C3Con Weekend
Welcome to the 2nd C3Con from Culture Crash Comics!
Over the weekend, I attended the 2nd Annual Comic, Anime and Gaming Convention, or C3Con. This event was organized by Culture Crash Comics (CCCom).
As in the year before, Vin got a booth for Comic Quest (which was smaller than last year’s and unfortunately had to be shared with 2Rats Anime) where we could display and sell our newest releases. I had Angel Ace NEXT, Carl had the Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah Compilation, the whole Questventures/Kestrelstudios gang had SIGLO:Freedom.
”Make her boobs bigger pa!
Elsewhere in the Megatrade Hall where the con was being held, other exhibitors included Psicom, which was releasing the graphic novels Cherry Blossom High and Mystic Machine Maharlika which Jason handled, Mango Comics, which was releasing Darna #3, Glasshouse Studios (which featured the ubiquitous T&A comics starring Jinky Coronado), Filbar’s, Comic Alley, Comic Sale Central, Anino Entertainment (which was showcasing of course their product, Anito, the first Philippine-produced mainstream PC RPG), Questor, Summit Media (which had just released Slam Dunk) and more.
I arrived at about 8:30 AM at Megamall. I wasn’t overly excited… I had to go with my sister’s driver to bring her son to school, and it turned out that traffic was so light that time, we had time to burn. So I had breakfast at McDo with the driver, showing off SIGLO to him (which he found nice). At the crack of 9AM, we lugged the box of Angel Ace issues I brought along to Comic Quest and that was the start of it all.
I had an exhibitor’s pass, which allowed me to go in and out as I pleased. This I did again and again, going up and down from CQ to the Trade Hall. As in the year before, things were pretty hectic. I set up artworks and posters, put in the rack with the comics, prepared drawing materials and then waited for the Deluge.
A large crowd had already appeared outside the Hall, forming into a line that snaked and slithered around the fifth floor. There were cosplayers among them, obviously from the odd oversized weapon or colored hair they sported. Most though were just otaku, or anime fans, who came to see what was on offer.
At about 11AM, they opened the floodgates and in the crowds went.
On Offer
The highlights of the Con included several competitions; Best Independent Comic Book, Best Short Films, Best Choreographed Fight Scenes and Best Cosplay. Probably a third of the whole event was dominated by Ragnarok Online, the MMORPG that has taken the region by storm. Aside from having a large area devoted to showing off the new Comodo Island expansion, there were specialized Ragnarok cosplayers and a gaming area where you could get free CDs.
From Diamonds in the Rough to Total Crap
Indie Comics have, in my opinion, never had a venue before like this. The Xeroxed/photocopied publications where all gathered in one area, laid out like a buffet. There were the usual manga-inspired titles, a rash of Satanist-books (which is really not my thing), some standouts using Pinoy-style art, and some titles which refuse to be categorized; the foremost of which was Nardong Tae, which is about a guy who transforms into living, walking crap. More on that later.
Anyway, the indie comic guys and gals were pretty forward in selling, almost as persistent as fake DVD sellers. It was something perhaps we could learn from. Heh.
Lights, camera, FIGHT!
There were some early disappointments though. I was actually looking forward to seeing entries for the fight scenes and short film competitions, but the large crowds just made watching a hit and miss affair. The short films were shown seemingly in random times and venues. In the end, the fight scene contest was boring, while the best short films included a Matrix film, pinoy-style, and a film by alternative filmmaker Topel Lee.
As I walked around I made it a point to get copies of the indie comics that caught my eye. I also went to get the usual suspects of local publishing: Questor, the two Psicom releases, Darna 3 and a copy of Culture Crash 13. Unfortunately, in perhaps the most infuriating event of the weekend, Cherry Blossom High turned out to have a massive pagination error (and in MY story no less) and overall had shoddy printing and production. DAMN!!!
Welcome to the 2nd C3Con from Culture Crash Comics!
Over the weekend, I attended the 2nd Annual Comic, Anime and Gaming Convention, or C3Con. This event was organized by Culture Crash Comics (CCCom).
As in the year before, Vin got a booth for Comic Quest (which was smaller than last year’s and unfortunately had to be shared with 2Rats Anime) where we could display and sell our newest releases. I had Angel Ace NEXT, Carl had the Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah Compilation, the whole Questventures/Kestrelstudios gang had SIGLO:Freedom.
”Make her boobs bigger pa!
Elsewhere in the Megatrade Hall where the con was being held, other exhibitors included Psicom, which was releasing the graphic novels Cherry Blossom High and Mystic Machine Maharlika which Jason handled, Mango Comics, which was releasing Darna #3, Glasshouse Studios (which featured the ubiquitous T&A comics starring Jinky Coronado), Filbar’s, Comic Alley, Comic Sale Central, Anino Entertainment (which was showcasing of course their product, Anito, the first Philippine-produced mainstream PC RPG), Questor, Summit Media (which had just released Slam Dunk) and more.
I arrived at about 8:30 AM at Megamall. I wasn’t overly excited… I had to go with my sister’s driver to bring her son to school, and it turned out that traffic was so light that time, we had time to burn. So I had breakfast at McDo with the driver, showing off SIGLO to him (which he found nice). At the crack of 9AM, we lugged the box of Angel Ace issues I brought along to Comic Quest and that was the start of it all.
I had an exhibitor’s pass, which allowed me to go in and out as I pleased. This I did again and again, going up and down from CQ to the Trade Hall. As in the year before, things were pretty hectic. I set up artworks and posters, put in the rack with the comics, prepared drawing materials and then waited for the Deluge.
A large crowd had already appeared outside the Hall, forming into a line that snaked and slithered around the fifth floor. There were cosplayers among them, obviously from the odd oversized weapon or colored hair they sported. Most though were just otaku, or anime fans, who came to see what was on offer.
At about 11AM, they opened the floodgates and in the crowds went.
On Offer
The highlights of the Con included several competitions; Best Independent Comic Book, Best Short Films, Best Choreographed Fight Scenes and Best Cosplay. Probably a third of the whole event was dominated by Ragnarok Online, the MMORPG that has taken the region by storm. Aside from having a large area devoted to showing off the new Comodo Island expansion, there were specialized Ragnarok cosplayers and a gaming area where you could get free CDs.
From Diamonds in the Rough to Total Crap
Indie Comics have, in my opinion, never had a venue before like this. The Xeroxed/photocopied publications where all gathered in one area, laid out like a buffet. There were the usual manga-inspired titles, a rash of Satanist-books (which is really not my thing), some standouts using Pinoy-style art, and some titles which refuse to be categorized; the foremost of which was Nardong Tae, which is about a guy who transforms into living, walking crap. More on that later.
Anyway, the indie comic guys and gals were pretty forward in selling, almost as persistent as fake DVD sellers. It was something perhaps we could learn from. Heh.
Lights, camera, FIGHT!
There were some early disappointments though. I was actually looking forward to seeing entries for the fight scenes and short film competitions, but the large crowds just made watching a hit and miss affair. The short films were shown seemingly in random times and venues. In the end, the fight scene contest was boring, while the best short films included a Matrix film, pinoy-style, and a film by alternative filmmaker Topel Lee.
As I walked around I made it a point to get copies of the indie comics that caught my eye. I also went to get the usual suspects of local publishing: Questor, the two Psicom releases, Darna 3 and a copy of Culture Crash 13. Unfortunately, in perhaps the most infuriating event of the weekend, Cherry Blossom High turned out to have a massive pagination error (and in MY story no less) and overall had shoddy printing and production. DAMN!!!
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