Comic Geekery
Jul. 18th, 2010 10:52 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rainbowunicorn_readsThe other day, in my Booksale scavenging, I saw this book that made me think really hard. It costs around Php300 plus, WAY beyond my Booksale budget (php20) but it was so thick and useful and interesting and cheap enough for this kind of book that I couldn't resist it. I had to have it.
Look how detailed the instructions are inside:
It inspires me to create a comic of my own (another thing I want to do before I die--I used to do this secret comic series about a teenage girl and her rainbowy life in an exclusive school for girls) and I'm excited to read it and learn more about the technical side of things. Maybe then I'll further appreciate these comics I already love.
Here are the comics/graphic novels that I'll never forget, some lumped together because of the awesomeness of the artist:
Rented comics My love affair with comics really started with those comics for rent at some enterprising neighbor's house. Displayed like clothes on a clothesline, one can choose from these bestsellers: Nightmare, Love Stories and Fantasy (which was my favorite, since I was too scared of the gore in Nightmare). I was about 7 or younger then, and I saved up and sold stationery (which I also collected back then) so I could have my weekly fix. I can't remember a moment when I read everything on display, which probably meant that they had a lot of comics for rent back then.
Funny comics and Bata Batuta The small neighborhood salon had a huge stack of these comics for their customers' reading pleasure which would probably explain why I never had long hair, ever. They also sold it every Friday in front of our school, something I obsessively bought and looked forward to.
Archie comics! That was my fantasy, finding a soulmate who loved Archie as much as I did when I was about 8 years old. I loved them so much some copies have embossed marks, with me trying to trace them, putting a piece of carbon paper behind each page and tracing them to a coupon bond. I can't stand how stupid both females are now, fighting over this wishy-washy playboy (who isn't even kind or funny or cute), but I still have fond memories of my Archie phase.
Gospel comics What? I thought Gospy was cute. Hahaha. :) We were probably brainwashed by the weekly analysis and readings of this certain comic, but I somehow remember that I collected these too.
Pugad Baboy But it was so much funnier then. Remember that aswang chapter in Pugad Baboy 4? That was what I loved the most, those stories, but I can still remember how Brosia was asked to buy 'de lata' for pulutan, and she did buy something in can--"It's de Liberty Condensed Milk!"
Free comics from Sunday newspapers You know, the ones that came with puzzles and trivia? I had a huge stack of them fastened together, unanswered, because I was too OC to write on the pages, haha.
Lynda Barry Part-Pinay, I love her unique, gritty drawing style and sense of humor. I forgot where I first saw her work but I've luckily stumbled upon most of her comics and books in Booksale. Oh, Booksale, thank you so much for these awesome buys, especially the comics by my beloved...
Ariel Schrag Her comics should be renamed into "The incredibly true misadventures of a budding lesbian in love", because each time I read her graphic novels I am reminded of that movie with young Tina and some episodes of the L word. I found out about her through an issue of BUST and heard her name in Le Tigre's girl power song "Hot Topic", so I researched her some more and was really dying to buy her superpricey book found in Sputnik, Cubao X. It was around a thousand, which made me sad. But then I found a copy of Awkward and Definition and Potential at Booksale for only around a hundred pesos, which made me extremely jubilant (I almost hugged the ates there) and happy. Sigh, Booksale = ♥
I love how honest she is with her storytelling, how her art has also evolved (she made the comics when she was around 14 and sold it) and how she captures the rollercoaster of emotions teenage lesbians go through in a few frames. Are you reading this Ariel Schrag? Hi, I love you. :)
Y The Last Man Oh wow oh wow oh wow. Fantastic artwork, gripping storyline about how there's this guy who is supposedly the last guy in the world, with lightning-fast pacing and snappy dialogue to boot? Yes please. I saw this in one of my National bookstore trips and was intrigued by the romantic storyline between the women characters. I wasn't disappointed with the whole story, although I did feel that the ending was a bit rushed. It was still a great read though, and will probably be my second favorite, because I really really love:
Strangers in Paradise I think I might have obsessed about this with matching images a year ago in this lj. I find myself rooting for the Katchoo-Francine loveteam, being surprised by each issue with its where-did-that-come-from twists and just being um, touched by this heartwarming series. I don't know if it was just me, but this was a really nice love story for me. The heartthrob also has a realistic figure, which makes me happy. I think my respect and adoration for Terry Moore is right there with my adoration for Joss Whedon. See this AfterEllen interview with him.
Buffy, season 8 And the Buffy love lives on! Long live the Slayers! Long live Willow with her adorable geekiness. I couldn't care much for Kennedy though. I wish Willow ended with someone more...likeable instead. The recent issue was getting weirder and weirder though, but I still love this. Which reminds me of another Whedonesque series I love:
Runaways Kids with evil parents and superpowers? A lesbian character with alien metaphors? Witty witty dialogue, reads just like a Whedon show? Hurrah! I haven't finished this yet. It's so good i'm taking my sweet time, since this series is already finished.
Fables I think of this series like this: Fairy tale characters meets Gotham City.
Asterix series My family is a huge fan of the Asterix comics. I think we have the complete series, some hardbound, some in paperback, some mini-sized, some huge. We're not really that OC with the collection. :) We love it so much my father bought home an Asterix stuffed toy in one of his trips. Obelix reminds me of him.
Dykes to Watch out for This was how I discovered this series. We were in Baguio, in the guestroom of my mom's friend's house. I found this comic book peeking from the side of the bed and promptly read it. I think it about changed my life. Alison Bechdel is a very hot genius.
Tammy Pierce is Unlovable Because there's definitely a little bit of Tammy Pierce in all of us. How fascinating is it that Esther Pearl Watson based this on some teenager's diary she found in some gas station?
I forgot your name, but it was locally-made and had this gay guy, this bisexual girl and this straight guy getting it on in the end. It appeared at the back of Pulp magazine. I cannot say I adore you, but you were pretty interesting also.
Kikomachine I have all the books, I love this. Manix, if you can read this, do you remember when your dad used to bring you to his office and my mom would also bring me and we were told to play? Remember those vague incidents? Did I just imagine them? Haha. Anyway, great work, man. I have a crush on that bald teacher. Plus, did a romance exist between that bespectacled girl and the ponytailed one? You know, when they were having this sexual tension and the other girl whispered why to her punk boyfriend? What are their names anyway? I need answers! I can't sleep thinking about it!
Any amazing comics/graphic novels you'd like to recommend? :)
Look how detailed the instructions are inside:
It inspires me to create a comic of my own (another thing I want to do before I die--I used to do this secret comic series about a teenage girl and her rainbowy life in an exclusive school for girls) and I'm excited to read it and learn more about the technical side of things. Maybe then I'll further appreciate these comics I already love.
Here are the comics/graphic novels that I'll never forget, some lumped together because of the awesomeness of the artist:
Rented comics My love affair with comics really started with those comics for rent at some enterprising neighbor's house. Displayed like clothes on a clothesline, one can choose from these bestsellers: Nightmare, Love Stories and Fantasy (which was my favorite, since I was too scared of the gore in Nightmare). I was about 7 or younger then, and I saved up and sold stationery (which I also collected back then) so I could have my weekly fix. I can't remember a moment when I read everything on display, which probably meant that they had a lot of comics for rent back then.
Funny comics and Bata Batuta The small neighborhood salon had a huge stack of these comics for their customers' reading pleasure which would probably explain why I never had long hair, ever. They also sold it every Friday in front of our school, something I obsessively bought and looked forward to.
Archie comics! That was my fantasy, finding a soulmate who loved Archie as much as I did when I was about 8 years old. I loved them so much some copies have embossed marks, with me trying to trace them, putting a piece of carbon paper behind each page and tracing them to a coupon bond. I can't stand how stupid both females are now, fighting over this wishy-washy playboy (who isn't even kind or funny or cute), but I still have fond memories of my Archie phase.
Gospel comics What? I thought Gospy was cute. Hahaha. :) We were probably brainwashed by the weekly analysis and readings of this certain comic, but I somehow remember that I collected these too.
Pugad Baboy But it was so much funnier then. Remember that aswang chapter in Pugad Baboy 4? That was what I loved the most, those stories, but I can still remember how Brosia was asked to buy 'de lata' for pulutan, and she did buy something in can--"It's de Liberty Condensed Milk!"
Free comics from Sunday newspapers You know, the ones that came with puzzles and trivia? I had a huge stack of them fastened together, unanswered, because I was too OC to write on the pages, haha.
Lynda Barry Part-Pinay, I love her unique, gritty drawing style and sense of humor. I forgot where I first saw her work but I've luckily stumbled upon most of her comics and books in Booksale. Oh, Booksale, thank you so much for these awesome buys, especially the comics by my beloved...
Ariel Schrag Her comics should be renamed into "The incredibly true misadventures of a budding lesbian in love", because each time I read her graphic novels I am reminded of that movie with young Tina and some episodes of the L word. I found out about her through an issue of BUST and heard her name in Le Tigre's girl power song "Hot Topic", so I researched her some more and was really dying to buy her superpricey book found in Sputnik, Cubao X. It was around a thousand, which made me sad. But then I found a copy of Awkward and Definition and Potential at Booksale for only around a hundred pesos, which made me extremely jubilant (I almost hugged the ates there) and happy. Sigh, Booksale = ♥
I love how honest she is with her storytelling, how her art has also evolved (she made the comics when she was around 14 and sold it) and how she captures the rollercoaster of emotions teenage lesbians go through in a few frames. Are you reading this Ariel Schrag? Hi, I love you. :)
Y The Last Man Oh wow oh wow oh wow. Fantastic artwork, gripping storyline about how there's this guy who is supposedly the last guy in the world, with lightning-fast pacing and snappy dialogue to boot? Yes please. I saw this in one of my National bookstore trips and was intrigued by the romantic storyline between the women characters. I wasn't disappointed with the whole story, although I did feel that the ending was a bit rushed. It was still a great read though, and will probably be my second favorite, because I really really love:
Strangers in Paradise I think I might have obsessed about this with matching images a year ago in this lj. I find myself rooting for the Katchoo-Francine loveteam, being surprised by each issue with its where-did-that-come-from twists and just being um, touched by this heartwarming series. I don't know if it was just me, but this was a really nice love story for me. The heartthrob also has a realistic figure, which makes me happy. I think my respect and adoration for Terry Moore is right there with my adoration for Joss Whedon. See this AfterEllen interview with him.
Buffy, season 8 And the Buffy love lives on! Long live the Slayers! Long live Willow with her adorable geekiness. I couldn't care much for Kennedy though. I wish Willow ended with someone more...likeable instead. The recent issue was getting weirder and weirder though, but I still love this. Which reminds me of another Whedonesque series I love:
Runaways Kids with evil parents and superpowers? A lesbian character with alien metaphors? Witty witty dialogue, reads just like a Whedon show? Hurrah! I haven't finished this yet. It's so good i'm taking my sweet time, since this series is already finished.
Fables I think of this series like this: Fairy tale characters meets Gotham City.
Asterix series My family is a huge fan of the Asterix comics. I think we have the complete series, some hardbound, some in paperback, some mini-sized, some huge. We're not really that OC with the collection. :) We love it so much my father bought home an Asterix stuffed toy in one of his trips. Obelix reminds me of him.
Dykes to Watch out for This was how I discovered this series. We were in Baguio, in the guestroom of my mom's friend's house. I found this comic book peeking from the side of the bed and promptly read it. I think it about changed my life. Alison Bechdel is a very hot genius.
Tammy Pierce is Unlovable Because there's definitely a little bit of Tammy Pierce in all of us. How fascinating is it that Esther Pearl Watson based this on some teenager's diary she found in some gas station?
I forgot your name, but it was locally-made and had this gay guy, this bisexual girl and this straight guy getting it on in the end. It appeared at the back of Pulp magazine. I cannot say I adore you, but you were pretty interesting also.
Kikomachine I have all the books, I love this. Manix, if you can read this, do you remember when your dad used to bring you to his office and my mom would also bring me and we were told to play? Remember those vague incidents? Did I just imagine them? Haha. Anyway, great work, man. I have a crush on that bald teacher. Plus, did a romance exist between that bespectacled girl and the ponytailed one? You know, when they were having this sexual tension and the other girl whispered why to her punk boyfriend? What are their names anyway? I need answers! I can't sleep thinking about it!
Any amazing comics/graphic novels you'd like to recommend? :)
excellent
Date: 2010-07-18 03:51 pm (UTC)-Sharon Panelo
hellopanelo.com
spanelo@gmail.com
Re: excellent
Date: 2010-07-18 11:16 pm (UTC)Thanks for reading! That's a really great idea, I might consider doing just that, thanks to you :)
What other comics/graphic novels do you love?