Gerry Alanguilan: The “Komiks” Collector
Interview by: Ryan Toledo

Do we really need an intro for this guy? Anyway here it goes: Gerry Alanguilan is not just known as the creator of the underground indie comic hits Wasted and Crest Hut Butt Shop, but also as an inker for such well loved titles such as X-Force, New X-Men and Superman: Birthright to name a few. What is little known about him is that he is a patron and collector of local “komiks” art. Gallery tells how he got started in collecting, maintenance work, the Online Philippine Comics Museum and his future plans for his collection.

So when did you start collecting old Pinoy komiks art?
I started collecting early this year.

What made you decide to collect this kind of stuff?
I’ve been drawing comics of my own since 1992, so it’s more than 10 years now. In recent years, I’ve met many young artists who had no idea who our great masters of komiks art were. I’m talking about artists like Francisco V. Coching, Nestor Redondo, Alfredo Alcala, Rudy Florese, Alex Niño and so on. These are artworks which I believe to be the most beautiful and most graceful and imaginative comics art in the entire world, and yet this is a great body of work that is largely obscure, unknown and nearly forgotten. I really can’t blame the young generation of Filipinos, because the art of our great masters are not easily accessible. Old komiks are rare as most of them have been destroyed or have deteriorated because of neglect of interest. The art has for the most part gone unarchived and I do believe that there are some remarkable artwork that we have never seen, and we will no longer have the chance to see them at all. It is for this reason that I’ve decided to come up with book collecting some of the greatest artwork of our comic artists have created. I call it “The Masters of Philippine Comic Art”. In the process of gathering material for the book I came across original artwork and old komiks, and I was so enthralled upon seeing them that I decided to collect them, as much as my budget would allow. I collect them not only as material for a book but also for a museum I’m trying to put together here in San Pablo City – a museum of Philippine Comics Art.

First piece of work acquired…
I think the very first piece I acquired was a cover of Universal Comics #109 from May 1968 drawn by Elpidio E. Torres.

What pleasure do you derive from your old komiks cpllection?
I do get some kind of personal pleasure knowing I own some vintage komiks and art, but I derive greater pleasure knowing that I have the opportunity to share these with other people, especially young artists hungry for inspiration and a sense of identity as Filipino artists.

Who are the artists featured in your collection?
I have artworks By Francisco V. Coching, Tony Velasquez, Larry Alcala, Nestor Redondo, Alfredo Alcala, Alex Niño, Rudy Florese, Hal Santiago, Mar Santana, Vir Aguirre, Fred Carillo, Elpidio Torres, ER Cruz, Ernie Chan, Sony Trinidad, Menny Martin, and many more.

Aside from original komiks art are “baduy” or “bakya” (cheap), what can you say about this?
To be honest, that’s what I thought too when I was younger. But after seeing all this terrific art especially the originals, how beautiful they all were, it changed my mind. I think if people get the chance to see these artworks in the book and in the museum, they might get a different perspective of these komiks.

Do “shmackers” or unscrupulous traders exist in this trade?
I have not met any unscrupulous traders myself. The community of comic book art and vintage Pinoy komiks collectors in the Philippines is very small. They number somewhere around 50 or so, but not more than a hundred. Everyone pretty much knows what is in each others collection and the ownership and transfer of a particularly awesome piece is general knowledge. I do know some buyers who try to dupe the traders themselves. One person bought several vintage comics from a collector, saying that he needs it for a school project so he got the stuff rather inexpensively. Less than a couple of days later, the comics were up for bid at Ebay being sold for 3 times more.

Can you reveal how much a piece costs on the average?
Prices vary wildly because sometimes you get lucky and get a piece really inexpensive, but sometimes, pieces can get REALLY expensive, especially when they get put up on Ebay. There, some pieces sell for as low as US$10, and sometimes pieces by Francisco V. Coching can shoot up to around US$300 a page. A cover by Nestor Redondo of Swamp Thing once sold for like US$1,200.

What’s your favorite piece in your collection?
My favorite piece is complete 7 page story from 1966 by Rudy Florese entitled Kenkoy Stories: Naging June Bride Din Si Lola which was written by Tony Velasquez.

Ever been duped?
Not yet.

How do you feel about knowing that some people collect your work?
Ah, we’re talking about MY work now? I don’t know if people ever collect my work, to be honest. I mean that in the same way I collect old komiks. I do appreciate it when someone writes me or talks to me saying that they bought my comics and likes the work I do. It’s always a blast when that happens.

What reactions did you get when you posted a picture of a part of your collection on your online journal?
People are amazed at the kind of artwork that our old komiks artists have created, and wonder if such things can be bought now at bookstores. Visitors are aware that I am trying to put together a book, and are pressing me to get it out…as in right now, which is great! It feels great realizing that people are being impressed by these artworks as I have been (and continue to be).

Tell us something about the Online Philippine Comics Museum (www.komikero.com/museum) which you’ve launched last July at the 3rd Manila Toycon
The online comics museum is the web version of a real museum that I hope to put up here in San Pablo one day. I already have a lot of material for a small museum that I’m just ACHING to share so I decided to come up with an online equivalent. I’ve been featuring artwork there that have not been seen for decades by most people like Nestor Redondo’s adaptation of MGM’s QUO VADIS from 1953. I don’t have the originals myself, but I’ve made pretty good copies of them. These are some of the best work that Nestor Redondo has done and yet it has gone unseen since its first publication in 1953. I’m very happy to be able to share it at my website.
 The museum has also allowed me to get in touch with many Filipino Comics Illustrators and their families. This interaction has not only resulted in enriching the site, it has also enriched me personally because it’s always a blast meeting people whose work I admire.

Any particular piece you really want to be added to your collection?
Everything I don’t have, honestly. But realistically, I just want to have at least a couple of kick ass pieces by my favorite artists. Pieces I would love to have would be Coching’s cover to Pilipino Komiks #180 featuring Lapu-Lapu, Elpidio Torres’s cover to Tagalog Klasiks 97 featuring Jack and Jill, a two-page spread from Alfredo Alcala’s VOLTAR…. And of course Nestor Redondo’s QUO VADIS.

What do you do to maintain your collection?
My wife and I are planning to attend special seminars on how to preserve old documents at the National Historical Institute. We have already visited the NHI before, and got a primer from some of their document and artwork restorers.

How often do you get new acquisitions?
A few months ago I was getting several pieces on a weekly basis. But collecting artwork and vintage komiks is quite expensive and of course money I’ve set aside for this quickly run out. I haven’t gotten any artwork for a couple of months. Maybe next year.

Your most recent acquisition…
I haven’t acquired anything in a while. No money! But I did manage to get some old komiks, specially a very good copy of Hiwaga #100 from July 1954, with a cover by Francisco V. Coching.

What can you say to future komiks collectors?
Get as much art as you can…and then seel them to me. I can certainly use it. He, he…

Nice one! Any future plans…like
Future plans are still in motion… like putting together the Masters of Philippine Comics Art book, and gathering material for the museum. I’m also scanning and cleaning up Francisco V. Coching’s 1952 komiks novel EL INDIO for compilation and publication.