The Callous Blog

    The next couple of hours were spent with me roaming around saying hi to friends in the local comic scene.  I also donated a copy of Callous - Chocolate Chip Wishes and Caffeine Dreams to a little comic-reading nook the Komikon people had set up.

    I wore a scrub top for a couple of reasons.  One was to be cosplaying the medical theme of my comics and the other was because they're actually terribly comfortable. :)

    A line of eager attendees had amazingly already been formed as early as 9 AM.  I also ran into Pilar Esber, who was quite far ahead in the line.  You might hear more about her in this site in the coming months... but that's a different tale entirely.

    At 10 AM the event opened its doors and the crowd gradually built up.  The first few hours was the most active, as the most ardent fans were the ones in line in the early morn.  Some people who purchased Callous Comics from the 2010 Metro Comic Con were nice enough to pass by and say, "Hello"!  They would inquire as to when there'd be a new compilation and would go about their business at other tables.

    The venue itself, the Bayanihan Center, was very comfortable.  The air-conditioning was the best I've ever experienced in a comic con, almost giving me chills!  It was a very classy venue, fit even for medical conventions and wedding receptions, with classical music being played as well.  This was disconcerting at first (really? classical music at a comic con?!) but being a big fan of the musical genre I enjoyed it quite a lot.  The only downside to it was that it wasn't in a mall or at the University of the Philippines which usually draws high traffic.  Nevertheless, the comforting atmosphere was most welcome!


    One of my early visitors was Hazel Manzano of Callwork fame.  She quickly purchased a copy and went on to do the million other things she seemed to be doing.  She was one busy lady that day!  Ambush comics' Andrew Villar also passed by looking for The Land of the Guardians book, which wasn't released yet in this comic con.  Macoy Tan who does the brilliant School Run also passed by to purchase a book.  The great Gerry Alanguilan also passed by to say hello and spent a lot of time perusing the Webcomics: What's Cooking? cookbook, paying particular interest in my submitted recipe.  As I was packing up for the day, the incredible Budjette Tan who writes Trese also said hello and purchased a second copy of my book.

    At the end of the day I placed my stuff in my car and returned to walk around and check out what was left of the convention.  I wasn't able to get a copy of the new Work in Progress book by Hub Pacheco and Teddy Pavon, which was one of the few I actually anticipated to get.  Most, if not all of the indie comic people had packed up and gone so I went through the bargain bins of various toy booths for something cool for my son and got a trio of collectible Star Wars action figures, Luke Skywalker, Admiral Ackbar, and Momaw Nadon.