Kuro Saku: Kuro Saku at Ignite Comicon 2016!

Photo credits to Jonette Valenciano at www.facebook.com/AmbedoArtPH

Guadix and I participated at Ignite Comicon last December 3 and 4, 2016. It was held at Expo Hall 2, Fisher Mall, Quezon Avenue and it was organized by Amnesty International, an organization of activists who operate world wide who fights for human rights. This is their first attempt to coordinate a comics convention aimed not just to sell independent comics made by Filipinos but the whole event has an advocacy, a message that gives awareness to people. This years it's for women's rights!

Here's one of the official poster for the event c/o Artists for Amnesty Philippines.

We were excited for the event so we were hours early, but that's okay Guadix and I was able to finalize our set up before the event started.

That's me, and I embody the Kuro (black) of Kuro Saku. >:)

After we had every thing in place, some of our fellow artists came to our booth and killed time by reading our comics and got to know each other better. And also made new friends! The benefits of being early in a comic convention is good for the soul and it really lessens the stress factor.

Guadix really embodies the Saku (bloom) of Kuro Saku :)

And after a few more minutes they opened the Expo Hall by that time we were armed and ready for the curious people who would like to take a peek of our world in Kuro Saku! :)

Hey kids watch out for that Clowder comics! I hope you can handle them!
Photo c/o Artists for Amnesty Philippines.

Soon, a lot of people, students, teachers, wanderers, mallrats, and people from all walks of life came to event. And many went to our booth to check out our comics.

Above: Yakuza Boy #1, Clowder # 6 (alternate cover)
Below: Da-ib #1. E & D

Here's the view of our table up close! Da-ib is Guadix's new release, her 1st issue of her 1st series! Above, I also released the 6th chapter of my ongoing series, Clowder.

Guadix's favorite postcard was Illyria, she hasn't watched ANGEL but she has good taste. ;)

We also went with the postcards bandwagon, who knew we had a lot of art ready to be made into postcards? And for that price, who can resists our geekly-fueled-movie-buff's-hard-printed-mini-masterpieces? I couldn't, but I made them. Well next time drop by our booth and maybe you buy some too!

Photo c/o Artists for Amnesty Philippines.

It's not just you... we met a wonderful woman who thought, from a far, that we were both girls.
I can't blame her but we're used to it now. Well, at least I am. :D

Out of the blue... A legend appears!

Later in the day, for some weird reason, we saw this man who seemed to have huge comic pages in his paper bag, Guadix and I asked him as he passed by our table if they were indeed comic pages. And they were!

Awesome four page spread by Hal Santiago.

We didn't knew who he was by name or by face, but from the work he kindly shared with us, we knew he was a master of comic making. He was the official Philippines greatest illustrator; Hal Santiago! He writes and illustrates (pencils and inks) his own work, and this is just on the three four pages spreads of sheer wonder!

She will stone you to death... I know I'm already caught spellbound by this piece.

Here's a detail of that big bad boy above! I mean just look at those strokes and discipline in pen work and lines! That use of pure white for the skin, those apes at the foreground with minimal shadows. I can go on and on about this photo. Have I mentioned Medusa's hair seems to be moving?

It was an honor meeting you there sir Hal! We're glad that we stumbled upon each other there and you shared with us your magnificent works! We hope to see you again soon! :)

Story and art by Hal Santiago.

We were lucky enough for him to lend photocopies of his work! Thank you for your kindness sir Hal!

And now from a comic book legend, we now transition to a Super heroine!

Karapatana photo c/o Artists for Amnesty Philippines.

She is known as Karapatana! She protects men and women from ignorance! She informs people pf women's rights to preventing violence against women, from one's sexuality to safe sex, and from reproductive health to being your own superhero! She's actually a very effective superhero is you ask me, because she embodies what she stands for.

Adventures of Karapatana, Art by Lorena Mondragon

She even has a mini comic book about reproductive health and how can the government help you if you're pregnant based on the Reproductive Health Act of 2012 that all pregnant women have access to pre-natal care.

Karapatana with the free comics at the event photo c/o Artists for Amnesty Philippines.

It's quite a good read! It's not everyday that you can actually learn something useful in real life from a superhero, not to mention in comics, which should actually be a thing that most indie Filipino artists should keep in mind when making their comics and stories.

Photo c/o Artists for Amnesty Philippines.

It's good that there are events like this that's not only for fun and profit but there's also something to be learned. I don't mean to say every comic convention should aim be like this but it's quite an ingenious way to call people's attention so that they can learn something not most schools teach. Helping people, helping women who are abused is simply inspiring. It's art in action.

Photo c/o Artists for Amnesty Philippines.

It inspires us independent comic book artists, who have the freedom to create stories from our own imagination and free will, that we too can teach a thing or two in the stories we tell and maybe our comics can help someone who reads it. Unlike some stories that comes from big companies who may or may not tell a message that's actually good or for anybody's best interest.

I don't think it would hurt for a comic book writer or artist to have something to say, isn't that the reason why we write? Isn't that the reason why we create comics? Because we have something to say?

Photo c/o Artists for Amnesty Philippines.

She also has a mini-series of her adventures. It's divided into 3 parts; helping people about sexuality, safe sex and how to help others. Here's the trailer for the show.

Go check out www.youtube.com/user/AIPhilippines for the episodes and other videos! :)

Photo c/o Artists for Amnesty Philippines.

Of course Komikult and other artists has to have their selfie shot with Karapatana...

Who wouldn't? :D

Guadix took this photo *ahem*ahem!*

There was also an exhibition of artworks beside our booth entitled:
Ignite For Rights, Women's Rights Art Exhibit

Photo c/o Artists for Amnesty Philippines.

I quite love being beside some artworks. :)

Here's my favorite one;
Photo taken by James Lontoc

Words by Audrey Orallo

In a few simple words, she was able to paint you a picture of a violated woman.

Such depth, such weight.

Photo c/o Artists for Amnesty Philippines.

The two days went by so fast, and we're happy that a lot of people went to our both and bought our books, had a chat, and just talk about cats, religion, friendship, post apocalyptic stuff, yakuzas and more comics!

Photo c/o Artists for Amnesty Philippines.

At the middle of the first day of the event, they had a talk show on Gender-based Violence with Atty. Virgie Suarez-Pinlac of Kaisa Ka, Ms. Bing Parcon of WGNRR, and Ms. Jean Enriquez of CATW

(L-R) Atty. Virgie Suarez-Pinlac of Kaisa Ka, Ms. Bing Parcon of WGNRR, and Ms. Jean Enriquez of CATW
Photo c/o Artists for Amnesty Philippines.

Aside from selling comics and talking to people who went to our booth, Guadix and I also had a listen to what they had to say about gender-based violence. It was very informative, one thing that really stuck with me is that, I never knew verbal abuse or psychological abuse was also considered to be a form of gender based violence.

Photo c/o Artists for Amnesty Philippines.

And come to think of it, it is, it's because we can actually affect the psychology of one's thinking and being when we talk down on them or devalue their efforts and hurt them only by using words. And so everyone, try not to get angry and use hurtful words when something you don't agree with happens. I for one sometimes explode in anger, I don't hurt anyone, but I may have let out a few hurtful words here and there. And so after knowing this now, at least I can change that part of me and try to be a better person.

Photo c/o Artists for Amnesty Philippines.

And so thanks to these wonderful women, I was able to learn something that we can all do or change so we can better our lives and live in harmony. Ma'am Jean was curious enough and kind enough to go to our table to talk to both Guadix and I. She even read a few of our books including Yakuza Boy and Clowder which she liked and bought! She explains she reads people and was able to "read" me from a far while they were having their talk, she said, despite my appearance, I was very open. She actually had a psychology degree and never really pursued it as much but did learn a lot of things including reading people.

We didn't know ma'am Jean was actually watching us from where she sat :D
Photo c/o Artists for Amnesty Philippines.

I guess she saw me as someone that has the tendency to be violent based on her cold reading of my appearance. Who am I kidding? I'm a guy with long hair, doesn't really smile a lot and can almost always be seen in a all black attire. To most people, I'm a weirdo, someone who should be avoided for reasons unknown. But despite that, ma'am Jean said she saw someone or something else.

Bascially me in high school outside school.
A page from SATANHIGH #1
www.satanhigh.blogspot.com

She read my comics Clowder, and as a few of you may know it's about a group of kids who kills cats for fun, but that's not the complete story mind you. Anyway, ma'am Jean was able to read it up to chapter 4! I never imagined she could get that far, because the story gets even darker per succeeding issue. But she did have a lot of questions along the way.

If you think you can take the emotional ride, you can read Clowder at:
www.clowdercomics.blogspot.com

She asked if I was beaten by my father as a kid, and I said "Yes." And she said it shows in my art, and she asked me how am I able to cope with it. And I answered, "Because of my comics and art, for me I said, art is some kind of therapy."

A scene from Clowder #1
www.clowdercomics.blogspot.com

The stories I tell are usually very dark (others are exaggerated for effect like Satanhigh) but most of the things I write about and draw are sometimes traumatic things that happened to me from my childhood as well as while I was growing up. These stories are things that I want to express or tell to someone, anyone, because if I don't I feel it's going to eat me up inside.

A poetry reading class on SATANHIGH #1
www.satanhigh.blogspot.com

For me it's like an exorcism, after I make stories or comics like these I feel relieved, like a weight is lifted from my heart and I can function as a normal person would. Maybe the people who are so called "possessed" by demons and devils are people possessed by ideas, ideas by the people who raped them. who threatened them and couldn't tell it to anyone because they fear if they told someone they would get killed or be humiliated to death by friends and families.

Photo c/o Artists for Amnesty Philippines.

Maybe these negative things that happened to any of us should be spoken to a friend, or someone who one can trust just to get it out of our system. Maybe these secrets or traumatic experiences manifests themselves as ticks or cancers if when we keep it to ourselves and don't speak of to anyone.

"Epektus"
www.blackcomedycomics.blogspot.com

James T. Allen said on his book, As A Man Thinketh,

"The aphorism, "As a man thinketh in his heart so is he," not only embraces the whole of a man's being, but is so comprehensive as to reach out to every condition and circumstance of his life. A man is literally what he thinks,

his character being the complete sum of all his thoughts."

So we might turn into the person who abused us before because traumatic events they did to us is hard to erase in our memory, the things we often think about, those negative things we couldn't forget because it might happen again, or those things we can't remember or can't even talk about because of overwhelming fear, that if we don't "exorcise" these "demons" out from our shoulders or out of our minds, then we will take them wherever we go, and soon it's too hard to separate them from our real selves, soon they eventually become us.

Pages from Clowder #1
www.clowdercomics.blogspot.com

I was lucky enough to realize that even if my father always beat me up when I was young, that I didn't want to be like him, beating up those who weaker than me. Well I actually did for a time, to cats who bite and scratched me, but soon my mother caught me torturing a cat and told me that everyone, everything has a life, that we shouldn't kill animals because like them they have mothers and children too. That they're like me too, that they're like us.

Pages from Clowder #4
www.clowdercomics.blogspot.com

And from that slowly I became aware, I became someone different from my father who still beat me up when I was a kid. But I was able to somehow understand an aspect of it when I was growing up and not lashing out like he did to me then for it's really quite easy to fall to the trap and be like your abuser. Instead I turn my energies into art, I'm able to just express those tendencies on my artwork, I'd rather create something than put my energies in destroying something, I'd rather create fiction than destroy my relationships with people when I get hurt, I'd rather draw comic book pages than destroy and cut myself. Comics and art did save my life, more than once.

Instead of cutting my own wrist when I was a teen, I just drew about it and turned it into a manga entitled SATANHIGH. www.satanhigh.blogspot.com

Our conversation went something like that with ma'am Jean, minus the James T. Allen quote. But I really opened up to her when she came to our table and asked me all these probing questions. She was trying to open me up now that I'm thinking back. Her eye for spotting someone who has a fucked up past is something of a talent of hers she said, well maybe not in exactly those words haha! But she said she has an eye for things and people.

She can ask a simple question and one would respond to it honestly, but if someone else other than her asks them, then answer would be different or untrue. She can easily ask an uneasy question and get the real answers. She's really easy to talk to I tell you I'm really glad she sat with us and asked the things she asked. And Guadix and I were both glad she read our comics!

She helped me a lot in realizing that there are people who can understand one's story from a stranger's point of view. That she knows this because other people have gone through the same and there's an easy way to deal with it just by simply talking about it and having a great conversation! Thank you ma'am Jean! :)

Photo c/o Artists for Amnesty Philippines.

The world seems brighter everyday the more we decide to face life and live through it even it's tough as hell.

Ma'am Jean even got my reference I made at the pages of Yakuza Boy about Soda Pop! I was so inspired she got that little nugget of hidden message that I actually wasn't able to sleep that night and just made a video (this is the 5th one I made for this event by the way) because it was actually about women's rights. Of how some people of power abuse weaker people without having to face consequences. I just realized after she noticed my hidden message that, that part of the comics would be a pretty awesome way to promote the event. With a dash more clue on the hidden message, even though it might offend the shit out of some people, I just knew I had to do it! It was the right time to do it! So I did and didn't sleep and finished the video and went on to attend the second day of the event after posting it online.

Here's the video I made;

This is my official entry for the MMFF* *wink* (Movie ni Marius for Friends and Family*)
It's a preview of my comic YAKUZA BOY (R18)*

I recently had a talk at UST about how to make independent comics with Francis Martelino, and one student asked me, "Who is my target market in my comics?" And I answered I really don't have any target market, I make comics that I would read and therefore if I like them personally someone would like them. But I don't really make comics for people, I don't really aim to please anyone.
As George R.R. Martin said, "Art is not a democracy"

Though now that I've given it further thought, if I had made my comics for someone or a target market if you will, it would be for those who are damaged. Those who have been traumatized by the similar things I've gone through. I wish to help them in a way, and yes, you might say that most people won't buy my comic books because not everyone has been through suicide and has been beaten by their fathers before, well I that's okay. If only a few percent of people appreciate my books then I'm fine with that, as long as I can help them move on from their pain then I'm happy, I think I've done my job as a writer of weird and creepy and dark stories about killing cats and Satanists. :)

That girl reading Clowder #5, she read the whole series from 1st chapter - 4th until her friend just pulled her out of there! :D

Come to think of it, during the comicon, that girl on the picture said that she had recently had cats died on her watch. And she was still grieving, and so when she read chapter 1 of Clowder, we let her read the books for free because she couldn't resist not reading the succeeding issues.

Because she said, it somehow gave her solace, she could relate to it, that there was something, a comic book that could understand how she felt even if it's so unspecific as the feeling she felt for the death of her cats. I create comic books for people like her.

Speaking of comics and mangas...!

Here are some comic book finds we were able to get at Ignite Comicon 2016!

We were able to get Jonette Valenciano's The Rasa Cycles! I was very much intrigued by the premise of the story as Jonette told us about it. It's about daemons and muses personified. I already took a peek and we will both be reading it soon!

Photo from www.facebook.com/AmbedoArtPH

We were also able to get Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 of
Rheimaru Boado's The Stained Glass Orchestra!
Can't wait to start reading these two volumes!

We also met avimHarz who was a blast to talk to
and she made this indie comic book
The Angel with Black Wings!

Guadix has the copy of it so I won't be able to read it yet!

And finally we have some photos of the buyers of our Kuro Saku titles!
We thank you all so very much for supporting us independent artists
and believing in our works! :)

Thank you both for buying our works you won't regret those title we promise you! :D

Ma'am Christine is a poet we were able to talk to as well,
she has a great blog with her poetry, you can check her poems over at: www.christinevlao.blogspot.com