Saturday, August 2, 2014

Sights & Highlights at Indieket 2014!

08.02.2014 – Komikon’s Indieket is mostly focused on alternative press and this is where you look at fresh new talent who are just starting as self-publisher or first time artist. Since 2012 the event has focused on those who are inspired to make it big in the ever growing industry for comics.

There are A LOT of Filipino talents they just need a place to be given that spotlight and Komikon has expanded that idea for those established publishers to give them that chance to be known. This also cultivates the unseen local comic book community.


In the country that largely focuses on the Greater Manila Area you will have a difficult time trying to find that particular artist or self-publishers who want to be taken noticed. There’s too much convention in the Philippines that are related to other genres but they get covered up with too much cosplay.

Some failed to notice if you’re in a convention about anything aside from cosplay. Since this is the smallest event for Komikon organizers they have rented half of the Bayanihan Center, which takes its pride in cultivating new artists breaking into the local comic scene. It’s where you won’t see an entire village of characters from Western comic books or Japanese related characters in costume.

Well save for one who went there as Sub-Zero from Mortal Kombat, because he supports the local artistry and into Filipino komiks and is also an artist in his own right.













So you will know you’re in the right convention about local comic books, and not mistaken it to another over populated and excessive cosplaying. There’s nothing wrong about people dressed in spandex or in character it’s just that when you’re in a convention everyone thinks it’s a cosplay convention even though it’s not. That’s where other conventions fail to keep their own identity intact unlike Komikon when you talk about one specific event that caters to one genre it’s this one regardless how big or small.

This is Komikon’s tenth year of organizing their event, and they have been consistent maintaining their mission that THIS IS a comic book convention regardless if there’s a cosplayer just passing by or none at all. Besides the ever growing event they slowly expands not just a convention they are also acknowledging independent films adapted from the source material namely comic books.















For this year’s Indieket there were a lot of promising talent as well as new works that you might have missed that Rick Olivares of Philippine Star has described in his ‘Pull List’ that he has acquired.

Most notable established artist where there too, but not physically like Arnold and Cynthia Arre who where in another event while the re-release of ‘Trip to Tagaytay’ was sold with a new cover at the Nautilus Graphics booth, while Gerry Alanguilan is back for his second Indieket re-selling some water damaged Wanted compilations for half the price at the same time sold his latest indie komiks about himself through the fourth issue of Crest Hutt Butt Shop.

Lyndon Gregorio one of the organizers launched his latest Beerkada book and some interesting pins. Elbert Or is warming up with two new titles for Indieket at the same time getting ready for his big debut at STGCC next month along with returning exhibitor Carlo San Juan, who also had a booth for his Callous Comics and some sketches that you might see in Singapore.

Though this is a scaled down Komikon event Indieket still continues to inspire young artists to write or make their own creations. There where mini-panels on stage featuring the artists from the graphic novel compilations of Sulyap 1 & 2. This time there are no hotdog eating contest that the usual Komikon visitors see, but charades on stage is something rare that are only seen in the confines of a living room this was the craziest activity Sherry Zamar has hosted. While everyone is getting some fun on stage people come and go digging up a pile of back issues at Comic Odyssey, Cadimus Prime, and Your Comic Shop by Frialde.

Some are just there to see friends and hangout and there are those giving the teaser or a word of mouth what they have in mind on November 15, 2014 which is the main Komikon at the same venue, that other organizers wants to held their event as this venue.



Overall Saturday was quite the event for its third Indieket organized by the people behind Komikon. For those who are looking for upcoming artists and writers that would help your business to publish new material this is the place to be.

Indieket also known as the Independent Komiks Market on its third year happens in the months of July or August and it’s the ‘middle event’ prelude to the main Komikon that will be happening on November 15, 2014 at the Bayanihan Center in Unilab Complex, Mandaluyong City.

For more about the event LIKE Komikon Indieket on Facebook and follow on Twitter at: @Indieket

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