After-Action Report: Philippine Komikon (October 2009)

I had a brief Sunday interlude out in the city yesterday, out to see the local comics industry gather and have a good time at the Philippine Komikon. Yeah, it's nothing like the Comic-Con or Comiket, but we've got a long and proud tradition of comics storytelling.

Whilce Portacio? Leinil Francis Yu? Alfredo P. Alcala? Fernando V. Coching? Gerry Alanguilan? Yeah, they're all Filipino and they're all stars of the comics firmament.


Here's Mr. Alanguilan. He's autographing my copy of the graphic novel of his comics story, ELMER. It's a story about chickens who attain sentience/consciousness, and of the changes that result.


And here's the cover of ELMER. Originally published as a series of digest-sized comics, the story can now be purchased in a complete novel edition. Man, I love this story; I'll have to do a proper review of it soon.


Artists' Alley: indie and underground comics galore.


I DESPERATELY wanted to buy this beautiful hardbound copy of Alan Moore's creepfest Jack the Ripper yarn, From Hell - but I really didn't have enough money for it. Damn. It's a freaking great read, never mind that you might have nightmares for a few nights after finishing it. (I know I did.) And do have the patience to go through the pages and pages of notes at the end because they add so much to the EEEK factor. (Hint: Alan Moore has a creepy-as-fuck imagination, but what happens out in the real world turns the creepy dial up to eleven.)


Yay for carrying my loot home in a reusable cloth shopping bag. I'm trying to do my part for the environment.

Up next: a review of ELMER, and pictures of lunch from Komikon.

Did you guys go to Komikon? How was it for you? What did you buy?