Comics lovers, rejoice! The virtual edition of the Philippine International Comics Festival (PICOF) is now headed for takeoff, with free registration open to all fans of this unique art medium.
On September 1-3 and 8-10, 2023, via Zoom, illustrators and writers will be shining a light on the treasured artistic discipline. Attendees can learn how to create their own graphic novels and webtoons; discover the different approaches in comic book-making; and explore the comics scene worldwide, among others. Besides the Philippines, the lineup of esteemed speakers hails from the United States, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Korea, and Australia.
The event is spearheaded by Komiket, a comics distributor specifically promoting works from the Philippines. According to its website, Komiket was born because its creators realized that “selling opportunities for komiks creators [in the Philippines] were scarce”. It also hosts comic book workshops and provides grants for artists to publish their comics.
“PICOF aims to bridge Filipino comics to the rest of the world and grow more readers,” Komiket said on its website. The festival is now in its fourth year.
A full dive into the world of comics, the festival will probe into the visual art’s timeless allure. “[Comics are] one of the youngest and simultaneously oldest art forms of all time, from paintings on cave walls to interactive, digital comics,” PICOF echoed on its official Facebook page. In the same vein, creators will discuss the unique blend of text and visual storytelling in comics and the artistry of constructing intricate comic universes.
As lifted from the festival’s official registration form, here is the full list of webinars to choose from:
- September 1, 10 AM: “Storytelling with and without Collaborators” by Gene Ha (USA)
- September 1, 1 PM: “Creating Diversity and Inclusion in Books” with Och Gonzalez, Bambi A. Rodriguez, Bambi Eloriaga-Amago, and Divine Gil-Reyes (Philippines)
- September 1, 5 PM: “Belgian Comic Art Museum and International Cooperation” by Belinda Billen (Belgium)
- September 2, 10 AM: “Writing for Corporate, Writing for Yourself” by Geoff Thorne (USA)
- September 2, 1 PM: “Artists Curating International Events For Artists: Ephameron at Grafixx” by Eva “Ephameron” Cardon (Belgium)
- September 2, 5 PM: “Making an Exhibition of Themselves: What Are Comics Doing in Museums?” by Paul Gravett (UK)
- September 3, 10 AM: “From Idea to Page: How to Write Your First Graphic Novel” by RH Quilantang (Philippines)
- September 3, 1 PM: “Visual Versatility: Unique Worlds in Comics” by Wayne Rée (Singapore), Nadhir Nor (Malaysia), Kifurai (Indonesia), moderated by Shreya Davies (Singapore)
- September 3, 5 PM: “Comics–The Common Language” by Jonathan Scott (UK)
- September 8, 10 AM: “Crossing Comics and Other Media” by Jimmy Palmiotti (USA) moderated by Duy Tano (Philippines)
- September 8. 1 PM: “‘Webtoon IP Business: Now and Future” by Ryu Jung Hye (Korea)
- September 8, 5 PM: “The Power of Comics” by Karrie Fransman (UK)
- September 9, 10 AM: Illustrating For Children” by Liza Flores (Philippines)
- September 9, 1 PM: “Finding Stories: How to make eye-catching webtoons'” by Kim Yangsu (Korea)
- September 9, 5 PM: “HAGOD: The Filipino School of Brush Illustrations For Komiks” by Randy Valiente (Philippines)
- September 10, 10 AM: Topic “Australian Comics Creators” by Perth Comic Art Festival (Australia)
- September 10, 1 PM: “More Southeast Asian Comics!” by CT Lim (Singapore)
An opening ceremony to kickstart the festival will be held on September 1, at 9 AM. Avid comic fans can also keep an eye out for September 10, 5 PM, when Festival Director Paolo Herras and Indie Komiks Podcast will uncover first-look details on PICOF 2024.
Participants can check out Komiket’s official selection of graphic novels in their bookstore. Optionally, they can also request a signed certificate of attendance from Komiket for PHP 500.
The Department of Information and Communications Technology, National Commission for Culture and the Arts, The Comics Cube, Tahanan Books, Kahel Press, Difference Engine, Lakes International Comic Art Festival, Belgian Comic Strip Center, Perth Comic Arts Festival, Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines, and Grafixx have lent their support to the culturally-enriching festival.
Register now for free for PICOF! The link is in the tweet below.
https://twitter.com/scvannasummer/status/1696160408183152679
Filipino artists who have made a name in the international comics industry include Manuel “Manix” Abrera who revealed his first-ever comic book cover for DC Comics’ “Batman: The Knight”, and Leinil Yu who has made the Batman cover for DC Comics and Captain America cover for Marvel.
In 2021, Filipino artists released free new comics in the international comic book anthology project “Ten Years to Save the World”, which calls for climate action.
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