The rise of the U.S. Graphic Novel, the Age Wave, and the Filipino Youth Market

Besides literacy and equitable income distribution, one other possible factor to consider in understanding why mature comics with serious literary and artistic content thrive in countries such as France, Italy, Belgium, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, is a rise in number of older people in these societies; a phenomenon colloquially known as the "age wave".

THE AGE WAVE INFLUENCE IN COMICS PUBLISHING POLICY

Since 1975, there has been a perceptively gradual and steady increase in the number of older people than young people in most developed countries of the world such as those mentioned above. (Source: "Global Aging" by Pete Engardio and Carol Matlock, Businessweek Asian Edition, January 31, 2005).

Examining also the history of comics publishing in these countries one will notice that their respective comics publishers produced more mature and literate comics as their market readership grew older. Over time, this publishing policy ensured the variety, growth, and public acknowledgment of comics as part of the mainstream, or popular culture, of these countries especially in France and Japan.

WHAT CAUSES THE AGE WAVE

The age wave, or the global rise of an older population, has been attributed to declining fertility rates and longer lifespans. Birth control and better opportunities for women in most parts of the world have lowered birth rates from 5 to 6 children in the 1950s to as few as one or two today. Great advances in health care have also added two full decades to the world's average lifespan of 60 years old to 66 years today. (Source: "Global Aging", Ibid.)

The average working age in most parts of the world is from 15 to 64 years old. This demographic however, was found to be dwindling in countries such as France, Japan, Norway, Russia, Ukraine, Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic and China, to name a few, where the number of elderly people aged 65 and up is increasing. (Source: "Global Aging", Ibid.)

"The ranks of 60 year olds and older are growing 1.9% a year--60% faster than the overall world population. In 1950 there were 12 people aged 15 to 64 to support each other on reaching retirement age. Now the global average is nine. It will be only four to one by mid-century, predicts the U.N. Population Division. By then, the elderly will outnumber children for the first time. Some economists fear this will lead to bankrupt pensions and lower living standards." (Source: "Global Aging", Ibid.)

THE DEMOGRAPHIC DIVIDEND AND THE AGE WAVE

The rise of a graying population however, is not without cost. In Europe and Japan the cost of caring for the elderly has risen, such that it is much cheaper to import foreign caregivers and health workers from India, Mexico, Philippines, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Brazil, Indonesia, Iran, and Egypt, less developed nations with younger impoverished populations starved for much needed foreign exchange. The earned foreign exchange is then remitted back supposedly for the development of these countries. This global income-earning opportunity sourced from an almost worldwide graying population is referred to as the "demographic dividend".

Not only the young labor force but also professionals from graying populations are also dwindling such that young I.T. workers, doctors, nurses, teachers, and other professionals from the same less developed nations with young populations are being called in as immigrants to fill the growing vacuum.

"World population growth has slowed dramatically over the last decade and appear headed for absolute decline. Forecasts by the United Nations and other independent organizations indicate that many nations will shrink in absolute size and the average age of the world's citizens will shoot up dramaticaly, as the growth rate of the elderly will outpace all sectors of the population. This will have, and in fact already has, an impact on the global distribution of labor, which increasingly will favor nations with comparatively young populations." (Source: "Faith in the Philippines" Speech before the 3rd Filipino Global Networking Conference, Waterfront Hotel, Cebu City, January 21, 2005, by CEO Jaime Augusto de Ayala, BizNews Asia, January, 2005 issue)

THE U.S. YOUTH MARKET

The United States however, is still considered to have a young population, or youth "teen" market, with high purchasing power. Though it will take some time, even the U.S. is not immune to the age wave.

"Because of a slightly high fertility rate and an annual intake of 900,000 legal immigrants, America's population should grow from 285 million now to 358 million in 2025. And the U.S. median age will rise just three years, to 39, over the next quarter century, before the aging of America really starts to accelarate." (Source: "Global Aging", Ibid.)

Yet as previously discussed in this blog, America's huge youth market is not supportive of its youth-oriented comicbooks more particularly the predominantly superhero comics from DC and Marvel which now generally sell about 20,000 to 40,000 copies a month per title. (Source: Interview: Michael Uslan, Man behind the Batman, Part TWO, SHH question no. 2, at www.superherohype.com).

Ironically, the American youth market is more supportive of the Japanese comic or manga, especially Boys and Girls' manga. U.S. superhero comics it seems, have lost their "youth appeal" and have been customized to attract a limited and largely young adult cult audience.

But other than the Japanese manga, the U.S. teen market of 13 to 17 year olds spend their billion dollar allowances on other, more satisfying diversions such as music, bowling (the highest rated participatory sport among U.S. teens), movies, fashion, television, radio, computer games, and the Internet. These interests however, are not shared by the youth markets of France and Japan, the two other great comics producing countries of the world. (Source: Elissa Moses, "The $100 Billion Allowance: Accessing the Global Teen Market")

THE FRENCH AND JAPANESE TEEN MARKET

French teens in fact, were found to spend more time with friends, buy jeans, athletic shoes, watches, backpacks, prefer foreign movies, drink bottled water and smoke cigarettes. Japanese teens on the other hand, also spend more time socializing with friends, listen to music, watch more television than play video games or use the computer, are avid readers of daily newspapers and magazines, and are serious shoppers. (Source: Elissa Moses, Ibid.)

THE U.S. GRAPHIC NOVEL BOOM IN A PREDOMINANTLY TEEN YOUTH MARKET

Curiously though, serious literary works in graphic novel format have become popular in the United States despite its huge youth market. And it is not the youth that is supporting this graphic novel boom but adults. This emergence of an American adult audience for mature graphic novels can be ascribed to several factors:

1. These graphic novels treat of serious, reality-based subject matters that are within the comprehension and appreciation of an adult audience, such as terrorism, alienation, politics, war, oppression and racism, to name a few;
2. Some of these serious graphic novels like Marjane Satrapi's "Persepolis", and Art Spiegelman's "Maus", have become standard textbook reading in collegiate learning institutions populated by adults such as the U.S. Military Academy and others;
3. These graphic novels are largely sold in bookstore chains across the U.S. and are frequented by a broader, more varied, mature and literate adult audience, not by the now few, out-of-the-way comics specialty shops visited faithfully by adolescents and cult comics enthusiasts; and
4. The emergence of a new breed of sophisticated, older, and mature comics creators such Art Spiegelman, Chris Ware, Marjane Satrapi, Neil Gaiman, Alan Moore, Frank Miller, Daniel Clowes, Craig Thompson, Harvey Pekar, James Kochalka, Peter Kuper and others, that are now being publicly recognized by a mainstream U.S. middle class, adult audience.

The facts speak for themselves:

"Global publishers say that graphic novels--which include everything from the hugely popular Japanese illustrated stories known as manga to highly sophisticated works like "Persepolis", Art Spiegelman's 'In the Shadow of No Towers" and Joe Sacco's "War's End"-- had their best year ever in 2004 and look to grow even more in 2005. In the United States, sales of graphic novels have leaped from $75 million in 2001 to $207 million in 2004. Booksellers in America, Britain, Germany, Italy and South Korea cite graphic literature as one of their fastest-growing categories. In Borders, one of America's largest bookstore chains, graphic novels sales have risen more than 100 percent a year for the past three years. In France, where comics have long been mainstream, sales are reaching record highs, up to 13.8 percent to 43.3 million copies in 2004; indeed, five of the ten bestselling books in France last year were comic books. Manga, which already represents 20% of Japan's publishing market is also spreading rapidly in South Korea, Thailand and other countries; in many cases, locals are buying American versions of the originals in an effort to learn English. Move over, Spider-Man. Graphic literature has finally broken out of hobby shops and into the mainstream. Superhero fantasies have given way to grittier, more pointed works grounded firmly in reality. Academics in the United States and Europe are teaching comics as literature in the classroom. Books like 'Persepolis"--as well as Sacco's "Palestine" and 'Safe Area: Gorazde", and Guy Delisle's "Pyongyang"--are held up not only as great literature but also as instructive guides to global conflict zones." (Source: "Comic Relief" by Rana Foroohar, Newsweek International Edition, August 22, 2005 issue)

NOT OUT OF THE WOODS YET

A $207 million sales figure however, is not enough at this time to place the whole U.S. comics industry at par with the historically consistent quality and output of France and Japan but it is a good start and a welcome sign of recovery. Nobody is yet sure if this momentum could be made more permanent but the marketing efforts of American grahic novel publishers and distributors is such that they are positioning themselves this early to penetrate and nurture an older and mature adult market. The age wave in America is still a long way off but by positioning themselves this early, the negative impact of a dwindling youth market in the future will be lessened by a then established market for sophisticated and serious graphic novels patronized by a broad and varied adult audience not only in the U.S. but in other countries of the world, especially in countries with graying populations.

PROFILE OF THE PHILIPPINE YOUTH MARKET

As previously stated, the Philippines is still a predominantly young nation. But unlike the United States, the age wave is seen to hit the Philippines at a much earlier time and within this century, to wit:

"Within 20 years, East Asia's dynamic tigers will be youthful no longer. South Korea, Thailand, Taiwan, Singapore, and Hong Kong will have a median age of 40. Indonesia, India, Brazil, Mexico, the Philippines, Iran, and Egypt will still boast big, growing pools of workers for two decades. But they're on the same demographic curve and will show the effects of an aging population a generation or two later. "The aging workforce is the biggest economic challenge policymakers will face over the next 20 years," Monika Queisser, a pension expert at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development." (Source: "Global Aging" by Pete Engardio and Carol Matlock, Businessweek Asian Edition, January 31, 2005)

The estimate is that the number of youthful working age Filipinos will hit its peak at 68% in the next two decades, or at the year 2025. After this, the graying of the Philippine population will start a generation or two later. In this context, a "generation" is defined by the Oxford Quick Reference Dictionary as the average time (about 30 years) in which children are ready to take the place of their parents. Consequently, a generation of 30 years after 2025 is 2055, and two generations from 2025 is 2085. It is estimated that in either of these years, 2055 or 2085, the youth population in the Philippines will start to dwindle, and that the number of older people will begin to rise.

"Philippine population has shifted structurally where those of working age--from 15 to 64--will considerably dwarf those of dependent age (children and the elderly). In 2005, our working age population is projected to constitute 61.8% of the population. This is projected to rise to 63.9% by 2010, 65.6% by 2015, and 68% by 2025." (Source: "Faith in the Philippines" speech before the 3rd Filipino Global Networking Conference, Waterfront Hotel, Cebu City, January 21, 2005, by CEO Jaime Zobel de Ayala, BizNews Asia, February 7-14, 2005)

What do all these data mean for the Philippine comics scene? Prevailing comics publishing policy is primariy centered on the youth market. A far cry from the bakya class C, D, and E adult market of the Filipino banketa komiks of yesteryear.

A 2001 study by an internationally renowned advertising firm however, does not idenitfy comics reading as among the Filipino youth market's spending, leisure, or reading priorities. Thus:

"The nationwide survey conducted by McCann-Erickson Philippines discovered that 13-21 year olds in all social classes today are more social and connectivity-driven than ever before. "With the kind of physical and social environment they now live in, they feel a much stronger need to be stimulated by the world around them." explained Nandy Villar, Vice President for Strategic Planning of McCann-Erickson. The McCann Youth Study, which sought to understand the values, morals, attitudes and practices of young Filipinos, noted their social activities like eating out, going to the mall, hanging out with friends, and talking on the phone have become more popular than in 1992, when the study was first undertaken." (Source: "Interactive.gen takes over", Special Report, Philippine Daily Inquirer, September 14, 2001).

According to the National Youth Commission, as of 2001 the Filipino youth aged 13-24 make up 60% of the country's population, or 50 million young people. (Source: "50 Million Youth deserve to be heard", Special Report, Philippine Daily Inquirer, September 14, 2001)

Printed comicbooks however, are not interactive and do not meet the more socially inclined and electronic gadget conscious youth of today. Like those in the affluent A and B income demographic, the youth market in the class C and D demographic living in and out of Metro Manila have equal access to advanced communication technologies today such as cellphones, cable television, and the Internet.

A SOCIALLY CONSCIOUS BUT CYNICAL FILIPINO YOUTH

The McCann-Erickson study also found that because of their ready access to prevailing communication technology, the Filipino youth are more politically outspoken and socially conscious given the widespread media coverage of the political developments at the time surrounding the ouster of Joseph Ejercito Estrada from the presidency. The Filipino youth surf, chat, text and download almost incessantly. With the present and widespread media coverage surrounding the alleged election-rigging scam committed by incumbent President, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, we could safely assume this particular finding to be applicable and valid even to this day.

This genuine concern by the Filipino youth for the country's political and social well-being as exposed by the country's mass media, is not one of a unified political cooperation, but of political polarization and cynicism, distrusting in general the country's political institutions. This collective distrust has also caused the development of a dangerously fragmentary mindset saying that the youth have to ultimately rely on themselves and their families if they are to survive economically. National unity and cooperation are thus seen by our present youth as empty bromides and one big pipedream.

The McCann-Erickson study further found that this infamous "kanya-kanya" system has in turn spawned a new set of mores and values for the Filipino youth. Due in part to a collective cynical psyche and widespread access to media, schoolwork has consequently declined to a significant level as young people give more attention to leisure activities presumably as a means of escape from the economic hardship all around them. Foremost of these activities are role playing computer games, MTV, MP3, modems, mobile phones, and the Internet. As a result of this wide exposure to escapist electronic media, the Filipino youth's role models have consequently been those of the same media, specifically showbiz personalities, and not their parents who usually fail in giving them proper attention, resorting instead to fear and authority rather than parental love and friendship.

The same study also found that most young people begin to smoke, date, and drink alcohol at age 16. To a significant degree, more young people tolerate pre-marital sex, divorce/separation, and alcohol intake. An increased percentage of 25% of those who have had sexual intercourse are not worried about sexually transmitted diseases. And, a significant number say that they would consider abortion under certain situations.

ADULT COMICS FOR THE FILIPINO YOUTH: A PROPOSITION

The foregoing clearly show that the Filipino youth of today are not as simple or innocent as one would believe them to be. At a very young age, they have been exposed to, and are dealing with, adult situations and circumstances. Because of the existing income inequality in Philippine society, an inadequate education system and prevalence of functional literacy (or mediocrity) it is no wonder that most of our youth have become jaded and cynical. What kind of comics content then, should be provided to such an audience?

If one were to provide wholly entertaining and harmless escapist fantasy as is being done now by imported and locally globalized Filipino comics, doesn't this help inflame even more the Filipino youth's cynicism towards his/her society and culture? By nurturing the Filipino youth's retreat into the world of foreign-inspired fantasy and harmless improbability, are we not indirectly creating a false enthusiasm and admiration for foreign lands and their culture, at the same time promoting disdain for a perceived impoverished local culture? Aren't we aggravating the situation by unintentionally molding jaded and cynical individuals to ultimately be incapable of facing and dealing with their individual problems in real life? Doesn't this unreasonably wholesale patronage to pure fantasy and escapism stunt the potential reader's literacy level as well?

Changing our perspective now from a business and economic point of view, wouldn't this exclusive focus on entertainment content constitute an impractical and losing proposition considering that there are other alternative media specializing in the same content, is doing a better job, and is patronized even more by Filipino youth rather than the printed "entertaining" comic? Between a printed 32 or 100 glossy paged comic, and a computer game that you can play for hours, or "Friendster" on the Internet, or a multifunctional cellfone, its no contest. The printed comic loses big time.

Yet, there is the untried alternative which is that of providing an unmet need of the audience. Instead of pandering to the Filipino youth's juvenile cynicism and near bacchanallian preoccupation with leisure, why not produce mature, adult, socially relevant, Filipino comics that genuinely speak of the human condition from a Filipino perspective, and which help elevate the Filipino youth reader's comprehension and appreciation for the arts and other disciplines beyond his current functional literacy level? This is of course, without compromising at the onset the comic's entertainment value which is to be kept at a minimum. Education and inspiration in comics is after all, an unmet and real need especially in difficult and trying times such as these.

From an economic and business point of view, this would in the long run help develop not only a mature and adult audience in the future, but also lay the groundwork for the production of more varied pieces of comics works that only an adult and mature audience can support not only in the Philippine market, but in foreign markets as well, especially in countries with graying populations.

In other words, why not in anticipation of the age wave, produce Filipino comics that help a predominantly young and directionless audience grow up?

Update on celfones as a possible venue for digital comics

The celfone business in the country is reaching its saturation point. According to the article "Cellfone Business Slows Down" appearing in the August 15-29 2005 issue of BizNews, there are now approximately 42.8 million celfone users in a country of about 54 million adults aged 18 to 60.

What to do? Soon, demand for celfone services will bottom out. It is foreseen that celfone companies may soon go back to offering free text services in order to maintain their clientele and though the amount of revenue will not be as much, minimum competitive charges will be imposed on calls in order to maintain a respectable business. How then to nurture and generate more business and increase celfone usage?

The news article states that market observers are of the opinion that with the advent of mobile telephony (television on celfones) on the fourth generation of celfones, celfone companies are now focusing on acquiring, among others, local television stations in order to provide short news flashes in the future. This and other "possible content" may also be in the offing.

It is in fact, rumored that PLDT is intent on getting GMA 7 but that the latter's asking price was too high. Channels 9 and 13 are also being eyed.

To allow some speculation at this point, digital comics by Filipinos could be an alternative content provider if this develops any further. In this new hi-tech scenario, the new publishers would be celfone/tv stations. It will be a whole new playing field wherein the comics publisher of the future would either have to set-up a mobile telephony company, or directly through his computer, feed his digital comics content directly to the celfone user.

But why stop at celfones? If the facilities of tv stations will be used to broadcast digital comics, why not do it directly to television screens? Can you imagine those big theatre-type plasma screens showing Filipino digital comics? A program or better yet, a whole channel devoted to Filipino digital comics is not too remote to consider.

Too many possibilities.

Comics Illiteracy: Is there such a thing?

Would you go into publishing if your readers were illiterate? Put another way, would you still go into comics publishing if most of your readers have no understanding of the unique language of comics much less comprehend any attempt at literary meaning behind such works? From a business and practical point of view, the answer would most certainly be in the negative if one's objective is to publish literate pieces of comics works.

Even if one were to engage in publishing non-literate and purely entertainment-based comics, the output would have to be commensurate to the number of Filipino readers who are reasonably literate and capable of appreciating such works. The question now is, is there a sufficient number of literate readers out there who actually support entertainment-based comicbooks? Who are they? For the answer we have to examine the state of literacy in our country.

One view is that the literacy rate has risen from 72% to 90% in the last 30 years. According to the latest Functional Literacy, Education, and Mass Media Survey conducted by the National Statistics Office (NSO), 48.4 million or 84% of the estimated 57.6 million Filipinos who are 10 to 64 years old are said to be "functionally" literate (Source: "8 out of 10 Filipinos are functionally literate" by D. Pepito, TODAY newspaper, February 17, 2005).

The NSO defines functional literacy as a higher level of literacy which includes not only reading and writing skills but also numerical and comprehension skills.

Functional literacy was found to be higher in females by an average of 4.8 percentage points than in males. Significantly however, it was found that functional literacy arose in those areas that were economically well-off. In fact, the top six regions with average family income were found to have the highest functional literacy rates. They are: NCR (94.6%), CAR (85.4%), Calabarzon (90.4%), Ilocos (88.6%), Central Luzon (86.9%), and Cagayan Valley (84.4%).

ARMM had the lowest average family income and corollarily the country's lowest functional literacy rate as well at 62.9%. Areas with passable literacy rates (and low family income) were foudn in Eastern Visayas (76.7%), Zamboanga Peninsula (74.8%), Davao (77.8%), and Soccskasargen (77.1%).

Yet, by correlating the existence of literacy with economic well-being, one cannot but help allow some doubt to seep in. If 80% of Filipinos are functionally literate, does it follow that 80% of them are also economically well-off? Apparently, the NSO thinks so. But this goes against other statistical data by the Asian Development Bank, Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, and the same NSO itself that there is a growing incidence of poverty in the country due in part to uncontrolled population growth.

Specifically, the Philippines was found to have one of the highest poverty incidence rates in Southeast Asia pegged at 15.5% with poor people living at less than one (1) U.S. Dollar a day or at Php 32.00 a day, which percentage is lower than Laos (39%) and Cambodia (34.1%) but higher than Vietnam (13.1%) and Indonesia (7.5 %). In other words, in the year 2004 around 40% of Filipinos were poor. That's 40% of approximately 80 million Filipino individuals, or thirty two million (32,000,000) people. In 1995 there were 4.36 million families who were poor. By 2000, the estimate was 5.14 million families or over 31.2 million people.

As of 2004, the NSO reports that the population of the Philippines is at approximately 80 million. About 57.6 million are adults aged 10 to 64 years old. Of this 57.6 million, 32 million live below the poverty level of Php 32.00 a day. Could we say that this impoverished 32 million are "functionally" literate? Not by a longshot if we follow the NSO theory that one's economic stature is determinative of one's level of literacy.

Philippine Star columnist, Jarius Bondoc, says it best:

"Poverty rates only reflect changes in relative prices not changes in underlying incomes or wealth. Considering this, the Philippines is an atoll of a high-income class, an island of a middle-income class, and a vast sea of low-income class. This has been the case since 1960 when the country had a 27 million population in 4.4 million families, as it was in 2000 when the country grew to 76.5 million (2.8 times) in 15.3 million families (3.5 times)" (Source: "40 Years of Failure" Gotcha column by Jarius Bondoc, Philippine Star, January 10, 2005).

Factoring even the rising cost of goods and services without any significant increase in individual and national income, compounded by a 26% unemployment rate, and the increasing rate of professional or "literate" Filipinos leaving the country as Overseas Foreign Workers (OFWs), it is indeed doubtful that there are 80% Filipinos who are economically well-off and corollarily, functionally literate. If we are to subscribe to this NSO theory that one's economic stature is determinative of one's level of literacy, then it follows that more Filipinos are actually illiterate or at least on the way to illiteracy.

The reality speaks for itself. Tuition fees in private schools nowadays have progressively soared such that many Filipinos have either stopped schooling or have reluctantly transferred to public schools. Only the economically well-off elite few can afford the high tuition of private schools.

The public school system is not faring any better either. KAAKBAY CDI (Citizens Development Initiative) a non-government cause-oriented organization announced that public education in the Philippines is in distress. Fewer than 1% of Filipino students are qualified for high school or college level education due to lack of resources and poor management of the public school system by the government. Worse, only 19 out of every 100 public school teachers were found competent to teach English. (Source: "Only 6 out of 100 Grade 6 Pupils ready for High School Study" by Sandy Araneta, The Philippine Star, August 17, 2005)

According further to KAAKBAY CDI, poverty in the Philippines has reached a point where education is no longer a right for all but a privilege for the few. Elementary and High School in the public school system was furtherfound to have failed in teaching the requisite competence an average citizen needs to know and ought to possess at a young age in order to become responsible, productive, and self-fulfilling human beings. To quote the article:

"Education as a way to equalize opportunity has become a myth, because while the rich have a variety of choices offered by private institutions, the poor have to make do with a public education system characterized by dilapitated school facilities, lack of materials and textbooks and technological incompetence." (Source: Ibid)

There is indeed some credence if we are to correlate one's economic stature with one's level of educational attainment. And in light of the country's present economic plight, it is hard to believe, much less conclude, that 80% of Filipinos are functionally literate. The reverse is probably true.

But just for the sake of argument, let's accept for the moment the NSO claim that most Filipinos are functionally literate. Is this any better?

In a 2004 survey conducted by the National Book Development Board, it was found that in a year, the average Filipino read more textbooks than entertainment or leisure based books and magazines. It was also found that only few Filipinos spend on the average, Php 200.00 on books for leisure and read an average of only 12 pages.

What the above data is trying to say is that though there are more Filipinos who are allegedly functionally literate, there is also a commensurate and steady decline in their understanding and appreciation of ethics, history, literature and culture. Particularly, Philippine history, literature and culture. This is functional literacy.

In other words, the Filipinos' level of literacy is mediocre. Functional literacy is actually another word for mediocrity.

If fewer Filipinos aged 10 to 64 years old read entertainment-leisure books than those in the majority who read information-based textbooks, isn't it possible that there are even fewer people who read entertainment or leisure based comicbooks, foreign or globalized? This blogger is inclined to believe so.

Given the aforementioned data that many economically distressed Filipinos are compelled by circumstances to avail of an equally distressed public education system that do not give them the desired level of literacy, and given further that an economically well-off elite few are obtaining a higher level of literacy in private schools, it is respectfully submitted that the foreign and globalized Filipino comicbooks out in the market today cater more, and are patronized by, the latter elite few.

There is consequently, an existent "comics illiteracy" which means that a great many of today's generation of Filipinos do not appreciate much less comprehend, the unique language of comics, and of Filipino komix' legacy in particular.

How do the local comics publishers respond to this predicament? All we have to do is look around at the mediocre comics in the marketplace that cater to the comprehension and appreciation of functionally literate Filipinos. Just look at all those mind-numbing, child-friendly, uncomplicated, purely entertainment-based, and mediocre comics works being displayed in the shelves, racks, and discount bins.

But it doesn't stop there. Its like some two-tiered caste system. To augment their income, some even import foreign comicbooks that are subsequently sold to a culturally globalized and economically well-off, elite few who are presumably more literate than the majority of mediocre functional literates.

One can only wonder what efforts are being exerted to address this situation. More entertainment? More fun? More..."art"? You couldn't help but smile. And they ask you if you "love" Filipino komiks.

Examining the Digital Option

In order to survive as a medium, there are those who espouse that comics should go digital. Their reasons are not to be ignored. Because it is "paperless" production cost is lessened, creators have more creative control over their work, distribution cost is practically eliminated when the work is transmitted electronically, and electronic payment systems ensure a quicker, more convenient mode of service. The proposition does seem sound. Already, there are those who sell digital comics, comics in electronic format from computer to computer or from computer to celfone, traversing great distances and borders. At present however, the process is still ongoing and not as widespread in Third World countries such as the Philippines where the benefits and accessability of recent technological developments from rich, developed countries are not as current as one would hope them to be. THE DECLINE OF AMERICAN COMICS PUBLISHING Significantly, the trend towards digital comics is pioneered by the United States where for years, sales of its comics have not been impressive, striving towards the 100,000 copy level which is a far cry from the million copy levels of yesteryear. This development is confirmed by Jordan Raphael and Tom Spurgeon in their book: "Stan Lee and the Rise and Fall of the American Comic Book" (2003 ed.) to wit: "The comics themselves are disconnected from any sense of larger readership. They're more stylishly illustrated to be sure, but they indulge in recycled thrills made stale by years of repitition in service to their value as licensing properties. Gone forever is the feeling of open-ended possibility, of free form fantasy willed onto a blank page, of giddy, self-aware, and slightly moralistic fun that Lee and his artistic collaborators brought to an art form lacking respect. Comic books are past the point of decline. The top titles struggle to sell 125,000 copies. Kids prefer to buy anything and everything else and at $2.25 per issue, its not certain they could afford to return. Even Stan Lee doesn't read comic books anymore. He doesn't have the time." THE SUCCESS OF JAPANESE COMICS PUBLISHING The problems of the American comics industry however, are not shared several thousand miles away in Japan. Until now, the Japanese comics industry's size is so massive that it overshadows the two other great comics producing nations of the United States and France combined. Approximately 40% of Japan's printed publications are comics or manga. Consider the history: "Yearly sales of manga throughout the 1990s have been in the neighborhood of 600 billion yen including 350 billion in magazine sales and 250 billion in paperbacks. These figures do not include sales of manga appearing in general magazines and newspapers. The total sales of published material in Japan (including magazines and books excluding newspapers) is two trillion five hundred billion yen, of which manga sales account for nearly one quarter. Given a total Japanese population of 120 million, we can calculate that the average Japanese spends approximately 2,000 yen per year on manga in one form or another." (Source: www.dnp.co.jp/museum/nmp/nmp_i/articles/manga/manga1) Though there have been efforts by Japanese companies such as Toshiba to produce a lightweight, two-screen LCD e-book having a secure digital card that can hold thousands of pages of manga, it is still trying to solve its weight and battery-life problem. (Source: http://archives.cnn.com/2001/tech/ptech/04/23/digital.comics.idg/) THE PUBLISHING MILIEU IN JAPAN Other than that, the millions of print manga still continue to thrive. This notwithstanding the fact that Japan's economy is largely based on electronics manufacturing. Why is this so? Ironically, computer access is very low in Japan due to several reasons. First, Japanese education favor traditional methods such that computers are not yet standard school equipment. Second, Japanese language and word processing is difficult. Third, software is relatively limited and expensive. Fourth and last, household penetration of computers is relatively low. (Source: Elissa Moses, "The $100 Billion Allowance: Accessing the Global Teen Market") THE PUBLISHING MILIEU IN FRANCE Also in France where its comics industry is flourishing, computers and the Internet are not as widely embraced either. The reason apparently is that the proud French are not only cynical about the security features of the Internet but that they also fear of being alienated by teh English-speaking or American-dominated entities. (Source: Elissa Moses, "The $100 Billion Allowance: Accessing the Global Teen Market") France in fact, holds an international comics festival every year in the village of Angouleme' which is one of five national events sponsored by the French government to promote tourism. One of these five events is the Cannes Film Festival. The Angouleme' comics convention is also the biggest international comics convention in the world. It is thus apparent that both Japan and France have a significant reading population for print publications. Not so however with the United States which is a different matter entirely. THE PREDICAMENT IN INTERNET DRENCHED AMERICA Recent studies made by the Washington Post newspaper and the U.S. Online Publishers Association (www. online-publishing.org) found that young readers aged 18-34 are not interested in reading printed newspapers and magazines. Rather, they are more apt to log on to the Internet (46%) than watch t.v. (35%), read a book (7%), turn on a radio (3%), read a newspaper (3%) or flip through a magazine (less than 1%). In other words, young people in America prefer to read their news, information and entertainment in free sources such as the Internet. Why pay for news or comics printed on dead trees when you can just as easily read them for free on the Internet? Why pay for a newspaper or comics subscription when you can choose from among thousands of online versions? This is one of the reasons why American comics publishing is down. This is why proponents for digital comics are strongest in the United States. TECHNOLOGY DISCOURAGES OVERALL CREATIVITY? Yet there are those who view this humongous free access to mostly copyright-free content on the Internet as a deterrent to overall creativity and originality. To an extent, this may be true given the previous observation by Raphael and Spurgeon that most American comics today still indulge in recycled thrills and ideas mainly to fuel their comics characters' licensing and merchandising value. In fact, the two largest American comics publishers, DC and Marvel, focus on and largely obtain, their income from licensing and merchandising activities rather than from comics publishing. Indeed, why bother publishing thousands or millions of copies of American comicbooks when nobody is buying especially from the target American youth market? Why buy when you could read them on the Internet for free or purchase a cheap copy from the discount bin? Except for the few comics fans and speculators, who wants the unwanted household clutter? OVEREMPHASIS ON ART: A WRONG PRIORITY And yet as mentioned elsewhere in this blog, Japanese printed manga are the most read comicbooks in America especially by kids 7 to 14 years consistently surpassing the 500,000 to 800,000 copy level. Clearly, something is askew here. This intrusive fact shows that even in a technologically drenched society like the U.S., comics in print format can thrive. Not only does the Japanese output contain original, innovative, and compelling content but that they are relatively and inexpensively printed as well, appearing regularly meeting their target readers' demands. This all shows that the Japanese are focusing more on the practical basics of comics publishing as a business by meeting their broad and varied audiences' demands. The Americans on the other hand, appear to have needlessly complicated the process by expending too much cost on superficialities such as creator name billing, computer coloring, glossy paper, controlled limited output to contrive and manipulate demand, and others. In other words, the Americans are focusing too much on comics as an "artform" thereby limiting itself to a relatively small special interest group of comics fans and speculators. The Japanese meanwhile, are focused on comics as a medium and as a business thus obtaining a wider, broader audience who in return provide the income to fuel more creativity and originality from comics creators. THROWING YOUR BLUES ON THE DIGITAL BASKET Ultimately then, its really an issue of how one manages comics publishing as a business, not as an artform, that makes it flourish. Given all the economic and social adversties around, it is respectfully submitted that it is the publisher's business and management acumen, not the artist's creativity, that ultimately initiates and fuels the whole process of comics publishing making it go around satisfying the needs of the reader, the comics artist, the licensee, the distributor, and all other participants involved. No one element is paramount. The comics artist or creator, though essential are only but part of a publishing whole. The overemphasis on the importance of art and the artist has caused an undesirable imbalance. To the extent that a publisher primarily sees comics as an "artform", his achievements will be limited only to that small world. But if he goes beyond that and sees it as a dynamic business reaching various readers and creating opportunities, his achievements will necessarily broaden. And, without intending it, even achieve his artistic goals. Considering the digital option then, if one sees no hope, or is incapable of appreciating, the proper management of comics publishing as a business then it is but logical to abandon the same and consider another format. WORLDWIDE INFANCY OF E-COMMERCE At present however, trying to sell digital comics on the worldwide web, much less obtaining advertising for a comics site, is not as bright as one would hope. In an article appearing in the March 6, 2005 issue of the Philippine Star newspaper entitled: "RP businessmen top list of Internet users in global survey" by Mary Ann LL. Reyes, a worldwide business owners survey conducted by Grant Thornton International reveal that: "E-commerce in its strictest sense is still nowhere near its potential on a global basis. Business owners in general remain skeptical about advertising, marketing, buying and selling online. Some emerging economies like the Philippines, Turkey and Mexico, are leading the way." Surveying 24 countries, the Philippines among them, it was found that businesses are generally dependent on the Internet mainly for research (not entertainment) purposes with a global average of +26. Businessmen in Turkey (+79), the Philippines (+57) and the U.S. (+50) agree most to this proposition while those in France (-10) and Japan (-38), do not. It was also found that on a worldwide basis, businesses are generally not dependent on the Internet for ordering supplies (-21) or taking orders online (-27). Some individual countries however, think otherwise. The Philippines (+27) and Turkey (+25) were found to be most dependent on ordering supplies online while those in Turkey again (+22) and Mexico (+15) were the most dependent on taking orders online. The survey further found that online advertising and marketing were not considered essential to most business owners, with a global average of -24. Only two countries however, Turkey (+39) and Germany (+17) were found to be most dependent on the Internet for advertising. Businesses use the internet mainly for research and for communication via e-mail of which Filipino businessmen were found to be the highest users worldwide. Specifically, it is only in three countries: the Philippines (+76), India (+70) and Spain (+53), where most businessmen agreed that the Internet has helped increase business turnover the most. Most countries in the world are still hesitant to embrace e-commerce as they still remain skeptical of its ability to secure transactions from external threats such as virus attacks. Since e-commerce appears to be more active in few countries such as the Philippines, India, Spain, Hong Kong, Turkey, Mexico and Germany, venturing into the sale of digital comics through the Internet would have to take these countries into prime consideration. In addition, China has to be considered into the equation as well. In a recent development, Yahoo! has succeeded in getting majority shares from their Chinese internet service counterparts: alibaba.com and baidu.com. It is estimated that around 124 million chinese currently use the internet everyday mostly for domestic commerce. Many consider the China market eclipsing the American market in the near future. FILIPINO COMICS AT THE CROSSROADS To stress, the problem is we have too many comics creators or artists and not enough business planners or managers sympathetic to the cause of comics publishing. And why should there be when comics creators and fans generally ape the American ploy of promoting comics as an "artform"? Most comics artists and creators in fact, fancy themselves as self-sufficient, and able to succeed by themselves on their own terms relying heavily on conjectures, surmises, hearsay, and half-baked analysis from fellow fans and artists who are fueled more by "emotion" rather than cold, hard facts. As a result, the comics publishing field in the Philippines remains dismal to this day. Too many "fan" conventions instead of "publishers" business meetings. Too many costume plays and loud music instead of hard research and business plan formulations. Too many emotional, child-like, peter pannish, egotistical comics artists living near bohemian lifestyles and not enough solid professionals grounded on practicality. Too many short term sporadic successes and immediate self-gratification instead of long term goals and investment. Too many con-men and fly-by-nights instead of honest businessmen. Too many casualties of cultural globalization instead of original, innovative craftsmen inspired by their nation's culture and heritage. The imbalance has got to stop. Comics publishing is not an "art" problem that can be solved overnight by "good stories and art". Please. If today's generation of Filipino comics creators haven't succeeded in creating their own mark in Filipino comics publishing industry, how sure are we that they can triumph in the digital arena?

The lost "art" of comics publishing

Former Economic planning Secretary and now Director of the Ateneo de Manila Center for Economic Research, CIELITO HABITO, has announced that due to the ongoing political uncertainty hounding the Arroyo administration, the economy is expected to grow by one percent lower, around 4.5% to 5.3%, than the original 5.3% to 6.3% forecast by the government. In short, the nation's expected overall wealth is expected to shrink by year end.

On top of this, the nationwide inflation rate (or the rise of prices of goods and commodities) will increase by about 8% to 9% this year based on a $65 per barrel crude oil price.

The current rise in oil prices has largely been due to the current tension between Iran, the world's second oil producing nation, and some Western States led by the United States, wherein the latter has accused the former of engaging in the manufacture of nuclear weapons through its uranium conversion plant. The United nations is about to impose sanctions if Iran decides to push through with its plans of opening the plant.

A second cause in the rise of crude oil prices is China's ongoing acquisition of oil companies/resources in the United States and around the world to fuel its growing economic and industrial growth contributing to the oil shortage. Not only oil but resources such as steel and copper particularly have also been scarce and in high demand in China.

Waiting around the corner in the domestic scene is the dreaded expanded Value Added Tax (E-VAT) law. The imposition of this new tax will be an added charge on the high-priced and inflationary goods and services in the market.

What then has this triple whammy of inflation, oil price hike, and E-VAT got to do with the Philippine comics scene? A lot.

Comicbooks are a print medium. A triple price increase before the end of 2005 will most definitely affect the cost of printing or publishing these comics. The cost of production will go up. Not only publishing, but this will affect as well the allied businesses or operations tied to it such as paper supply, advertising, packaging, distribution, and collection.

It will thus cost ridiculously more to publish just one glossy paged, computer colored, child-friendly and "entertaining" comicbook. On top of this, when that one comic title gets shipped to a distributor (say a bookstore), the latter will charge a distribution fee of either 40% or 50% of the comic's cover price. Say the comic is sold for Php 80.00, the distributor gets a 40% cut of Php 30.00 per copy sold and only Php 50.00 goes back to the publisher which, in most instances is not enough to shoulder the production and publishing cost.

And then you have to think of the cost of collecting; expending money just to collect a measly Php 50.00 60% share for every copy sold, IF ANY COPIES ARE SOLD.

And people, especially kids aged 7 to 12 years old who are into cartoons and videogames these days, just aren't into comics. Comics are not among a Filipino child's spending priority these days. They don't buy kiddie comics local or foreign in the million copy level.

Faced with a price increase without any commensurate increase in one's income, children and older consumers would rather buy more cost efficient, value effective entertainment products such as pirated dvds, cds, go to the movies, watch television preferably cable, jibe with their friends on the cellfone, play computer games, and collect toys and action figures. Comics moreover, especially the foreign ones, are in the internet right now and can be viewed for free so why spend good money on a printed comicbook?

Indeed, who has the money to buy these printed comicbooks anyway? Underemployment is at an increased 26% and that any so-called jobs that were created by the Arroyo administration are either part-time or low quality jobs.

The glossy type comicbooks seen on the market these days depend on advertising to shoulder its mind-boggling cost. Yet, advertisers won't stay long if the comic isn't selling and their ad is not being exposed to a lot of target readers.

Habito further notes that the Philippine economy is still basically driven by consumer goods such as personal care products, baby products, clothing, medicine, food, beverage, computers, celfones, etc. Print media such as comicbooks, are NOT consumer items. Thus, they are not a spending priority but at most, a "luxury" in today's hard times. Being purely "entertainment" based and not generally containing any useful information, the printed comic's value is mostly seen as minimal.

With such a bleak scenario, it seems that importers of expensive foreign comic books, local publishers of licensed foreign comicbooks and of course, the few globalized Fiipino comics in the market are in for some really rough sailing in the next few months. Will they, especially the globalized Filipino comics, still be around by 2006?

Importers may have to order fewer copies to save on capital expenditures and with expected inventory of unsold comics they may have to sell these later to the general public at a lower, non-profitable cost. Local publishers of licensed foreign comics and globalized Filipino comics on the other hand, may encounter serious trouble due to rising printing, distributing and collection costs, and possibly lack of advertising.

Will this scenario continue till the end of the year? Nobody is sure but when asked to give an economic outlook for next year, Cielito Habito states without qualification that 2006 will basically be the same as this year's.

And that my friends, is why the "art" of comics pales in comparison to the problems faced by its business and economic aspect. The overall negativity impressed by this entry is not deliberate nor intentional. Its reality, kimosabe. Negative reality. I call it as it is. A spade. Can't be anything else, that. We have to live with it and deal with it. And yes, bitch about it now and then just to release the angst.

So the next time you have a comics artiste' complain that his "art" demands to appear in expensive glossy paper and that it can't be compromised in (ugh!) newsprint, or that his precious pages ought to have these expensive mamby-pamby detailed computer printing, send him the bill.

Globalization should be the effect, not the cause

This is a reply to one of the comments posted in this blog. The comment submits the proposition that there's nothing wrong with approaching Filipino comics with a modern, "global" outlook and that one's artistic or national identity could still be maintained distinctively by such an approach. It also asks for a definition of the term "globalization" as a point of reference. The answer to this is quite complicated and will require some elaboration. Advance apologies then, and the kind indulgence of the reader is sought in advance for the length of this entry.

"Globalization" is a contentious term. There are those who view its effects as either beneficial or destructive. Alvin Toffler, in his acclaimed 1980 bestseller "The Third Wave" summarizes the conflict as follows:

"At the exact historical moment when many poor countries are desperately fighting to establish a national identity because nationhood in the past was necessary for successful industrialization, the rich countries, racing beyond industrialism, are diminishing, displacing, or derogating the role of the nation.

We can expect the next decades to be torn by struggle over the creation of new global institutions capable of fairly represnting the pre-national as well as the post-national peoples of the world."

Viewed from a political and economic standpoint, globalization is the process of denationalization of markets, politics, and the legal system, i.e., the rise of the so-called global economy. From a business point of view, globalization is a process where companies decide to take part in the emerging global economy and establish themselves in foreign markets. First, they adapt their products or services to the final user's linguistic and cultural requirements. Then they might take advantage of the internet revolution and establish a natural presence on the international marketplace with a multilingual corporate website or even as an e-business. (Source: www.globalization.com)

Noting the italized statement above and as we survey the few globalized Filipino Komiks out in the market today, we cannot deny the process taking place. Most of these titles are either in english and/or conform as much as possible to the cultural approach, style and look of an American or Japanese comicbook apparently in order to market and sell the same abroad. This is the business aspect of globalization exhibiting itself. Can we honestly say that one's culture or personal and distinctive artisitic vision is being allowed to flourish by such a system?

When one foregoes the linguistic and cultural nuances or experiences shared by a community of Filipino individuals, can one truly label the final product as a 'Filipino' comic? Is the cultural identity left intact? Obviously, it isn't.

Are these globalized Filipino Komiks any different from their American or Japanese counterparts? They evidently aren't. Even if the comics artist is a Filipino, its still an American comic like Wetworks, Hellcop, X-Force, or Superman: Rebirth. Language and shared community experiences of Filipino individuals, their identity, is evidently absent from these works.

Proponents for the beneficial effects of globalization see it from a cultural point of view as the eradication of territorial boundaries between separate and distinct communities brought about by new technology allowing for an immediate and shared interconnectivity of their cultural identities and experiences. Through modernity, identity formation becomes a universal feature of human experience. Identity becomes a people's source of meaning and experience. A Filipina mother sending her children off to school is also concerned and finds affinity with, IDENTIFIES with, the tsunami that struck Thailand killing men, women and children. Both are different situations, territories, and cultures yet they find common universal identity or linkage in the welfare of people such as men, women, and children (Source: www.plato.standford.edu./entries/global/).

One will also notice that in the positive view of cultural globalization, one's culture or shared individual experiences within a group or community, are not compromised or eradicated. Rather, its integrity is maintained. Only after it is made known to other people across the globe that an international affinity is achieved; unity through diversity.

Applied now to the issue at hand, if the objective is to gain international recognition I don't think that aping or emulating the concepts, drawing styles, language, and even cultural approach to comics by other foreign countries will result in recognition or affinity by these countries. In short, one must first be culturally distinct and not assimilate or "globalize" at the onset.

Take our present moral problem for instance spawning a lot of personal, economic and political hardship. This is a shared community experience by many Filipinos writ large. Yet, the few globalized Filipino Komiks out in the market do not even recognize or acknowledge this. Rather, they treat this very real conflict between good and evil in an "entertaining", 'safe", "sterile", 'appealing", "child-friendly" and globalized way as if we Filipinos are living in some idyllic, rich and developed foreign country. How alien. It is this sort of product that caters to an economically well-off elite who disdain our culture and also to those buyers in idyllic, rich, and developed countries. I'm sorry but you just don't find any general affinity, relevance, or patronage towards this type of comicbook.

It is thus evident that to obtain the positive benefits of globalization, one must first be faithful to one's language and shared cultural experiences, then reflect the same as best as one can through craft and intelligence in the comics work being made. Globalization or international recognition and assimilation by other nations comes after. You do not put the horse before the cart.

Take a look at the success of the Japanese manga for example. In the 1960s down to the 1980s, American superhero and cartoon comics characters were popular worldwide especially here in the Philippines. Superman, Batman, The Marvel Superheroes, Donald Duck, Charlie Brown, and a host of others.

While this was going on around the world, Japan continued to quietly nurture and develop in its own backyard, its manga relying wholly on the original and diverse visions of its comics creators using its language, distinct culture, history and national experience as story elements. The Japanese were doing this without aping the kind of American comics popular worldwide.

The result? Akira, Ran Ma 1/2, Oh my Goddess!, Appleseed, Ghost in the Shell, Mai the Psychic Girl, Area 88, Lone Wolf and Cub, Crying Freeman, and a host of others. These manga, you must admit, were not only popular but totally different from American comics titles. Their black and white works were longer, more compelling and thought provoking. The Japanese did not compromise their originality, creativity, distinctiveness, language and culture by generally aping and emulating the Americans (or other comics producing country for that matter). Because the Japanese manga stuck to their artistic integrity and individuality, they are now the most read comics publication in the United States and in most parts of the world. In short, the Japanese manga (and anime') became popular worldwide by not being "globalized" by the Americans and their culture. They are also reaping the economic rewards for maintaining such integrity. This is the example that should be emulated by the comics publishing businesses in this country.

During the 1990s I recall some enterprising Filipino comics creators in cooperation with a comics specialty shop then, put together an Image-inspired comicbook about some superhero-type celestial being. Far as I recall it was done in English and was largely a Marvel Comics inspired space-opera, sci-fi concept. It got a lot of publicity and was even featured in the Previews comics catalog. I don't know if it sold or if it became wildly popular like the manga titles, but I do know that its not around anymore or as fondly remembered. Is this the kind of positive globalization being referred to where some artistic distinctiveness is retained?

This blogger may be wrong, but it seems that one's work should first be original, creatively appealing and reflective of the conflicts and achievements of one's own shared community experiences or culture, before it achieves global popularity and acceptance. In other words, being globalized or assimilating with other foreign cultures does not come first, but last. Globalization should not be the cause but an effect. It is the culture of other countries that does most of the assimilating, not us. I personally think that our country's history, culture and present struggles are rife with material that if rightly managed with craft and intelligence could be appreciated internationally without being compromised by globalization at the outset.

I realize that making something original takes a lot of courage, effort and hard work. Its difficult. But that's how it all starts and certainly the more lasting and satisfying once the objective is achieved.

P.S. On the matter of proposing solutions in this blog, well there have been initial recommendations made which have been met with some consternation but that's normal and I'm okey with that. I believe however, that identifying the problem first, accepting and acknowledging that there IS a problem, talking about it and then re-examining it again, is the first step towards finding a solution. Sometimes you see, the solution presents itself when the problem is examined and dissected long enough. I don't have all the solutions right now but I am trying to identify and ask the hard questions first as candidly and as honestly as I see them. I'm not here to polish anybody's helmet nor am I here to maliciously step on someone's shoes either. I address my concerns to a general and amorphous body and not to anyone in particular.

This is not a comics artist blog or site. We don't talk or fawn about each other's "artwork" here. This is not an artist's lodge either where it is obligatory to exchange pleasantries, keep things under wraps, and engage in other superficialities. There are better, more entertaining, more fun, more teen-ager friendly, qualified blogs and websites out there for this sort of thing. This blogger is more concerned with the non-artistic matters in the real world that affect the Philippine comics scene.

If anyone feels personally slighted by anything written here, then I'm sorry but that was not the intent of this blog nor was it referring to anyone in particular. Other than that, I thank you sincerely for your comments and I do hope my candidness doesn't dissuade you from visiting again. Please feel free to disagree anytime but do allow me the same privilege if I tend to hold an opposite view. For now.

The Big Picture

"To sin by silence when we should protest makes cowards out of men."

--Ellen Wheeler Wilcox

The moral problem. More than half of the nation's wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, never circulated to generate productive commercial activites but instead used to finance vice, criminal activities and political instability, all with the ultimate aim of preserving the elite in power. The result? Widespread unemployment and poverty all around. Many are migrating abroad to escape, find work, and to feed their families left behind. How does one react to this crisis?

Specifically, how do the comics in the local market address, much less react, to such an abnormal situation? With the exception of a few local newspaper comic strips, the short answer is "no reaction". Being creatures of entertainment and marketed particularly to the rich elite in our deeply divided society, most of these titles do not even reflect nor address, even by allegory, the very real prevalence of evil against the diminishing good in this country.

Just what kinds of comics are being sold in the market today? The first kind, and certainly the most prevalent and influential, are the expensive foreign comics from America and Japan. The second kind are licensed comics properties, reprints actually of foreign comics published by local publishers. The third and last kind are original Filipino Komiks publications by local publishers that generally ape and/or emulate the look, style, approach, (and sometimes even language) of the expensive more commercially viable foreign comics publications.

Surveying these titles, most if not all of them contain wholly entertainment content limited usually to the fantasy, kiddie action, horror, adventure, superhero and cartoon humor variety. The other common denominator is that they all reflect the peculiar cultural approach to comics by foreign countries.

America and Japan are rich, developed countries. These countries are not experiencing the kind of moral crisis faced by our society. Most of their citizens are so economically well-off that they could afford to engage in various pleasure-seeking and "entertaining" activities such as reading comicbooks. Its an extension of their leisure activity, the benefit of an economically and politically strong nation. Based on their particular cultural experiences they consequently weave their own distinct tales, invent their own modern mythical heroes and characters, and basically improve on this creative exercise over time. They do not, by any stretch of the imagination, specifically address our country's social and cultural plight.

Because the efforts of these foreign comics creators have been so successful and their influence far-reaching, our handful of local comics publishers have been overwhelmed and persuaded as well by commercial considerations, to ape and emulate these foreign comics when making their own versions of modern Filipino Komiks. Looking at their glossy, cosmetically enhanced accomplishments, one could indeed say that these new Filipino Komiks are truly at par with the kind of comics entertainment espoused by the rich, developed, pleasure-seeking nations. Indeed, this is the era of the "globalized" Filipino Komik.

This is why the few Filipino Komiks titles being sold today do not really reflect or acknowledge the peculiar social and cultural experiences of our people. Their entertainment is alien and their attempted allegories to prevailing current events, disappointingly wanting to a great many of our countrymen. Verily, these new Filipino Komiks are tailor-made for an elite "globalized" audience. The same rich target market elite who can afford and ardently patronize the expensive and imported comicbooks of America and Japan sold in our country.

Aren't there any other Filipino Komix out in the market besides these globalized Filipino Komiks? Again, the short answer is there is none worth mentioning. As previously stated, most of the nation's wealth and money is concentrated in the elite. The money is not as widely and democratically dispersed by a liberalized financial system so as to enable a variety of independent FIlipino comics publishers to provide an alternative product. The solution obviously is to wrest control of the money away from the elite; expose their rackets through new, creative means where probably the visual narrative of comics could help contribute.

Ideally then, the party who has the economic and influential means to protest must properly initiate if not lead the charge. Sadly however, that party is still busy making money entertaining the culprits, and still doesn't get the big picture.

A candid profile of the elite target market

Money. Why is so much of it concentrated in the hands of a few? Why should the thoughts, ideals and aspirations of many impoverished and disavantaged Filipinos be ultimately subsumed to the will and tastes of an elite few? Specifically, why should the globalized comics of the elite hold a place in the near barren cultural landscape of our country?

In a 2004 Human Development Survey Report cited in the February 7-17, 2005 issue of BizNews Asia, a Philippine news weekly magazine, particularly in the article "The Philippines muddles through mediocrity" by Antonio S. Lopez, it was found that the richest 20% of Filipinos have taken in 52.3%, or a little more than half of the country's wealth.This means that the richest 20% are making nearly ten times more than the poorest 20% who only took in 5.4% of the national income. This isn't normal.

In Norway, the world's best country, the richest 20% of Norwegians shared only 37.2% of the national income, while the poorest 20% only 9.6%. In short, the richest Norwegians make just sx times the income of the poorest. The richest Filipinos however, make 2.2. times more income than the richest Norwegians, yet the Philippines is so disgustingly poor. The same scenario is present when we look at how much the rich share in the nation's wealth of other developed nations such as the United States, Canada and Hong Kong. A country is poor when its rich few get more of the national income than its poorest. But how do the richest of the rich, the elite of the elite, do it? Did they earn all that money through honesty, fairplay and hard work?

Don't kid yourself.

Illegal gambling. Election rigging. Bribery. Money laundering. Tax evasion. Smuggling. Intellectual piracy. Land grabbing. Drug trafficking. Illegal logging. Securities manipulation. Cult worship. Graft and corruption. Monopolies. Duopolies. Oligarchies. Prostitution. And a host of other rackets so ingenuous, so innovative in conception and execution that no term has yet been coined to describe them. We read and find out all about these shenanigans in the t.v., radio, newspapers, books and the internet. We discuss them amongst ourselves in private, shaking our heads in mixed disbelief, admiration, and disgust.

The elite. That's how most of the nation's wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few. This is why the richest 20% are taking nearly ten times more than the poorest 20% of the nation's wealth. Its a glossy, depraved world where black is white and white is black. The moral problem. The real world of the richest of the rich. A segment, a significant segment, of the target class A demographic with high purchasing power.

It is significant because the warped morals and values of the richest 20% are emulated by other segments of the class A demographic who are dependent on the former for income. This soon trickles down to the reduced middle and mass-based lower demographics developing into the country's moral problem writ large.

But seeing how the elite's twisted morals betray also their lack of national pride and concern for the common man, it follows that they, and the other minds they have infected, have no real and honest appreciation for our country's language, history, heroes, achievements, stories, music...generally our country's heritage and culture.

Surveying the ruin the elite have caused, they are embarrassed by what they see and have the gall to call our culture and entertainment as hopeless, deficient, impoverished and backward. They turn their backs and pine for the more "refined" cultures of other countries praising their language, their hisotry, achievements, music, arts, and yes, even their comicbooks. This, they tell us, is what we should aspire for.

Not surprisingly, the bait is taken. Go get 'em, globalized Filipino comics. Show your elite audience what you've got.

Filipino Komix' finest hour

Besides chronic political instability and debilitating poverty, there is one other significant social development that should be considered if we are to estimate possible consequences affecting the Philippine comics scene today. We are talking about the yearly mass migration of Filipinos for jobs abroad. This is symptomatic of an economically and culturally demoralized nation.

The Philippines is ranked below India and above Mexico as having one of the world's largest migratory labor forces. As of this writing, one tenth of the nation's approximately 80 million population, or eight million adults, are overseas and their number is growing.

Half of the Philippines' middle class in fact are overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). The middle class in the country therefore, has been considerably reduced. With a reduced middle class, the economic classes remaining are the very rich few and the low-income masses. This is aggravated by a situation of unequal distribution of wealth.

Composed mostly of information technology workers, health workers, teachers, doctors, nurses, business managers, engineers, architects, and other professionals, this batch of OFWs come mostly from the Philippine middle class and are expected to bring in by the end of 2005, an annual remittance of $12 billion from last year's $8 billion. The yearly remittance earnings of OFWs is what keeps the Philippines afloat, preventing it from teetering on the brink of national bankruptcy.

This $12 billion remittance may be good news to the families left behind and for the present administration of embattled President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who is cash strapped with an approximately $3.36 Trillion deficit. But taken in proper perspective, this carries adverse consequences on the OFW's family ties and on the long-term survival of the country.

Specifically, many children are growing up without a father or mother (sometimes even both). This causes a disruption in family ties and the emergence of independent led lifestyles among the young who face adult situations and responsibilities at an early age. Also, seeing the economic success of relatives and neighbors abroad have fueled the desire of many people to leave the country and work overseas thus fomenting a deterioration of national pride.

What do all these mean and what are their implications on the Philippine comics scene particularly?

A disruption in family ties coupled by a loss of national pride makes one's mind pliant and receptive to the language, dreams, aspirations, achievements and promises of other cultures. This is what is happening right now to both OFWs abroad and to the Filipinos left behind here in our country. Like it or not, there appears to be an ongoing abandonment of our culture and heritage.

Applied particularly to the local comics scene, we see this cultural escapism manifest itself through the unabashed patronage by mostly elite consumers of expensive and imported foreign comicbooks, licensed imported comics, and assisting in the promotion of these two groups, locally produced comics that assimilate "foreign touches" in their look and execution. All these "globalized comics" primarily cater to the rich and few class A demographic and reduced middle-income class B demographic. The class A and B demographic after all, have a high globalized orientation and possess the more relevant purchasing power than the lower income C, D, and E demographic.

From a cultural point of view, this may not bode well. New, original, daring and innovative local Filipino comics face an uphill battle if they seek to be acknowledged by a highly discriminating and elite globalized audience. At most, the few and largely unknown Filipino comics of today may thrive in small quantities within the non-commercial and enclosed sub-culture being developed around them, similar to what is happening right now to the so-called "indie" comics scene.

Regarding the "indie" comics scene, there is as yet no data made available of its organizational set-up (if ever there is one), no data as to its size or significance so as to warrant any serious cultural, business and investment consideration. More importantly, there is no data made available regarding the objectives of this group, i.e., whether or not their comics creating activities are intended solely for non-commercial "art's sake" purposes, and whether or not their largely photocopied publications are circulated only within their youth-oriented demographic. At any rate, the success of this particular group is an open question the answer to which will depend primarily on whatever objectives they may have collectively set for themselves.

Overall however, and speaking from an economic point of view, the prevailing comics scene in the country continues to be conducive to foreign and foreign-influenced comics that cater to a limited but "globalized" target audience with high purchasing power. This is also reflective of the Filipino's present social and cultural state as a demoralized, cynical and depressed people. In short, it has lost faith in itself. It has turned its back on our bleak and deficient culture, closed its eyes, and is dreamily seeking escape inside the idyllic cultural landscape of other foreign countries through the latters' media, the comics being one such media.

Seen on a broader canvas, the conflict is ultimately cultural. A battle of the minds. This is not solely an "art" contest. It is more than that. The stakes are much higher. It is a media war that will involve a lot of players besides comics creators. The hearts and minds of our people, the Filipino audience have to be won back and comics as an alternative media can play a significant and initiatory cultural role in that. If only it can look beyond its self-enclosed and limited "art world", realize its inlfuence as an open media, and address the above outlined scenario with craft and intelligence, do we stand a chance.

This is indeed a defining moment in the opening years of the 21st century. The challenges facing today's generation of Filipino comics creators is daunting. More daunting than those faced by their predecessors. For one, there is no Filipino komix industry to begin with. Second, it has virtually no audience. Third, it is up against a formidable array of cheaper, more accessible entertanment media. Fourth, almost everybody is economically challenged. Fifth and last, the players are few in number. Faced with these obstacles one indeed wonders if today's generation is up to the task, in this, their finest hour.