LIVING LEGENDS

The #1 reason I opened an office in Manila, Philippines 11 years ago was my long-time appreciation of the great Filipino artists whose work I grew up with in the ’70s.  Nestor Redondo (with whom I worked on a story).  Alex Nino (who drew some books for me!).  Alfredo Alcala.  Rudy Nebres (one of my wife’s friends!).  Rico Rival.  E.R. Cruz.  Ernie Chua.  The list goes on and on.  They brought with them a classic style from their country, refined and perfected for the American market.  It was some of the most magnificent work, inked with such imagination and flourish, it couldn’t be mistaken as coming from anyplace else.

Flash forward a couple of decades, and Whilce Portacio broke in as, I think, the first of a new generation of Pinoy talent, followed by Leinil Francis Yu and Jay Anacleto.  But then things seemed to stall.

So along came the year 2000.  After seven years representing primarily artists in the USA and Brazil, I opened an office in Manila — one which has bounced among four different locations but is now settled comfortably in Cubao, ably run by Michelle and by Weng.  I gave the business a lot of time and attention, fitting for one of the most talented artistic countries in the world, and one with a rich comic book culture of its own.

With great pleasure and pride, I’ve been able to teach and guide a whole new generation of Filipino talents into the American marketplace.  And not just guys this time — but gals as well.  Not just pencillers and inkers but colorists and painters and designers.   Jinky Coronado, Michael Bartolo, Rainier Beredo, Bong Dazo, Tina Francisco, Jeffrey Huet, Jonathan Lau, Katrina Mae Hao, Carlo Pagulayan, Jay David Ramos, Stephen Segovia, Anthony Tan (both of them!), Harvey Tolibao, and Wilson Tortosa are just a few of the dozens of artists Glass House has brought into the mainstream American comic book market.

They bring with them new styles, new approaches, and only a hint of their rich, classic stylistic traditions.  In that way, I think we’ve missed something that I don’t want to leave behind.  You can only imagine my joy when classic DC and Warren artist Jun Lofamia joined us last year, as full of flourish and imagination as ever.

Then, thanks to the ever-amazing Grace Dimaranan, I got to meet two more — Rico Rival and Ernie Patricio.  They’d been following Glass House’s talents and training and professional practice from afar — and decided maybe they could be available again to the American market.  So this weekend, at the Seminar, Rico tells me he’ll be bringing along Abe Ocampo, Nar Castillo, Danny Acuna, Yong Montano, and Ding Abubot.  I can’t wait to meet them.  Even if they ultimately decide not to rejoin the American comic book talent pool, the joy I’m feeling at the prospect of meeting all that legendary talent just makes the fan in me overflow.

And if they DO decide to grace American comic books with their amazing abilities once again?  We can only be more diverse, and the better for it.