Festival out to boost interest in local comics

Festival out to boost interest in local comics

Urip Hudiono, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Hanny, 27, was window-shopping at Mal Ciputra in Grogol, West
Jakarta, when she noticed a banner informing shoppers of the
Comic Festival on the fourth floor.

Curious, she decided to take a look. There, in front of the
entertainment-games center, was a display of beautifully rendered
comic strips mounted on boards and dozens of comic books.

"I didn't realize that Indonesian comics are as good as
foreign ones," she said, although she admitted she wasn't an
expert. "Why aren't they as popular as foreign ones, and why
don't bookstores carry them?" she mused.

Others were equally impressed. Die-hard manga (Japanese comic)
fans debated whether to go out on a limb and pick up a local
title, or the latest edition of their favorite comic.

The Indonesian Comic Society (MKI) is holding the festival at
the mall from Aug. 28 to Sept. 12, to better acquaint people with
local cartoons.

The festival will feature talk shows and workshops on drawing
cartoons, besides an exhibition. The event is supported by, among
other patrons, publishers Gramedia and Mizan and Animbus comic
studio, the offspring of Bandung Institute of Technology's (ITB)
School of Arts and Design.

The 1970s was the heyday of local strips with classics such as
R.A. Kosasih's Mahabharata and Ganes Th.'s Si Buta dari Gua Hantu
(The Blind from the Haunted Cave) transfixing readers. Year by
year, though, foreign comics became more popular, finally edging
out local creations.

MKI chairman Adrian said, the main problems faced by the comic
industry here were the public's ignorance of local comics and
convincing publishers to take on local cartoonists.

"Holding a comic festival at a mall is a big step toward
enlivening the local industry," he said, explaining that previous
events were held on university campuses or at arts centers.

He added the MKI had begun to study the market for local
comics so that it could interest publishers in Indonesian
cartoons.

Cartoonist Ibenk of comic publisher Terrantbooks said local
and foreign cartoonists were of a similar standard.

Ibenk, who used to work at a comic studio in Malaysia, said
Malaysian cartoonists admitted that Indonesians cartoonists were
a step ahead, in terms of creativity and drawing techniques.

Malaysia has an established comic industry, which sees
cartoonists earning around Rp 3 million a month, but Indonesian
cartoonists lack support, he said.

"In Indonesia, many cartoonists are not able to earn a
living."

Freelance cartoonist Mohamad Jaid said, "It's very difficult
to find a publisher for local work."

The winner of a comic-strip competition staged by a local
magazine added he had recently sold some work to the Army's
History Center for Rp 40,000 (US$4.35) per page.

Adrian suggested local cartoonists work together to establish
a professionally managed industry, with specialized artists,
writers and editors.

He added that Indonesian cartoonists should improve their
professionalism, particularly in productivity.

"Cartoonists here usually complete five pages a day, but in
Japan, a professional cartoonist can produce up to 25 pages per
day."

I-box
The Comic Festival:
Sept. 1, 3 p.m.
Talk show: A Flashback of Indonesian Comics, featuring
cartoonists Dwi Koen and Ratna Sari
Sept. 4, 3 p.m.
Talk show: The Phenomenon of Underground Comics, featuring
cartoonists Firmansyah R. and Hikmat D.
Sept. 11, 3 p.m.
Workshop: Making Comics, featuring Japanese cartoonist Machiko
Sensei
Sept. 12, 3 p.m.
The Making of Homeland (an animated film) from the Visi Anak
Bangsa Foundation