Rare Periodicals

The Illustrated Press

Media

Part of The Illustrated Press

Title

The Illustrated Press

Description

Official organ of the Kapisanan ng mga publisita at mga patnugot ng mga Komiks-Magasin sa Pilipino

Issue Date

Volume I (Issue No. 1) November 1977

Publisher

Kapisanan ng mga Publisita at mga Patnugot ng mga Komiks-Magasin sa Pilipino

Year

1977

Language

English

Rights

Place of publication

Manila

extracted text

Why a KPPKP? Official Organ of the Kapisanan ng mga Publisista at mga Patnugot ng mga Komiks-Magasin sa Pilipino VOL. I N0.1 MANILA, PHILIPPINES NOVEMBER 1977 Striving for relevance KPPKP MEMBERS DURING A MEETING A tall orda. bur i111111ity, it can be done. Illustrated magazines l •n t. he Ne · W Soc·iety rh'"'';''""'"'m,.P,b];,;,.,"m''""""'°'"'m''"omil<•· The most striking feature of present-day local komiks-magazines, compared to those before martial Jaw, is the inclusion of information and educational materialS in their otherwise all-illustrated contents. Going through the pages of any issue, the reader will find a(ticles on this and that government project, write-ups on Hi.is and that social 'amelioration campaign, and tips on family planning, proper nutrition, ree planting and the like. Much of the tredit for this elcome change from their purely ntertainment orientation is due e komiks-magazine publishers and di!ors. Where before they gave the aders what they wanted, now they so give the readers what they need make them better and more With the Commiuion on Population and the Communications Foundation for Asia, the KPPKP sponsored recently. a novelette contest on responsible parenthood. Some ten illustrated magazines took part. The contest was designed to boost and promote the family planning program. The winning writers a:nd illustrators were awarded cash prizes and plaques. The Commission on Population will reprint the winning entries; and one of the entries will be made into a 30-minute movie feature by the National Media Production Center. The reprints and the motion picture Why the 'Illustrated Press '? The press is made up of newspapers and periodicals whose function is to inform and entertain. Our komiks-magarines now con· stitute a significant sector of the Philippine press. And what distinguishes them is their illustrations. This is their unique characteristic which sets them apart from other printed media. Thus, the name - the illustrated press. There was a time when the komiks-magazines were meant only to entertain. That was long years ago. Since then, they have slowly evolved into '?ffective vehicles of information and education, especially for people in the rural areas. This growing emphasis on the infomiation function became more (1'1£1ue lurn lo puge 6) ASIONG AKSA YA IN KPPKP MEMBERS' PUBLICATIONS Also proper nutrition, social security, ecology, agrarian refonn, family planning and infom111tio11 011 labor relations. I ~KPisalwhrlP.'""'he.... - ;-'L•~vr:., ....-~i:- • komiks·magazine for every publisher-member carries the "Pitak Manggagawa", a regular questionand-answer column prepared by the Institute of Labor and Manpower Servicesofthe DOL. Several illustrated magazines regularly carry information bulletins about the Social Security System for the benefit of SSS members. One of the magazines publishes a regular one-frame cart Cl on that keeps the public inforn1ed about SSS rules and regulations. The First Lady's nutrition program is also earnestly supported by the illustrated magazines. Posters and articles on proper nutrition prepared by the Nutrition Communications Office of the National Media Magasin sa Pilipino (KPPKP) was formed in 1972, a few months after martial law was proclaimed. Production Center are given the It is not a new group. Or a new idea. As early as the mid-SOs, komikswidest exposure. So arc the infor- magazine publishers had already organized themselves into a self-regulating mat ion news items on agrarian body. It was known as the Association of Publishers and Editors of Philiprcform, aJso coming trom the pine Comics-Magazines - or APEPCOM. NMPC's Agrarian Reform Commu- Th.e APEPCOM was led by writer-cartoonist-publisher Tony Velasquez., nication Unit. then later by the late writer-critic Clodualdo de! Mundo. Under their These· infom1ation and educa~;~.~~~ipt:h:u~~s~~~~~i~e~~:rs~~:.e"~:!d~~sC~d;~odu~sec~:~~~~:: tional materials are in addition to some magazin~s to counteract the "bomba comics" which were then fast the artides from the Burt:au of gaining ground and polluting the minds of the young. National and Foreign Information Proclamation 1081 turned the tide in favor of the legitimate pubregulacly released for publication to lishers and saved the komiks-magazine industry from collapse. the illustrated m:igazincs. Dealing APEPCOM was resurrected, but this time, imbued with the spirit of on vital government projects and intense nationalism pervading the New Society, the members opted for a programs, these BNFI releases enjoy Pilipino name. They agreed that publishers of the illustrated magazines effective ex.posure and pene1ration should unite - in competition - to maximize their. participation in the in the rural areas through the illus- herculean task of restructuring Philippine society. !rated magatines. As a result, the Kapisanan broadened the scope of the defunct> ko!es-~~=:!i~: ~~~t~~~~n~J ~r~;~~u,;) .. ~~ld:;o~~~e.;~ A:~: ~~eo~~:Cs~~~J:b;!~~~ ~~;~:r:J to government materials. Several veyors of clean, wholesome entertainment, but also credible and effectiv magaz.ines continul' to solicit and disseminators of relevant information. accept material•~, n: ~"'-tributors. It i~ a linlr known fact that the first group in mass media to organiz They ar · u widen the dLJrm~ '1' 1rti.!f w were t'1r i, ._ ;>;i"; ·• ·~ ~- ,PVOrlant to }us eve.y day life. Or to "Golden Code" as modd for wean him a'>l.ay from age-old super- media. stitions, replaring them with new Now in its fifth year, the KPPKP is ever vigilant in seeing to it tha ideas and new values. their publications are not oni}r entertaining but also relevant to the aims Komiks-mag:izines are now faced and o~jt~~~~~i°:r~~~.~~~ j~o~~~~~-the members believe it can be done.• with the task of entertaining their readers, as well as informing and educating them at the same time. Considering that they are read main1 y for en tertainment, komiks· magaz.ines expect from readers a certain amount of resistance to nonentertalnment features. The KPPKP publisher-members are det,ennined, however, to mah their publications relevant to the challenge of change. If they can do this, the illustrated magazines can claim their rightful place in the new social order. e Illustrated media regulates itself Komiks bridging 7,000 islands From Batanes in the North to J olo in the South, komiks-magaz.incs are read by more Filipinos than any other printed medium. Changing images of heroes in local comics Some 44 diffe rent komiksmagazines being published by l 2 KPPKP member-publishers are monitored weekly . by a media evaluator e mployed by the Kapisanan. · The evaluator reads each issue from cover to cover to search for even the most minor infraction of the KPPKP guidelines. She evaluates the contents, placing special emphasis on the values projected by the stories. It is not surprising. Some two million copies o_f 44 titles, by 12 publishers, are sold every week. They are dispatched by van, bus and train in Luzon and by ship and plane to Visayas and Mindanao, where readers of all ages await the next installment of their favorite komiks ~ c rips. by Karina Constantino-David The heroes and heroines of comic short stories after the declaration of Martial Law are not confined to the ranks of the masses. Although the common tao continuously dominates the· scene for heroism, the rich man now emerges as a hero from his previous role as villain. AJso, the underlying conflict between classes does not appear. The dominant preoccupation of the common man is still the pro blew of survival and escape from poverty. However, poverty is no longer portrayed as oppressive; now a justification or rationalization for the existence in the midst of ppverty is possible and the poor are Just as blessed as the rich. The scene of success also shifts from the city to the barrio. The cry is for a return to a peaceful barrio life. Very much in line with the Green Revolution program, the return to an agricultural community is portrayed as the solution to poverty. L GettiogAhood a) As viewed by hemes of the bani.a. The concept of the city as the scene, of wealth and opportunity still remains. However, much more emphasis is given to the barrio as the new hope of the poor. Compared to pre-Martial Law stories, city life is presented in a negative way as a technique of showing the advantages 01 the barrio. Stories like '"Ang Maabilidad at ang Matalino" show the hero, mesmerized by the glitter of city life, getting trapped by its (Plea8e fllrn lo page 6) The report of the evaluator is then forwarded to the Committee of Publishers of the KPPKP. Chaired by the Kapisanan president, the Committee studies the findings of the evaluator .during its regular monthly meetings. Infractions of the guidelines arc classified as minor, grave, very grave and extremely grave. The infractions are dealt with by the Committee only after the offending party has given his side. Fo~ the first violation of any given section of the guidelines, a minor infraction gets a warning from the Committee. A fine of PSO is slapped on the offender for a grave violation, t"IOO for a very grave violation, and P 500 if the infraction is considered extremely grave. ( Pkme turn 10 page 7) They arc farmers, farm laborers, fishermen, miners, factory and office workers, government employees, proprietors, and people of every occupation and profession, including housewives and students. They arc the nation's mass elite, gainfully employed, \iterate and intelligent. Mass Audirnce An accurate count of their number isdifficult,butacalculation can be made based on the actual circul•tion figures- of all the komiksmagazines. It is thus eJtim3ted and assumed that there are,six readers for every copy bought. Two million (Plerue lurn IQ pµge 3), ~~'KOMIKEROS" 1-The man who started it all by Efren R. Abueg ANTONIO S. VELASQUEZ Tony and Kenkoy When he "retired" a few years way put out a cartoon. Velasquez ago, he did not fade away as old would do the graphics and he would soldiers do. He merely stepped to furnish the humor. the sideline, still writing with the The partnenhip clicked but it 'SSllle vigor and zest his favorite did not last long due to the untimely ready to assimilate subjects and characters that were never touched upon before. WORLD WAR II apparently aborted the transformation of the "strip" to the komiks we know of today. Japanese military authorities shut down all publications except the few which became their mouthpiece. Tony, an advertising illustrator in the Graphic, lost his job and tried to suivive the war by taking odd jobs. In 1945 after the war, Tony put up an advertising agency of his own, The Velasquez Advertising Agency was the first to enter the fitld. But he soon gave up the agency. Don Ramon Roces offered Tony to edit a komiks-magazine entirely illustra· ted and containing not just humor but adventure, detective _and drama serials. The challenge was too tempting to tum down. Tony again joined Don Ramon and organized Ace Publications. The first issue of Pilipino Komiks came out in June, 1947. The initial print order was 10,000 copies forthnightly. The issue contained, among others, Francisco Coching's "Bertong Balutan", DamyVelasquez' "DI 13" (a detective thriller) and "Princesa Urduja" by Vicente Manansala. Among the pioneers were illustrators, aside from Coching and Manansala, Jesse Santos and Fred Carrillo, and cartoonists Larry A1cala, J. Zabala Santos and Deo GonzaJes. komiks characters a6d subjects. death of Ramos. Velasquez did the The fully illustrated magazine Even if he chooses to stop com- strip solo. was a hit. ~Jte r a year, cash d.ivipletely from indulging in his art "Mga Kabulastugan ni Kenkoy'', dends were distributed to its stock· fonn, he will always be remembered. a four· frame comic strip, was born. holders. Three other komiks·magaFor Antonio S. Velasquez is more Its main character was a typical zincs were subsequently put up; than a cartoonist-writer. He is an ukelele-wielding teenager of the Tagalog KJasiks (1949), Hiwaga institution. period in London·style, balloon Komiks (1950) and Espesyal 'theT;1~'l~:: ;~~o;u~:~~~' ~~~s: ri~:~~y~:d~~.plt~:o: ~:u;:~ ~e~~~ (::~~· :a~;;stl~~~fill~~ ~ he i~ <'ondly calle~,saw the ~hi:_no- half a page or six fo•rnP<-,_~ot long and forget "the horrible .nightmare" --~•~•~ :.~~~~ ~e c'!t!" ~~;~~~~~v'"dii~;a;"'~~~ _fil_~~.t:;~::v~~:~~~ th~ onfy towitr} ~~ma ..:m .. ~1H.l.:>n of only Composer Nicanor Abelardo was person responsible for the pheno10,000 copies forthnightly in 1947, impressed too. With notes drawn menal growth ofkomiks-magazines. they have gro~ to th~ir present by Velasquez himself and the lyrics Ciodualdo del Mundo, a critic an~ peak of two million c~p1es weekJy written by Jose Corazon de Jesus, editor, had his share of glory. L1And they are still gro~g. . Abelardo popularized a musical wayway gave its readers adventure, Much of the prestige and quahty composition the "Kenlcoy Blues". mystery and drama and paved the of their technology and techniques, Young peo~le went a-aazy for way for the acceptance of komiks can be traced to these two m~n. Kenkoy. They imitated his Valen· as popular readipg material for the Don Ramon wasthevisionary.~~ny, tino hair, high-waisted trousen, masses. Mars Ravelo, too, of"Rita" was ~e transformer of that v1S1on swashbuckling posture and "barn- fame became one of the best koto reality. boo English." miles writers. suc~s~i;ul ~~:b~:ti~~~s~ags:. .Decades later someone would wi~o: :u~~t~:~~n~~~s~v~~ zincs which started ou~ as a much :~~% i~~~~er~ ~:~~:.Sec~1~!~ felt a sense of responsibility to the ~=::~~: h::v~vc~:::te~e1%:~~ ~ "K~n~y" · ~his d~au~tm~s}\~? ~o=~ :a:C:th:ri~i~~~~~a]:; ~~ into a big industry employing the :::it 0/~:t =~~Id o~ev~~ulle~~ industry, he organized the Associa· talents and c~aftsm.anship ~f hun- "Kenlcoy" and his family, his neigh- tion of Publishers and Editors of dreds .o! creative wnters, artists and hors and sweethearts were all mirror Philippine Comics Magazine (APEPtechnic1ans. of the manners and morals of a COM) to promote the moral welfare In fact, the komiks-mag~es time completely gone by. of the komiks-reading public by has beco~e a force ~or good m ~e Tony soon picked out among publishing only "clean, wholesome, community and.nation~ helpmg Kenkoy's friends and sweethearts a entertainingandeducationalstrips." the gove~m~nt Ill s.prcadmg to ~e typical outgoing woman of the time, The members of the Association count!Ys1de its projects on farriily and created another comic strip, practiced not only self-censorship pl~g, water and ene.rgy conser· "Ponyang Halubaybay". Ponyang but also exchange censoroJtip-an v.ation, vegetable garderung and .the was the complete opposite of Ro- arrangement whereby a komiks like. sing, a Maria Clara-type woman publication called the attention of Tony began his career as a 17- whom Kenkoy was so much in love another publication for infractions year old employee of Banaag Press with and hell-bent in winning. His of the rules and guidelines of the (located then at Commandante St., colleagues would also be bitten by APEPCOM. Sta. Cruz, Manila). He was later the comic strip bug. Juan M.IPerez hired as an advertising illustrator of created "Pam boy at Osang" and In 1952, Tony organized Graphic ~:;;:y !1as 1~~kP1~Yves~:~;!~ "Huwapelo Akong". ~:~ Se~::k!:~g~~~ o~~!:: Reyes of "Walang Sugai" fame. It is interesting to note that dur- Holiday, Pioneer and Pinoy, and a It was at this time that Tony ing this lime, Pedrito Reyes, son of movie magazine, Kislap. All these completed with honors a course in Don Severino Reyes, together with magazines are now household names advertising layout techniques with artist Francisco Reyes, serialized a in the country. the Federal School of Arts, a U.S. full·length illustrated adventure Tony can rest on his laurels and correspondence school. However, story entitled "Kulafu", a local retire secure in the knowledge that a caree1 in advertising was not Tarzan. Francisco V. Caching he has contributed much to estabdestined to be his lifetime calling. followed suit by creating "Marabini" lishing an institution. And yet he In the late tw.enties, periodicals and "Hagibis" which he himself continues to work. were still characte'rized by patriotic illustrated. This time, however, he has no writing and heavy "romanticizing." The "strip" had thus taken on a deadline to beat, no noor printing Romualdo Ramos, advertising new Conn and content. From pure to worry about and no slow-poke translator of LiWayway, thought it humor it turned to adventure; from illustrators to conteud with. Though a good idea if the magazine could a one-page, one-sequence strip com- his friends and associat~s miss him, help make people laugh. Besides, it plete in an issue, it became a two- his achievement will live on-like the could be a circulation booster. He page serialization. "Komiks" as it komiks which alway~ will be among suggested to the editors that Liway- will be popularly called later was us. e "Paano ba ginagawa ang komiks?" DERE~suow ART and technology go hand in hand in producing a komiks· magazine. The practitioners of the art - writers and illustraton - are a distinct breed; Products of the school of hard knocks, they ue keenly observant and extraordinarily imaginative. Komiks-magazine writers rely much on the encyclopedia and other infonnation sources for story materials. It ·is not surprising that ·not a few writers are as much at home with dq,wn-to.euth subjects as with out-of-this-world themes. · Our top-ranking illustrators can compare with the best in the world. Many. pioneer komiks-magazine il· Iustrators - Redondo, Alcala, Carrillo, Santos, to name a few - now work for leading comic-book publishen in the United States and Europe. They offer stiff competition to foreign illustraton. This is surprising, considering that most illustrators seldom had fonnal schooling in commercial arts. Most komiks-magazines are printed by offset presses that are capab),e of four-color impressions in a single run. Sophisticated electronic machines d.o the colorseparation • work for the covers, mostly with movie stars as subjects. Highly skilled craftsmen take over from the electronic gadgets for the conventional four-color processing oflinedrawing. On this page, The mustn1lted Prem presents a photo essay on how a komiks-magazine is produced. The srory line is "conc'ei;ed ~ h~ched in· the imaginati~n o the writer. Hazy at first, it gradually talces form as the experienced writer produces frame after frame of the story on his typewriter. The komiks script is copyread by the editor, ever mindful of the KPPKP guidelines and the competition. The story must not only be entertaining but also relevant to the times we live in. In some Cases, editor and writer collaborate on the story line for nobelas, in the belief (and rightly so) that two heads are better than one. The edited script goes to the illustrators for the art work. Using ink and brush, the artist translates into line drawings the ideas of the scriptwriter. Veteran illustrators can speedily inter· pret the script into drawings using only the captions (or narra· tioris) and dialogues. But writers usually give illustration guides or instructions for the benefit of the less experienced. The text for the captions and dialogues are hand-printed on the original by the lettering-artist. The original then goes to the proofreader who checks typographical errors, and afterwards to the retoucher for the finishing touches. Then, back again to the editor for the final once-over. The camera-ready "material goes to the printer where the originals, measuring 10" x 16", are reduced by the earner& to komikssized negatives. IBM-typeset text of articles pasted 01. lay-out sheets and accompanying photographs also go through the same procedure. The flats end up in the plate-making seCtion, .where skilled technicia~ transfer the negative prints into positives on aluminum plates, again through the magic of the printing press can1era and chemicals. The aluminum plates are wrapped around the plate cylinders for the actual press run. Komiks-magazines are printed by modem offset presses, as the one pictured here, which are capable of four-color impressions in a single run at 18,000 impressions an hour. The negatives go to the stripping department. Here they are laid The printed pages come out of the press already folded. They out in flats. Against the lights under the stripping table glass, :ue fed into an automatic stitching machine with a three-blade the stripper deftly cuts through the golden rod to apply this and trimmer. Printers have to use high-speed modem presses to that type of screen for the desired colors, or carefully erases un- produce a combined circulation of some 2,000,000 copies wanted lines or retouches imperfectly reproduced letters and weekly. images. KOMIKS BRIDGING (From Pagel) copies multiplied by six readers give 12 million Filipinos, who read komiks-magazines regularly. The number is really much more if those who borrow or rent their copy are counted. They will bring the total up to 16 million readers. Compared to the population of 44 million, 16 million readers represent a diffusion rate of I to 4. That puts the komiks-magazine in the category of a truly mass medium. Readership Profile A recent survey reveals some startling facts about the komiksmagazine reader. He is an adult, married, with a high school or college education. And he is more than not a female, which means there are more female than male readen. This is because housewives who hold the purse and decide what to huy for the family make up 173 of the readership. U£estyleofReaders It is not true, then, that komiksmagazines are read only by children and teenagers. Out of every 100 readers interviewed by the survey, only 40 are 19 years of age or below; 60are aduils. The survey also shows that they belong to socio-economic classes that follow closely the class segment· ation of the population. This is visually described by a pyramid, where 4% are found in AB Homes at the apex of the pyramid, followed by C Homes and D Homes with 38% and 41 % respectively, and finally the E Homes witti 173 forming the base of the pyramid. As to the lifestyle of komiksmagazine readers, it has been found that 54% rent or lease their dwelling places, 40% own their homes, 79% have radios, 64% have TV sets,47% have refrigerators and 13% own cars or jeeps. While komiks-magazine readers are not affluent, they spend P I. 7 million weekly or P88.4 million a year on komiks-magazines. This is a worthwhile subject to look into by marketers interested in reaching the mass market. However, all these statistics and figures can be boiled down to one simple conclusion; that the komilcsmagazine is here to stay as part and" parcel of the Filipino home and family. R.easomforAppeal What are the reasons for the popu1ar appeal of the komilcs· magazine? First of all, it is cheap at 85 centavos a copy, cheaper than seeing a movie or buying a pack of ci· garettes. Secondly, it is visual and illustrated, easy to read and understand, even for those who have only a nodding acquaintance with the Filipino language. Third, it is in color and in a size handy to hold and convenient to read. Fourth, it is often times for most Filipinos, especially in the rural areas, the only source of entertainment. And of course, it is the easiest method of gaining knowledge and information about science, philosophy, sex, fashions or any new idea about modem life. The komiks-magazine is, more· over, a creatOr of advertising wants. It plants in the minds· of its readers new wants, new desires, new con· sumption requirements. The entire range of accessories and cosmetics, belts, bags and shoes are implanted in them. It stimulates mass consump· tion, arid, thereby, mass production and a yearning for a higher standard of living. Unifying Force Although it is true that the daily newspapers are the vehicles of news and information in the big cities and towns, they do not reach the large rural areas and barrios outside the poblaciones. Only the komiks· magazines do. Because they come out weekly, they have all the time to travel long distances .and reach every nook and comer of the countryside. In a nation such as the Philip· pines with diverse cultures and dif· ferent dialects, the komiks-magazine has served as the unifying force, the communication link, of the people in 7 ,000 islands. Their reading of the komiks-magazines has brought them to an awareness of a national identity through the enjoyment and KPPKP slates seminar A seminar-workshop aimed at making the illustrated magazine more relevant to the times has been agreed upon by the Publishers Com· mittee of the K.PPKP during one of its regular meetings. The seminar-workshop will be held early next year, Editor· members of the Kapisanan are expected. to participate. Resource persons shall come from the PCPM and government and academic sectors. Ravelo joins KPPKP Mars Ravelo, one of the Philip· pines renowned komiks-magazine novelists, recently joined thi: KPPKP in h.is capacity as publisher and editor of RAR Publications. Ravelo's company publishes the Weekly Bulaklak at Paroparo, Mars RaPelo Komiks·Magruin, Teenworld Magazine and Kampeon Komiks· Magasin. KPPKP Board of Directors Ramon R. Da~ilo Alfredo R. Guerrero R. R. M~rcelino Conrado Sabater Leticia M. Santiago Roman Sirilon Feli6dad B. Solle Officers R. R. Marcelino -· President Antonio S. Tenorio - Vice President Leticia M. Santiago - Treasurer Damion S. Velasquez - Secretary Felicidad B. Soller - Auditor appreciation of a common art form. New Role That is why government agencies now realize the importance of komiks-magazines as an effective medium for mass communication. Whether it is a national campaign for family planning or against pollution, the komiks·magazines are here to lend their support to inform and educate the people. It is for this reason that the komiks-magazines have since de· parted from the old form of pure komiks. Their illustrations are now decent and wholesome, and in their stories justice and good always emerge victorious in the end. But that is not all. There are now pages in every issue devoted to the latest news, edited and written in simple language, and to feature articles on how to plant corn or how to use fertilizer in a vegetable patch. A keen observer of the Philippine scene recently said, "Komiksmagazines are no.ionger funny." In a true sense, he is correct, for today the komiks-magaz.ines have assumed a new role, a new responsibility, by participating in the serious business of nation-building. • A new breed of illustrated magazines One lh.ing about our local illustrated magazines is that most of them have English titles: Pioneer, Holiday, Movie Specials, Modem Kayum:mggi, Love Story, Heart Throbs, Romantic and Superstar. Only a few have Pi\ipino titles: Hiwaga, Pilipino, Wakasan, Aliwan, Tagalog and Kidlat. Some titles have Spanish origin: Espesyal, Diamante. and Kampeon. One even sounds Frcnchy: 'Lam or. But all of them have something in common - besides the fact that they are all illustrated - they strive to communicate in a clear, simple and direct way, using whichever language is more understood by the readers. That is why we encounter now and then English words in the novels and short stories, especially in the feature articles about motion pictures and movie stars. Long before our educational system began using two languages in schools, our magazines were already using English and Spanish in their-text. As a mattci' of fact, Kenkoy, the first comic strip c'.1aracter, uses "bay gali'' (by golly) as his favorite expression. The titles of the first l.;omiks· magazines, however, were in~Pilipino (or Tagalog, if you please): Pilipino Komiks, TagalogKlasiks and Hiwaga Komiks. But publishers in their HINDI AKO TAKOT MAKASAMA SA PELllULA SI BEii/i/ii. ,,,-Rudy desire to reach and attract more readers, started using English titles which could be understood (and remembered) easily in the nonTagalog regions. Hence, the titles like Superstar, Holiday, Short Stories, Lovclifc,etc. The English titles and bilingualism, lwwever, do not detract from the nationalist character of the magazines, Most of their storylincs are about the Filipino and his way of life. Even in Western-oriented themesorsituations(forexamplc,a serial featuring an astronaut) the hero is a Filipino. Un this spread, The Illustrated Press presents some titles ofK.PPKP publisher-members. We will feature the other titles in succeeding issues. ~ KOMIKS MAGASIN Clean, wholesome, challengingly stimulating. ~~·· ~Ii KAYUMAHGG/ WfEKlY KOMIKS MAGilrHf c:D SWEE'TllEARTS DAIRY Consistently dynamic movie articles and illustrated novels. Accentuates only the positive to help in the molding of character of the youths. Gives break to desen(ing new writers and illustrators. Directory of KPPKP members The Kapisanan ng mga Publisista at mga Patnugot ng mga Komiks· Magasin sa Pilipino IKPPKP) is composed of publishers and editors representing twelve publishing companies. The Illustrated Press is published monthly by the Kapisanan ng mga Publisista at mga Patnugot ng mga Komiks-M1g1sin sa Pilipino (KPPKPI witli editorial offices at 105 Don A. Roces Ave .. Quezon City. R.R. Marcelino, editor. · PCPM Certificate of Registration No. 967 ACE PUBLICATIONS, INCORPORATED, 105 Don A. Roces Avenue, Quezon City, Francisco C. Zamora, General Manager; Ramon A. Marcelino, Editor-in-Chief; Jose A. Martinez, Editor, Pogi Star Cinemagazine and Hapi-Hapi Weekly Komeex Magasin; Aino Fernan Silverio, Editor, Bandying Weekly Movie SJ)«ials. AFFILIATED PUBLICATIONS, INC., 28 Scout Reyes, Quezon City, Antonio S. Tenorio. Gener.al Manager and Editor·in-Chief;Jun L. Tolentino, Editor, United Superstories Weekly; Willie D. Valdez, Editor, Weekly Topstar Entenainment Magazine; Ricardo R. Poblete, Editor, Universal Komiks Magasin; Antonio S.-Tenorio, Managing Editor, Superstar Movie Entertainment Magasin; Ricardo R. Poblete, Editor, Pilipino Reporter Weekly. ADVENTURES ILLUSTRATED MAGAZINES, INC., 28 Scout Reves, Quezon City, Damian S. Velasciuez, Manager and Managing Editor, Love Story Illustrated Weekly Magazine. ATLAS PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC., 54 Don A. Roces Avenue, Quezon City, Ramon R. Davila, Executive Vice-President and General Manager; Pol Santos, Editor, TSS Komiks Weekly and Lingguhang Hiwaga Komiks Magasin; Ruben R. Marcelino, Editor, Lingguhang Darna Komiks; Ed C. Plaza, Editor, Tagalog Klasiks Weekly and Pilipino Komiks Weekly; Zoila T. Memises, Editor, Weekly Kidfat Superkomix and Lingguhang Espesyal Komiks. BADJAO PUBLICATIONS, 678 Sales St., Sta. Cruz, Manila, Rading Mina Sabater, Editor, Puro Wakas Komiks Magasin. EL DORADO PUBLISHING HOUSE,INC.,2131 Dr.Manuel Carreon St., Sta. Ana, Manila, Tito G. Sinco, Managing Editor; Rico Bello Omagap, Editor, Modern Kayumanggi Weekly Komiks and Love Wttkly Komiks Magasin. ENA PUBLISHING' HOUSE, 1817 Sisa St., Sampaloc, Manila, Manuel Luna, Editor i Exorcist and Teens Showbiz Entertainment Magasin; Dante Almario, Editor, Pilipino Weekly Entertainment Magasin. GRAPHIC ARTS SIERVICE, INC., 70 18th Ave.,· Murphy, Q. C., Alfredo A. Guerrero, Vice-President; C. P. Paguio, Editor-in.Chief; Joe Lad Santos, Editor, Pinoy Kfasii<s Weekly Magasin; Fernando A. Toquero, Editor, Holiday Komiks Magasin; D. G. Dumaraos, Editor, Aliwan Komiks Magssin; Pablo Reyna Libiran, Editor, Pinoy Komiks Magasin; J. Pepito Marquez, Editor, Teens Weekly Komiks Magasin; Geronimo A. Reyes, Editor, Pioneer Komiks Magasin. GMS PUBLISHING CORP., 69 P. Florentino St., Quezon City, Mrs. Leticia M. Santiago, Director; Lauro M. Nunag, Editor, Diamante Komiks Magasin; Rosita Sirilan, Editor, Ligaya Komiks Magasin; Ricardo M. de Luna, Editor, Short Stories Komiks, ·Lamar Komiks M11gasin, Sampaguita Komiks Magasin. MAPALAD PUBLISHING CORP., 1404 Espai'ia, Manila, Miss Eloisa Miranda, Director, Lauro M. Nunag, Editor, Sweetheart Komik! Magasin: Marty Gee Aragon, Edito'r, Wakasan Komiks Magasin. R. A. R. PUBLISHING HOUSE, 2214 Int. 5, Advincu1'aSt .. Hurison, Pasay City, Mars Ravelo, Publisher and Manajing Editor, Bulaklak Weekly Magasin; Weekly Kampeon Komiks; Weeki~· Mars Ravelo Komiks; Nene Riego, Senior Editor, Teen World Maqasin. SOLLER PRESS AND PUBLISHING HOUSE INC.,45 E.Jacinto;)t., E. Rodriguez Sr. Blvd., Quezon City, Januario A. Soller, Sr., Publisher, Franklin A. Cabaluna, Editor-in-Chief, lsagani A. Sarmie11to, Managing Editor, Wow Komiks-Magasin, Romantic Klasiks Magasin. Relevant entertainment through movie articles and illustrated novels. ,, -;QR? "Providing entertai_nment and education to a growing nation." ~~. Quality entertainment with its illustrated stories and serials and interesting movie articles. Publishes short stories and information materials. Retains coated paper cover to give readers their money's worth. What's in a namekomiks or illustrated magazine? Many people still think that our komiks-magazines are meant for children. They arc not. For who does not remember Mutt & Jeff, Popeye and Tarzan. Or Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck - their favorite comic strips when they were kids. Tltis perhaps explains why people - and they are not a few - expect the same humorous cartoon strips in our komiks-magazines. Instead, they find a different breed of characters. Creatures of pure fantasy such as Anak ni Zuma, Dama, Harimanok, Astrobal U.d Exorcia. And down-to-earth fiction personalities such as Bakekang, Batute and Dabiana. Our komiks·magazines are not really intended for children. They started off as a reading pleasure for adults, and they have remained so for the last three decades. Even Kenkoy, our first local cartoon strip, is a caricature of the young Filipino adult. And it was published as a regular feature in Liwayway, a magazine for the more mature Filipino audjence. When Pilipino Komiks came out in 1947, it became clear that our komiks-magazines wotild evolve dir· fercntly from the foreign comic books. The first issue carried Kenkoy as one of its main attractions. A1so Dl-13, a detective story, and Princess Urduja, a historical novel, Pilipino Komiks was an immediate success. And it spawned the first generation of komiksmagazines: Tagalog Klasiks in 1949, Hiwaga Komiks in 1950 and Espesyal tSomiks in 1952. Here, then, arc some or the differences between our . komiks· magazines and their foreigil counterparts. Foreign comic books usually serialize the exploits of a single hero. The entire issue is devoted to him. In fact, the comic books took on the name of their hero - such as Supennan Comics and Batman Comics. On the other hand, our komiks· magazines have no less than six to seven dirlCrcnt serials in a single issue, and each. serial has its owo storyline and hero. There is therefore no end to the storyline in foreign comic books. It is one continuing serialization of, say, Supennan or Captain Marvel, in issue after issue. This is not the case, however, with our komik.Smagazines. A story runs only for as many installments as will hold the interest of the readers. Sooner or later, the story will have to end, and an entirely new stury with a new hero will take its place. In other words, our komiks· magazines are nothing more than !iction or story magazines. The only difference is that in the komiksonagazines the characters are depicted and the storyline is unfolded in frameafterframeofillustrations. The komiks·magazines are in truth. compilations of stories in pictures or illustrated stories. And the magazines are really and truly illustrated fiction magazines. While a foreign comic book hero may have fantastic powers (Superman) or may wear a colorful costume (Batman), it is not always so with our local komiks hero. He may have superhuman powen; or he may be just the opposite - an ordinary human being with all his faults and shortcomings. Moreover, th.estoryline'inforeign comic books is frequently limited to crime and violence. In our komiks-magazines, the {'lot is the whole range of human experience. Very often, the foreign comic books play up fantastic adventures in the realm of futuristic science and technology. Our komiksmagazines, however, draw the in· spiration of their stories from more mundane sources: from Philippine folklore, legends, myths and ltistori· eal traditions. At the same time, the other stories can be as modem and real as today's true-to-life drama of ordinary men and women. Still another difference is th.at our komiks-magazines are not ex· elusively made up of cartoon strips. They also contain pages of stories, write-ups and pictures of movie stars And lately, they have added news columns about current events and serious feature articles on family planning, water conservation, gar· dening, ethics and what have you. Thus, it has become very obvious that our komiks·magazines are not comic strips intended to be only amusing, humorous and funny. Nor arc they comic books with story lines of only a sensational or violent nature. They are ma&azines, no doubt, but not komiks for children. They are illustrated fiction magazines meant toentertainouradultreaders. And even if children do read these iUustrated · magazines, they wUI benefit from their clean, wholesome storylines, and the eventual victory of good over evil. • GENERAL "GUIDELINES 1 ·No · material that will bring hatred or contempt, or incite disaffection to· wards the government as well as the various instrumentalities under it shall be published. 2-No material that will influence the conduct or attitude of the public in a manner likely to be prejudicial to the defense of the country, or the efficient conduct of military operations shall be published. 3 · No material that will prejudice the Philippines' relations abroad shall be published. 4 • No material that will bring into agitation or hatred the laws of the country shall be published. 5 · No material that will prejudice the President of the Philippines aRd the office he represents shall be published. This will also be true to visiting dignitaries. 6 ·Profanity, obscenity, smut and vulgarity are forbidden. From time to time, words v.ihich have 11 -Mentalorphysicalperversion shall not be depicted unless to generate sympathy or if such is essential in plot development or character delineation. 12 · law enforcement shall be upheld and, except when essential to the plot, officers of the law shall be portrayed with respect and dignity. 13 · legal, medical and other professional advice, diagnosis and treatment is P!!rmitted only in conformity with law and recognized ethical and Professional standards. 14 Criminality shall be pre~· ented as undesirable. The condoning of crime and the treatment of the com· mission of crime in a frivolous, cynical or callous manner is prohibited. The presentation of crime in such detail as to ir!Vite imitation is likewise prohibited. 15- llticit sex relations, when essential to the plot, should be emphasized as immoral. Characters en· gaging in such relations should always end up as paying for his or her immorality one way or the other. 16 Drunkenness and drunkbeen acceptable acquire ~·'ld!i.!i!ab~'Jjn9s._ _.. and publishers and/or editors should refrain ards should be treated as 4e,; ~2ft!1t- ln..no ind.an~ must the consumption of liquor be presented as part of the Filipino way of life. from using such words. 7 ·Racial or nationality types shall not be presented in such a manner as to ridicule the race or nationality. 8 · Anack on religious faiths is not allowed. Reverence should mark any mention of God, Hisanributesand powers. When religious rites are included in' either the illustrated or textual material, the rites should be accurately presented. The office of minister, priest, or rabbi shall not be presented in such a manner as to ridicule or impair its dignity. 9 - Respect should be maintained for the sanctity of marriage and the. value of the home. 10-When reference is made of mental or physical afflictions and deformities, special precautions must be taken to avoid ridicul· ing sufferers from such ailments and offending them or members of their families. WHY THE ILLUSTRATED (From page 1) evident after the declaration of martial law. Today komiksmagazines allocate an increasing amount of space to development news - rice growing, tree planting, 17 · Drug addiction shall be treated as a vicious habit and is allowable as story subject only when the intent is to help in the general campaign against it. 18 Materials pertaining to fortune-telling, occultism, astrology, phrenology, palm-reading, numerolo· gy, mindreading, charac· ter reading, and the like are not allowed when presented for the purpose of fostering belief in them. 19 Suicide shall O-Ot be justified as an acceptable solution for human problerris. 20 Cigarene smoking shall not be presented as a habit desirable and wor· thy of emulation by the young. 21 - The so-called "society page" is prohibited. If a "society" happen ing must be published, the emphasis and focus should be only on its social relevance. family planning, child care and nutrition, energy conservation, health, conununity projects and the like. It is this difference in conients from the foreign comic books that makes our kOmiks-magazines unique. They ahould not be called "ltomiks" anymore. They should be called "theillustratedmagaz.ines." And they ue in a class by themselves: The filustrated Press. e CHANGING IMAGES (From page 1) complexity and ending up as a thief. The hero in this story visited his brother wJ:io had chosen to stay in the barrio and he envied the peace· ful and happy life of a farmer. The realization came too late because he wii.s followed and caught by the police. The barrio is also portrayed as not on1y a place of simple living but also the scene which offers the most opportunity. Coupled with the mora1 for barrio folk to stay in the province is the corollary theme that wealth (associated with the city) is not all there is in life, In fact the poor at times are luckier. The most significant themes thatemergeinthiscategoryarethat getting ahead, for heroes of the barrio, can be found in the rural area itself without the need to migrate to the city. It is either because the simple, peaceful life in the barrio is something one should be contented with or be~aitse the opportunities for success lie in the barrio. nus APPRECIATION FOR KPPKP COOPERATION KPPK.P president R. R.. Mucelino receives DPI-IV certificate of appreciation ftom Mr. Soll.. Villa of the Nitional Press Club and PAPI, as DPl-IV director Ricardo V. Serrano and Mr. Liberato Marinas look on. The Kapinnan is also recipient of similar gestures of appreciation from the Bureau of National and Foreign Infonnation of the DPI, the Institute of Labor and Manpower Services of the DepL of Labor, the NMPC's Agrarian Reform Conununications Unit and Nutrition Communications Office, the Conunission on Population, the Conununications Foundation for Asia, the Philippine Cancer Society and other civic groups, for the cooperation being extended to them by th~ illustrated magazine industry. ~~;~~ 5~~~~f b~eth:0;:e:~ 2. Love and Marriage within the bounds of poverty, ment today. In genera1, the stories in' this 4• Altruism. b) As viewed by heroes of the ~:~~~ryth~n;.:,a:~;:n~f ~~~ In the pre-Martial Law stories, shim Law, Comic writers still persist with altruism was portrayed mainly by For desperate heroes of the the romantic notion that love and heroes of the underworld while the slum, .two alternative themes regu· marriage can bridge the gapofsocial rich served as convenient villain larly emerge. The first stresses the inequality between the rich and ~ga~~~- l::.w L;:0~:,p~:~ ~p~s0~f ~am~1:r0~easbt;~~~~i:~\~~te~~;, po~he prospect of marrying a rich ~~~is~~cde!:~~~· ~:ra~~rrodi;c~: ~~=s 1~; ;~s~:p:~~~:~:~~ man is not much of a problem for placed by the members of the upper go back to the barrio are seldom the po~r heroine. She is easily class and the government function· disappointed. Jn fact, they achieve accepte into the ranks of the rich ary. The motivations of these new the ideal life, far from the turbu- if she. is virtuous, modest~ simple, heroes are universalistic. They are beautif~ and has the mak~gs of a imbued with a stroll! 'SC of duty lence of the slum, l>y raising animals ~ood wife. Ho~ever, _.anothe{ t~nd .,_-willing\yo,acrificinpnerrtmiMd _ and pianting vegei.ible"C is also apparent. Having been used istic needs for the benefit of others. The second alternative is for the to the western standards of beauty, hero to stay in the slum. However, the heroine is usually tormented by 5_ Other Concerns no overnight success stories appear. the realization that she is too small, Rather, the heroes are encouraged too dark or that her nose is too flat. to be conten1 with what they have. The stories, however, often end The virtue extolled in such stories with the theme that people would are those of optimism, perseverance, take her and love her for what she faith in God, sacrifice and the ability is, to withstand the pressures of For the poor man, the love of a poverty. Thus, there is no easy way rich girl and his acceptance by her to success in the city and the hero family is no problem as long as he is made to accept his station in life works hard and proves that he dewithout envy for the rich. serves the admiration of all through c) As viewed by heroes of the underworld As explicitly stated in Resolution No.I of the KPPKP, no stories with underworld characters as heroes were found in the sample. d) As viewed by heroes of the upper class Unlike the pre-Martial Law stories where members of the upper class are never treated as heroes but in secondary role as villains, postMartial Law stories show them as being imbued with altruistic motives. They are portrayed as kindhearted friends of the common tao, charitable and civic-minded. They are the kind of people who are always willing to give alms to beggars of Quiapo and whose factories provide a source of livelihood for the less fortunate. In addition, two other themes emerge: that wealth is a responsibility and that the romantic returns to the barrio. The former is exemplified by stories which show the rich hero working his way up from the bottom even in his own business and the rich sh$1ing his profits with others. The latter theme shows heroes with stable jobs going back to the countryside either because of its pe11.ceful life or because of the desire to help others, his goodness or his talents. Finally, the going back to barrio theme also appears showing the rich girl impressed by a man working with his hands and not simply by white collar prof~ssion. 3, Solving a Family Problem Compared to pre-Martial. Law stories, problems remain the same - husband-wife relations, delinquent children and maintaining the family honor. However, the solutions to di.ese problems diffe'r in many instances. While stories of the nagging and domineering wife appearoccasionally, the stories revolving around husband-wife relations show more of the sacrificing and hardworking wife who patiently tries to correct the situation. The. moral that seems to hold these stories together is the importance of trust in one's mate and sacrifice. Delinquent children still occupy the center of plots except tbat most of the solutions are specifically related to programs of the New Society. Finally, the theme of upholding family honor while remaining as a usual story line in post-Martial Law stories is given a new twist. This is done by introducing advice from a government official, faith in the legal process and in government bodies as well as finding honor Pre-Martial Lav/ stories grouped under the category revolved around the movie fans or sex. Although this isaresidual categ6ry,itis underthis heading that post-Martial Law changes are very apparent. The function of comics as the medium oftransmittinginfonnation and acceptance of government programs is shown in "Ang Baboy ni Boboy" where the major concern of the young hero was to get a piglet from the government's green revolution program. The value of scouting was extolled in "Tumulong at Magtiis" where a poor farmer consented to the desire of his son to become a boy scout because he witnessed the heroism of~oy scouts, The concern with portraying the barrio and its people as worthy of respect and admiration is shown in "Sila Ang Kinaiinisan Mo". In this story the heroine loOked down upon the barriofolk and avoided having any social relations with them. However, she later experienced their kindness and became involved in barrio projects. Finally, the struggle between classes which figured quite prominently in pre-Martial Law stories is dropped in favor of cooperative relationship between the classes behind government programs. In ''Paglcamu1at" for instance, the rich landlord, realizing the justice of land refonn, was convinced to sell his lands to the farmers. (These are excerpts· from the author's paper prepared for the Research Seminar in Compantive Popuia'r Culture entitled "Heroes: f.ast and West", held from July 8 to August 2, 1974 at the EastWest Communication Institute, Honolulu, Hawaii.) Philippine Council for Print Media GUIDELINES The Philippine Council for Print Media has gi\ten the publisher the responsibility of enforcing self· discipline among his staff. The publisher is expected to set up ruJes to govern the internal workings of his 01ganization in order to achieve this objective. FREEDOM OF TIIE PRESS AND THE JOUllNAUST Journalists should uphold the basic right of press freedom. Unfortunately, the greatest drawback of the profession is not the lack of effort, but mediocrity. It is the mediocre joumalist who fails to balance right with con:comittant responsibility. He camouflages his shortcomings with untruths, in· nuendoes, se1151.tionalism ·or licen· tious discussions. His irresponS1Dle exercise of press freedom opens the way for government to intervene in order to protect the rights of others and the public. The journalists, . therefore, should improve himself constantly and remember at all times his responsibilities as a mem· berofafreepress. 1llE BOUNDS OF FREEDOM Press freedom is bounded by certain laws: A. Libel and defamation B. Rules on "sub-jud,ce'' litigation C. Obscenity and bad taste D. lnvasionofprivacy E. National security A sense of responsibility is the firststeo to\~; ·s~ssfreed~ CREDIBILfIY . A high degree of credibility should be the cherished objective of every journalist. The following factors contribute towards this end: Independence Factual reporting and balanced comments on facts me~ure a joumalisfs independence. Bias tliminishes the truth and is usually caused by pressure, outside or inside the publication. The responsible journalist should resist pressure. Integrity Integrity, i.e., honest, upright, and fair dealing, helps boost credi· bility. Every journalist should work to achieve this for the benefit of the profession. Competeoce Mediocrity having been previously cited, ability, and ikillshouldgo hand in hand with independence and integrity. A GENERAL STATEMENT In order to elevate the st&tdards of excellence in editorial reporting, the print media shall: A. Consider national security. B. Hold public welfare paramount to the personal and/or selfish interests' of an individual or a group. C. Enlighten and instruct the public on vital issues. D. Report news accurately, truth· fully and impartially, as free from bias as possible. E. Disseminate important news items expeditiously. F. Cover world and local news developments as comprehensively aspo~i\.Jle. G. Interpret and analyze news objectively and fairly , without sup· pressing or distorting relevant facts. H. Maintain editorial dignity. I. Avoid typographicai errors, misstatements of facts or opinions. Whenever this happens, U:te proper correction should be made prompt· ly, fully, clearly, and conspicuously. J. Allow the publicationoflegal, medical, and other professiona1 advice. Such advice shall conform to existing laws, as well as recognized ethical and professional standards. K. Endeavor to promote more intelligent readenhip. L. In sex crimes, publications should not print the names and pictures of victims. Details that would help to identify the victims should be deleted. M. Sordid details accompanying crime, and offensive descriptions of the human body should be avoided. This rule also applies to pictures. N. Names and pictures of minors involved in crimes, except in exceptional cases, should be withheld. A minor is less than 18 yeus of age. 0. Rec~gnize ' the individual's right to his reputation and integrity'. Reports and comments on anyone's private life that tend to hann his reputation should not be published, unless it serves public interesl. TI1is should be distinguished from mere public curiosity. P. Give uldividuals concerned ::in opportunity to reply to charges against their reputation or moral character made in a publication, preferably in the same issue reporting the charges, Q. Give space a:.J prominence as far as practicable to warranted denials, clarifie .. tic, 3, or rejoinders equal to that of the original state· ment. R. Use headlines that reflect faithfully the contents of the story. Race, color, and creed should be avoided in ·headlines and manner of news presentation, unless these are relevant to the story itself. S. Avoid sensationalism. FOREIGN COMICS AND THE FILIPINO A giant meteor hurtles toward the earth, endangering a teeming metropolis. Reporter Clark Kent disrobes and, as Superman, streaks into space fastf:rthanabullet,meets the meteor head-on and blasts it into smithereens. Once more, the world is saved by the man of steel. The clown prince of crime. Joker, commits a crime leavilfg, intentionally, a figurative calling card. The police commissioner sends out the secret bat-signal. In no time at all, Batman and Robin areJn their Batmobile pursuing the wily crimi· nal. The pursuit ends with Joker landing in the clink and the daring duo once more proving that crime does not pay. The American comic book industry has a long list of crime fighters, like Supennan, Babnan and Robin, Captain Marvel, Captain America, Wonder Woman, The Spectre and The Shadow, to name a very few. And the story-lines in which they move have one thing in common: tricky crimes, fanWtic crimes, crimes that only super heroes like them can solve. While the situations introduced in the story-lines of foreign comic books do occur in human life, the solutions to the problems presented require superhuman feats. As a result, the law-enforcement arm of the government play only support· ing roles-so much so that in the end, there seems no need for policemen at all. With such an orientation, can we say that Supennan and Company are relevant to our New Society? Entertainment-which is what the comic book was originally intended for- shoul4 not become a total escape. It should be a re-creation, a renewal, a form of regeneration by gathering fresh values from the old. Entertainment should be a recharg· ing of the mind to cope with the daily grindofliving. Comic books about real problems being solved by unreal heroes deal with unreality. They are, therefore, Illustrated magazines The key to a new world of fact, fun and fantasy Books are of many kinds. Some are weighty and often boring. Some are light and always enlightening. Komiks-nlagazines - or illustrated magazinis-are different. They are so popular the world over that they represent an altogether new field in publishing arts. Long yem ago, komiks·mag· azines were meant for the kids, They have come a !01tg way since. Do you knoW it's adults, well settled in life, happily married, who patronize komilcs-magazines in a big way? A recent survey shows that 60., of those who read komiks are adults of 20 years or older. There are also more female (53,.) than male (47,.) readers. And 30'llo are households heads and housewives. In the Philippines, some two million copies of these illustrated magazines sell every week. Over 16 million Filipinos read them. Or onefourth of the total population. Illustrated magazines offer clean, wholesome entertainment. At 85 centavos a copy, they are unbeatable as a source of joy and relaxation. They have visual impact. They radiate color and cheer. TI1eyimpart knowledge, ~ithout demanding too much in the way of a stem idiom. In the barrios, believe it or not, it is the illustrated magazines which heave entire societies into the 20th century, as it were. Modem ideas, modem lifestyles, modem moods and modes are introduced without painful er violent change. Whai•l~e? The _.,ow and silent spread of science- !Je ii growing com, keeping fit or planning a family. Komiksmagatines remove illileracy, fast and sure! For if you can read komiks·magazines, you can't be illiterate.If you enjoy kontiks-magazines, you can't be abnormal. People enjoy reading komiksmagazines so much that 70,. of those interviewed said that they read all the contents. while another irrelevant and escapist. Can such irrelevant and escapist comic books benefit Filipino society? Publishers of local komiksmagazines don't think so. This is the reason for the preponderance of realistic stories in our illustrated medium. Crime stories are a rarity. Even sex and violence are toned down to the minimum. Anc\.in crime stories, there is always that quality of trust and esteem for our law· enforcers. Conflicts in the illustrated magazine stories center mostly on human problems within the family, the community, or the .individual him· self. For after all, these are the real battles in everyday life against ourselves, against others, and even against nature. Th.is fact is more frightening than fiction, and yet we do not wi!lt that super heroes existed to wage these battles for us. Rather, we would want these problems dealt with and solved by real human beings. The local komiks·magazines reveal that Filipino writers deal with reality. Even occasional copycats of Superman delineate real, human . drama. What the local ko· miks-magazines want to say is there is no human problem that has no solution. They emphasize the fact that in spite of, and sometimes precisely because of, the trials and tribulations that start in the womb "!lid end in the tomb, life is still worth living. e 22'11i read from 1/2 to 3/4 of the magazine, Some '44 titles come out evecy week. They are dispatched by van, bus' and ttaininLuzonandbyship and plane to the Visayas and Mindan-aO. Readers buy their copies from newstands, sidewalk magazine ven. dors, newsboys and sari-sari stores. A big number of readers resort to borrowing or renting their copies, so that among the printed media in the Philippines, the komiks-magaz.ines has the highest rate of pass· along readership. This pass-a1or:ig audience has been estimated at four million, In fact, komiks-magazines are read bY more Filipinos than any other printed media. They have become truly a mass medium that has penetrated to the farthest comers of the country. Statistics show that the five regions of the Philippines with the widest diffusion of the komiks· magazines aze Metro Manila, Southern Luzon, Central Luzon, the Bicol Region and Cagayan Valley in that order. The next five regions are Western Visayas, Southern Minda· nao, the Jlocos Region, Northern Mindanao and Eastern Visayas. It's time that marketers of products and services take a look at the kontiks-magazines as an effective medium for their advertising and promotion messages. Up to now the potential of the marke1 has not been tapped or properly exploited. -TI>!'='J ... ~..!>~beca•1re:t!h!e-:tis­ ing practitioners have stuck to the general display advertisements. For the illustrated magazines, different art fonnmay have to be designed or created. To be truly effective, the advertisements might be better laid out in illi.istratedstrips. Whatever it is, the illustrated magazines still remain the surest and easiest way to reach the great majcirity of our people. e ILLUSTRATED MEDIA (From Page 1) Should an editor violate the same section of the guidelines for the second time, a minor infraction is fined P SO. A grave infraction is slapped a PlOO fine, a very grave one, P 500, and :i. one-issue suspen· sion of the komiks·magaz.ine if the violation is extremely grave. For the third violation of same section of the guidelines, a P' 100 fine is imposed on a minor violation, P 500 for a. grave infraction, and a one-issue suspension of the komiks-magazine if the infraction is very grave. The extreme penalty of expulsion is imposed if the third violation is classified as extremely grave. So far, the extreme penalty has not been imposed on any member. This indicates that the members have adhered closely to the guide· lines; they realize that although a recent survey shows that the adults among komiks-magazine readers far outnumber children (40 per cent ages 19 or younger and 60 percent are 20 years or older). the content.s of their publications should be so prepared and edited as to make them fit for youns. impressionable minds. As a self-regulating body, the KPPKP has had the official recog· nition of the Philippine Council for PrintMediasinceMay, 1975. e Komiks-Magazines are no longer funny '~ ':',· An American tourist to our Fiesta Islands curiously leafed through a local komiks·magazine and remarked, "Hey, this is no funnies!" He probably did not know that back home in good old USA, the Walt Disney style or comic books went out of fashion years ago. He was rig.ht, though, about local komiks-magaz.ines. They are no longer funny. The word "komiks" (or comics !f you please) to describe our komiks-magazines has become a misnomer. It is true that the komiks· magazines started out as imitations of American comic books. American comic strips such as Popeye, Mutt & Jeff, Dagwood and the Katzen· jammer Kids found their duplicates in Popoy, NanongPandak, Talakitok and Kenkoy. But somewhere al Ong the way, e. b;,<!, >:. ~ Roberta and J..{511ihi:; e~~:. And~:~:· ::r~~::·p;~ folio of wit and humor became a book of serious human drama. From then on,komiks-magazines KPPKP SPECIFIC GUIDELINES 11 Nudity, or even near nudity, is p~hibited. 2) Emphasis on, and exaggeration of, the delicate parts of the human anatomy is prohibited, whether in illustrations or in photociraphs, 3) Kissing and embracing should be depicted with extreme good taste. The sex act is totally prohibited. 41 The preliminaries of r.ipe should be depicted in extreme good taste, The rape act itself is prohibited. And it should always be emphasized that raoe is a most heinous crime, 5) Sex perverts and sex perversions are prohibited as subjects in stories and articles. 6) Never justify nor glorify prosti· tution. tf prostitution must be depicted, it should be with extreme care and with the aim in view of condemning it, 71 Sexually arousing .words and dialogues ar'e prohiPited. 8) The crime of incest, whether it is the main Mibject of, or incidental to, the plot, is totally prohibited. 91 Do not portray any member of the clergy as bsing involved in sex affairs, 10) Indulging in sex orgies is a despicable practiC:e. Do not depict, hint at, or even mention it. 11) Do not depic~ nor even mention government officials, peace officers and the like as sex offenders. 12) If love between the very old and the very young must be depicted, extreme care should be exercised to passed on from children to adu1t reading fare. A recent survey reveals that 60 per cent ofkomiks-magazine readers are adu1ts. The remaining 40 per cent belongs to the age group of 19 years or younger. For the komiks-magazine asithas evolved today is nothing more than another version of the prose novel, the once·upon·a-time favorite of Filipino adu1ts. Only this time it is in illustrated fonn. It has enjoyed instant success, because it gives the common man the kind of entertainment he needs and can afford. The fast pace of living and earning his keep has given him less time for reading. The illustrated stories have proved easy on his harried schedu1e and on his pocketbook. This partly explains the charisma of such memorable komiks characte~ as Ravelo's Roberta, de\ Mundo's Prinsipe Amante, Gomez' ;;:::.udapya, Coching's Barbar o, Pl.aa's Dabiana, Femandh' Anak ni Zuma, Gamboa's Fabiosa, Yandoc's Kukulkan, Patron's Betia, Roman's Bertong Bayawak and Caparas' Bakekang, to mention avoid vulgarity. 13) Sex offendert should always end up as paying fop his or her crime. 141 Venereal diseases are allowed to be mentioned in short stories, novels or articles, provided that the purpose is to help eradicate them and/or to depict them as extremely dangerous to human health. 15) Cuss words must be minimized in stories, novels and articles. Only in extreme cases is the use of cuss words allowed. Cuss words which may be used are: gago, tanga, walanghiya, hudas, ulol, putris, putragis, bastos, torpe, damuho, da· montres, diyantre, .limatik, lintok, baboy, /'Jarot, talipandas, kalyehera, hampasfupa, lintak, tinamaan ng lintek, afembong, kiri, anak ka ng tatay mo (never ina or nanay) kuneho (but never associated with human sexual drive), saraga~. impakto, and diyablo. 161 Do not use in any short story, novel or article vulgar terms such as tarantado, animal, pindeho, kabit, kerida, bugaw, hitad, kwekong, let3e, and Ule like which may have harmless actual translations but which may have acquired repulsive meanings. 17) To denote extramarital affairs, the words kulasisi, "number two" or "number three,"· whatever may be the case, are allowed. 18) Direct presentation of sadism, brutality and extreme violence is not allowed. 19) Minimize the use of deadty weapons in short stories, novels or articles. Depiction of deadly wea· pons should not be emphasized. :lO) Minimize the publication of .;tories that d~al with crime and on1yafew, Notwithstanding criticism from the literati, these characters are not caricatures, They are faithful illustrations of the common man. They embody his hopes, dreams and aspirations, even his failings and frustrations. They mirror the times we live in, its sentiments and longings, its nuances, and of course its humor, too, That is why, notwithstanding again objections from "concerned" literary stalwarts, the characters in most of the komiks-serials (or nobelu as komiks-magazine aficionados call them) are relevant to the times. Even if eve!)' now and then, superficially and intentionally exaggerated. And it is also not coincidental but more for a purpose that in most nobeW, messages of vital importance to the well-being of the reader are imparte,d. Evep if, again, those messages tre translated in fine nuances to be detected by the reader. Thus, we find in komiks· magazines messages on family plan· ning, ecology, energy conservation and the like. These subjects are covered by the komiks·magazines because they art problems that fonn part and parcel of the reader's daily life. There is still of course, some laughte r in the pages of komiksmagatines. Alcala's Kalabog En Bosyo and Velasquez' Kenkoy are vel)' much around. But even the latter ill his kakenkoyan spins off soft-sell messages on how to plant comorusr fertilizer. Do readers ffiiss - the funnies? Judging from the ever-mounting circulation of1he komiks-magatines, they don't. They certainly enjoy what they read. e criminals. If crimes and criminals must be made as subjects of short stories, novels or articles, in no instance must crime be glorified and criminals left unpunished. 21) lftherevengeangleisextremely important to the story, it must be emphasized that taking the law into one's own hands is in itself a crime. 22) The presentation of horrifying creatures must be toned down if not entirely avoided. If such crea· tu res must be made subjects of short stories, novels or articles, the short stories, novels or articles must be prefaced by a foreword of the editor stating that such creatures are only pigment of the imagination or based on superstitious beliefs and do not exist in real life, 23) Science fiction stories must always rely on scientific facts and accepted theories. The "fiction" in "science-fiction" does not give the writer license to deviate from accepted facts and theories. As much as possible, stories of this type must aim to inform or teach readen about the sciences. 24) If members of the cultural minorities must be made subjects of short stories,· novels or articles, extreme care must be exercised so as not to put them in a bad light. It must always be emphasized that they are also Filipinos. 251 Stories that deal with the military and military operations, even if they be during past wars, must have the approval of the Office for Civil Relations, General Headquarters, Armed Forces of the Philippines. Otherwise, they shall be deemed as having violated the guidelines. e Relevant entertainment The Bidas The bidas - the heroes and heroines - who make the illustrated magazines the colorful medium that they are today are a motley group. He could be a simple, kindhearted, "magbubulok .. like Simplicio Sam· pera. Or 'a complex, unfathomable character like Bertong Bayawak. He could be an eerie creature spewed up by a ·mysterious past, like Zuma or Kukulkari. Or a handsome futuristic creation like Oscar, the astronmtt. There are heroes created by extra-imaginative writers to take advantage of fads and/or contempo· racy events. Juan Tornado, for example, was thought of by its creator when the "Thrill a in Manila" was still in the negotiations stage. When Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier did their thing at the Coli· seum, Tornado (billed in the novel as the on1y Filipino heavyweight boxer) was already a ''living character" insofar as the readers were concerned, So much so that when the author threw him into the ring with the champion (who was pur· posely drawn with a striking resemblance to AJi) real1ers avidly fol· lowed the bout, ro~ting for the Filipino. The other fad heroes ~ay not have been pitted by their aU:thors against real-life champions, but they were so created to best those champions. The reader sees iii the Golden Grandmaster, for instance, a chessplayer who cou1d easily beat the Karpovs and the Fischers. In the "King of the Road", a cycling ace can put to shame the Arzalas and the Sumaldes. Most of the bidas, however, are of the down-to.earth variety. There is Elias, in the novel "Buhay na Lupa," a simple fanner who is caught in the tunnoil of the revolt against Spain. And Pedring, the illiterate but ambitious provinciano who dreamed of freedonl from the bondage of ignorance, in "ltaga Mo Sa Balo." In the novel "Silahis'', the author delves with compassion on the lot of the so~alled third sex and comes out with a convincing drama Or gay people. Heroines, on the other hand, are mostly prototypes of the typical Filipina - virtuous, a one·man woman, desirable. Although of late. the more aggressive type (An influence of women's liQ1) is surely gaining popularity among readers. Roma Amor, Fabiosa, Pia and Maloosa. Another heroine which seems to attract readers is the abnonnal type. Dabiana, Bakekang, Belia, Diliwariw are among them. And then there is ~e super-girl type. Dama is the original Filipina crime-fighter. Super Gee followed. But no third super.girl seems in sight. This is due to the fact that crime-stories are rare in local komiks-magazines. And if there are stories involving crime, the writers let the police authorities do the solving, not the super-humans. The fad today seems to be the fantastic type of bidas. The snakehaired Zuma and Kukulkan are in this categol)'. So art Herras, Badman, Gabriel Arkanghel, Babaing Pusa and Bubonika - all created to bring the reader to the realm of fantasy and make him forget the harsh realities of life if only for a few minutes. But even with fantasy· oriented stol)'-lines, the reader can discern in the unfolding of events reaJ.Jife happenings. For the Filipino komiks-magazine writer is basically down-to.earth. At every opportuni· ty, he injects truth and reality. Even in the comedy series, "Bulol and Tangak", he puts in subliminal messages on ecology, sportsmanship, etc. And of course, there are the child heroes and heroines. Children make up a sizable portion of the readership of illustrated magazines. Naturally, bidas from their age group have to be written about. Thus, we have Jeric, the boy from Mars. Nifl.o, who is paired with a local version of Tarzan. Hritanico, the bald-headed boy genius. Ding-Dong, a cute fiveyear old thrown by the writer into a danger-fraught isl~t. And Alonica, a pitifu1 girl with the facial features of a mouse. Eve!)' now and then, non-human bidas crop up. There's Harimanok, coined from sarimanok obviously, featuring a super·labuyo's exploits in and out of the ruediJ. Gustavo, on the other hand, is a "kabayong hobo." Dolsky is a talking dolphin. A piranha and a dikya are not bidas in the strict sense of the word, but they play title roles in two other popular novels. In foreign comic books, the heroes and heroines are either crime· fighters or creatures from the dark past or the imagined future. On the other hand, local komiks-magazines have a wide assortment of bidas. This is because the Filipino reader is a very hard customer to please. He wants variety. And variety he gets from the purveyors of illus· tratedenlertainment. e