Pol Medina Jr awards fans a copy of his new book

MANILA, Philippines – Mang Dagul, Brosia, Tiny, Bab, Jolen, and Polgas – they’re just some of the characters most 20-30 somethings grew up with as they leafed through the pages of newspapers and books to read a comic strip from Pol Medina Jr.

There’s no point denying that Medina’s Pugad Baboy (Nest of Pigs) has always had a cult following. Even after the artist’s move from print to the online medium. (READ: Click! #PugadBaboy is on Rappler)

So as a way of giving back to his most loyal and witty fans, Medina picked his favorite commenters who have been reacting to his recent comic strips. 

He picked 11 fans whom he met up with at the Rappler office on Friday, April 25, giving them a copy of his latest book – Pugad Baboy Sunday Comics Book 3, a compilation of his comic strips that came out in the Sunday edition of the broadsheet he used to work for.

Some Pugad Baboy fans also took the opportunity to have Medina sign their collection.

One of them, Julius Emmanuel Dayao, has all of Medina’s books. He said he’s been collecting since he was in the 5th grade.

Now working as a programmer at the Medical City, Julius said he still buys Medina’s books as soon as one comes out. 

Julius said his love for comics is not just about the punchlines and Medina’s impressive wit.

“Actually hindi ako masyado nagbabasa ng news,” Julius said. “Sa kanya ko kinukuha yung news feeds ko eh. Sa mga strips niya dun ko nalalaman. Like nung pinost lang kahapon yung tungkol dun sa wheel. Yung lalagyan ng wheel sa eroplano. Dun ko lang nalaman yun so ginoogle ko agad, yun pala may nag-stow away na lalaki from California to Hawaii.”

(Actually, I don’t read a lot of news stories. I get my news from his comic strips. Like the comic strip yesterday about the airplane wheel well. That’s how I found out about that bit of news. So I Googled and I read about how a guy became a stowaway, hiding inside an airplane wheel well and flew from California to Hawaii.)

(READ: Teen survives 5-hour flight in airplane wheel well: report)

Keeping up with readers

Medina is nowhere near to slowing down when it comes to creating comic strips. However, he does admit that like any other writer, he also gets writers block which can be cured by a short walk or by sitting and having a chat with tricycle drivers in his neighborhood.

Another challenge in writing the strips, he said, is keeping up with his new, younger readers.

So he makes sure he is up-to-date with what’s in – by talking more often with his kids who also give him ideas for new punchilines that can attract his long-time fans as well as entry-level readers of the well-loved comics.

“Minsan magsisign ako book. ‘Sino si Danny?’ Eh babae yung nagpapasign. ‘Sinong Danny? BF mo?‘” he asked the girl. “’Hindi Papa ko’. ‘Ilang taon na siya?’ ‘ 50’. Ganyan tinatanong ko lagi para nagsu-survey rin ako kung sino mga readers ko. Talagang mga kaedad ko na kasi ganun mga jokes ko, kaya. Hangga’t maari nag-inject din ako ng mga pambata.”

(One time, I was signing a book and was asked to sign it for ‘Danny’ but it was a girl who was asking for my autograph. I asked her who Danny was, if he was her boyfriend and she told me that Danny was her dad who’s 50 years old – someone from my age group. That’s because my jokes appeal to my generation so I make sure to inject jokes that appeal to younger readers as well.)

What’s next for Polgas?

One concern of the fans, however, is how the new format of Pugad Baboy will translate into a book. Medina’s annual release of books that are a compilation of his strips printed on the broadsheet he used to work for is one of their most awaited events every year.

But what happens now that the format on Rappler has differed?

Contrary to the linear and straightforward pubication of his strips on a broadsheet, Pugad Baboy took on a slightly different form when it transferred online.

Readers are given 3 choices for a punchline and they get to vote which ones they liked best. So how will that translate to hard copy?

Medina said he conducted a survey among his readers. Should he only publish the punchline that got the most votes? Most of the fans, he said, disagreed – they want all 3. 

So Medina said fans should expect thicker volumes the next time they visit a bookstore as he already has enough strips to cover volumes 26 and 27 of his annual book compilations.

“Kaunti na lang doon yung galing sa Inquirer. Mga 1/8 na lang. The rest, from Rappler na,” he said.

As for his controversial strip about homosexuality that caused his suspension and eventual resignation from the Inquirer, which was his home for the last 25 years, Medina said fans will have to wait for its come back via book 30, which will present the last decade’s milestones for the comic and its creator.

Check out the latest Pugad Baboy strips here.  – Rappler.com