| 01.03.2019 – Filipino komiks is still an underrated medium in the country being supplanted by popular opinion of going digital. But for those who keep holding on to the analog culture and keeping up with that heritage good on yeah.
It’s something that is irreplaceable with that tactile feel to go through the freshly printed inks. It’s the year 2019 and there are more creative and imaginative individuals out there who are still daring to share their stories. There’s so much good stories out there that some might try to pick up interesting works that continue to churn out through these Komikons that hardly seen by the general populace or getting lost inside bookstores that carry local and original published graphic novels that have been around waiting to be read and discovered by a new set of eyes. One book that I’ve been hoping to get to read is Manix Abrera’s “Twelve” or simply by the number “12”, which was one of his first books that is not part of the Kikomachine Komiks that is a comic strip published daily in the Philippine Daily Inquirer that still continues today with the latest compilation of strips with the 14th volume. But with ‘12’ it’s something different from the maestro that everyone lines up to have their book signed. |
Published: September 2018 (Second Edition)
Content: Silent Comics
Language: English-Filipino (Tagalog)
I happen to be with a friend last week looking to catch one of the local films featured in this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), but due to being in the mall late even though traffic wasn’t as terrible the past few days we end up going to Full Booked because I was hoping to find a copy of Halina Filipina by Arnold Arre.
Instead, I end up taking home a copy of Manix Abrera’s ‘12’ which has been one of the books I’ve been wanting to pick up for a long time. This was one of the two copies at the local Fully Booked inside that mall along with other local graphic novels. It was there that since the shop was about to close that day I have no other books to choose from ending up with this. I’ve seen ‘12’ in other bookstores in the last five years, but these graphic novels are starting to be hard to find and the only way to acquire them is through local book fairs and komiks-related events.
‘12’ was originally published in 2009 as I go through the first few pages I realized that it was almost a decade since Manix had this released. This was actually a second print edition with a new matte cover with glossy pages that Visprint has published. This edition was released during Komiket sometime in September 2018 as indicated in the first pages with the original copyright released date. I was surprised that it took me almost a decade as I purchased this on Christmas Day.
The new cover features one character from its twelve chapters, which is a girl with no eyes that turns out here very own eyes are stuck to the red balloon. Some said that this character’s story was a favorite for the reason why she’s prominently featured on this edition as compared to the first edition that has teardrops.
This latest edition of ‘12’ doesn’t have any additional material on it, but it solves the binding problems of the first edition plus with better paper quality with a new cover its something to appreciate Manix Abrera’s first silent comics stories. Although not the award winner like ‘14’ each chapter for this book has been quite random at the same time terribly impressive. The author is not afraid to take his readers for a ride from what’s been dug deep from a well of thought-provoking narratives.
It’s poignantly incredible to find someone who has been doing Komiks for more than a decade to come up with these stories. You can understand how many people line up to have their books sign. At the recent Komikon last November 2018 alone there were already numbers being given. Manix doesn’t just scribble signatures on his books he carefully illustrates them personalized to the readers who bought his books.
The quality of short stories he writes in 12 is not just there for you to read it makes you think and wonder the things sometimes you can’t comprehend. The complexities of these stories are like doing your self-checkouts in a department store or a supermarket. It gives you the freedom to think about these simple stories just the way you process your payment out without the need for an attendant to snoop over your privacy. It’s just the way Manix makes you feel about his stories in 12 he takes you to this place and you find the time to interpret freely about them.
Something rarely done in silent comics that he’s taken the concept and made it his own perspective that allows you to play in his sandbox. Deeply poignant with Manix Abrera’s own brand of humor that takes you the authors thoughts and just run with it for you to appreciate these faceless characters.
You don’t need to be attached to the faces of these characters its like you’ve taken their place and try to understand and appreciate the situations that challenge your thoughts why this graphic novel was a fun read from cover to cover.
The graphic novel 12 By Manix Abrera is a minimalist of stories and interprets the silent comics theme and runs with it incorporating his tales of wonder and touches emotions that keep you thinking while you read each of the twelve chapters. It’s not as mind-bending as other silent comic-themed graphic novels but he delivers them in his perspective. The way Manix churn up his Kiko Machine comic strips on a daily basis with ease this one is way different taking a break from the worded emotional gangbang to a place dug deep from his ideas that are different and unforgettable.
“12” second edition featuring a new cover by Manix Abrera is published by Visprint and it's available online via Shopee.com or through selected bookstores in the Philippines. For more about Manix Abrera follow him through his social media via Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
Visit his site at Manix-Abrera.com
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