| 01.31.2019 – Filipino Komiks have so many stories to tell from Supernatural Folklore to localized inspirations from Japanese Manga to Western Comics namely the Superhero genre that has been the most interesting part of why most people connect and get into this medium.
But one sign that most of these things connect to is the slice of life and what mirrors reality from everyday life. You’ve probably read more material from this because it relates to the greater populace in the Philippines how the culture from social media that satirizes that’s been happening before and now. Toto Madayag’s “P*CHA, E `Di Komiks” is more than just a graphic novel that would encompass all that’s happening in this country through social media. In general, it’s something worth noting how everything mirrors reality and most people who got to read this book won’t even realize it until it hits them. From subtle political commentaries that most people try to avoid from to simple dad jokes that are sublime, that gravitates how Madayag was ahead of the curve to think this small idea that he started posting on social media would become a word of mouth that some creators would find inspiration from. |
Published: June 2016
Content: PG-13
Language: English-Filipino (Tagalog)
A Kickstarter Book of Humble Beginnings
Toto Madayag started his journey to comic book popularity when he created Kol Senter Komiks, which documents a satirical version of his life in the workplace. There was once a graphic novel that was published related to this in the early 2000s, but his was on point and doesn’t mincemeat with what was life behind the scenes when he’s taking calls or speaking with a client in that particular environment.
Although Kol Senter didn’t bring him mainstream popularity it was his springboard and inspiration to write and illustrate his brand of humor that started to be relatable to those who works in the BPO industry. I’ve seen his works and had browsed some of the pages with its first volume, but there was no ‘hook’ for me personally since I myself was already disconnected to that previous life until he started making content that would become “P*CHA, E `Di Komiks.”
But the graphic novel that would launch him through Filipino consciousness wouldn’t happen if not for crowdsourcing and support of his friends, fellow creators, and followers since there was enough content growing from “Libreng Komiks”(Free Comics), a Facebook Page that eventually collected all the random strips that compiled into “P*CHA, E `Di Komiks” because it was originally free.
Pop Culture Geek at Heart
The most shared comic strip in this graphic novel would turn out to be his satirical perspective about “Game of Thrones” that lasted to three pages. There are others in-between but Jon Snow LITERALLY doesn’t know nothing even the existence of this comic strip, probably by now since it was one of the running gags Madayag has the most shared strip that we can only wish Kit Harington, the actor who portrayed the character might have come across in reading it.
Besides the author/illustrator’s affinity for this middle age fantasy drama, he just trolls whatever pop culture related content that’s been out there during its height of popularity and notoriety. There’s something about his art style with how the facial expression his characters convey revealing how he’s a fan of Adventure Time and Spongebob Squarepants, which clearly shows the combination of humor and art mashed up together to produce an original content not derived directly from the former.
Political Nonsense and Weird Commentaries
The oddities of Filipino Politics as told by Madayag certainly hits hard that was like compared to a dumpling with enough hot sauce poured into it. He doesn’t directly make insults he practically makes it interestingly sublime and weird that it takes a whole level of exaggeration. If you’re someone not born in the Philippines you wouldn’t get it unless someone educates you.
From a short comic strip to a one-page meme it makes sense how the author/illustrator see the twisted humor in-between them since most of the content in this book was produced during the height of the presidential election addressing each candidate and how it mirrors reality in an outrageous way.
Dad Jokes, Pick-up Lines, and Anything Filipino
What makes this stand out in comparing other graphic novels that touch the slice of life theme is that it doesn’t put too much drama it’s a straightforward no-nonsense comics strip that you see in social media preferably in Facebook. It’s where Toto Madayag gets some of his ideas from where most shared in this platform. He just reinterprets them in his own brand of humor which is expressed through his art style that evokes the entirety of Pinoy Culture.
Anyone can write and find inspiration from everyday life in general, but how to execute it is a different kind of ballgame. There are many talented Filipino creators out there, but the execution of that brand takes a lot of effort and time that doesn’t happen overnight. But Madayag’s consistent creative process learning from it and course correcting in making comics into his own brand definitely has its challenges.
Not Just Your Average Graphic Novel
The future is definitely an open field for Toto Madayag and by now you’ll probably looking for the next two volumes that have been published already being sold in bookstores and comic shops in the Philippines. Most of his content is in Filipino (Tagalog) which is relatable owing to his fans locally. But there are still potential for an international market but the content has to cater to a bigger audience and that’s where the challenge for Madayag to break his niche.
There are a few creators who would be content for their local readers, but the potential for “P*CHA, E `Di Komiks” is not limited just for Filipinos. It’s not like “Trese” that has one genre namely supernatural horror with detective themes. This can go further since this book has a lot of themes that touch a lot about life in general not adhering to one narrative that is something most of us are looking forward to and it may not happen now but the possibilities is certainly out there.
“P*CHA, E `Di Komiks” first edition by Toto Madayag is published by Happy Turtle and it's available through Libreng Komiks on Facebook or through selected bookstores and comic shops in the Philippines. For more about Toto Madayag follow him through his social media via Instagram.
Visit the site at SilawPublishing.com
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