A long road back for local comic books<\/p>\n
Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Local film and comic books hold sort of the same fate. Both
\nused to be very popular, both were subsequently in the doldrums
\nfor years and now both are showing signs of revival.<\/p>\n
More locally made films appeared in the past two years and
\nyoung filmmakers are growing in number.<\/p>\n
The same thing has occurred with comic books. The spirit and
\ndrive to make comic books among young people seems high.<\/p>\n
It's evident from the increasing number of exhibitions,
\ndiscussions, a developing comic book community and \"underground\"
\ncomic books, those that are independently distributed.<\/p>\n
\"There is growing interest among young people to make comic
\nbooks. Back in the '80s, it was very difficult to find someone
\nwilling to make comic books. But now, there are many of them,\"
\nsaid Iwan Gunawan, a graduate of Jakarta Arts Institute (IKJ) and
\nfounder of an IKJ-based comic books community called Pengki.<\/p>\n
\"They (comic book artists) are also talented and have great
\nskill.\"<\/p>\n
The interest may be high and the skills are excellent. But
\nthere is one crucial problem: there are hardly any publishers who
\nare willing to hire them and publish their works.<\/p>\n
According to comic book artist Alfitri M.Z. or Alfi
\nZachkyelle, publishers are too demanding and place many
\nrestrictions on comic book artists.<\/p>\n
\"They want us to draw cute and funny pictures. We only become
\nsketchers, not artists,\" said Alfi, whose comic book titled
\nPetualangan Tiggy (Tiggy's Adventure) will be published in
\nDecember.<\/p>\n
As a result, Alfi said, many artists choose to distribute
\ntheir books independently.<\/p>\n
\"We print it, photocopy it and sell it, all by ourselves,\" he
\nsaid, adding that some 5,000 copies of comic books are
\ndistributed monthly \"underground\".<\/p>\n
However, some artists think that publishers are not the one to
\nblame but the artists must actually look at themselves.<\/p>\n
Taufiq \"Ipot\" Juniarto from Masyarakat Komik Indonesia
\n(MKI\/Indonesian Comic Book Society) said that comic book artists
\nhere lack of professionalism.<\/p>\n
\"This is something that we have to fix. Many artists couldn't
\nmeet deadlines, saying that drawing needs a certain kind of mood.
\nThey still can't contain their ego. No wonder that publishers
\ncomplain,\" Ipot said.<\/p>\n
MKI has some 300 members, including those living in Java and
\nBali.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, comic book artist Pidi Baiq, who created the comic
\nbook Si Lender together with comedy group P-Project, said that it
\nwas really up to artists if there is to be a revival in the
\nfortunes of local comic books.<\/p>\n
\"Many of them just want to be rich or famous. Although money
\nis of course important, but don't make it the main purpose. If we
\ncan produce a great work, money will come,\" said the graduate of
\nSchool of Fine Arts and Design of the Bandung Institute of
\nTechnology (ITB).<\/p>\n
Pidi said that many publishers complained that artists
\ndemanded exhorbitant payment.<\/p>\n
\"If we can offer them (publishers) something unique, different
\nand have selling point, they will publish our works,\" said the
\n27-year-old artist who also created the Kapten Bandung (Bandung
\nCaptain) comic book back in 1995.<\/p>\n
Si Lender, a parody of Highlander movies, is indeed
\nentertaining and reportedly selling well.<\/p>\n
The problems with local comic books today, Pidi said, was a
\nlack of originality and weak storylines.<\/p>\n
\"No matter how identical our style is with Marvel's, it won't
\ndo us any good,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Comic books, he added, must be able to tap into and raise
\npublic emotions.<\/p>\n
\"That's the most important thing. That's why comic book
\nartists in foreign countries succeed. Because they can meet the
\npsychological need of their readers.\"<\/p>\n
In the United States, he said, people need someone to look up
\nto or idols which was why American comic books are full of
\nheroes.<\/p>\n
Workaholic Europeans are fond of adventure stories while
\nJapanese, Pidi said, need escapism from their busy lives.<\/p>\n
\"Here, as social control is tight and there are many
\nrestrictions, people like something that represents rule-
\nbreaking, like parody, for example,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"Like a cook, artists must also know how to work the recipe,
\nwhich means matching the character, the style and the story.
\nThere are some process to be done, but most of local artists
\ndon't want to get through it. That's because they only aim at
\nmoney.\"<\/p>\n
It seems, he added, that local artists in general are divided
\nbetween two extremes.<\/p>\n
\"Like in film, for example. It's divided into (director) Garin
\nNugroho and (soap opera tycoon) Raam Punjabi. The first makes art
\nmovies that can only be appreciated by a few so-called highly
\neducated people, while the latter makes, well, you know, soap
\nopera,\" Pidi asserted.<\/p>\n
He pointed to the successful local TV series Si Doel Anak
\nSekolahan, the story of a Betawi (native Jakarta) family.<\/p>\n
\"See why it's successful? Because it's original and down to
\nearth. That's why it can touch many people,\" Pidi said.<\/p>\n
\"That's how local comic books should be.\"<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/a-long-road-back-for-local-comic-books-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }