Summer is here and you know what that means! It’s time for the annual Summer Komikon at UP! Dubbed Summer Komikon de Avance, this year’s Summer Komikon will be held at the UP Bahay ng Alumni on April 17, 2010. The con will be between 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Entrance fee is Php 50.00. Fun activities include a comic cover recreation contest and a comic creation contest.

This comic convention holds a very special place in my heart because last year’s Summer Komikon was the first comic convention I ever went to. I got some really nice titles last year so thinking about what gems I might uncover this year  gets me so excited!

So mark your calendars! Kita-kits at the Summer Komikon de Avance!

For more information about the Summer Komikon, you may visit their website http://www.komikon.org/.

2009 was a busy year for comic book enthusiasts and toy collectors. as events targeted towards them were spread throughout the past year. The 4th Annual Toys and Collectibles Christmas Fair was the last fair/convention of the past year that I went to.

The Annual Toys and Collectibles Christmas Fair, which marked it’s fourth year, was held last December at SM Megamall and ran from the 16th to the 22nd. I was happy to learn that the entrance fee was more inexpensive than the previous conventions– Php 30 pesos as opposed to Php 100 pesos.

I only went twice– first on the first day and then on the 20th, when they held a cosplay fashion show. I didn’t get to take photos of the cosplay fashion show because I had….technical difficulties… with my camera. I blame Mercury in retrograde. Koyah and J though, my companions at the cosplay show, were able to take some snap shots.

I have to say though that I was a bit disappointed because there wasn’t much to see— the convention only occupied a small area, and there wasn’t as much merchandise as I expected. Maybe I expected it to be on a grander scale, which probably made for the minor feeling of disappointment. But that all changed, of course, when I saw the boxes of comic books!

As I mentioned in an earlier post, the only reason I wanted to go to this convention was to buy comic books. And buy comics I did! Armed with my little list of titles I was looking for, I raided those boxes like crazy! I rummaged through boxes and stacks just to find what I was looking for. All the comics being sold at the fair were back issues, with some dating to 2008 and as far back to the 70′s. Prices ranged between Php 20 pesos up to thousands– some were sets, while some were single issues.

Ofcourse the first boxes I rummaged through were the discount bins, which contained the 20 and 50-peso books. That was where I picked up some of my purchases. There was another stall there that sold comics for Php 25 pesos. That was where I got some of my comics like Storm #1.

Out of the comic books I picked up, only 2 were on my list: Ororo #4 and Uncanny X-men # 321. I picked up issue #1 of Ororo at a Php 20-peso bin at a comic book shop. If it’s isn’t evident by now–yes I love going through sale bins. But that’s a different post altogether.

Uncanny X-men #321 is the third installment to the 4-part X-over “Legion Quest”. I already have parts one and two, so gettign that third one makes me one issue short of a complete story. I got it for Php 50 pesos from Chubi Del Rosario’s booth. Remember him? Late 90′s-early 2000′s teeny bopper actor who used to be anne curtis’s love team partner? yeah him. Thank you, Chubi!

I also picked some new titles like issue #2 of the House of M miniseries, which I’ve always wanted to read ever since I got back into comic books; Hellions, another 4-part miniseries; an issue of Dazzler with a painted cover.I remember having this particular issue in the past, something I found (surprise, surprise) in a sale bin in an old, decrepit comic book store in Virra Mall when I was a kid. I also picked up issue #3 of Phoenix: Warsong as well as a cloak and Dagger #1, a New Mutants special, and a Preview Comic by Virgin Comics.

Over all, while I may have had a disappointment or two, it still turned out okay. Here’s hoping that the next one would be a bigger and better one.

So the first order of the day was to look for the box. Lucky for me when I entered the venue, an opportunity to hit 2 birds with one stone presented itself. Right smack when I entered was the booth of Comic Odyssey with their boxes of comic books all priced at Php 20 pesos!

It took me a while to actually get to the comics because there were so many people surrounding the booth, scouring boxes upon boxes of those comic books being sold so cheaply! I eventually did manage to wrangle my way to the front ( after waiting patiently for my turn, of course) so that I may take my turn in going through the boxes.

As I was going through the boxes, I asked the lady owner ( I forgot to ask her name) if they had storage boxes for sale. Unfortunately, they didn’t have any. But the kind soul that she was, she told me where I could buy since they don’t currently sell them at any of their shops.

But! Luck was on my side! I found issues 2 and 4 of Cursed, a comic I picked up at the Free Comic Book Day event.  I also picked up an X-men Vol 2 Issue 2! I’ve been wanting to get my hands on it for years and finally I have it. And at Php 20 pesos each, I sure got lucky!

I moved on to Hobby Point’s booth which is just on the right side of Comic Odyssey’s booth were I picked a WildCATS Vol 1 Issue 2 for Php 100 pesos- still quite inexpensive because the last time I saw one, it was being sold at Php 200 pesos. It made me one comic book closer to completing the Jim Lee mini-series.I already have issue 4, and I know I have issue 1 somewhere in the house so all I need is issue number 3.

I went around the venue countless times, going though boxes and stacks of comics and books. I managed to pick up some locally made comic books. I bought my very first Mangaholix comic book at the Mangaholix booth. I bought issue 1 for only Php 40 pesos and it also came with a free sketch! The artists at the booth were very accommodating when I requested for a sketch of a particular character. I have read it from cover to cover and I  enjoyed reading the stories. And the art was amazing! I’m going to get the other issues next chance I get.

I also got the Kubori Kikiam book “Kubori Strips For The Soul”! It’s been so long since I have read a Kubori Kikiam comic! I last saw the strip a few years ago when Culture Crash published it’s last issue. The artist, David, was kind enough to sign it for me and even pose for a photo.

The book is a compilation of Kubori Kikiam strips from kuborikikiam.com and was sold for Php 80 pesos. I’ve finished reading the book and I have to say it was such a hoot!

Going around, I also picked up two titles from independent publishers. Gerilya Komiks  and Aswang Files: Declassified. Gerilya Komiks is published by Saging Komiks.

I got all three issues in the series. Each issue contained 3 stories. Each issue was sold for only Php 15 pesos!

Another indie title I picked up was issue 1 of Aswang Files: Declassified. It was Komikon 2006′s winner of the Best Indie award!

The comic book was sold for Php 50 pesos and came with a short novel titled ” Pare I love You.” The artists say the next issue will debut at the next comic con later this year.

I also had an artist do a sketch of myself. Actually I walked away with 2 sketches since another artist joined in and started to sketch me as well. The sketches had no set price. There was just a tip box on their table where satisfied “models” could place any amount.

After a snack and one more round of going around the venue, I left the Summer Komikon. While I may not have fully accomplished goal number 1, I did accomplish goals 2 and 3, with a few more kicks thrown in. I went home tired, but truly satisfied with my first Komikon experience! I can’t wait for the next one!

Comic Odyssey’s celebration of Free Comic Book Day May 2nd was a success! Droves of comic book fans and collectors turned up and joined the celebration of this world wide event.

The store started giving out the free comics at exactly 12 noon, at which time a line outside has already formed. The line was long enough that it even reached the newly opened Saizen store down the hall!

The front of the store was packed with people who surrounded the tables set -up for the guest artists who posed, signed autographs, and did sketches.

Each guest was allowed to choose 3 comics of their choice from the selection of free comics they had laid out. Those who wanted to get in-line to get the free comics was given a stub that had a number on it. This stub had to be presented at the store entrance before you are allowed to go in. This stub also served as a raffle ticket.

At every half-hour, the organizers randomly drew stub numbers and gave out comic books and trade paperbacks as prizes. Unfortunately, I didn’t bring home any special prize, but I did bring home these free comics:

It truly was an exciting experience for me. Thank you Comic Odyssey for bringing this to Manila. I can’t wait for the next one! Which by the way, isn’t too far from now, since in two weeks time fully booked will be holding it’s Free Comic Book Day celebration!