KOMIKON!

It's official! There's going to be a Komikon this year despite the circulating rumors of the event not pushing through! The Komikon is an annual comics convention showcasing the Filipino talents in the reviving Philippine comics industry and this year would be its third with the theme: "Myriad Voices, One Medium, One Nation! " Check out the official press release here:

For the past two years KOMIKON cemented relationships among players in and out of the comic book industry. Be it peers, colleagues, readers, creators, publishers and retailers, KOMIKON is THE venue and the EVENT for sharing and renewing ties that bind.

This is where the depth and width of Filipino talent in creating various worlds and stories, from the golden age to the here and now are showcased. KOMIKON also served as the link for the local market to reach out to the global village. Bottom line, this once a year fest promotes the rich medium that is comic book, which can be seen through the myriad of local works drawing from influences not only locally but from our foreign counterparts as well.

Indeed KOMIKON is the celebration of the great art form endearingly called by Pinoys from all walks of life as Komiks. This was the medium that once served as our “national past time” particularly during its golden age from the 70s to the early 80s. It was an industry that gave birth to superstar illustrators and writers. Komiks opened a window for this unique breed of artists to break into the international scene. Their Komiks stories led to adaptations into other media such as film, television and radio making them part of an unforgettable part of our local tradition of excellence in art and literature. KOMIKON is the event that aims to gather its supporters and creators in one place to commemorate komiks as it deserve to be distinguished.


KOMIKON 2007 will be held at the UP Diliman’s Bahay ng Alumni on November 17, 2007, from 10am to 6pm. Again it will showcase the creations of Filipino artists from various genres and themes and give tribute to the creators and their creations. The 3rd Filipino Komiks Convention aims to bring together comic book artists/groups and publishers in a venue where they could present their talents, works and services to the public. Most importantly, it aims to give a break to aspiring comic artists. It would like to offer a venue for new art groups and different generations of artists for a free exchange of ideas. Hopefully it would lead to a transcending of stereotypes and broaden the scope of comics – from local to international to cross-cultural, sequential to strips, amateur to professional and traditional publication to independent comics publishing. This event will raise awareness of the exciting state of contemporary Philippine comics industry.

Contests like the Independent Comicbook, On the Spot Comic Strip Making and the Original Character Making Contest hopes to bring out the next generation of Comic Book creators to the fore front. Our special guests, comic book superstars from the past and present, both coming from the local and international fields will be available for consultations. They will share insights about the industry through their multifaceted experiences. Fun-filled activities will also be provided by our exhibitors through their respective booths and own activities.

Komikon is also the home of the Komikon Awards, a vote-based awards given to those who the readers, creators and other supporters of the medium deemed to be deserving. Taking the cue from the film industry that yearly take time to award meritorious films and give accolades to their worthy creators, the Komikon Committee will open the nominations for the 2nd Komikon Awards in this event for the following year. The Komikon Awards will give the opportunity for readers, creators, publishers and retailers to nominate and vote for the best in the industry, both local and international. The awards aim to encourage solidarity within the industry to produce quality local books and promote wider readership in the market.

This year’s event is organized by The Artists’ Den and Groundbreakers Inc.

Groundbreakers Inc. is owned and run by artists and writers alike. One of their main goals is to provide the best local talents with the opportunity to garner professional experience and success in the industry, not just locally but internationally as well. By doing so, they hope to make the Philippines one of the prime source of talent for the Manga industry in South East Asia and eventually the world. One of their aims is to bring forth these talents to both local and international markets and to showcase to the world the potential of Filipino artists and story tellers through high quality Manga publications.


The Artists’ Den, on the other hand, has a long-term commitment to help art groups grow, to promote goodwill among fellow Comic Creators and support different works and activities among appreciative audiences. The organization had been witness to the ups and downs of the comic industry as members themselves are mixed up in it. The group has actively participated in the past conventions and now would like to have a convention that focuses on comics alone.

For more information and latest event developments visit http://komikon.blogspot.com and join the discussion on http://www.komikon.tk

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Hay... the Komikon. I was there the last time and it was such an experience having to interact with komiks artists and writers, as well as hang out with friends in the small community of komiks lovers. I just hope that I would be free that weekend, I don't want to miss this for anything!