ginagawa sila kahi't papano. Eh, ikaw?

4. Anonymous- Ang laki ng kamay. Siguro mahilig ‘yang magjakol.

5. Manila girl…este…boy pala - Sige Fredrick, bigyan mo nga ng cyber punch 'yang si Diosa nang matauhan dito sa cyber space.

6. Nikki - Hi! Bluepen, ganda ng kulay mo, yung sa akin din kulayan mo hihihi. Greg! ano na naman 'to? ano ba meron dito? Nge! parang may nag aaway...

7. Anime Boy - Pusa! may sumagot! oh ayan may nagbigay ng time at kung saan at anung date. Magpalista na kung sinong gusto. Sports lang walang pikunan, though kung dumanak man ng dugo may ambulansya naman daw. Tado ka Anonymous pag hindi totoo yang pinagsasabi mo. Hu-hungtingin ka namin. Dila mo lang walang latay. Hangat maaga sabihin mong totoo kung nag jo-joke kalang. Demonyo mga kausap mo.

(This is my entry…)
8. Myke- "Malikhaing Komiks"... pero ang mas bagay yata na tagline sa takbo ng diskusyon dito eh... KUMPLIKADONG PILIPINONG LIKHA NG MUNDO. Hehe!

9. Diosa Hubadera - Mga Bakla! Bumalik kayo ke God! May the lord Jesus Christ have mercy on your GOD-DAMNED SOULS!

10. Donya Victorina de de Espadanya - Maghunos-dili ka, manay! Iyang kabadingan mo dadalhin mo pa rito sa blog ni Randy. Kukurutin kita diyan ng pinung-pino sa tinggil, matauhan kang bruha kang putatsing ka. Kung di ka ba naman tanga, nagdudunung-dunungan ka? Sa Europa po, masabi ko sa iyong hitad ka, ay uso ang mga ganitong pangalan. Unisex. Akala mo ba sa mga Italyano, yung pangalang Andrea ay pambabae lang? Baliw ka, diyan ka lang kasi sa Pritil nakarating kaya ang pananaw mo hanggang kwater na lang. Ay naku day, ginamit mo pa ang pangalang Diosa ay demonyita ka naman. Atse-tse. Hala, mga boys, pila balde na kayo dito kay Diosa nang madilig ito at tila tigang na tigang na ang matris nito.

Good luck to all the participants selected by Randy. May your gods and goddesses bless you with more aplomb.

Life and Knowledge Transfer

Hooo! What a day!

After posting a sketch of Conan in the PKMB, two great Komikeros shared their comments about my work, and man..., did they just impart priceless lessons about the art?

Moreover, you'll notice how these Komikeros not only distinguish and remember works of their fellows but their (life) stories as well. If only they could draw everything that their minds can see and imagine.

Here are the clips of our messages from Pilipino Komiks Message Board...

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Kumusta po!
Posted by: TURDA (213.42.2.21)Date: August 19, 2006 at 9:53 pmMessage id: 3916

Mang Dell, Mang Romy, nais pong ipaabot ng father ko ang taos pusong pangungumusta. Marahil po hindi nyo na sya kilala pero nung nakita po nya ang mga pangalan at obra ninyo dito sa PKMB ay hindi nya po napigilang magkwento sa akin ng mga karanasan niyo sa komiks.
Letratista po sya sa GASI at matalik na kaibigan po niya si Mang Anong, Pablo Libiran at Nar Castro. Bob po ang pangalan niya. Kumusta daw po!
Sketch ko po ito kanina sa opisina.

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bob turda
Posted by: batugan47 (70.35.35.128)Date: August 19, 2006 at 10:51 pmMessage id: 3917

Kamusta rin sa father mo.I knew him from GASI when i was there. I like your art, konting refinement lang ayos na.Concentrate more on pencilling., iyon kasi ang Base ng inking.Pag tama at ayos ang pencils mo,wala nang problema ang inking.Keep it up!

*** link ***

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RE: Bob Turda
Posted by: ROMEOTANGHALSR (24.225.160.135)Date: August 19, 2006 at 11:14 pmMessage id: 3919

I'm sure kilala ko ang father mo, pero si MANG ANONG ang natatandaan ko. Pag nakita ko ang litrato niya, siguradong makikilala ko. OK ang drawing mo, may sarili kang style. Kung makakakita ka ng mga toy figures, tulad ng HE-MAN( SERIES) ang galing ng mga anatomy. Duon ka matututo ng mga muscles at foreshortenings. Itapat mo ito sa light...matututo ka naman ng tamang shading. Mas masarap mag-aral ng figure drawing sa 3D. Kapag nakakita kayo ng mga figurines na maganda ang dating, tama ang mga anatomy...mas useful na reference ito kaysa mga books.
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RE; Bob Turda
Posted by: ROMEOTANGHALSR (24.225.160.135)Date: August 19, 2006 at 11:38 pmMessage id: 3920

Baka kilala ng tatay mo ( Bob) si Albert De Guzman? Naging kapitbahay ko dito nuon at naging litratista ng DC COMICS. Madalas niyang mai-kuwento si Mang Anong sa akin. Ninong yata niya. That was year 1978. Matagal din kaming nagkikita ni Albert sa DC nuon. In-house siyang letterer ng DC at tambak din ang freelance na ginagawa niya sa bahay.Retired na rin at investor sa real estate ngayon. Nurse ang asawa at balita ko ay milyonaryo na. Hehehehehe...kapag nabasa ito ni Albert, siguradong sasabihin na "Hoy, Romy! Baka maniwala sila na talagang Milyonaryo na ako!"
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Thus, I always say... "Hindi ka pwedeng maging Komikero kung wala kang Humor."

Super thanks to these masters who impart their knowledge and of course undying "joys of life."

Mabuhay po kayo!

I've been here in the gulf for more than two years now and most of you know how tough it is to survive in this kind of place.

In troubled times, one thing that pushes me to pick up my bearings and continue to fight on, is the reward of being appreciated. And my "Elmer" artwork getting featured in KOMIKERO.COM by no other than Gerry Alanguilan (Elmer; Wasted; Superman: Birthright; Stone; Silent Dragon) came like "a dew in the desert."

It was a timely recognition of a stagnant talent that had been wanting to erupt like a volcano given the time and means. My hands are eager now to practice its real purpose, which is to draw. They are tied with my financial needs and a lifestyle that I have to maintain... I am in a crossroads and an answer would be a delight in my soul.

I've been praying the whole month for signs. And then came one of the answers. I will be transferring from my present job in Dubai to another better opportunity in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. In the new company I will be exposed to "storyboarding", one of an off-shoot job of a comics artist. When my work was featured in Gerry A's site I know it was definitely the icing on the cake.

I can never think of anything that would best describe what has been happening now in my career but through this email that my wife sent me when she saw my work in Komikero.com. In her words...

"Dear Pa,

Im so happy that you made it this far, imagine na appreciate yung work mo! and YES!!! your works are IN the eyes of the "komikeros" internationally.

I always thank our LORD for the talents that HE entrust you. Just don’t forget to give HIM back all the glory....... always.

EF"

And yes, for me and my wife, this was really far and significant. Cause' she knows how I've been wanting to share my talent with my fellow Komikeros. She saw me every night wandering through the pages of Komikero.com at awe with the talent of the masters, old and new alike. She remembered me saying that "one day I'll meet and make friends with these guys."

Now I could say where I truly belong. I also believe that my father should be there with "the guys." And Gerry's recognition of him in his caption was truly a welcome gesture not only for my father but for all the "letterers" in their time. (Thanks Ger!)

But this is not yet the final episode. My father's generation of artists was book one and the story that we are now into, is the sequel to that great era.

“Come forward now my brothers, and let us journey together in oblivion.”

I am now officially a member of the world-renowned Philippine Komiks Message Board (PKMB). The date was August 3, 2006 when my first message appeared on the board, thanking Mang Romy (Tanghal) with his resource-filled posts.

Pardon my drama, but for me this is really a momentous occasion. I was a sleeping dog before, satisfied by just reading and learning from the masters. But I realized that what I was doing is not actually learning rather it was just, knowing. In order for us to learn and to understand we must know how to…, “interact." Learning/understanding is a two-way process, reaction is essential. Not just a one-way street wherein people never see each other’s faces.

As I said in my earlier posts, now is the time to be involved. A revival is underway. I don’t want to sound prophetic, but the way things are going… we might see a Filipino Comics resurgence of a different kind. Let’s keep our fingers crossed and continue what the proponents of this quest have started.

This site maintained by Ka Gerry Alanguilan (and some friends) is definitely one of the legacies this artist has contributed in the Filipino comics industry. Some gurus say that the last stake in the demise of the industry was nailed down by the closure of some major comic book publications. But don’t tell that in Gerry’s face. Man… I tell you, he is just starting. He might not conform with my thoughts but the messages of the Komikeros in the PKMB greatly inspired Gerry to produce his own comics in whatever means he can. That’s why the story of “Elmer” began and the epic battle of Humanis Rex continues.

And to continue we will, until we reach the same greatness as our old masters had savored during their time.