Hi, it's been a long while since i last posted anything here in DA.
Let me start off with a story about how i ended up with my character Manila Man.
2005, i felt that need to make my own comics the way i did back in High School. Draw in notebooks show it to friends, im happy with that. I've done robots, anthromorphic beings saving the day, and superhero teams before so i thought of stepping it up a notch by studying on how to create comics and researching the philippine comics scene.
2006. I came up with a cool name MANILA MAN. I got this idea from Francis Magalona's song Man From Manila. i tried doodling him in spandex. but something's wrong... it doesnt look pinoy (imho). I was out on a date in Robinson's Galleria when i realized the barong clad security guards there look pretty badass. My date asked me why i think they seem to be badasses, out of nowhere i replied "They have barongs for armor". LIGHT BULB!
2007 Here is the first Manila Man image i posted online
rhiver.deviantart.com/art/MANI… after some days, Francis Magalona's song Kaleidoscope World inspired me turn Manila Man's bandana into a blindfold instead
rhiver.deviantart.com/art/Defe… to "see every color every hue which represents me and u".
2008 Manila Man is recruited for the Bayan Knights roster among other "indie" creators here in DA. Bayan Knights#1 came out. WOOOHOOO! Dream come true!
2008 A dude who's DA username is Boddyker
boddyker.deviantart.com/ sent me a note expressing his desire to write a Manila Man story. He sent me his draft, and i eventually turned it down.
2010 Insomnoir: Prelude to Manila Man (indie komiks) came out at the Komikon.
2011 Manila Man, Defender of Whatever Kabanata 1: Rebolusyon came out at the Komikon again. Yeah i love the Komikon.
2011 Boddyker created
fav.me/d46hcit Malolos Man, blindfolded, with a Lolo for a mentor.
I love making comics. I really do. People inspire me to create komiks. Not just the comics creators but all kinds of people. I see comics everywhere. I see comics in people's struggles, in a musician's uptempo beats, or in a master rapper's deftly written lyrics. It moves me to create comics. When it comes to comics, i am no veteran. I've got no whopping sold out books to brag about, no laurels to show, just this, an original character i came up with, Manila Man. That is also why at this moment i do not know how to handle this "Boddyker" matter. It's frustrating. I'm kinda flattered but also annoyed at the same time. If you're really an artist you'll know what i mean when someone tries to copy what you've done.
But this plight has given me something to be joyful for. You see, this "Boddyker Matter", has been out on Facebook (yey for FB!) and the support for a lame ass newbie comics creator like me is testament to the closely knit community that pinoy indie komiks scene is. You can feel the love. Sorry if im not making a point, im still frustrated in some way. Feels like i've been sucker punched.
Imagine my character, Manila Man sucker punched, nose bleeding... but still smiling...
You know why?
Coz I got the WHOLE PINOY KOMIKS INDIE SCENE backing me up beybeh!!! PUKAW NAMO!