komikon 2005: a view from the booth

Congratulations to the Artists’ Den, the driving force behind the kick - ass Komikon 2005, the 1st Philippine (that’s All - Filipino, galing!) Komiks Convention.  Komikon brought together artists and artists’ groups, aspiring comic artists, fans, kibitzers, serious collectors and mad shoppers like me for a whole day of komiks and contests and buying and selling and exchanging ideas and exhibits and meeting artists and autographs and booth - hopping and picture - taking and awards and awards - launching and man, that was a great day!

Yamiyo tells me that they were at the Bahay ng Alumni as early as five a.m., ready to set up, only to find out that there was no one to let them in.  Eventually of course, they were able to enter the venue to prime it up for some serious komik convention action.  I was there at 9:00 a.m. to serve breakfast to some of the organizers who were too busy to have any breakfast; they were able to get around to eating, but not soon enough (in batches pa, at around 11 a.m., the poor things).

I was there to help (wo)man the Artists’ Den booth, so I wasn’t able to go around much.  The good thing about it is I got first dibs on AD merchandise .  Beerkadet reinforcements came at around 11 a.m. in the form of Wing Zero and Oliver, who valiantly stayed by my side the whole day.  s2chard and iLenz also helped with the selling, and that s2chard can fold shirts, ha! Very professional! 

My first customers (pre - reinforcements, that is) were three Mapuans, two of which made me think I was seeing double:

              
It turns out I was.  I looked from left to right and this guy’s hair grew in length right before my very eyes.  Sabi ko, "Kambal ba kayo?"  and they said, "Opo."  In unison, of course.  So, I said "Hay, salamat, akala ko maaga pa lang, nahihilo na ako, eh."  That was my first big laugh of the day.

My biggest highlight, of course, was seeing Monsy.  Monsy is the shy Beerkadet we’ve been bugging to show face since that almost - meeting at Gloria Jean’s for the Beerkada Book Signing.  For a while Yamiyo thought Monsy was just an Urban Legend.  But I saw, him, and I’ve got pictures to prove it:

                       
Ayan, ha? Nagsasabi ako ng totoo.  There were witnesses, too.  I was sitting behind the long table, almost zoning out, when I saw this guy looking over the Beerkada Merchandise.  That was all I needed: "MONSY!!!", I screamed.  The others thought I had gone crazy.  At may balak pa yatang wag magpakilala ulit itong Monsy na `to.  Huli ka!  There.  It’s all good now.  If every Beerkadet is required a legacy, let this be mine: that I found Monsy, and pointed him out to everyone else.  Bwahaha! I am crazy.

Some other memorable moments include seeing s2chard live for the first time (he says ako ang unang nakakilala sa kanya doon), having my books signed (by Arnold Arre, Ryan Orosco – talagang hindi kami lahat ganun, ha? – and Manix Abrera), seeing Syeri go the whole day without her glasses on, watching her and Henry and Yamiyo and Jon na parang mga sinusian, takbo dito, takbo doon, seeing Lei take on double duty yet again,  watching the other Beerkadets come in one by one to lend their support (Naja, Kai, mikel, Fraggle, Cessie, Criscel — mag-register ka na! – Lorie, Sheena), announcing the winners of the Beerkada Boxed Set Giveaway Contest, seeing Yamiyo make a chore of staying away from the AD Booth for one creepy (but very valid) reason, catching a glimpse of the elusive (and armed) Fifty - Peso Ninja, seeing the pile of money from brisk sales grow larger and larger, having to compute that money and divvy it up and reconcile it with the remaining inventory (sus, kaya nga nag - MassCom, eh ), meeting all these great artists and hearing them talk about their craft, watching young komiks artists get a first crack at their dreams.  This was a great day for all komiks enthusiasts.  Remember this day, y’all.

I admire the members of the Artists’ Den who, shorthanded as they were, dared to dream and braved the waters and worked hard (my goodness, Syeri, may powers ka! Mga lightning bolt kayong lahat.) and pulled off this big event. I can’t congratulate you enough.  Good job.  I’m thinking pencils and art supplies with the Komikon logo for next year.  And sketchbooks and more buttons and pins and more shirts and stickers.  If you guys need help again next year, I’m in.     

True, we were all busy and sweaty and dehydrated and my fingernails were dirty and hindi ako self-combing and nakakalito ang magbilang ng pera and there wasn’t much time for me to go around but who cares?  I truly, truly had fun.  I loved my view from behind the booth.  It was the best spot there.

P.S. This is not a very good article, is it?  I guess I haven’t fully recovered from the work. Or maybe I’m still high from it.  But there will be several better articles and posts and stuff coming out within the next few days, from others who were there and who have their own take on Komikon 2005.  The wave of posts has already started.  Check out the Beerkada blog and forum, plus the other links above, and my gallery for more pictures (some stolen, some mine) and words.  See you all next year.