Pinoy comics artists band together for Ondoy victims

Tuesday, 23 February 2010 12:51 PM Fidelis Angela Tan

Comic book artists and aficionados got together last Sunday at the Mega Trade Hall 3 in SM Megamall to celebrate Renaissance, a comics convention and book launch with proceedings going to victims of last year’s Typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng.

Renaissance was noteworthy for bringing together an unprecedented number of the country’s comic book talents. Together with popular artists and writers like Gerry Alanguilan (Wasted, Where Bold Stars Go to Die), and the team of Kajo Baldisimo and Budjette Tan (Trese) were older artists who had been making comics over the last four decades, up-and-coming indie comics makers, and Pinoy talents who have done work abroad for groups like animation company Pixar and comics giants DC and Marvel.

“Sobrang nakaka-overwhelm kasi kaming mga creator, fans din kami, so nakakatuwa na kasama mo yung mga legends, mga legends na sinusundan mo [It’s very overwhelming because we creators are also fans, so it’s great to be with the legends you look up to],” said Baldisimo.

“It shows solidarity among the community. We’re still that small that we all know each other…and it’s easy for us to work with each other,” added Lyndon Gregorio, maker of Beerkada.

According to Ernie Patricio, a veteran artist who first started making comics in the 1960s, Renaissance marked the continual development of the local comics culture.

“Walang pinagiba din ito sa ibang art festival [This is just like any other art festival],” he said.

“Ang nakita ko masigla ang kabataan ngayon, sa makabagong paraan, parang wake-up call, renaissance ng isang panibagong kultura [Younger artists are really active, coming up with new things. It’s like a wake-up call, a renaissance of a new culture].”

“It’s also a way to show na contrary to what other people are saying, buhay na buhay pa ang comics [Comics are still alive and well],” added Alanguilan. “Nag evolve na ang comics, iba na ang format, pero buhay pa siya [Comics have evolved, have changed their format, but they’re still going strong].”

Renaissance: Ang muling pagsilang

The book Renaissance: Ang Muling Pagsilang, published by Anvil, was also launched during the event. The book gathered artwork from over sixty of the country’s leading comics and graphic artists, featuring the denizens of the Pinoy comic mythos facing the realities of last year’s storms.

Arnold Arre’s Andong Agimat is seen carrying a young girl through flood-filled streets. Darna and a group of other superheroes unite to take down the demon Mega-Ondoy in an artwork created by Bitoy, more popularly known as the artist Michael V. [Carlo Vergara’s Zsa-zsa Zaturnna embraces a child who has lost much in the flood.

Proceeds from the sales of the book, as well as from on-the-spot sketches done by the artists, will go to people affected by the calamities.