Being Spidey on a Stellar Comics Day

Thanks to National Book Store for bringing Mark Millar
to the Philippines!

I now understand how Spider-man feels being on several teams. (These are two teams of Avengers and Future Foundation, for those living under a rock.)

I was all set last Saturday to sell our self-published comic Segovia Solutions on our humble spot at Summer Komikon's Indie Tiangge in Mandaluyong City. But then I got a message from my editor at Rappler.com at 5 in the morning that she had arranged an interview with visiting Scottish comic book writer Mark Millar at 11:30 a.m.

For a week, I had been trying to reach the people of National Bookstore to ask if Millar would be giving a talk that would be open to the public and other media organizations that were not their media partners. I admit, I got a little bit frustrated that I did not get any reply through their social media platforms and corporate e-mail.

Mark Millar and the Flipgeeks.
Photo by Flipgeeks.com

I can actually meet Millar if I would tag along with the other writers of Flipgeeks.com where I also contribute articles about comics. But I understood that Flipgeeks wanted the interview to be exclusive to the site. The interview with Millar was indeed a milestone for the fledgling "Newsarama and CBR of the Philippines," as FG co-founder Earl Maghirang said.

Out of respect, I had to either sit this one out or join the other Flipgeeks as a Flipgeek.This, until I learned that I can actually meet and have a one-on-one interview with Millar.

With not much sleep, I set up our table in Bayanihan Center while formulating questions for Millar in my head. The setback though, my artist Jether just woke up at 9 am because he was up all night taking care of his sick son. I got increasingly worried that I might not make it on time because when Komikon opened, Jet had not yet arrived to man the table. Thanks to Khalil Baet of Pulang Punla Studios, he looked after my table as I met Jet lining up at the entrance in a buzzer beater moment at 11 am.

Jether's here!

A tricycle and an MRT ride after, I arrived at National Bookstore in Glorietta 5 at 11:20 am. The Flipgeeks gang was taping their interview with Millar. The interviews did not start on time. Good news for me because I needed to catch my breath and drink a glass of water, which NBS's Chad gladly helped me with.

When my turn came around 12:40 pm, Mark Millar was game in giving a video message to visitors of Rappler about the importance of reading. I then mostly asked questions on how he compartmentalizes his life as a practicing Catholic and a writer of mostly irreverent stories. I am not giving away everything because you need to read my article at Rappler.com when it comes out.

Funny thing happened. While I was interviewing Millar, my phone's recorder stopped due to a text message sent by Jether. He said HeroTV interviewed him and asked for a copy of our comic. The journalist-side of me was a bit irked for interrupting the interview but the my comic creator-side was so ecstatic about it.

After the interview, I felt exhausted travelling back to Bayanihan Center. There's that moment that I was oblivious of what's happening in the event that I later realized that Vampirella artist Hubert Khan Michael just talked to me.

To bring back my old jolly self, I joined a "Bring Me" contest when the host asked to bring a copy of a signed Supercrooks #1. I approached the stage and handed my comic but the host opted not to mention that my comic was signed by Mark Millar, and not of the other creators present in the venue. She could only say, "Wow," perhaps apparently because Millar was a surprise guest.

I also interviewed actor Dingdong Dantes for less than a minute. I find it funny though that when I was talking to him, the fans kept enough distance until actress Lovi Poe arrived, commotion ensued and this was the only decent photo of Dantes holding the comic based from his movie that I was able to take.

Dingdong Dantes. Camera's over here.

Back at selling comics, a number of people were looking for the second issue. Unfortunately, Tin Manasan, my Singapore-based artist was not able to finish the comic in time. We also met a store manager from Ilocos Norte asking us if we could consign our books to the store. Jet was also visited by his fan, a girl who said was "blown away" by his art.

" Thanks! Sir Jerry!! Just read my copy! Galing! It's refreshing to read a manga which is based on reality and tackles a relevant issue. We need a muckracker nowadays, he's awesome XD"- Kirej Javier, InkJinks 

"Thanks Jerry! :D Ang ganda ng intro mo sa issue 1.
Yung nanay at yung tatay. 8D"-Tepai Pascual, Meganon Comics 

(Bayan Knights' DCel also reviewed our first issue here: http://jtmtzrwj.tumblr.com/post/24058431848/segovia-solutions)

I met Leinil Yu, Gerry Alanguilan, Sunny Go and also talked to Mrs. Tina de Zuniga, Tony de Zuniga's widow. I will not go into details but please watch out for my two articles about Mark Millar and Summer Komikon at Rappler.com.

Yu and Uy

The day was truly both eventful and fulfilling as a comics fan, a writer and an aspiring comic book scribe. If only I have the healing factor of Wolverine though, beyond Spidey's sense of responsibility, I'd wish this to happen everyday.

Jerry and Sir Gerry!

Jerald Uy