IBA PANG KARAKTER NA GAWA NI CARLO CAPARAS
Narito ang ilan pang likha ni Carlo Caparas na sumikat noon sa komiks. Hindi na nakapagtataka kung bigla na lang nating makita sa telebisyon at pelikula ang ilan dito.
Isa akong fan at follower ng mga nobela ni Carlo Caparas noon sa komiks. Kung anuman ang nangyari sa CJC, Sterling at sa mga komiks creators nitong mga nakaraang taon ay walang kinalaman sa paghanga ko sa husay niyang magdala ng kuwento para sa masa. Si Caparas ay isang tunay na pop writer at isang pop icon.
posted by Randy P. Valiente @ 10:34:00 PM
26 comments
26 Comments:
Randy:
Right on. And thank you for featuring ANGELA MARKADO, Carlo Caparas' best work, in my opinion.
Indeed, we should learn to distinguish between professional and personal. Whatever happened during the past year has no bearing whatsoever, to the fact that Caparas had indeed worked like a machine in the 1980s. Many were so-so, but who cares? The truth still remains that he did write a lot of komiks serials in those days.
So, binibigyan na pala ng karangalan ngayon ang mga hack komiks writers basta lang malaki at marami ang kanilang "body of work"?
Iyan na pala ang literary standards ngayon. Talagang ito na nga ang age of diminished expectations.
No wonder pati yung story mo, Jomari, sa Filipino Komiks, e, walang kaamor-amor. You may know all the story techniques but your choice of subject matter and actual treatment sa pagsusulat e, leaves much to be desired. Your story in Filipino Komiks (sorry its so forgettable I can't even remember the title)is excruciatingly TEDIOUS to read and, sorry to say, ang twist ending e parang sa...O. HENRY. Panay ang tira mo ke O. Henry pero heto, ang kwento mo pang O. Henry. You know O. Henry? Unlike him, your Filipino Komiks story was soooo predictable and a chore to read. Talking heads mostly. Hindi pa compelling ang dialog. Hindi pa involving. Yung mga mahilig sumipsip sa "Pilipino Komiks" lang ang pumupuri dito sa gawa mo ng di nila naiintindihan.
Magpakatotoo naman kayo. PLEASE.
Magbigay nga kayo ng talagang obrang komiks story ni Caparas na talagang literary classic. Wala di ba?
What? Just because we spoke the truth and said that what happened in Sterling had nothing to do with Caparas' status as a writer, do not mean that we're saying that he's the best. I didn't say he's the best. I even said many of his works were so-so. Now, where did this come from? Suddenly, we are praising Caparas?
Your opinion about the Filipino komiks is your own and you're entitled to it. Though that piece was not an O. Henry. There was no suprise ending there. It was a simple character story, actually based on a true story about an Arabic-English young man from here who became involved in gangs. Maybe you're not aware how the gangs are in this part of the world. The members are very young, just kids involved in money laundering, prostitution, drug-dealing and murder. Based from real life, but I made it as a komiks story.
Talking heads. Iyan nga kasi ang problema sa komiks ng nasirang industry. Walang laman sa HEAD! He-he. Kaya nga dapat maging talking heads para may laman sa head.
But, kidding aside, your comment is absolutely welcome. Some people will not like it (like the way you hated it) and you're entitled to your opinion.
But, let's not DISTORT the facts. Let's face it. MAGPAKATOTOO according to you. Imulat mo ang iyong mga mata sa katotohanan. History tells us the truth. Caparas in the 1980s wrote a lot of comic serials, and just because we told this truth should not make us villains.
Would be nice of you reveal your real name. We show our balls here, You might want to do the same. Unless you reveal who you really are, whatever you say will be suspect, because people will never trust you.
Panahon na para magpakatotoo ka, hindi ba?
"Caparas had indeed worked like a machine in the 1980s. Many were so-so, but who cares? The truth still remains that he did write a lot of komiks serials in those days."
"History tells us the truth. Caparas in the 1980s wrote a lot of comic serials, and just because we told this truth should not make us villains."
Basahin mo ang mga quote mo sa taas, Mr. Lee. Clarong claro na ang "katotohanan" na tinataguyod 'nyo ay ang DAMI ng komiks nobela na naisulat ni Caparas. Dahil lang sa VOLUME, o DAMI ng gawa, na walang kinalaman kung me kalidad ang pagsulat nito o wala, ay ganito na ang klase ng karangalan ang nais nyong ibigay sa kanya ayon kay Randy:
"...sa paghanga ko sa husay niyang magdala ng kuwento para sa masa. Si Caparas ay isang tunay na pop writer at isang pop icon."
Ngayon, sabihin nyo: tama ba itong interpretasyon, na dahil lang sa MARAMI ang naisulat ng isang tao, kahit na karamihan sa mga ito ay, to quote Jomari Lee: "so-so, but who cares?", ay base na ito para tawagin siyang pop icon? Ito ba ang kanyang "due"? Ang sining ba ng pagsusulat ay parang boxing na dinadaan sa dami ng panalo at knockout at hindi kalidad ng gawa?
Ang kinu-kwestyon natin dito ay ang klase ng artistic values at standards na hinahalaga ngayon ng mga nasa hanay nyong mga komikero.
Base sa mga naisulat ni Randy at mga comment nyo ni Mr. Lee at Maniquis, malinaw na binibigyan nyo ng halaga ang: MEDIOCRITY at mere VOLUME OF WORK. REGARDLESS of QUALITY. At ito ay benchmarks ng POP art? Tanga at mababaw ang taste ng mga masa? At dapat itong ipag-pamunyagi?
Malinaw na mas binibigyan nyo ng halaga at importansya ang popularidad, at sipag ng taong magsulat, kahit na ang naisulat ay..."so-so".
Tama si Jomari. Iyan ang katotohanan. Pero ang katotohanang ito ang hindi tinututulan. Mali po kayo Mr. Lee.
Ang pagtutol ay base sa PAGBIBIGAY HALAGA NINYO SA MEDIOCRITY AT KABABAANG KALIDAD SA SINING NG KOMIKS WRITING. Kaya di kataka-taka na mababa pa rin ang pagtingin ng maramaing tao sa komiks at komiks writing ng mga 'prolific writers' natin tulad ni Gng. Caparas na kilala din bilang box-office B-movie director/producer. Malinaw na karamihan ng mga nagsusulat dito ngayon, ay di nagbibigay ng halaga ng kalidad sa pagsusulat. Mas binibigyan halaga ang VOLUME at TAGAL sa industriya.
Mr. Lee: alam po ninyo, very lame excuse yung sinasabi ninyong character story and ginawa ninyo sa FIlipino Komiks. Kahit mga short sotries ni O. Henry, na plot based, ay character driven din. At higit sa lahat, ang walang kamatayang surprise ending. Ganoon din ang style ng pagsulat nyo sa kwento 'nyo sa Filipino Komiks. Di lang ako, pero marami ang napagod at turn-off sa kapal ng exposition at high-faluting dialog nyo. Boring pa.
Kaya please, don't take it personally. Admit it that you yourself don't follow the rules you set. Dalawa ang inyong standard. At ginagamit nyo lang ang isa kung kailan convenient sa inyo.
Nakuha nyo pang kutyain na buksan ko ang aking mga mata? Heh. Nagawa nyo pang sabihin: "we should learn to distinguish between professional and personal." Pero ganito kayo kung mamersonal: "Would be nice of you reveal your real name. We show our balls here, You might want to do the same. Unless you reveal who you really are, whatever you say will be suspect, because people will never trust you."
O, e ano naman ang kinalaman ng identity sa "katotohanan" ng mga sinasabi dito? Kayo itong namemersonal na.
Anong koneksyon ng identity ng isang pumupuna sa tama or mali ng mga sinasabi nyo? Wala hindi po ba?
Kaya please stick to the issue. Wag nyong iligaw. Wag nyong gayahin si Mr. Maniquis na kung saan-saan ang focus ng kanyang creative mind. Hindi "tiwala" ang isyu dito. Ang isyu dito ay kung nasa tama ba o mali ang mga pinagsasasabi at binabandera nyo dito bilang mga komikero. Wag kayong lumihis.
--Juan Marquez
Pinaaalalahanan ko lang po ang lahat na okay sa akin ang debate, iwasan lang po natin na maging personal ang usapan.
Sige tuloy...
O, ano naman ang nagawa ko dito at biglang nasambit ang pangalan ko? :)
Anyway, Mr. Marquez, sinabi ko lang naman na ang ilang gawa (ilang gawa, hindi lahat, posibleng karamihan) ay naging bahagi na ng kamalyana ng karamihan sa mga Pilipino, tulad nga halimbawa ng Panday. Hindi maikakaila ang bagay na iyon. Dahil doon, nakaukit na ang pangalan ni Caparas sa kasaysayan ng Pinoy komiks.
Ako mismo, wala akong masyadong sinubaybayan na nobela ni Caparas noong araw. Mayroon ba akong binitiwang mga kataga dito na sinabi kong hinangaan ko siya? Paki-review lang ng mabuti ang mga comments ko. Wala hindi ba?
Ngayon, kung hindi mo pa rin naintindihan ang isinaad ko sa aking comment dun sa blog entry bago nito, wala na akong magagawa roon.
Kung naniniwala kang ang pananaw ko tungkol kay Caparas ay tulad ng naisaad mong pananaw ko, wala na rin akong magagawa doon.
Personally, hindi ko rin gusto ang nangyari noon sa Sterling. Ngunit hindi ko alam ang lahat ng pangyayari, kaya't wala ko sa posisyon na humusga.
Kung ikaw, may nalalaman ka sa nangyai sa Sterling, baka pwede mong maibahagi dito para malinawan kaming lahat.
Sorry ha? mukhang lumihis na naman ang focus ng creative mind ko. :)
Hmm... galit ka pala sa HIGH-FALUTIN dialogs. Pero, ginoong Marquez, kailan pa natin ihahain ang ganito sa mga mambabasa? Sana naman ay panahon na para iangat natin ang usapan sa komiks. Ngayon, kung sasabihin mong hindi approapriate ang ganito sa Pilipinas, baka tama ka. Wala na nga siguro akong connection sa bansang iyan dahil sa tagal ko sa ibang bansa. Thirty years nga siguro ay nawalan na ako ng touch sa mga bagay-bagay sa bansa. But, come to think of it, the piece was about north American lifestyle and I never claimed that it was happening in the Philippines. If you feel I have insulted the sensibilities of some people there (like what you've felt after reading the material), then I apologize. But this fact has no bearing whatsoever to Mr. Caparas' works. Mr. Caparas, undeniably, became an icon in the Filipino pop culture, and just like everywhere, icons of pop culture (like Andy Warhol or Stephen King in north America), are always subject to ridicule and invectives (usually inflicted by the literati & the scholarly crowds). Pop culture is not looking for very serious work. It is looking for what gives the masses the entertainment and vicarious experience that they're looking for. Those who read the X-men, for instance, would not care for ALBERT CAMUS or FRANZ KAFKA.
However, even if we're writing for pop culture, it is possible to raise up a little bit the quality of the work like that of NORMAN MAILER or TRUMAN CAPOTE.
No, I am not praising Caparas nor condoning many of his hack work as BRILLIANT. Nosiree. In fact, I haven't read any memorable lines in his scripts that remained embedded in my brain for sometime. His dialogs are all straught forward. they don't even drive the story forward, something the dialogs should do. And this is the my problem about the old comics industry in RP. This is a major aspect that was not present in almost ALL, if not ALL – comics serials before. The dialogs are straight forward, the reader is spoonfed, nothing in-between to let them fill out the gaps, to let them think, at least. Maybe the reason is because the readers will shun it. But, here in north America, most readers want to think when they read a story or a novel. They're not just readers, they're also participants. That's why when I was there in RP, I concentrated more on TV writing because it has more leeway. I have received at least three awards for teleplays, but this thing is not important to me. I didn't even attend the awarding ceremonies. For me, what's important is I did what I wanted to do and enjoyed what I was doing, and if the viewers of my TV shows picked up something from them, then it's fine. If not, it's fine as well. My policy in life is TO EACH HIS OWN. If BE BE GANDANG HARI is happy as she... er... he is now... well, I'm 100% for him.
“Pop culture is not looking for very serious work. It is looking for what gives the masses the entertainment and vicarious experience that they're looking for. Those who read the X-men, for instance, would not care for ALBERT CAMUS or FRANZ KAFKA.”
Kung ganoon, bakit me mga award-giving bodies composed mostly of qualified, educated critics at contemporary artists, na ang layon ay ang hanapin lang sa gabundukang heaps of POP media trash ang kokonting “gems” dito? Di ba’t hinahanap nila ang mga obrang nangingibabaw, ang nakakapag-uplift ng human spirit at nakakapag-inspire?
Sa buong history ng local komiks industry me mga yearly awards ba na ganito? Wala di ba?
Alam nyo sa U.S. mula nang pinamahagi ang Eisner at Harvey comics awards noong 1980s, nagsimulang tumaas ang antas at kalidad ng mga comics nila hanggang sa nag-mature at tinawag nang graphic novel. Mga halimbawa: CONTRACT WITH GOD, AMERICAN FLAGG, DARK KNIGHT RETURNS, WATCHMEN, MAUS, PERSEPOLIS, PAKISTAN, BLANKETS, ROAD TO PERDITION, HISTORY OF VIOLENCE, 300, EIGHT BALL, LOVE AND ROCKETS, SANDMAN, etc.
At, taliwas sa sinasabi nyo, Mr. Lee, ang mga nagbabasa nitong mga U.S. graphic novel na ito ay malamang nagbabasa din ng mga gawa ni Camus at Kafka. Meron pa ngang Eisner nominated na graphic novel na adaptation ng METAMORPHOSIS ni Kafka. Did you know that? Hanapin po nyo ito para matuto kayo kung papaano magdeliver ng tamang “high faluting” dialog, modern graphic storytelling style. Yung talking heads storytelling nyo e lumipas na. Pang-old school. Luma na. Boring pa. Sorry pero iyan ang katotohanan. Malawak ang alam nyo tungkol sa international film history at scriptwriting pero sa modern graphic storytelling, e marami pa kayong kakaning bigas.
Yung kokonting nagbabasa ng X-Men sa U.S., nagbabasa din ng Kafka. Ewan ko lang ke Camus, pero malamang baka history pa ng mundo. Alam nyo ba na me comics pa tungkol dito ang Image comics? Meron. THE BRONZE AGE. Meron pa ngang History of the World comics series. Ang pumili at nag-promote ba nyan, e ang dating masa ng average superhero comics readers ng U.S.? Hindi. It was mostly the serious comics FANS, comics critics and artists themselves. Hindi sila sunod-sunuran sa mababaw na taste ng mainstream masa readership nila.
Kita nyo? Me asenso kahit papaano ang comics sa America. Dito sa Pilipinas? Wala. Bakit? Kasi nga, ang artistic standards ng mga komikerong tulad ‘nyo, ay MABABAW. POP pa rin hanggang ngayon. At ang katibayan ay ang pagbibigay puri nyo ke CAPARAS bilang KOMIKS cultural icon dahil lang sa DAMI ng kanyang gawa na nauunawang basahin ng masa (NOONG ARAW). Nabigyan pa ng Presidential award ni Gloria! (Isplak!)
Hindi naman palundag-lundag ang diskurso e. Me koneksyon. Ito lang si Mr. Valiente ang evasive na nagbubulag-bulagan at nagkukunwaring sabihin na walang koneksyon daw. Nasaktan siguro dahil sa nailantad ang katotohanan.
Okey, hindi na talaga maalis na part si Caparas ng Pinoy komiks culture. Granted. Let’s go to the next level. Me asenso bang naging resulta sa komiks ng Pinoy? Malinaw na wala sapagkat hanggang ngayon, kinokopya ng mga karamihan sa local indies natin ang POP mainstream superhero comics ng U.S. at ang mga geriatric traditional komiks writers/artists naman na buhay pa, hanggang ngayon ginagawa pa rin ang makalumang paraan ng graphic storytelling supported by average Pinoy MASA artistic tastes and standards. POP na POP. Nasaan ang Martin? Wala.
Who put Caparas up there in that pedestel? Di ba ang average “dumbed down” masa readers, despicable pro-administration politicians at ng mga katulad nyong mga komikerong sumusunod lang sa fad at taste ng masa (ke tama o mali)?
Tapos, sasabihin ni Mr. Valiente at ng iba pang komikerong tulad nya na "fan" ni Caparas:
"Bakit hindi puwedeng gawing pop icon si Caparas? Dahil ba 'mababaw' ang mga kuwentong isinulat niya?"
Siyempre pag ikaw ay "fan" ni Caparas tulad ni Mr. Valiente, ang sagot diyan ay: YES! Kasi nga mababaw rin ang writing at art appreciation standards mo e. Wala pang objectivity.
Tapos ganito pa ang mga walang koneksyon at mababaw na excuses ang binibigay para i-justify ang POP literature (at local POP komiks writing):
"Kailangan mo rin ugatin ang system of government, ang ekonomiya ng bansa, ang edukasyon at kaisipan ng mga mamamayan. Napakahabang isyu nito, John Marx.
Kaya kung ako sa iyo, mag-stick na lang tayo sa isyu:
Bakit hindi puwedeng gawing pop icon si Caparas?
Dahil ba 'mababaw' ang mga kuwentong isinulat niya?
And that is the point! Iyan ang sangkap ng popular literature."
Nagasot na. Basahin po ninyo ang naisulat sa taas Mr. Valiente. Kung tingin nyo e palundag-lundag e, sorry. Di kasi ako mababaw sumulat at mag-isip tulad ng iba diyan.
Kung problema ang gobyerno, bulok na poltics etc. ang sanhi ng mababaw na komiks writing (tulad ng ke Caparas), bakit di kayo gumamit ng...ewan ko, INTELLIGENCE, CRAFT AT INGENUITY para tugisin ito sa mga komiks nyo? Siguradong tataas at me pupuri sa inyong mga komikero. Bakit? Kasi ganoon din ang approach sa MAUS, DARK KNIGHT RETURNS, WATCHMEN, at iba pang mga graphic novel sa U.S. na tumaas sa kanilang antas, kalidad at puri ng dating mababaw na masang comics reader.
-Juan Marquez
""Kailangan mo rin ugatin ang system of government, ang ekonomiya ng bansa, ang edukasyon at kaisipan ng mga mamamayan."
Thanks. Now I know why there's Mangaholix, Bayan Knights, Elmer, Caparas/Sterling komiks, and a slew of other local POP comics.
May nakalimutan pala ako. Me sinabi pang ganito si Mr. Lee:
"Hmm... galit ka pala sa HIGH-FALUTIN dialogs. Pero, ginoong Marquez, kailan pa natin ihahain ang ganito sa mga mambabasa? Sana naman ay panahon na para iangat natin ang usapan sa komiks."
Yung high faluting dialog ng story nyo sa Filipino Komiks ay di talaga nabasa ng karamihan at ordinaryong casual reader, Mr. Lee.
Una, limited ang circulation ng Filipino Komiks. Pangalawa, nasa Php 100 ang cover price. Pangatlo, sa mga kokonting bookstore halos ang circulation nito na di naman palagiang punta ng maraming casual average "mababaw" na reader na nasa probinsiya. Banggitin nyo sa kanila ang FILIPINO KOMIKS na me naka-shaolin na karatistang ewan sa cover, e kakamot lang sila sa bayag at isasagot senyo: "ANO?!"
Kung ako, at ng iba pang nagtiyagang magbasa ng Filipino Komiks na yan, ay na-cornihan sa style ng graphic storytelling at scripting 'nyo, paano pa kaya kung naisa-bangketa ang FK? Sa style ng scripting 'nyo, hindi naitaas ang antas ng dialog e. Walang kaamor-amor tingnan at basahin. Hindi nakakagiliw.
Cerebral, oo. Pero me mga modernong paraan ng graphic storytelling para maihayag 'yan e. Kahit cerebral pa.
Alam 'nyo me graphic novel adaptation ng METAMORPHOSIS ni Kafka. Mga sinulat ni Alan Moore at Neil Gaiman. Ba't di 'nyo subukan pag-aralan ito nang matuto kayo kung paano? Laos na ho kasi ang "talking heads" style of storytelling 'nyo e. Kelangan me balance ang image at visual text. Kelangan interesting tingnan para ganahan kang magbasa at mag-isip.
Siguro kasalanan ito ni Karl Commendador. Napaka-static ng layout. Pero, di rin e. Kasi sinusunod lang ng tao e ang instructions ng scriptwriter. Kayo 'yun.
Kaya, its still an open question. Siguro pag na-reprint uli ang Filipino Komiks at nai-distribute ng malawak para sa mga casual, non-comics enthusiast, at nasa mababang halaga, malalaman natin kung nakaka-angat nga ang style ng high faluting graphic talking heads storytelling ninyo.
--Juan Marquez
Ginoong Marquez:
Halos 30 years na akong nakatira dito sa north America, at mali po ang akala ninyo na ang readers ng comics ay readers din ng mga serious authors like Kafka, Camus, Tolstoi, et al. Magkaiba ang dalawang grupong ito. Popular entertainmnet ang hanap nung mga nagbabasa ng komiks, scholarly yung another group. I like to read both. Mga mga tao ring nasa ganitong category. Pero, kung naririto ka sa parteng ito ng mundo, hindi comics ang pinakalamalaks dito. Prose ang pinakamalaking bahagi ng readers dito. Gusto ko lang ibahagi ito sa iyo para ma-straighten mo ang iyong wrong notion ng status quo.
Kung ang sabi mo'y mrami pa akong kaning kakainin, ay mali ka, dahil hinsi ako kumakain ng kanin. However, university educated ako at hindi lang ako pinulot diyan sa tabi-tabi ng mga diploma mill university. Kaya sana ay mag-isip-isip ka muna bago magbitiw ng iyong "all knowing" attitude sa maraming bagay. Siguro'y mag-review muna kayo ng inyong Philosophy at mukhang tabingi ang inyong pangangatwiran. Pero kung ang pagbabasehan mo ng iyong standards ay mga graphic novels lamang na gusto mo, pero hindi sa gusto ng iba, ay hindi iyan tama. May karapatan si Randy Valiente sa kanyang opinyon at kung kinukuwestiyon man niya ang inyong argumento ay dahil nga wishy-washy if not purely stupid ang mga banat ninyo sa issue. Wala na talagang nag-aagree sa inyo, at ako rin nga'y napuno na sa mga comment ninyo doon sa next topic ni Randy Valiente, at gusto ko na rin ng sanang patulan ang level ng inyong argumento. Medyo nagbago nga lang kayo ng tono kaya nag-iwan ako ng note kay Randy na huwag na lang ipublish yung PANG-UUYAM dahil napagtanto kong hindi maganda ang ganito. Puwede ka namang makipag-argue hanggang sa mangitim ang iyong mukha sa galit, pero iisa lang kasi ang track ng inyong pag-iisip. Magtatanong ka pa kung alam ko ang nagyayari sa mga graphic novels? Narito ako sa lupain mismo na pinanggagalingan ng mga bgay na ito, ako pa ang pagsasabihan mo? Ikaw ang dapat na makinig sa akin dahil mulat ang mga mata ko sa tunay na sitaswasyon na nalalaman mo lamang sa mga balita at hindi first hand. Take a deep breath and think. Minsan, dahil sa kabataan ng isang tao, nagiging cocky ang attitude at iyan ay magdadala sa iyo sa hindi magandang patutunguhan.
Live and learn, and let other people live the way they want.
Have you heard of DESIDERATA?
Probably not. Go and search for it in ht e internet and learn it by heart. It will change your ways.
This is my last answer to you on this topic. If you think you're a genius, prove it to the world by creating something ingenious.
Good luck.
"Hmm... galit ka pala sa HIGH-FALUTIN dialogs. Pero, ginoong Marquez, kailan pa natin ihahain ang ganito sa mga mambabasa? Sana naman ay panahon na para iangat natin ang usapan sa komiks."
J.M.! Highfalutin means pompous and pretentious in the dictionary. Are you and Juan Marquez advocates of pompous and pretentious dialog in comics? Methinks you may have forgotten to check the meaning of the words you employ in this little debate you're having. Tsk tsk. You two don't seriously think pompous and pretentious language will elevate the artistic tastes of an average reader do you?
Amused spectator
Amused spectator:
What are you talking about?
I knew the meaning of this word since I was in Grade one, for crying out loud! Ha-ha.
When Juan Marquez said that my dialogs were high-falutin, he meant: PRETENDING TO BE ABOVE ONES' STATION IN LIFE.
It was a deragatory comment from Mr. Marquez. So I answered: ayaw mo pala ng high-falutin dialogs, which is also derogatory for him, because he was trying to inflict this insult on me, i.e., I was writing a komiks story with chips on my shoulder, with tipped nose, and pretending to be more intelligent than others, specifically over him. This is what he meant, thus my answer was related to the insult he threw at me. To use Tita Swarding's NOW NA dialog: "hindi mo pala gusto kung natatalbugan ka!"
O, na-get mo na ang tema ng usapan?
I am a walking dictionary, by the way. He-he. So, don't worry, my friend. I can even interpret FINNEGAN'S WAKE, Mr. Marquez' insults are peanuts to me.
Okay, to make it clearer, here are the two main meanings of High Falutin.
please look at the second meaning which is what Mr. Marquez was referring to when he posted his message.
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: (Regional slang)
1. Highly pompous, bombastic (speech).
2. Showing off, ostentatious, pretending to be above one's station in life, putting on airs.
The second meaning is what he was trying to tell me. So when I said kailan pa natin ihahain sa masa ito, the masa is directed to him, since he called the masses stupid and with poor taste. Ibinalik ko lang sa kanya.
Ayan, I hope this is much clearer to you now, amused spectator.
Nope. Sorry.
--Truly Amused Spectator :)
Mr. Marquez,
Are you referring to the Esquire Magazine's METAMORPHOSIS, by Franz Kafka, and illustrated by Robert Crumb ? hindi graphic novel iyun , about 4-5 pages lang na supplement noon late 80s o early 90s....please clarify, thanks...
Porfirio Rubirosa
Hindi. Me graphic novel talaga nyan. METAMORPHOSIS ang title. Incomplete story ang METAMORPHOSIS ni Kafka at kung ia-adapt mo in graphic novel form, di naman ganoon kaikli ng hanggang 4-5 pages lamang. Kung makuha ko ang full details, post ko dito. Bago sa akin ang sinasabi mong 4- page supplement sa Esquire. Iyan ba'y installment lang ng mas mahabang istorya o isang tapos nang kwento na bitin ang ending?
Hindi ko rin tinutukoy ang mini-series na KAFKA ng Renegade Press, noong 1987. Although magaling ang pagkakasulat dito ni Steven T. Seagle ha? (unlike some pop icons I know).
-Juan Marquez
METAMORPHOSIS by Peter Kuper
I have a copy of both Kafka's prose and Kuper's graphic novel. I'd say the drawings of Kuper are appealing, just like the b&W art of Charles Burn in BLACK HOLE. But it's different reading the prose by Kafka. Comics will always be the least common denominator, like movies. Reading the Kafka leaves a more profound piece than the illustrated version by Kuper.
Incidentally, my favorite Charles Burns' Harvey Award-winning graphic novel, BLACK HOLE, is now being filmned by Paramount Studios. It's setting is Seattle, Washington, but its entirety will be filmed here in Vancouver, BC. For establishing shots, they will film the Seattle skyline only, but the whole film will be done in Vancouver. Screenplay by Roger Avary and Neil Gaiman. I am also looking forward to the film version of BIG BABY, by Charles Burns. Again, set in the northwest.
Tama ka, Mr. Valiente. Siguro chineck mo sa internet :D. German expressionist cartoony drasing style at very unique ang design work. Faithful si Kuper sa text ng libro ni Kafka. Perfect balance of art and text. Hindi pa nakakailang basahin.
Tiyak pag nakita 'to ng mga indies at traditional na komikero diyan sasabihin nilang PANGIT ang gawa; di daw masasakyan ng masa. E, recommended reading ito para sa mga bata sa States. Maganda pa ang mga reviews dito. Bakit hindi tayo pwedeng gumawa ng ganito dito sa Pilipinas? Kasi, hindi POP.
Meron nyan sa POWERBOOKS dati. Ewan lang ngayon kung meron pa.
Meron din isa pang METAMORPHOSIS na comics o graphic novel akong nakita. Pero European naman at di ako sigurado kung me English translation nito.
-Juan Marquez
Juan--
Meron ako nun heheh. Nai-feature ko pa nga dati yan 2 years ago pa yata :D
Ginoong Amused Spectator:
Mukhang napaglaruan nga ako ni Ginoong Marquez!
Dahil habang lumalaon ang discussion sa kabilang topic ni Randy, ginamit na naman niya ang HIGH FALUTING (which should have been HIGH FALUTIN), na aniya'y high faluting ang dialog ni Caparas. So he must be referring to the speech involved in the dialog.
Ay, ay, Kalisud!
Buth then again, there's nothing high falutin in Caparas' dialogs. They're all straight forward, colloquial, and they don't even have the purpose of advancing the story by reading them.
Also, my dialogs in my short story were just typical conversation here in north America, i.e. US and Canada (except Mexico and Greenland), and therefore, I didn't associate his comment as something related to this.
Now that he referred this to Cap[aeas, I AM TOTALLY BEMUSED, and used.
Therefore, since I am living in this part of the world for almost 30 years, I want to tell Mr. Marquez that High Falutin (not Faluting), has already evolved. It does not only refer to bombastic speech. These days, we call bad dialogs as STILTED. High Falutin is more now refered to the second meaning shown below:
• high-falutin' •
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: (Regional slang)
1. Highly pompous, bombastic (speech).
2. Showing off, ostentatious, pretending to be above one's station in life, putting on airs.
Notes: The amazing thing about high-falutin' is that is not a high-faluting word itself for it is always pronounced with a regional twang—high-falutin'. However, it has survived long enough to be treated as a legitimate word that may be pronounced standardly, high-faluting, if it makes you feel better. It may be used as an adverb with or without any doctoring: "Benny can talk as high-falutin' as any of them.
In Play: This word is not only slang but slang used predominately in the southern US states: "Nan Tucket thinks that using high-falutin' words will convince people that she is a high-class lady." Although most commonly associated with speech, today's Good Word is a home in many other contexts: "Cindy Mae Lovett hasn't talked to any of her old friends since she started waitressing in that high-falutin' restaurant on Nob Hill."
Word History: Today's Good Word is ostensibly made up of the adjective high + the participle of the verb falute. The problem with this explanation is that there is no verb falute "put on airs"! (We see this as an opportunity rather than an obstacle: "Ally Katz falutes like a millionaire philosophy professor when she goes out with men.") It probably started out as a blend of "fly" and "salute" but that is pure speculation at this point. (Now let's thank Kyle McDonald of RPI for suggesting today's low-falutin' Good Word.)
Mr. Marquez, pakilinaw lang, please, kung ano ba talaga ang tinutukoy mo sa high faluting na ito.
Kabaliw!
JM:
"Also, my dialogs in my short story were just typical conversation here in north America, i.e. US and Canada (except Mexico and Greenland), and therefore, I didn't associate his comment as something related to this."
In that short story of yours where he had that somewhat intellectual conversation with the deceased Canadian teen, I did not realize that Jose Rizal could engage in typical North American dialog. :)
--Amused Spectator
Spectator:
I am really surprised why you would think that way. That story was fantasy, and the "other side" was supposed to be the locale, not the real life. Rizal is also a ghost and therefore, as the story says: 'once you have crossed the river, you will know everything. Therefore, Rizal had crossed that river many years ago, and that's why he already knows everything. This is very logical. Since Rizal knows everything, he knows everything. Therefore, what is surprising in the characterization?
This is the problem if you guys are trying to read just superficially. Even if my piece was just komiks and light, there are still in-between lines that you have to interpret for yourself. This is my style of writing, and each writer has a different way of doing things. I like to put not only black and white, but also GRAY in my stories. So, if Rizal can speak Bicolano, or Kapampangan, or Spanish, or contemporary NORTH AMERICAN, it is already stated in the story beforehand that after crossing the river, you will know what the universe is all about. Hence, Rizal knows everything. He even knows what LOL is, or BTW and IMHO. and even this sign :)
I hope I made things clearer for you now?
I am advising young people all the time that when they read, make sure to read prose as well. Prose has more leeway and gray tones in them. Most Komiks are black and white, and when gray is added, the unaware reader does not see that side. Be discerning, be more of a participant rather than just a reader. People here in north America are more participants when they read novels. You should also have this attitude from now on. You'll be surprised what you will see if you unravel the "planted" obfuscation in the material. It is also a good way of enjoying what you are reading.
JM:
"So, if Rizal can speak Bicolano, or Kapampangan, or Spanish, or contemporary NORTH AMERICAN, it is already stated in the story beforehand that after crossing the river, you will know what the universe is all about. Hence, Rizal knows everything. He even knows what LOL is, or BTW and IMHO. and even this sign :)"
I think you may have exceeded or strained the limits of believability here. You may have a rationalization for this, but the effect is kind of...unbelievable from the common komiks reader's point of view. Hope you could distance from this for a moment and consider this perspective.
Everyone who went through a Rizal course in high school and college knows that Rizal was not that well versed in English as you and many uninformed others would like to believe.
In fact, Rizal's attempt to correct his niece's English writing contain several grammatical errors and betray his middling ability on the matter. His knowledge of English grammar was basic to say the least. He is not a Superman or Super Malay as you would like to believe.
Applying your line of reasoning, if next time a similar story is made with the spirit of Chiquito or Panchito, and these comedians start to give an elaborate, eloquent discourse about quantum physics, the average reader is obligated to "strain" credulity into thinking that when a person dies, like Tito Panch or Chiquito, his spirit becomes nearly omnipotent like God?
Even in a fantasy, there is such a thing as verisimilitude.
--Another Amused Spectator :D
You can even use Karl Max speaking Bicolano in a fantasy story, it won't matter. As long as it is consistent with your premise, and storyline. Maus used english in the story. The Jewish people should have spoken Yiddish, but didn't. Even the Italian characters in Shakespeare's plays spoke English. They should have spoken Italian, but didn't. Rizal could have spoken anything and it would have no bearing to what he was as a person, or what kind of a person he was when he was alive.
I told you, I have a Bachelor Degree in Mass Comm. I toook Rizal's works and I am aware of what he can and can't do. This is a fantasy. He is now a spirit, and the common acceptable notion about being dead and living in another dimension is knowing everything about the universe. Read LIFE AFTERLIFE, just to give you an idea what the people who died and lived again experienced in the other side. If you want to prove whether what they say is plausible or not, you can commit suicide and prove it to yourself.
I won't go that far to do my research. He-he.
So even if you don't believe in afterlife, that's immaterial. The premise of the story still indicates the facts where the story's universe is evolving. Everything is consistent, and therefore, logical.
Rizal here is just a fantasy character. I could have used Einstein, but Rizal is my choice because he is more accessible to young readers. The use of his persona is not even as grandiose as Orwell making animals talk, or Aesop making animals partake values and sermonize to the readers.
I could have used a character named Amused Spectator in the piece and it would be the same. But I chose Rizal because it was my story and it was my choice :)
So if you want to create another point of view, write your own story and use Rizal and used the facts you want about him, and I'll just shrug my shoulders.
What is not right is DISTORTING history. Like what the Japanese history authors who wrote books about the second world war and claiming the heroism of the Japanese Imperial Army. That is something abominable and I will never condone it. The atrocities committed by the Japanese army towards the Filipino People were heinous. We should all question that, not Rizal speaking English in a fantasy work.
Post a Comment
<< Home