The Philippine Online Chronicles

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Philippine komiks have gone through turbulent times. The industry has changed in so many ways, sparking discussion from critics and fans alike, even reaching the point where some have declared it dead or in a coma.

The Komikon Summer Fiesta 2009 in UP Diliman last Saturday was a gathering of both lovers and creators of the craft. It proved that rumors of the "death" of komiks have been greatly exaggerated. At 9 am crowds were already starting to gather outside the venue, forming a long line which eventually filled the UP Bahay ng Alumni with costumes, comic book bargains, autograph signings, games, and of course, perpetual discussions of alternate worlds, parallel universes, and characters that you won't hear about every day.

Bay gali! Is beri nesesari

The early 20^th century brought komiks to life in the Philippines. Originally created to provide cheap entertainment for Filipinos, it evolved into various genres -- most prominent were satire, mythology, and folklore -- which led to the rise of the komiks industry.

Komiks first cropped up in the country towards the end of the Spanish-American War. In 1896, cartoons began to appear in local magazines. Attacks on American colonialism used Filipino and Spanish, two languages that the American officials did not understand. Lope K. Santos's magazine Lipang Kalabaw contained examples of the satirical, anti-federalist and anti-American editorial cartoon in Tagalog.

Two magazines, Telembang and Lipang Kalabaw, contained what were arguably the pioneers of today's komiks. In 1928, the beloved teenage character Francisco Harabas or Kenkoy graced Liwayway magazine. Created by Romualdo Ramos and Tony Velasquez, he was an embodiment of the colonial-minded Filipino youth. Velazquez once rerferred to him as pusturyoso -- clad in the latest western trends, he would go around speaking "Taglish" and "Spangalog," slang languages that created famous Kenkoy lines such as "okidoki" (okeydokey), "lets take ewok" (let's take a walk), "is beri nesesari," and "halo, how is yu?"

In 1946 and 1947, Halakhak and Pilipino Komiks were born. These were the first magazines with all-komiks content. From 1949 to the mid-1950s, Tagalog Klasiks, Hiwaga Komiks, and Espesyal Komiks surfaced. Different forms of komiks reached great success with the masses, but it met its decline during the Martial Law, when President Ferdinand Marcos censored the content and controlled the material used in making komiks. Marcos ordered that the komiks use cheap paper, which resulted in poor readership. This kind of treatment drove a lot of comic book writers and artists to work in the American comic industry.

The greatest test for writers and artists took place as a by-product of the emergence of other forms of entertainment. The interest of people in komiks has been conquered by other pastimes such as video games, television, and more recently, the internet. Komiks publishers have had to give up and cancel titles that were once the source of the Filipino masses' laughter.

Is it dead?

Signs of decomposition have not yet materialized, however. The comics community in the Philippines proves this. Komiks written and illustrated by the great creators Francisco Coching (Barbaro, Gigolo, El Indio), Alex N. Niño (Kilabot ng Persia, Gruaga - The Fifth Corner of the World, Mga Matang Nagliliyab), and Mars Ravelo (Darna, Captain Barbell, Maruja, Lastikman) have been followed by world class creations of a new generation of Filipino writers and illustrators.

Artists such as Arnold Arre (The Mythology Class, Ang Mundo ni Andong Agimat), Gerry Alanguilan (Wasted, Humanis Rex!, ELMER), Carlo Vergara (Zsazsa Zaturnnah), Pol Medina (Pugad Baboy), and Manix Abrera (Kiko Machine) have already made their own marks on the Philippine komiks industry. These artists tackle a broad range of topics in their craft, not afraid to experiment. Each of them has brought together a loyal fanbase in the Philippines and abroad. It is this kind of innovation and passion that will keep komiks alive for years to come.

The Sunday Inquirer magazine featured a list of Filipino comic book talents that people should watch out for. Included in the list are Leinil Yu (Marvel), Whilce Portacio (Todd McFarlane's Spawn), Philip Tan (DC's Green Lantern), Carlo Pagulayan (Marvel's Agents of Atlas), Harvey Tolibao (Marvel's War of Kings: Darkhawk), and Bong Dazo (Dark Horse's Star Wars: The Force Unleashed). This article entitled "The Golden Age Cometh" features 23 other Filipino creators.

Restoration of Coching's El Indio

To recognize the work of one of these great artists, Vibal Foundation is releasing a restoration of Coching's El Indio. El Indio will be launched in August, along with The Life and Art of Francisco V. Coching, a book of essays about one of the big names in the Golden Age of Philippine komiks.

Readers of Alanguilan's blog expressed their excitement over the release of the Coching books: “Wow finally, Coching! something to really look forward to in August,” said Jim of humawinghangin.deviantart.com. “That El Indio book is thick! Wow! I hope it will be made widely available. Same goes for the Coching book,” said Reno Maniquis. 

All things considered, the komiks seems to be in great hands, as shown by the response of its enthusiastic audience and resolute publishers. With several more events planned for 2009 alone, the future of komiks is looking brighter all the time.


Photos by Ofelia T. Sta. Maria