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Goodbye

Hi!

I would no longer update this blog. But please check my new portfolio, which also contains comics-related content:

http://jeralduy.com

Thanks!

Jerald Uy

On Rappler: Filipino comics fight for legitimacy

This the third most shared story on Rappler this week. See, people are interested in comics!


Filipino comics fight for legitimacy

Are comics books? A comic geek shares his thoughts with us.

Jerald Uy

GMA News Online's Komikon 2012 Coverage

Here is my coverage of the recent Komikon 2012 for GMA News Online:


Beyond Komikon: Young creators bring komiks to life

With the help of technology, the new generation of komiks creators combine their youthful creativity with online platforms that may make Mars Ravelo and other komiks legends green with envy.

Jerald Uy

So you want to write your own comic book?

Aspiring to be a successful comic book writer? Heed these tips from local comics rock stars Manix Abrera, Budjette Tan, and Paolo Fabregas as they reveal the secrets to their success.


Jerald Uy

Stephen Segovia feature now up on GMA News Online


"Filipino comic book artist Stephen Segovia looks back at the years when he drew 
for Funny Komiks at age 16, and now looks forward to more opportunities illustrating for Marvel Comics. He regards working on “X-treme X-men” a dream come true."

Carlo Pagulayan declares boycott on Metro Comic Con over charity drive dispute



First published on Flipgeeks
Marvel Comics artist Carlo Pagulayan has declared a boycott on this year’s Metro Comic Con (MCC) over disputes on the “Renaissance,” a charity drive in 2010 aimed to help victims of tropical storm Ondoy and typhoon Pepeng.
“Hello comic book fans: To those asking, if you are heading to Metro Comic Con (or whatever it’s name is now) and hoping to get your stuff signed by me or any of my peers– or most of those involved in the Renaissance project, please be noted we are boycotting this convention along with some indie creators because of what happened to that fund drive (one of the reasons),” Pagulayan publicly posted on Facebook.
“The head organizer is the reason why our efforts (from the auction and book purchases), never reached the victims of Ondoy; and the reason why some of us have had second thoughts joining any sort of fundraising (sorry),” he added.
Where did the money go?
Reached for a comment, charity drive and MCC organizer Ernest Leo Hernandez said that “the so-called missing charity funds are (sic) already given to Red Cross.”  He then referred this writer to his post on his MCC group page showing an image of a receipt of Php 200,000 to the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) from the now defunct Sketchpad Studios.
Official receipt of donations to the Philippine National Red Cross posted on Metro Comic Con Facebook group page
Hernandez explained on the thread that after the charity drive in February 2010, auction was then held on Ebay from April to June 2010. Three months after, “collection of the auction proceeds were accumulated.”
“We were supposed to give the auction proceeds in Metro Comic Con 2010 (August) but the collections were not completed yet and we also tried to follow up unremitted collections from some other auction winners. There was no definite charity recipient yet. We decided to give the proceeds in Metro Comic Con 2011 (May) but we weren’t able to arrange who the recipient was,” Hernandez said.
He said that the final round of royalties was collected in June last year and it was only a month after that the organizers decided to pick PNRC as its recipient.
“I agree that there were delays in donating the proceeds and for that we sincerely apologize,” Hernandez said.
Pagulayan replied to the thread and said that PNRC was supposed to be the recipient at the onset of the charity drive. The artist also said he had not heard anymore of reports about royalties.

Heeding Carlo’s call

“…You received the auction money a year before this date, and your partners weren’t duly informed you even got it already,” Pagulayan posted.
Both camps in the MCC rift refused to comment. “I would like to keep the rift between my former partners in private since it was an internal decision and it’s purely business,” Hernandez said.
“We used to be regulars at this convention but now we have shifted our support to those events and people that truly have heart. Please feel free to ask the other artists and not just take my word for it. Please feel free to ask him about Renaissance as well, because he might give you answers, answers that he has yet to provide us,” Pagulayan posted on his page.
Pagulayan’s Facebook status was re-posted and supported by comic book artists Whilce Portacio, Gerry Alanguilan, Stephen Segovia and Mico Suayan.
Meanwhile, as the future looks bleak for Metro Comic Con or Manila Pop Culture Convention, the convention was moved to September 8-9 from August 25-26 due to the prevailing inclement weather, according to the organizer.

Jerald Uy

Ambush and MegaWoman feature on GMA News Online

My feature on Ambush and MegaWoman is now up on GMA News Online.I hope you'd enjoy reading it!

"Celebrities Heart Evangelista and Sharon Cuneta have become superheroines in komiks created by Andrew Villar and Ernest Caritativo, a decade after Carlo Vergara created gay komiks heroine Zsazsa Zaturnnah. But do local komiks really need movie stars?"
Jerald Uy

Not a Good Idea: Reading 'Elmer' while waiting for your Max's order

It is quite embarrassing to admit that it was only last night that I picked up Gerry Alanguilan's award-winning comic book Elmer. Thanks perhaps to Fully Booked in Bonifacio High Street, which closed before 7 pm due to the inclement weather, I found myself browsing books at the nearby Powerbooks store. I then flipped a coin to determine my purchase between Elmer and Skyworld. The comic book with a chicken on the cover won.

Weirdly enough, my subconscious mind drove me to Max's for dinner in Market Market. I ordered a budget meal—a fried chicken and two cups of rice—and was told that food would be served after 15 minutes. To kill time, I opened the book and started reading.

I saw boobs. I could live with that. The first pages hinted that the book is not for all-ages. Then I read about the protagonist—a talking chicken—ranting about racism and calling humans bastards who used to eat them. I skipped some pages and saw images of chickens being beheaded.

And then my meal came. (Insert Twilight Zone music.)



I did not think the comic book wanted to make me a vegetarian but with a bit of guilt, I devoured the chicken. This is what I get for not reading reviews with spoilers. I still don't regret doing it but being served a fried chicken after seeing images of fowl massacre is really weird.

I read the book in one-sitting. Elmer is both melancholic and funny—the best Filipino-made graphic novel I've read so far. I think what moved me most is not the racism shown in the book, but the relationship of the titular character, Elmer, with his son, Jake.We are presented to a kind of father who admitted to his wife that he might have failed his son.

Experiencing the greatness of Elmer was like someone pouring me a bucket of ice-cold water. I am not worthy to be asked by the author to send a copy of our indie comics last year.

The only complaint I have? The book is riddled with typographical errors. The blurb by Neil Gaiman should be inspected by a grammar cop. For a second printing, I wish proofreaders, if there were, should have done their job.

Nonetheless, it is great comic book Filipinos should read and be proud of! Just don't read it while having your Chickenjoy.

Jerald Uy

Segovia Solutions on "Glocal Tales" forum this Saturday


I was invited to talk about Segovia Solutions at "GLOCAL Tales - Global Markets for Local Creations" on Saturday, 2-4pm at the CMC Auditorium." I am a bit excited and scared to meet experts on film, animation, comics and gaming from the US. This includes one of the founders of Pixar and the man behind the marketing of Tintin.

I hope you could drop by this Saturday! :)


From UP College of Mass Communication page:
Everyone is invited to attend GLOCAL Tales - Global Markets for Local Creations on Saturday, 2-4pm at the CMC Auditorium.
Creative industry experts on film, animation, and gaming from the US will interact and exchange ideas with young Filipino artists on global perspectives on expanding the market of local creations. A selection of creative works will be presented before the open forum.

Jerald Uy