| 11.19.2018 – One year removed from attending Komikon it feels different not that in a not-so good way, but it was certainly not the event I used to event since 2006.
It feels like going to a Mirror Universe of some sort for a long time and emerging back to the Prime Universe that A LOT has change. Well, it looks the same but generally entirely refreshing to visit this event again. Komikon wrapped up its two-day event yesterday and like the usual event everyone was reeling from its successful gathering of the local komiks community. To be honest I wasn’t excited but practically satisfied to seeing familiar faces I haven’t seen in almost two years. |
A few days before Komikon there were this build-up and lot of the exhibitors at this event was already promoting their wares through social media. It’s like being in the edge of the storm where a lot of creators and self-publishers were coming up their gimmicks. Some had pre-orders for mystery box others have pitched their stuff with special surprises on the day they pick up their goods.
I’ve been stuck in the office writing other things while everyone started promoting their works. It’s amazing how local comics have come a long way in the Philippines after it was almost went extinct like Thanos’ snapture. But Komikon continued to persevere and had become the one event that slowly put back the culture into its prominence that has captured an ever growing niche market away from the usual toy festivals and international pop culture events.
It stayed consistent to its true goals at the same time slowly evolved not just purely komiks, but had expanded to having merchandise tied up to the local material. Chief among the stuff I found the main hall was the stickers, LOTS of stickers that have started being sold here. There must be a Sticker Culture right now and I may not be aware of it.
A Spectator’s Perspective
I only attend the entirely of Saturday as I promised a personal commitment to be in another event for Sunday. I’ve went around the exhibitor’s hall probably five times as I can remember trying to soak in that familiar atmosphere that I’m used to since the first one I attended in 2006. I only missed Komikon twice, which were the first one in 2005 when I was terribly got sick, and 2017 while in Australia. Technically “I was in 2017 in spirit” watching the Facebook Live at Greenlight Comics with Dan and Ross on a casual Saturday afternoon trying to explain to them about this event.
Usually I would go to this event representing myself as media, but it has been so long ago that I was serious about it. For this year I just went as a spectator nothing more than a casual visitor roaming the area although I did a Facebook Live talking about Lyndon Gregorio’s latest book Salamangkada, which was his fourteenth volume collecting all the comic strips originally published on Philippine Star.
I came unprepared to do all the stuff that I used to do and just roll with what I have. I don’t usually do FB Live talking to anyone I prefer being just behind the scenes so I won’t get away with the subject I’m featuring like a walk through of this event. This was my first time facing the public doing live feed promoting comics on video, which I stole the idea from Dan McGuiness of Greenlight Comics that he does regularly every Thursday when there’s new comic books arriving at the store. Rarely, I attend panels but Leinil Yu was there and even though I’m not as big any fan in the conference room I just want to support this guy for being gracious and generous so I posted an FB LIVE when he was doing the sketch for Wolverine.
Komikon was enjoyable observing other people’s reaction getting hyped up at the new local comics released by the self-publishers, creators, and artists. I mostly stayed in one place trying to find ways to promote the event and what to see in this place. The crowd seemed like being in Summer Komikon (which I happen to missed it early this year) and rare people making a trip to this event that I haven't seen in a very long time.
 |
| Hay Baby! Its Gerry Alanguilan signing copies of his latest book |
 |
| Pol Medina Jr. signing his works for a fan at Komikon. |
 |
| Leinil Yu doing his tutorial sketches with Wolverine as his subject. |
 |
| The Maestro at work. Leinil Yu starts his panel for selected fans packing the conference room. |
 |
| One of the featured works inside the main conference room for SKP (Samahang Kartonista ng Pilipinas). |
 |
| A special panel where you can find SKP with their mini-exhibit and artists spotlight. |
Something New and Something Different
The first time I came from the supposed exit door that is now the entrance I’ve noticed that the layout was flipped in reverse. What I used to was entering the main hall in the further wide door, but now everything has slight changed a bit and that’s why I feel like I came from an alternate dimension. There was no stage anymore and the projector screen was raised up that everyone easily sees from the other side of the exhibit hall. Not to forget the voice overs are now prerecorded as compared to the previous events that are done live. It was strange going in what used to be the exit door and the bouncer/guard was very much polite that reminds me about the nice people from where I came from, weird.
During my usual rounds inside the hall I have seen something unusually new, which the doors at the side of the hall. They used to be closed since Komikon took residence at the Bayanihan Centre in 2010, but like the hidden door in Bruce Wayne’s mansion to the Batcave it turns out to be a cafeteria where you can find the food vendors. Ariel Atienza, one of the organizers mentioned that they used this area since Summer Komikon last April 2018. It saves space out for food vendors to settle in this “Secret Room” that I will be calling it now. There was another door which leads to the Conference Room A that I used to know, but never an entrance/exit from the main hall.
Bayanihan Centre is what should be the venue for ANY convention. Regardless its Pop Culture, Cosplay, or Komikon it has the amenities that provide for these types of event. They also upgraded touch screens for each conference rooms, which pretty much I can say overall an International Standard to host other type events not just weddings. I’m very much sold that the organizers have found this place eight years ago that put this place in the map. If not for Komikon, Bayanihan Centre won’t be this event place that is why the owners should take care and have a good relationship with them forever.
A Global Komikon Event
If you sum up Komikon it has outgrown itself already in promoting and cultivating the local Komiks Culture that other people from all over the world has visited this place. Notable visitors from this event were Mark Millar who was in the country back in 2012 for Summer Komikon. Then there was Otto Fong from Singapore who was the self-publisher/writer/artist for his Sir Fong’s Adventures graphic novels, and then there are artists from Indonesia, who had a booth some years ago to name a few who have been at this event. There are Filipino celebrities too like Ding Dong Dantes at that time was promoting the film Tiktik: The Aswang Chronicles that had a tie-up graphic novel and others I failed to remember.
You can see Marvel and DC Comics artists walk around the exhibit hall like any comic book fan. That’s something you don’t see in another convention outside the country. Here’s hoping people from other counties would be guests or have a booth not only to this main Komikon but any of the other Komikon-related events. There’s only one convention that caters purely about comic books and graphic novels in the Philippines this is definitely it.
What Needs to Improve
Maybe in the future what Komikon needs to improve regardless that includes Summer Komikon and Indiket Komiks Market is the online pre-selling of the tickets ahead of the event. It would help and save time for people to have their badge or bracelets sent to their post with a special price, while walk-ins get regular entry price aside from buying tickets from co-sponsors like Comic Odyssey or National Bookstore. What I learned to going to these events overseas is the continence without the need to go out or pay the entrance at the door. It would be convenient for most who has been regularly attending this event that doesn’t need to line up just freely go to the event. But of course you still need security to check for your bags and other things for everyone’s safety.
With regard to food choices everything is just great with the “Secret Cafeteria” I’m most impressed with that one besides you got Jollibee and Starbucks across the street, where the PC (Pioneer Center) Shopping Centre is located.
The panels are great they make the entire event busy and all the talks are now in the conference room, which makes sense as the acoustics on stage are not good when the guests speak. This was one of the ideas I suggested a long time ago, but I’m sure there are other people who suggested it too.
For the creators, writers, artists, and self-publishers ALWAYS have an English language comic book out you’ll never know if there are foreigners making a visit at Komikon. They may help you promote your work overseas. Sure, being nationalistic and catering to the local scene is helpful, but having a bigger picture on what you can accomplish internationally can be good when you have published English language books see Trese as one of the example for that success.
Always Recommending It
Overall I may have not had the opportunity to spend the last day as I arrived late in the afternoon toward closing time due to a horrible traffic on a Sunday, which is common in this country. But it was quite fun to be here. I’m sure the others I personally know have missed the event either being overseas and in some place somewhere. I don’t actually miss it while I was away, but I sure miss the people I know who made this event a successful each year.
I’m still grateful and appreciate the organizers for inviting me again that I always promote when I was overseas. I’m sure some Aussie friends are wondering now about this event. Surely, I would highly recommend this to experience it either being an exhibitor, guest, or just a regular visitor. Just make sure you have enough money to spend. Of course, English language books would definitely a sellout.
For more about Komikon its upcoming events and their participation to other events follow them on social media on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!
Visit the site at: Komikon.org
No comments:
Post a Comment