| 02.18.2019 – In the Philippines every weekend there’s an event happening it is a music festival, an art show, or anything that is related to the local industry that has something to do with comics. Komikon pioneered in making local komiks relevant and it evolved that introduced other things connected to it namely merchandise like shirts, pins, and prints.
But mostly that event focused solely in promoting the Komiks medium while the rest is secondary. But with the introduction of Komiket it’s more of an Art Market that has produced a different kind of community since its inception in 2015. It caters not only to the komiks medium, but all things that can be produced and sold through art that simply stands out with what Komiket has to offer. |
Originally “Komiket” takes a direct inspiration to Japan’s biggest event also known as “Comiket” with a “C” than a “K” that has been around since 21 December 1975. But this localized Filipino Komiks and Art Market takes version of sort of namesake with the country’s “fiesta vibe.” This past weekend was its 4th year being hosted at the Elements in ETON Centris.
In the past years of being in this place it has grown to be the go to event aside from Komikon. It also sort of gave birth to another culture namely, the sticker community that will have its own event happening in March which is the “StickerCon.” But going back to Komiket this event not only happens once a year they have small gatherings in other venues too. This is the big one that recently happened over the weekend showing you Komiket continues to expand.
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| The view inside The Elements during the last hours of Komiket. |
Smorgasbord Festive Art Market
This might be the second time I have attended “Komiket,” the first time I can’t recall when was that time. But honestly, it was quite an underwhelming experience. For this year it was just like browsing through the tables while seeing familiar faces I’ve met the past months and those I have known during the early day of Komikon. For this year’s Komiket it was something to gauge in the crowd and the sellers who have put up their wares.
It is quite A LOT to take in seeing how the art prints, stickers, and other non-comics have taken over this event in the last four years. Basically, it was a Hodgepodge of everything in-between relating to art. From both ends of the venue I’ve seen all kinds of stickers and prints ever produced. But what this place makes its overwhelming this time is the disorganized set up to sellers. You can’t find specific areas where the local comics are located to the merchandise are was.
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| A YouTube Meme Immortalized into a Sticker. |
A Brewing Sticker Euphoria
There are A LOT of sticker sellers in this event that really screams at your without even looking. It is great to see a thriving community, but you can’t find some of the unique-ness because most of the sellers are selling the same theme like the Spider-verse characters being represented in different interpretation of every seller.
Rarely, you can find an original character creation represented as their version. By the time I made it to the other side of the venue I already forgotten what I was looking for. There’s so much to take in but the walkthrough the place it appear too much of a generic for some who had put up their stickers. There are no dissimilarities between the other despite the art style being different. In this kind of event it takes a grand effort to stand out. There are only few I find it interesting and they’re just a handful that stands out that where underrated and unnoticed that most people gravitate to what’s popular recently.
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| Obscure Prototype Lab interesting wooden Art Toy. |
When Komiks Really Mattered
In all of the countless art prints and sticker sellers in the sea that participated in this event the Komiks sellers where actually hardly noticed. They could have been put in one section and the others categorized by theme of their content. You can have an Art prints and post card section while the stickers categorized what they have in terms of what they have like super heroes or just random cuteness to avoid the hysteria of positive confusion.
The setup is literally scattered in a wild festive state that one seller is hard to remember from the other, but it has a great atmosphere. What stood out beside the familiar Komiks sellers are the ones with actual merchandise like the Obscure Prototype Lab that have wooden robots with toy parts or the Trooper Adventures that featured postcards and large prints depicting some of the Imperial soldiers of a galaxy from far away.
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| One Small Gag Comics about a Man Versus Ipis (Cockroach). |
Figuratively Just an Art Market
For someone who has been into conventions in other countries and have seen out small art fairs being organized in state territories I’ve never seen a set up that makes you want to catch your breath and at the same time get lost in what you’re really looking for. But the entirety of Komiket it is an Art Market that they have established themselves and not really focused on the Komiks side of things.
There should be a balance somewhere how it supposed to be organized in terms of the setup and how it supposed to be represented. Komiket was a great experience for anyone who is not a regular attendee, but what about a foreign visitor that is used to the well-organized setup to avoid being lost in the see of a glorious artful content?
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| Kermit Needs your Undivided Attention. |
Future Motivations
Probably, the organizers should re-evaluate how they should also take queues not only from their local counterpart, but to foreign art fairs besides their namesake from the Rising Sun. It’s great to have a spin on what they want to convey in bringing a festive event no doubt about it. This might be just a personal opinion on the experience not used to the chaotic setting.
The overall vibe is great but I tend to try and catch my breath through the tables trying to remember which one is the other as most of the ones I see are almost the same. Redundancy can’t be avoided it’s because most of the sellers would like to bring out their best.
The competitive nature in the Philippines is different, it’s not just about being cute, and it has to stand out. But seeing the theme is almost the same you tend to really get lost to find what you you're looking for. For those who put effort, I really commend them for trying their best to be different and stand out.
Lastly, some of the art prints, postcards, and stickers are a bit pricey that fan arts sometimes don’t get your attention. Originality still wins in this round but this event surely needs to categorize the sellers' tables to a proper theme.
Komiket: The Komiks and Art Market were held at The Elements in ETON Centris from February 16-17, 2019 with entrance fee at PHP 100.00 pesos. For more about Komiket follow and LIKE them on Social Media via Facebook.
Presentation: 3 out of 5
Entrance Fee: 4 out of 5
Overall Experience: 3 out of 5
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