Celebrate Filipino comics at the Seven Lakes Komiks Festival 2024

The following is a press release from the Seven Lakes Komiks Festival.

Take a break from the hustle and bustle of the Metro Manila convention scene, and join us this May 11, 2024 as we celebrate Filipino komiks at the Seven Lakes Komiks Festival! To be held at the cozy and laid-back premises of Casa San Pablo in San Pablo, Laguna, this event seeks to create a komiks-centric space to release new books and introduce new and old creators to each other in a relaxed community setting. 

San Pablo is rich with komiks history, and partnering with both the Komikero Komiks Museum started by the late Gerry Alanguilan, and with Casa San Pablo, the Seven Lakes Komiks Organizing Committee aims to provide a fun-filled day of reading and dialogue about komiks, connecting creators with readers, and hopefully creating a new fans as well.

The Seven Lakes Komiks Festival will be a komiks-centric event, with a ratio of exhibitors favoring komiks creators and small press publishers. Delicious food and local delicacies will also be offered in the event by Casa San Pablo. It will also feature performances from San Pablo’s resident electronic music hit makers Pet School, Benjiao, and Shape/Shift.

Some of the programs and activities featured in the event include:

• Creative contests such as the On-the-Spot Character Design Contest and Seven Page Komiks Making Challenge, 
• Talks from komiks veterans such as Julius Villanueva (creator of Ella Arcangel), Randy Valiente (creator of Edsa and Sining Killing), and Gasi, a veteran and komiks stalwart, 
• Guided visit and tour to the Komikero Komiks Museum through our shuttle service,
• Live komiks reading from Ardie Aquino and Macoy Tang, creators of School Run, and student creators from the Graphic Literature Guild,
• Komix making workshop with Adam David, Josel Nicolas, and Apol Sta Maria, and
• Kumusta Komiks? A Roundtable Forum featuring Danyel Maxin, Pilar Esber, Ched de Gala, Sherry Zamar, Hulyen, and Bambi Amago, and moderated by Ezjae Zemana
  

As part of our advocacy to promote Filipino komiks and foster a reading culture in the Southern Tagalog region, the Komiks Festival will put a spotlight on komiks creators and their new works. Some brand-new komiks that will be released at the event include:

* Preview of Untitled posthumous work by Gerry Alanguilan 

* Ang Ikatlong Hiwaga Komix by AGW Komix

* Carnal: Cristobal by Bambi Amago and Olan Amago

* Kaliskis chapter 1, Lihim issue 3 and 4, Abi Agham: Lost in Hateg Island, Ella Arcangel: Ang Hukay by  Julius Villanueva

* Zugbo by Adriel Perez (Kawangis Publishing)

* Palarong Bakal by Jan Michael Valenzuela (Point Zero Comics)

* The Girl who Smiles at Parties by Ched De Gala (Middle Kinder)

* Crossing by Lyle Belsonda

* Growing Pains 3 by Danyel Maxin

* Girabo by Francis Xavier Cruz and by Frannie Liza Cruz

* Atomos: Modern – The Gunless Agent Book 1 by Kapumax Omega, translated by Julius Sempio and the Atomos Publications Team

*AEON: Cruel Caffe by Kannah Kisaragi

We value komiks and want to see it featured outside of the usual convention hustle, and we want komiks creators to reconnect with both the history and the possible future of the medium. Our committee is composed of Komikon, Komiket, BLTX, and Elbikon veterans, and we are just as passionate komik creators ourselves. We recognize the problems of today’s market, and we want to start a dialogue with everyone: Kamusta ang Komiks?

For inquiries, contact us at our socials:
Facebook: facebook.com/sevenlakeskomiksfest
Instagram: instagram.com/sevenlakeskomiksfestival

See you there! – Rappler.com