Komiks Gladiators: 24 Hour Comic Book Challenge Participants (3 of 3)

In half a day, twelve hours from the publication of this post, the Philippine 24 Hour Comic Book Challenge begins. We've done all we can here at Pinoy Pop--from here on out, it's all on the participants. To those who are about to die draw, we salute you!

Do you think it will be harder to come up with the story or actually draw the comic?

RH Quilantang: For me, it’s always harder to work on the story.
Dexter Lira: When I was a kid, I didn’t care about plot. I must have churned out a dozen “issues” in a month. Now that I’m old, I’m constantly criticizing my own ideas. The biggest challenge for me would be to start. I don’t have time to worry about “how hard.”
Kajo Baldisimo: For me, the story will be tougher, 'cause I can’t do it. My grammar isn't that good and my spelling is "unberstimonall". Plus I can’t form coherent sequences of events and am not very good making sense of anything, as you can probably sense by now. But I will have fun…
Norby Ela: Both! But, if I'm only going to choose one, the story. The story is more important I think. But in a comic book, both need to support each other.
Josel Nicolas: It will be harder to stay alive for the next day for my flight, I think. Haha. I’ve always tried to be organic in the way I work, not scripting before working. I think it's the midway point where we all have to worry about losing our minds...
James Ryan Toledo: For me it’s the drawing part, since I almost exclusively write.
Ammathorn: Both tasks are equally challenging, I can’t really discriminate with regard to the effort it takes to do both.
Mary Ranises: Neither. Like I said, I work well under pressure. Anyway, that’s the challenge isn’t it?
Alex Cipriano: I think it takes up more time and effort thinking up of what to draw than actually drawing it.
Lico Reloj: I think drawing for me would be harder because I have to make sure that my art doesn’t get boring. On the other hand, I often make up for it with my writing.
Roelito Barreto: Story will be harder since we cannot always think the same way every time. Sometimes we get mental blocks, sometimes we have moments of genius, sometimes we are just in a bad mood.
Rodi de Asis: For me..... to come up with the story is much harder.
Teddy Pavon: In my case, drawing the comic. Because unlike other contestants, I have classes for half the day on Saturday, and I have a scheduled exam that will divide my attention as well. Sadly I am not joking. So having a hard time with the story can’t be an option for me, because if I struggle with that...it’s gonna be a problem.
Jiggy Cruz: It'll be harder to come up with the story I believe...
Mikko Marcelo: I think writing the story is harder. It's hard to come up with the story sometimes, especially if there's a given theme because you're limited to that theme. And there may be a lot of stories in the world coming from that same source, so it would be hard to write something unusual and out of the box, because our media-influenced world is inside that box.
Michael David: Drawing the comic, for me, will be more cumbersome, especially tweaking the artwork on the pc.
Noel Cervantes: Writing a story is easy but a “good story” takes a lot of time--I guess, story and drawing are the same when dealing with them within the 24 hour time comic challenge.
Sherwin Marmita: Drawing is hard, it is never easy, always a challenge. But if you fail, hold the pencil and draw again. Just be positive and grip the pencil plus marker well, surely you’ll make a difference…
Mel Casipit: I think it's harder to come up with a story, however it's also challenging to draw and think of a story with in 24 hrs with 24 pages because of the time pressure.
Freely Abrigo: I think [the entire thing] will be hard because it’s like taking exams without even browsing notes or books for review!
Herman Gacosta: For me, to draw the comic. Coming up with a story is quite easier for me.
Jemuel Bernaldez: Drawing is easy, as long as you have your story progressing from panel to panel. But bathroom breaks, now those are killers.

What's your strategy going into this event? How are you planning to maximize your time? Have you already bought provisions: energy drinks, dextrose drips, pagan idols?

Alex Cipriano: What provisions? Comics artists don’t eat! My strategy is to not draw my characters’ feet and use smoke to hide them… seriously though, what I’m actually doing is reading 24-hour comics on the web, picking up ideas on how to approach it. I believe a solid, timed, step-by-step approach would really help me accomplish my targets on time. But I think the most important thing to remember while doing this is to have a lot of fun!
Rodi de Asis: I have no plan yet...
Lico Reloj: 1. Mind hacking, reality engineering and tapping into the awesome power of the cosmos. 2. Draw fast, keep it simple and minimize erasures. 3. I’m planning to buy new inking materials and some hit point replenishment units before the big day. For energy drinks, I’ll concoct a special drink beverage made with milk, honey, coffee and cocoa.
Norby Ela: Strategy? I guess, do the story and storyboards in the first 2 hours; then 8-10 hours of pencils; 10 hours of ink; 2 hours of emergency time.
James Ryan Toledo: Good question! I’m going to try out an experimental method that has been going around in my mind for quite some time now--that and tons of caffeine, DVD movies or music in the background and being away from home on that Saturday will get me going. And oh, no pagan idols, just a picture of Maria Ozawa will do.
RH Quilantang: I printed out pictures of Gerry Alanguilan, Gilbert Monsanto and Justin Bieber and stuck them to the wall. Hehehe.
Ammathorn: Pagan idols? Good lord no. I’ll just economize my style and update a steady playlist into my ipod and I’m good to go.
Kajo Baldisimo: My strategy is to try and read the minds of my fellow comics creators during this event and hopefully put those ideas on paper before they do. Remote comics viewing is key!
Josel Nicolas: Maybe a Lost-a-thon while I work?
Roelito Barreto: This is a 24-hour work so I need to be awake during each minute. I will not draw continuously, I will have a break to exercise and snack, just to ensure my brain and body will work together, fitted and active. Energy drinks, coffee, Pandesal, internet, scanner, pencil, pen, eraser, coupon, and laptop… all of these are ready. “Please do not disturb.”
Mary Ranises: Like I said, sandwiches and coffee. I will probably take a long nap the day before to mess up my internal clock beforehand. I’ll also try to keep my art as simplistic as possible.
Dexter Lira: No, no pagan idols: we’re doing PG-13 right? I’m considering everything else, though.
Jiggy Cruz: My strategy is to lessen the words. I'll go all visual! I've got my Nescafe ready!
Jemuel Bernaldez: Less is more! As for provisions, I’m missing only three crystal skulls and a Buddy Christ statue. Gotta catch them all!
Michael David: Exercise drills on Thursday, run a few miles on Friday, sleep early, and on the day itself: close-ups, splash pages and very little dialogue! As for provisions; I’ll probably get burgers, lots of ‘em.
Noel Cervantes: Clever question. Well, I just need to concentrate, a space to work, a brewed coffee, the ubermensch creativity and imagination!
Sherwin Marmita: Wooo… I only have sleep, a good rest, and a new sharpened pencil. This is just a game and just fun. Enjoy drawing. I work in a call center and I know stress is my enemy here. I try to make it.
Freely Abrigo: For the meantime, let’s keep [my methods] a secret but I promise to reveal them when l win! (if I win!)
Mel Casipit: “Focus” and “Maximization of Time” are my main strategies. 24-hour comics are really a challenge for every comic-book artist, but I believe that at least once in the life of a komikero, one should at least have the guts to try it out. I bought drawing materials and lots of food! I’m really excited to begin drawing my 24-hour comics!
Herman Gacosta: Pagan idols, definitely. One of those Hello Kitty keychains.
Mikko Marcelo: I'm just gonna do what I have to do. To maximize my time I will concentrate and not distract myself with things like the TV, or other people. I don't really plan to get energy drinks. I'll just pray to God that He guides me.
Teddy Pavon: Lots of sleep the day before. Study the day before so I can focus on the contest. Get the story and layouts done by the morning, then work on detailing and finalizing everything, and just keep focused and make the most out of the day... But I have a pagan god of energy drinks that injects caffeine into your system like dextrose drips around the corner--just in case I need him. Just in case, you know?