Calling all comics fans! Komiket, the Filipino komiks and art market, has partnered up with kumu to empower the pinoy komiks community globally.
“Local comics—or komiks—have historically been one of the cradles of Filipino storytelling and imagination,” said Rexy Dorado, co-founder and President of Kumu. “In line with our goals to create the best platform for Filipino creators, we are excited to partner with Komiket, one of the most leading organizations in the industry, to make Kumu the best place for fans and creators of Pinoy komiks.”
Founded in 2015, Komiket serves as an entry point for first-time comics creators, artists, and readers. They provide accessible markets for creators to showcase their work, discover and nurture new talent, and bridge Filipino komiks to the rest of the world through the Philippine International Comics Festival (PICOF) among others.
Through this partnership with kumu, Komiket will be able to bring the pinoy komiks community together no matter where they are in the world. Komiket’s artists can easily share their work with the entire kumunity, enthusiasts can meet and interact with some of their favorite comic artists, and conversations on comics—from light hearted ones to more important discussions—will have a space of their own. Beyond that, they will be able to connect with young individuals with aspirations to become comic artists and provide them with the tools and guidance that they need to make their dreams a reality.
Kumu and Komiket will also be funding 500,000 pesos worth of awards and publishing deals to komiks creators in the Komiket community. All creators included in the Darkness (Horror), Kilig (Romance), Rurok (Erotica), Thirsty (Boys Love), Children’s Books, and South East Asia Kommunity anthologies published by Komiket in 2022 will be eligible, with the top prize being 150,000 pesos in cash and a publishing deal with Komiket for both the Komiket Awards and the Kumu Kumunity’s Choice winners.
This is just the beginning of a promising partnership between two organizations rooted in community and culture. With kumu’s ethos of authenticity and community, and Komiket’s dedication to empowering pinoy komiks and artists globally, the partnership aims to uplift Filipino creators, readers, and budding artists.
The partnership kicked off last February 13, 2022 on the @komiket kumu account with legendary comic artist Whilce Portacio announcing the launch of the Stone Omnibus! Funded on Kickstarter within just 48 hours, the omnibus is an epic revival of one of the 90’s top-selling indie comics. The entire series, which spans 8 issues, will be bound together in an ultimate collector’s edition.
A rich story filled with Filipino mythology, the Stone Omnibus revolves around Gerry Alan, an up-and-coming actor. He plays an action hero in the Stone television franchise, endowed with magical powers through his agimat gemstones. Other than the Stone series, Portacio has also contributed art, color, and concepts to today’s staple comic titles such as The Avengers, X-Men, and Spawn.
Coming up next are Kumu streams featuring the Ten Years To Save the World creators Emiliana Kampilan (Dead Balagtas), Ren Galeno (Full of Grace), Manix Abrera (Kikomachine Komix), Budjette Tan & Kajo Baldisimo (Trese) and Kevin Eric Raymundo (Tarantadong Kalbo), as they launch the printed book on climate action. Trese creators Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo; Trese’s local publisher and Avenida Books owner Nida Ramirez; and the creators of Mythspace, a Filipino space opera soon to be published internationally by Trese’s international publisher Ablaze Publishing. Future streams will be announced on the @komiket channel in the Kumu app.
Do you have a story for the WhenInManila.com Team? Email us at story.wheninmanila@gmail.com or send us a direct message at WhenInManila.com Facebook Page. Interact with the team and join the WhenInManila.com Community at WIM Squad! We also share our stories on Viber, join us!
