If you want to see samples of my comics work, head on over to CapsuleZone! If you want to see my graphic design portfolio, just go to Reno Maniquis Graphic Works! Thanks for dropping by!

Friday, November 25, 2005

I was reading Vic J. Poblete's DEVIL CAR blog, and he mentioned that Ollie Roble Samaniego had a big hand in getting that particular novel approved. He was the one who believed and fought for the Devil Car concept when no one else did.

Looking back on my own komiks career during the 80s, Ollie WAS the one who gave me my first big break.

I was barely in high school during that time (I was 13), and I was an avid reader of the horror anthology HOLIDAY KOMIKS, which was edited by the aforementioned Mr. Samaniego. I typed up a story, entitled "The Bounty Hunters," put it in an envelope, and mailed it to the address written on the indicia of Holiday Komiks.

After a few months, summer vacation rolled in. I started to study komiks illustration (and illustration in general) under Hal Santiago. I barely started training when my family had to go the the province for our annual vacation stint there. My cousins in the province told me that they read my story. I didn't even remember that I had sent a story in the first place! We managed to track down that particular issue of Holiday Komiks, and lo and behold... there it was... illustrated by Ernel P. Remos, another Hal Santiago student. I was ecstatic!

Upon getting back to Metro Manila, I called up Graphic Arts Service, Inc, or GASI (the publishing house), and they told me that I had a cash voucher there waiting for me, but that I had to hurry and get it because it's gonna expire in a few weeks. So I did, and it amounted to 40 pesos (10 pesos per page was the standard rate). I couldn't believe it. I'm a komiks writer! And hey, 40 pesos back then would be equivalent to around 500 bucks nowadays.

That time of my young life was the best time for me. I was getting trained by one of the best illustrators in the local scene, and at the same time had a published story. Some time after, Mang Hal told us that there's another horror title in the works, SHOCKER, being edited by another young editor, Cely Barria (who I think was the "crush ng bayan" in GASI). I submitted another story, and it was approved! It came out in Shocker's first issue, and it was Cely who gave me my first break as an illustrator, too.

During those days, Tuesdays and Thursdays were the days when freelancers flocked to GASI, hoping to get story assignments from editors. By then, the school year had started, and my only time to go to GASI was on Saturdays. Cely was kind enough to let me pass my scripts and illustrations on that day. And since I didn't get any scripts from other writers (there were no more scripts on Saturdays, since they've all been given out by then), Cely allowed me to draw my own stories, most of the time I'd give the story to her fully-illustrated aleady.

I didn't get to work much for Ollie, the editor who was kind enough to approve a story by an unknown writer, but I guess he saw some merit in that first story. I wrote and drew just one more short story for Holiday, and he published it, although personally I didn't think the art was worth publishing. It was one of my worst works.

So, thanks to Ollie Roble Samaniego, for giving me a chance. Thanks to Cely Cruz Barria, who accepted my work even though I wasn't adhering to the normal schedules that was allowable to freelancers.

And Thanks to Hal Santiago, for showing me the ropes, and being a great teacher and friend.

And I failed to mention my father, who's friends in the komiks biz led us to getting acquainted with Mang Hal. Without my father and his support of my love for komiks, none of this would have happened. Thanks, Pa!

10 comments:

Heffer Wolfe said...

di ko masyadong matandaan 'tong part na 'to. nakwento mo ba sa 'min 'to dati?

amen about that part dun sa P40.00 = P500.00. Tatandaan ko na P40.00 yung halaga ng mga 12" records nung time na yun e (dami ko ng naipon ng time na yun, hehe). :D

Gerry Alanguilan said...

Grabe... 80's! I remember nung 1983 bumili ako ng tape ng Synchronicity ng Police for 19 pesos.

Kilala mo ba si Marissa Hilos? Friend ko sya na taga rito sa San Pablo. Regular contributor din sya sa GASI during that time.

Rey said...

Nice story, Reno... Man, the 80's just brought back so many komiks memories for me. all those swiping and copying from the great aritsts of that time really was my lifting pad in terms of where the level of art i have nowadays... I just wish i had a chance to be part of those glory days. sana kahit minsan man lang ay magkaroon rin ako ng pagkakataon na makadaupang palad ang mga hinahangaan kong ilustrador sa komiks, at masabi sa kanila na naging malaking bahagi ang mga obra nila sa aking payak at simpleng buhay nuon. Sana...

Reno said...

Ariel: Di ko pa yata ito nakwento sa inyo noon. At mahilig ka nga bumili ng 12" noon. Lalo na yung Dead Or Alive. Hehe.

Gerry: Noon nga di ba may regular tape tapos meron ding BASF na tape? Mas mahal yung BASF, mga 40 pesos yata. yung regular mga 30 pesos.

Di ko kilala si Marissa Hilos. But then again, di ko masyadong nakakasalamuha ang ibang artist, kasi nga Thursday sila nandoon ako naman Saturday. mga kilala ko lang talga mga estudyante din ni Mang Hal.

Rey: Lahat naman halos nagdaan diyan sa pagkopya sa ibang artist. Doon talaga nahahasa at nasasanay. Hanggang ngayon madalas ako tumingin sa ibang artist para sa inspirasyon. Hayaan mo, I'm sure magkakaroon ng panibagong glory days ang komiks natin. Hintay hintay lang tayo...

Heffer Wolfe said...

hoy! nagustuhan ko lang yung unang single nila pero di ko binili yung album nila. yung hinahanap ko noon pa yung mga albums ng new order (actually puro mga recording lang na galing sa WXB102 dahil P350.00 noon ang imported na plaka).

speaking of the 80s, punta ka ng christmas reunion natin after ng launching ng siglo?

Reno said...

Bahala na. Di ba 6pm pa yung launch? Bka wala na tayong abutin dun sa reunion.

Anonymous said...

bro, i am ron sapinoso, writer din ako pero nakapasok ako nung malapit nang mamatay ang komiks... naging editor ko si cely barria sa shocker komiks... makikita mo ang ilang obra ko sa www.youyube.com/roninjener...

may tanong lang ako... kung may email ad ka ni cely barria?

thanks bro

Anonymous said...

eto nga pala email ko rmsgentlewind@yahoo.com

ollie roble samaniego said...

ngayon ko lang nabasa ito. maraming salamat din at naging bahagi ako sa buhay mo sa komiks.

Reno said...

Hi Ollie! Salamat muli, and it's nice to have you visit my blog. :)