Filipino comic book creators find time to blog
First posted 11:57pm (Mla time) June 06, 2006
By Erwin Lemuel Oliva / INQ7.net
http://news.inq7.net/infotech/index.php?index=1&story_id=78312
Jonas Diego (http://jonasdiego.blogspot.com/) may not be the first Filipino to convert his comic books into a blog, but this artist is one of the prolific bloggers who has religiously posted hand-drawn comic strips online.
“I did some research and I found that I was not the first to blog comics. Someone beat me to it by about three months,” San Diego said in an online chat with INQ7.net.
He started blogging in 2004 after his friend Gerry Alanguilan convinced him it was a worthwhile activity. In 2005, he decided to become a “serious” blogger. He’s currently studio director of Interactive Art Services Manila Inc.
“I was trying to improve my writing, and blogging seemed like a good idea because having an audience (of sorts then) will put a bit of pressure on me to get better,” he said.
One of the recent comic strips of Diego is titled “Graphic Detail,” which deals with funny situations, real-life people in funny situations, and parodies of movies like Lord of the Rings.
“It started out as a comic strip on the local geek culture, but over the months it evolved into something else,” he added. It now features Sam and Samantha, with Sam being Diego’s alter ego -- a geek comic artist, and Samantha, the perfect woman according to a geeks' taste.
All comic strips featured in his blog are drawn by hand, then dialogues and some other details are added using Photoshop software, Diego said.
But he also delves on various topics including business, technology, the mobile industry, personal experiences and insights, and comic books.
“Despite being a comic book creator I try not to lock myself in a certain genre, so to speak. Comics have been part of my life ever since I was young. When I was younger, I used to like superheroes then as I got older I started getting into mature comic books,” he said, adding that he loves the works of Neil Gaiman and Alan Moore.
There are other comic book creators who blog in the Philippines. They include Elbert Or (mars4.blogspot.com), Reginald Ting (jupiterrising.blogspot.com), and Ariel Atienza (figurativity.blogspot.com), among others, according to Diego.
Comic book creators as bloggers target a specific audience.
“I was finally able to find an audience for my particular brand of work. It's not a mainstream audience mind you…But as an artist, an audience is always appreciated,” Diego said.
The local comic book creator does not currently have serious plans of leaving his day job to pursue blogging seriously.
“The moment I stop having fun with this is the moment I stop doing it,” he added.
First posted 11:57pm (Mla time) June 06, 2006
By Erwin Lemuel Oliva / INQ7.net
http://news.inq7.net/infotech/index.php?index=1&story_id=78312
Jonas Diego (http://jonasdiego.blogspot.com/) may not be the first Filipino to convert his comic books into a blog, but this artist is one of the prolific bloggers who has religiously posted hand-drawn comic strips online.
“I did some research and I found that I was not the first to blog comics. Someone beat me to it by about three months,” San Diego said in an online chat with INQ7.net.
He started blogging in 2004 after his friend Gerry Alanguilan convinced him it was a worthwhile activity. In 2005, he decided to become a “serious” blogger. He’s currently studio director of Interactive Art Services Manila Inc.
“I was trying to improve my writing, and blogging seemed like a good idea because having an audience (of sorts then) will put a bit of pressure on me to get better,” he said.
One of the recent comic strips of Diego is titled “Graphic Detail,” which deals with funny situations, real-life people in funny situations, and parodies of movies like Lord of the Rings.
“It started out as a comic strip on the local geek culture, but over the months it evolved into something else,” he added. It now features Sam and Samantha, with Sam being Diego’s alter ego -- a geek comic artist, and Samantha, the perfect woman according to a geeks' taste.
All comic strips featured in his blog are drawn by hand, then dialogues and some other details are added using Photoshop software, Diego said.
But he also delves on various topics including business, technology, the mobile industry, personal experiences and insights, and comic books.
“Despite being a comic book creator I try not to lock myself in a certain genre, so to speak. Comics have been part of my life ever since I was young. When I was younger, I used to like superheroes then as I got older I started getting into mature comic books,” he said, adding that he loves the works of Neil Gaiman and Alan Moore.
There are other comic book creators who blog in the Philippines. They include Elbert Or (mars4.blogspot.com), Reginald Ting (jupiterrising.blogspot.com), and Ariel Atienza (figurativity.blogspot.com), among others, according to Diego.
Comic book creators as bloggers target a specific audience.
“I was finally able to find an audience for my particular brand of work. It's not a mainstream audience mind you…But as an artist, an audience is always appreciated,” Diego said.
The local comic book creator does not currently have serious plans of leaving his day job to pursue blogging seriously.
“The moment I stop having fun with this is the moment I stop doing it,” he added.
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