MT Cloud Bookshop, The Curfew and Indie Comics

Baguio City

You won’t find a Filipino graphic novel anywhere in Baguio! It’s sad! Of course, you won’t find comic books that easily anywhere if you’re in the Philippines. After Ondoy, Filipino comic books seem to have been washed out by the flood. There are the malls but hardly do they sell any Filipino made comics much less care about the independent comic book scene.

As an artist for the comic book medium I find this very disheartening. But during the last Komikon I attended at the UP Diliman, Bahay ng Alumni where I launched my indie Comic entitled “The Curfew” one of the buyers gave me this small piece of card. It says MT Cloud Bookshop, soon to open at Casa Vallejo. Whoa! I know the place. It’s in my very own City! The guy who gave me the card is the co-owner and he said he’d be selling my book at the said shop. So imagine me traveling 200 miles just to sell my comics meeting someone who traveled the same distance just to acquire something to sell on his shop which is located where we both came from!

It was months after that fateful meeting before I came back to Baguio. MT Cloud is located at the upper Session Road and is a stone’s throwaway from SM Baguio. I thought that it may not be the most appropriate location for a bookshop. People visiting SM won’t even see it. But to my surprise, a lot of people actually visit the place!

MT Cloud is a unique bookshop. The way the books are arranged makes you feel like it’s a kind of a mini-library or a study. Anyone can come around, seat on the chairs and tables and read the books. The setup is just great for reading.

The one thing that caught my eye the most is a little book about half the size of a bond paper ad a quarter inch thick. The book is entitled: The Curfew!” It’s my book! My very own creation!

MT Cloud is also supporting the Filipino comic book community. And as proof of this you will find every independent comics on their shelves. Every Gerry Alanguilan book up to the most unheard of titles (like mine) can be found there! So for those comic book aficionados looking for a good read, visit MT Cloud bookshop if ever you’re in Baguio City.

Komikon 2010

The Komikon 2010 at UP Diliman was a success! Komikon is always a success though! Maybe this time it was for a more personal reason- My graphic novel sold out!
"The Curfew" was bookbounded and had 88 pages with a glossy, colored cover. I sold each copy for 50 pesos only! A lot of people asked why I was selling at such a low low price. Some even had to scan through the book to make sure about the art quality. I think they can't question the art anymore than they can question the price!
The price and the quality?
Most of the time Indie comics go from 32 to 40 pages, black and white (including cover), photocopied and stapled at the middle. They sell them at 50 php. An artist would spend about 30-40 php to make each copy. So an artist is only worth 10 php for all the damn effort! Then if we look at it from an audience's point of view, he's got lots to say about the poor artwork or rushed out pages and that it was hardly worth his money. even if he liked the artwork, how about the price? If he has no complaints- he's probably some rich collector.
This is a very sad truth. All the major publishers are gone and illustrators have no means to publish their works. And because they have to spend more for limited copies, the price takes its toll on the consumers. Sometimes, even the art quality suffers and that's the worst thing! Any self-respecting artist knows his responsibility to deliver only the best for his audience. We have the obligation to revive a dying industry and the last thing we need is a disgruntled public.
We got to bring the price of comics down!
I know it is possible. I'm sorry for the artists who may feel offended that they have to sell their blood, sweat and tears at a lower price, but I want to point out one very important question: Who's reading your comicbooks? I have stories and artworks I wanted to share to as many people as possible. I have total confidence in my art. If you look at the people who buy books at comic conventions you'll notice they come from above average to well-to-do families. Wouldn't you feel bad if a story you always thought would touch some people's hearts can only be afforded by some rich kid who has no better things to spend his money on? Then you go home, you realize that your neighbors don't even know that you're an artist! You don't see anyone reading your book except for the ones you gave a free copy to. Nobody is actually talking about your art! The rich kid may not have even read the damn thing he bought from you at the komikon!
I want to campaign for more affordable, quality comicbooks that everyone can start enjoying again. I know it is possible!

Komikon 2010 at UP Diliman

I'll be at the Komikon at UP Diliman on April 17, 2010. I'll be releasing my graphic novel entitled "The Curfew: Bells of Peace" and Gripo # 2. The Curfew will have 88 pages of high quality art. Gripo # 2 will be a pulp comics as usual and will pick up where Sugat ng Bayani left off. I will also add in a new series for it entitled "Sex and Sorcery!"