Friday, October 15, 2004
I've been redrawing the old CLASS strips that I did for an old magazine in preparation for another try in the dailies. These strips were published for many years spanning almost all of the 1990s and it's where I got to know the ins and outs of doing comic strips. Prior to this stint I applied at the now defunct Daily Globe, Philippine Daily Inquirer, and Manila Times and each time I got the same reply: there were no space available. The chief editor of the entertainment section of this last publication thankfully referred me to the editor of GLITTER Magazine where I got my first job as a cartoonist.
It's been some years since I tried applying the strip to local publications and with constant ribbing from some friends and well meaninged relatives I thought I'd try again after hearing an opening in another daily newspaper. Since they have a size requirement a lot smaller than the existing materials that I have right now, I've started redrawing them and arranging them like a puzzle in such a way that the introduction of the characters would be done through a storyline using different gags and characters depending on what the situation calls for. For example in this strip:
When I first introduced the character of Jason in the strip, he was more of a pest that continually interfered with the affairs of his schoolmates while Stan (in glasses) and Mike (crewcut guy) were one of the most popular guys in shool. During its seven year run in the magazine other characters were gradually introduced and roles were reversed so original characters involved in gag situations had to be recast although the dialogue were left the same. Reactions will also be exaggerated than ever before to suit and highlight the punchlines.
It's been some years since I tried applying the strip to local publications and with constant ribbing from some friends and well meaninged relatives I thought I'd try again after hearing an opening in another daily newspaper. Since they have a size requirement a lot smaller than the existing materials that I have right now, I've started redrawing them and arranging them like a puzzle in such a way that the introduction of the characters would be done through a storyline using different gags and characters depending on what the situation calls for. For example in this strip:
@ 1:14 PM ---> 
