46
@
in THE
park...
TO SEE MORE
OF MANIX’S WORK, VISIT HIS
WEBSITE,
MANIX-ABRERA.COM
weird but real experiences.
For example, back at UP,
there was a
hunyango
(a
shape-shifting, supernatural
entity) who appears in the
College of Fine Arts. One
time, our professor entered
the classroom and just stared
at us. He didn’t say anything
for hours. We learned the
following day that he had
actually called in sick the
previous day and wasn’t at
school. We then realized that
it was the shapeshifter! It
work? And how would you
describe your brand of
humor?
I don’t know how to describe
my humor (laughs). Some say
it’s irreverent, so maybe it’s
that. Aside from the humor,
another essential element
of my comics is the content.
It shouldn’t just be funny; it
should have a message. My
father would always tell me
to keep form and content in
mind, and that the two must
be balanced.
So how do you maintain a
good balance between the
visuals and the content?
I still haven’t perfected it; I’m
still learning. I keep in mind
that form and content should
complement each other. I get
feedback from my siblings
when I’m not sure about
something. They’re very
critical and honest. They’ll let
me know me if my comics
don’t make sense.
“News Hardcore” depicts
funny, ironic but truthful
interactions among media
people. To what extent
are these scenarios real
and drawn from your own
experiences?
I’ve personally experienced
just a few. Most of them are
the real-life experiences of
journalists; I just exaggerate
and add twists. But there are
journalists who send me email
suggesting topics or sharing
their own experiences.
To what extent do you relate
to your own characters?
Nice question. Of all the comics
characters I’ve created, I can say
that I can relate to 95% of them
in some way (laughs).
You’ve become a very
successful artist, with a
number of bestsellers to
your name. Have you given
any thought to moving in
a different direction with
your work?
It’s just chance and luck
sometimes. I’ve made graphic
novels that are very different
from “Kikomachine”, “News
Hardcore” or “Travel Hardcore”.
12
and
14
are collections of
short and weird stories in
comics form but they’re “silent”
— there are no words.
INTERVIEW BY CHARMAINE BAYLON; PHOTOS BY ORANGE OMENGAN
“Regardless of readers’
reactions, my intention is to
justmake themthink”
was super weird but it really
happened and ended up in
one of my strips.
That’s spooky. What kind
of reactions do you get to
your strips? And do these
reactions match your
expectations?
I get mainly positive
reactions. There are those
who email me to say they
enjoy the strips and relate
to them. But of course,
there are also people who
don’t get the jokes and
don’t find the strips funny
at all. Regardless of readers’
reactions, my intention is to
just make them think.
Besides a sense of humor,
what are the other
essentials in your line of
