The Comic Quest
By Karen Anne C. Liquete

 For true-blue comic book enthusiasts, Gerry Alanguilan is the name that is as familiar to them as those of their family and friends. Born Doroteo Gerardo N. Alanguilan, Gerry is a comic book artist and writer who has worked with the likes of Whilce Portacio on comic book titles such as X-Men, Superman: Birthright, Wolverine and Fantastic Four.
 In the local comics scene, Alanguilan has created such titles as Wasted, Johnny Balbona, Humanis Rex! and ELMER, and contributed works to the anthologies Siglo: Freedom, Siglo: Passion and Filipino Komiks.
 Alanguilan started out as an architect doodling comics during his spare time. Little did he know that his continuing passion for comics-book creation would eventually grant him entry into the once impenetrable fortresses of the Image, Marvel and D.C. empires. A decade after establishing his name in the US, he has a brand new mission: To mentor the next generation of Filipino comic book titans raring to venture into foreign shores.
 Youth and Campus Bulletin (YCB) asks this prolific artist on his thoughts about his craft and the Philippine comics industry in general. Here’s what he says:

 Youth Campus Bulletin (YCB): The Philippine comics industry has contributed richly to our literary heritage. If this is the case, why is it that there is no formal college courses that teach students the art? Why is comics still relegated as a minor subject in design classes? How can students empower themselves to learn in the absence of training?
 Gerry Alanguilan (GA): Actually, formal training in comics is starting to appear in colleges and universities across the country. I myself will begin teaching comics at the College of Saint Benilde beginning in September. You might also want to get in touch with people like Elbert Or and Ian Casocot, who are actively teaching comics in their respective areas. Admittedly, it’s formal education at its infancy, but I believe it’s going in the right direction.
 It’s always possible for Filipinos to study comics on their own what with all the reference material already available on the internet. I myself studied on my own, using books and magazines I bought locally as my reference materials.
 Self-reliance is something I have always discussed in my online journal, and it’s the strongest advice I would readily give any aspiring artist. In comics, you really need to step up and initiate a lot of things for yourself. Nobody is going to come to you to teach you or give you jobs. You really have to not only work hard, but be also resourceful in creating opportunities for yourself.

 YCB: As a creator of comics, which is the better approach –use comics as a means of self-expression or consider it as a business where you need to sell?
 GA: I would not probably be the best person to answer what is better, because deep down, I’m very idealistic when it comes to my art, considering what will sell is something I have never done because it’s something I’ve never believed in. Nevertheless, my work seems to have gotten good feedback, and have been quite profitable for me financially.
 I always do what I want to do first and foremost. I seek to satisfy the harshest critic and the most cynical audience, and that would be ME. I have to satisfy myself, and I would have to create work that would have to create work that would live up to my own expectations and standards. If I am happy with my work, and I am confident that I have done the best that I could do, then that’s just great with me. I really believe that any artist who throws himself at his work with much passion and dedication, the audience will respond to that because they believe they are getting an honest piece of work.

 YCB: What are the many career paths a person can pursue in the comic book world-here and abroad? Can you give us realistic scenarios?
 GA: There are several career paths as individual can follow.
 One is to find an agent, and there is one actively searching for talents locally. One other is to strike out on one’s own. With the internet so readily at hand, it’s easy for any Filipino artist to create an online portfolio and promote oneself online.
 A lot of potential employers do go around the internet for possible people to hire. And there are a lot of potential projects such as anthologies, contests and the like, that artists can contribute to have their work seen. It’s really all about getting your work noticed out there.
 And with the millions of artists from all over the world that have portfolios online, the challenge for the Filipino artist is to make his work good enough to stand out among the rest.

 YCB: In your experience, what are the career highs and lows of writing/drawing for comics?
 GA: The lows are those times when you don’t get the job that you want. It’s always tough when a project that you have proposed wasn’t accepted, or if a project was all systems go one minute and it falls apart the next. There are many instances like that in the business.
 Then there are the good bits when you actually do get to work on a project that you want, and your story or art gets out there. Anything that I do that gets published I’m very happy about.

 YCB: How can the comic book writer/artist set professional standards for himself/herself?
 GA: For a beginning artist, it’s hard to determine what the professional standard is. Many young artists can believe that their work is already the best but when I look at it, it’s not very good. But beyond judging quality of one’s art, to be professional is to be able to turn your work in on time and honor your commitments. I admit, I’ve had trouble on those areas myself so it’s a standard I still try to strive for and maintain every single day.

 YCB: There is a current interest in reviving Philippine comics for 2007 and beyond. What do you think are the changes or improvements necessary to make real progress?
 GA: I think it’s grown beyond mere interest. There is a strong effort at this moment to revive the komiks industry on a massive scale. When I mean komiks, I mean those Tagalog weekly black and white comics that are inexpensive and can be bought at newspaper stands, public markets and sari-sari stores. I think we’re going to start seeing that in coming months.
 On the other hand, young generations of comic book writers and artists have been busy developing a new comics industry ever since the early 90’s, when the old industry begun to collapse.
 I believe real progress could begin when the mistakes of our past are never in repeated in the future. When the ugly practices in the old industry where people screwed each other just to get the upper hand and the better benefit all in the name of business is put behind us. If such underhanded and despicable practices are still prevalent, then I hope the people involved don’t honestly believe that anything progressive, meaningful, substantial or enduring could come out of their efforts.

 YCB: Who is the most promising comic book writer in the field today?
 GA: Budjette Tan is the writer I’m most impressed with locally at the moment. His comic book Trese, with artist Kajo Baldisimo is nothing short of brilliant.

 YCB: What current trends will affect Philippine comic book publishing in the future?
 GA: One must understand that there are currently two comic book industries in the country right now. One is the new industry that a young generation of comic book creators have begun to develop beginning in the 90’s. Their sensibilities lie more in more personal pursuits of artistic expression. From this group one can expect comics that would be more progressive and experimental, penetrating into topics and artistry that very few have gone before.
 The other industry, the old komiks industry, is about to be revived in the coming months, and they maintain the sensibilities of the old one, one with the pursuit of what the masa wants is primary. From this group would spring forth the future subjects for local movies and teleseryes The komiks industry and the showbiz industry have long enjoyed a sort of symbiotic relationship, which suffered when the industry collapses in the 90’s. With it’s return, I see that the relationship continuing anew.