Comic figures now on unique postage stamps<\/p>\n
By Yuli Tri Suwarni<\/p>\n
BANDUNG (JP): The launch of a new series of stamps featuring
\nfive comic strip characters from national and local newspapers is
\nsure to put a smile on the face of every stamp collector.<\/p>\n
Having printed hundreds of thousands of stamps, PT Pos
\nIndonesia for the first time launched comic-themed stamps -- a
\nmilestone in Indonesia's philatelic world -- on March 13.<\/p>\n
The five comics are Panji Koming of Jakarta-based Kompas
\ndaily, Pak Tuntung of Medan-based Harian Analisa,
\nPak Bei of Semarang-based Suara Merdeka, I Brewok of
\nDenpasar-based Bali Post and Mang Ohle of Bandung-based
\nPikiran Rakyat.<\/p>\n
Pos Indonesia public relations officer Golom Pandiangan said
\nthe five comic strips were selected for their uniqueness.<\/p>\n
Mang Ohle, for instance, was chosen because of its longtime
\npresence in Pikiran Rakyat.<\/p>\n
Since it was first created by PR Sutedjo in 1955, the comic
\nhas had up to four different illustrators.<\/p>\n
"The choice of Mang Ohle makes sense because he is the oldest
\namong existing comic characters in the newspapers. He is a figure
\nwho is able to solve problems, even the most difficult ones,"
\nDidin Basoeni, Mang Ohle's illustrator since 1993, wrote in the
\npaper.<\/p>\n
Dwi Koendoro Brotoatmojo's Panji Koming, which first appeared
\non Oct. 14, 1979, was selected due to his criticisms and
\nanecdotes based on realities within society.<\/p>\n
The honest and simple figure of Panji Koming, set against the
\nMajapahit era, describes, according to Pandiangan, the submission
\nof a servant to a hypocritical, authoritarian and corrupt ruler.
\n"Exactly like our society in general," he said.<\/p>\n
Panji Koming's fame has also brought him to an English-version
\ncomic strip called Plucky Koming.<\/p>\n
Pak Tuntung, which appears in Harian Analisa daily, was
\ndescribed by Basuki, its creator, as a character who loves the
\nenvironment and is against crime.<\/p>\n
Two other comic strip characters created in the 1980s, Pak Bei
\nand I Brewok, are no less interesting.<\/p>\n
Pak Bei, Central Java's favorite and most well-known comic
\ncharacter, always encounters bad luck. He is drawn by Masdi
\nSoenardi and appears in the Sunday edition of Suara Merdeka
\ndaily.<\/p>\n
I Brewok is a different sort of character. He always wears a
\nhat and loves to grow his beard and mustache. Shaving is not in
\nhis habit, so his beard and mustache cover nearly half of his
\nface.<\/p>\n
Created by Gungun in 1981, I Brewok is a comic character who
\ncan always see other people's mistakes but not his own.<\/p>\n
"Yes, he's strange. It is like the saying that one does not
\nsee an elephant close by but clearly sees an ant across the sea,"
\nsaid Pandiangan of I Brewok.<\/p>\n
Unique<\/p>\n
Through the uniqueness of the stamps, Pos Indonesia is hoping
\nto encourage the community to learn more about the nature and
\nattitude of each character, thus enabling them to learn something
\nabout themselves.<\/p>\n
"People should not only learn from big things but also from
\nsmall things, like stamps," Pandiangan said.<\/p>\n
Pos Indonesia, which sees stamps as one of its more profitable
\ndivisions, has launched a variety of stamps, including whale-
\nthemed stamps and stamps featuring triangular shapes.<\/p>\n
The launch of the comic-themed stamps in Bandung was warmly
\nwelcomed by philatelists.<\/p>\n
Only four hours after the launch, Pos Indonesia's philatelic
\ndivision in Bandung sold 350 first-day covers from the stock of
\n500. Of the 30,000 available stamps, 4,000, the equal of 800
\nsets, also were sold.<\/p>\n
A Pos Indonesia employee in the philatelic division,
\nAbdulsyukur, was surprised by the response.<\/p>\n
More than 500,000 sets of the comic-themed stamps were printed
\nusing the rotogravure technique. "We usually print 500,000 stamps
\nin five-page sheets, with each sheet containing 20 stamps,"
\nSyukur said.<\/p>\n
Designed by Tata Sugiarta, the stamp series was produced in
\ntwo other forms: 18,000 fist-day covers and 5,000 philatelic
\ndocuments.<\/p>\n
The normal stamps are priced at Rp 500 each, while first-day
\ncovers are sold at Rp 3,500 each and philatelic documents go for
\nRp 6,000.<\/p>\n
All of the comic-themed stamps come in black-and-white.<\/p>\n
At the launching, Mang Ohle's current illustrator, Didin
\nBasoeni, was surrounded by fans, philatelists and Pos Indonesia
\nemployees, all asking for his autograph.<\/p>\n
"Maybe Dwi Koen's fans will do the same. If the comic-themed
\nstamps are signed by the (comic strip) creators, they might fetch
\nhigh prices later," Pandiangan said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/comic-figures-now-on-unique-postage-stamps-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}