Komikon Indieket 2024 Goes Balikbayanihan
16 August 2024, Mandaluyong City – Komikon Indieket 2024 marks the return of Komikon events to Bayanihan Center in Pasig City on August 31, 2024, from 10 AM to 8 PM. The Grand Independent Komiks Market theme “Balikbayanihan“, is a play on the words “balikbayan” as a returning event and “Bayanihan Center” as the venue. The theme was also inspired by the “#BalikAshcan” virtual discussion during one of the Indie Komiks Podcasts earlier this year. “Balik Ashcan” refers to the goal of going back to the roots of DIY comics to combat the high costs of comic production and to lower the selling price of comics to allow casual or curious readers an affordable way to sample local komik creations.
Komikon Indieket 2024 Poster
Komikon Indieket 2024 features comics creator M.A. (Mark) Del Rosario of Paper Drawing Studio, a published author of short stories and graphic novels such as Gods of Manila, Aswang, Kingdom of Tundo, and Tikbalang – A Collection of Stories, both locally and in the U.S. He advocates reading and often tells people to go to libraries, bookstores, and comic shops.
Rising independent comics publisher, Kawangis Publishing with founders Arya and Faye Chelabian are also in the spotlight. Kawangis Publishing Co. is a homegrown start-up entity that focuses on creating Filipino and values-centric image books and card games. Arya Chelabian is the author of the comic series MA-I on top of being a published translator and editor, a practicing Industrial Engineer, and a Creative writing instructor. Faye Chelabian is the creator of Incognito Serye and illustrator of MA-I and Maharlikan Chronicles. Before dabbling into comics, she worked in the Filipino publishing industry under different roles since 2003. The couple will hold a game demo on stage of “Anyare“, a Philippine history card game.
Since 2011, Komikon has been showcasing creators who have shown exemplary skills and devotion to creating comics and who have actively participated in Komikon activities, such as contests, events, and other initiatives by publishing the Sulyap Komiks Anthology. This year marks the 10th year since the second Sulyap Komiks Anthology was released last 2014. To commemorate this milestone, we invited the featured creators back for a reunion and to recognize their achievements since then. Catch up with us and learn from the experiences of AJ Bernardo & Noel Pascual (Crime Fighting Call Center Agents), Jonas Lechuga (Bulas), Carlorozy Clemente (Darwin’s Association of Delicious Evilness), Francis Martelino (The Hotdog Prince), JP De Torres (Luna), Niño Balita (Espiritista), and Ronzkie Pacho-Vidal (Sulsi). The cast would have been complete except for Lariz Santos (Please be Careful with my Bones) who has a previous engagement.
Komikon also invited the team behind Rocketsheep Studio, who is working hard on the animated film Zsazsa Zaturnnah, based on the award-winning graphic novel of Carlo Vergara. Check them out on stage as they give a sneak peek behind the scenes.
This one-day event will feature a lot of new comics releases from seasoned comic creators and upcoming ones. Notable titles that will be released includes “Last Train to Tokyo” from Pelikomiks Studios, “Gunaw” by Jhem Manalang, “Beneath the Balete” & “Lagimbal: Aswang Hunter #0” from Bumble Burst Komiks Associates, “Kalasag Alpha 1” by Julius Villanueva, “Gomen Chopstar” by Mikey Esteves & Mickey Marchan, “Ghost Neo: All Too Human” by Chad Cabrera, Mike Banting, & Sam Gungon, “Windmills 8” by Josel Nicolas, “High Tide” from Iron Ink Works, “Inkjet” by 001ComixStreet, “Dungeon Master Dad!” by Level Vigor, and many more. Drop by and support the new comic creators at the Indie Komiks Tiangge: shesbastiibabie, Krist Menina, Vernon Acla, Reinbowzlow, Francis Ardan, INDIO, LJ Almonte and Mekarilao. The winners of the Make-The-Page Contest will also be announced. Brush up on your comics knowledge and skills as prizes will be given out throughout the day through games and trivia questions.
Komikon Indieket 2024 is brought to you by Komikon Inc., sponsored by Comic Odyssey, National Book Store, The Manila Bulletin, and Quantum Amusement, with the support of the UP GRAIL – Graphic Arts in Literature. Tickets will be available on-site.
For more information and updates, please visit https://www.facebook.com/komikon.org, https://www.facebook.com/Indieket, and the official event page at https://www.facebook.com/events/1602466350507155. For any inquiries, please email inquiry@komikon.org.
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About Komikon
Komikon Inc. is a non-profit cultural organization that aims to promote the awareness and reading of past & present Filipino komiks in the Philippines by organizing comics conventions such as Komikon (every last Quarter of the year since 2005), Summer Komikon (every summer since 2009) and Komikon Indieket (mid-year since 2012).
About Indieket
The First Komikon Grand Independent Komiks Market took place last July 14, 2012, at the Bayanihan Center, Unilab Compound in Pasig City. This event marked the 3rd gathering organized by Komikon, Inc. What made this event unique compared to the Summer and Grande events was its emphasis on independent komiks creators, stemming from the Indie Tiangge that has been a special feature of Komikon since its beginning. What initially started in just one hall of the Bayanihan Center later expanded to occupy two halls, indicating the growth in the number of creators over the years.