I love reading.
From reading children’s books, encyclopedia, newspapers, novels, etc. – I am always a curious child and through reading I can wander to many places I want to be, explore my creative minds, and gain knowledge from it. And one of my favorite pastime back in grade school high school are comics.
So imagine my delight when I stumbled this free exhibition at SM Aura Premier last weekend, showcasing the oldest comic illustrations from many decades ago. Some are in 1940s and 50s with stories about legendary heroes, wars, love story, etc.
These are one of the oldest Philippine’s literary art, and I felt privileged to have a glimpse of them.
These illustrations as I learned, are created by a Filipino illustrator artist Francisco V. Coching – a known illustrator, a great storyteller and I can imagine how awesome he is just by viewing and reading some of his works all displayed for public eye.
I used to religiously read comics back in grade school to high school.
Not those expensive Marvel comics that you can get nowadays.
What I read back then are locally published comics, with various kinds of stories from fantasy, to love story (and sometimes an accidental adult kind of comics), and I enjoyed so much reading them.
Back then living with my parents, my Mother doesn’t allowed us to watch television – no internet or cable channel, just a radio for listening regular news, music and of course radio drama. I save my extra school allowance so I rent some comics that I could read when I get back home after school. The fantasy that gave me and the experience is amazing. Reading comics also makes ma curious on how the illustrators create a story, then translate it is a visual form making them feel alive while reading.
Nowadays, I don’t read them anymore because I rarely see them in newsstands. While reading the story of these comics, I wonder if the Philippine comics industry are still alive.
How is it today after so many years? Does comics printing still exist?
Then it made me think another question – how can we make the Philippine comic industry still alive? After all, it is one of the important literary art and it pains to realize if this becomes extinct.
xoxo, Blair
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