Comics review: ‘Abangan: The Best Philippine Comics 2014’ – showcase, testament, and call to action

It takes a certain level of boldness to label any collection of work as “The Best” of the field or genre it’s intended to represent. This is especially the case when you’re evaluating the products of pen, paper, and imagination: after all, there really is no definitive and all-encompassing system of measurement for evaluating what’s good and what’s not when it comes to creative output. Ultimately, whether or not a creative work truly lives up to the standard of quality it promises depends on the reader’s preferences, biases, and expectations.

The copy of “Abangan: The Best Philippine Comics 2014” I read had a minor typographical error on its copyright page. While the cover—a wonderful rendition of different characters meant to represent the stories within its pages—promises that it contains “The Best Philippine Comics,” the copyright page calls the collection “The Best in Philippine Comics.”

It’s a minor inconsistency, but it helps highlight an important aspect of this book, and further illustrates why it’s a must-have for any comics (or komiks) fan.

The way I see it, the addition (or omission) of the preposition “in” affects the book’s message. The title that appears on the cover focuses more on the individual merits of each entry in the compilation; based on the editors’ criteria, the strips and stories found in “Abangan” were deemed to be some of the best komiks out in the current market.

The (accidental) alternate title of the book, meanwhile, creates the impression that the book focuses more on the different storytelling conventions and genres in the Pinoy komiks scene. This book features the best “in” komiks: it’s not just a collection of existing and potential bestsellers, it’s also an assortment of wildly different tastes that appeal to a diverse and hungry audience.

‘The best Philippine comics’

The anthology—the first in what is planned to be an annual series—starts out strong, with an excerpt from Manix Abrera’s “Diwata.” The transition from courtship blues to call center adventures then takes place, as we get an explosive glimpse of Noel Pascual and AJ Bernardo’s action-packed “Crime-Fighting Call Center Agents.”

Dark Chapel makes use of clever, funny, and informative panels a la Scott McCloud, in an effort to explain “Kung Bakit Lab nating Mga Pilipino Ang Pagbibidyoke!” This interesting look at a Pinoy cultural artifact of the present then gives way to an epic and rather terrifying re-imagination of the past, in the form of an excerpt from the second volume of “Filipino Heroes League” by Paolo Fabregas.

Rob Cham and Auti Nones then present “Comics,” which depicts newspaper comic strip favorites in a funny, modernized, and somewhat twisted light. Afterwards, JP Pabalon’s “Puso Negro” takes the readers on an entertaining jeepney ride of Pinoy-style comedy.

We then get an amusing look at the day in the life and mind of a young would-be villain in Carlorozy’s “Darwin’s Association of Delicious Evilness,” while Rob Cham and Petra Magno poke fun at this tech-savvy generation’s lifestyle and preoccupations with “Spooky Tales of the Here and Now.”

“When dreams die, where do they go?” is the question that Fidelis Tan and Kiko Dans explore in “Para Fierra: Final Resting Place.” Meanwhile, supernatural sleuth Alexandra Trese investigates a series of strange sightings aboard the MRT in Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo’s “Trese: Thirteen Stations.”

Bong Radila keeps it sweet and simple with his single-panel “Borderline” comics, while Emiliana Kampilan creatively re-writes Philippine history in “Dead Balagtas.” “Wingnaut” by K.A Montinola and Martha Maramara is about the journey of an innocent young girl who happens to be different from everyone else, “Windmills V” by Josel Nicolas is about maturity, understanding, and letting go, and “A Balut Ate my Luois Vuitton” by Apol Sta. Maria is equal parts weird and thoughtful.

To cap off the volume, “Sixty-Six” by Russell Molina and Ian Sta. Maria features a touching story deeply rooted in love and family, after which Mica Agregado’s “Blue Dusk” leaves the reader with a garden of emotions and seeds of both ambiguity and purpose.

...And how they fare

However, aside from being interesting, endearing, and strong in their own right, these stories also attest to why the Filipino creative’s natural knack for clever writing and eye-catching art fit in well with pretty much any genre or style.

“Diwata” and “Wingnaut” both illustrate the power of expressive art and smart paneling to tell a moving tale, despite the absence of words. Meanwhile, “Borderline”—reminiscent of Gary Larson's “The Far Side” strips—shows that the saying “less is more” holds true even in a medium popular for its word balloons and multi-panel storytelling.

In “Windmills V,” the use of anthropomorphic animals as protagonists enhances the story’s message and overall theme, keeping the reader detached and invested at the same time. Dark Chapel’s take on the Pinoy videoke craze, meanwhile, is smart and engaging, successfully keeping the story’s topic from being monotonous and boring. Meanwhile, the humorous “Puso Negro” is a short but self-aware piece.

“Dead Balagtas” and “Filipino Heroes League” both take creative liberties with Philippine history, though in different ways—the former featuring an absurd, morbid, and sharp sense of humor, while the latter going for straight-up superheroics in order to successfully insert the story’s characters into the country’s timeline.

The simple art, intentional spelling errors, and seemingly random approach to comedy of “A Balut Ate my Luois Vuitton” may throw off some readers; however, the comic will really resonate with people who share the same (perhaps webcomic-honed) kind of “funny bone.” “Dead Balagtas” and “A Balut Ate my Luois Vuitton” fans may most likely get along.

“Crime Fighting Call Center Agents” and “Darwin’s Association of Delicious Evilness” feature rather heavy dialogue and artwork to go with their punches and punchlines; ironically, both stories also show that there could be so much going on behind even just the simplest gestures.

“Comics” and “Spooky Tales of the Here and Now” were both done by Cham, hence the similarities in tone and execution. It’s not a bad thing, though—both serve as vehicles for witty observations about today’s youth and trends, both online and in real life.

The art and script of “Sixty-Six” blend beautifully, with the main character smoothly transitioning between heartwarming memories of his past and the heart-wrenching reality of his present. “Sixty-Six” manages to tell an emotional story without going overboard, and is the closest thing to a serious drama in this anthology.

“Trese: Thirteen Stations” is a solid and exciting adventure story coupled with gorgeous art; successfully balancing Filipino folklore with aspects of crime drama, it’s no wonder why the “Trese” series has a strong, continually growing fanbase.

With clean art and natural-sounding dialogue, “Para Fierra: Final Resting Place” mixes a fantasy setting and characters with a very real wake-up call, and sends a powerful message to every dreamer who has ever let go of their ambitions.

Finally, the muted panels and moody monologue of “Blue Dusk” make for a quiet and thoughtful piece—a perfect end for this illustrated rollercoaster ride.

Verdict—no matter how you choose to interpret this book, the 216-page gallery of Filipino creativity succeeds on multiple levels: as a showcase of today’s komiks talents, as a testament to the power of the medium, and as a challenge for aspiring creators to take their ideas from imagination to ink. — VC, GMA News