100 Araw ng Komiks: Callwork Comics

100 Araw ng Komiks (100 Days of Comics) is an online event organized for the purpose of spreading awareness of Philippine Komiks through Twitter, Facebook, DeviantArt, blogs and other online venues.

Today I will talk about Callwork and how I started with comics. I never really intended to be in the comic business ever since. Even when I was taking up Fine Arts in UP. I thought of working in something like marketing upon graduating.. but never in comics. I had this impression of comics of being overworked and underpaid.
When I was working with Sykes, I knew I wouldn't want to change careers anymore. But after four years in the call center, the ideas were just coming inside my head. I didn't know how to make comic strips then and  I have no idea about the comic industry. So I started reading again my old Beerlenium book to check how letterings were done and also bought newspapers to see the comic strip size. Then I moved to buying both local and imported comic books. I still remember those first crappy comic strips I made which carries poor punchline and art. Yes, I realized how crappy they were after giving samples for feedback to Gerry Alanguilan . Below is the feedback I got: Dated June 6 2006
"And lastly, and it's something I have difficulty saying and it's why I haven't responded to your


earlier email right away. You are now presenting yourself to the world as a cartoonist. A

cartoonist is one who writes, draws, and letters their own comic strips and comics. Cartoonists

have a great tradition in this country. Larry Alcala, Nonoy Marcelo, Roni Santiago, Pol Medina are

only some who left indelible marks in the history of cartooning in the Philippines. You have a

very high standard to live up to. It's perfectly allright to want to draw simply. There's nothing

more simple than Roni Santiago's work. You can count the lines he makes per panel with the fingers

of your hand. But there is a line that separates professional looking work and amateurish looking

work. By amateurish I mean someone who still needs to learn more about storytelling, composition,

figure drawing, etc. Your work still leans towards the latter. There are already a lot of strips

being published (unfortunately) that suffer from lack of visual quality, and I'm sure you don't

want to be one of them. In the end, you are still making a COMIC STRIP. You can't emphasize

writing over the art or art over the writing. Because if writing is all you want to emphasize, why

not just write joke books? You are creating a unique piece of art where words and pictures work

together closely to tell the story. You need to make sure that you do both well."

GERRY

Since I have too much ideas, angst and humour about life in the call center, I am not ready to give up yet.
I need to think of another process in my comics. I started checking out how other comics were being drawn. I noticed that they give importance even to small details like the proper drawing of hands, proper folds of clothes, proper cinematography of each frame and lastly, proper script. I started revamping each comic strip and at that time, I just gave birth to a baby girl. So imagine all the pain I have to go through. I know the revamped strips were not as good but it's still better than the prior ones. This was also the time I was having conflicts with my ex husband so imagine how Callwork saved my situation. I realized I didn't need a person to make me happy and that comics made me whole once again. It flamed a passion in my heart that will never grow weary.  By December 2006, I submitted Callwork to Manila Bulletin and started running in their pages Feb. 11 2007. Then I launched the Callwork book in November 2008 Komikon. Both the Callwork and Proud Callboy hit the best sellers in bookstores.
And the learning never stops. I still continue to learn by reading all the comics and books that I can read.  I excert effort in drawing even if it's just a single panel. I choose the words I put in every frame. Below is the recent letter I got from the Great Master of Komiks, Gerry: dated Aug. 23 2010:


"Hello Hazel...




I really like your Dra Yap comics. Artwise, you've vastly improved. There's

still problems with perspective, composition and figure work though, but you

have the makings of some great cartooning when you work those out. Storywise,

what can I say? Natakot si Ilyn reading this and so was I. Dra Yap's story is so

fascinating, scary, fantastic, and so moving that I'm not surprised you did this

comic book. And you were able to translate her life into a comic book so

extremely well."




 

Who is this Callwork?

I think it's about time to do this write up since I've been seeing some assumptions here and there about who this Hazel is of Callwork from different centers. Some say that I worked in this or that company. I only had 3 call center companies in my entire career. Not counting McCann Erickson Ad Agency where I had my internship.
I started working in Sykes Robinsons Summit building Ayala in 2002 as a customer service rep in American Express Brokerage (Wall Street) , which is now Ameriprise. I moved to ACS or Advanced Contact Solutions in Allied Bank building Ayala in 2004 working as an operations supervisor in MCI account. In 2007, I moved to Genpact in Alabang working as Portfolio Control Manager in GE Money Collections. Take note, there are no gaps in between the transitions I made. I have been working on night shift for a little more than seven years straight. Few months ago, I made the most important decision in my life and resigned (some would call it retired) as Workforce Manager effective Feb 2010. I gave up what could have been a great career there, but I felt I could make more of a difference as a comic artist.
No, I'm not totally closing the door to my call center career. Making money and saving money is easy in the call center. It made me able to support my family, and my own family since I am a single parent. My job has allowed me to do comics and self publishing. Which is an expensive hobby. Making money in the local comics industry is hard. Maybe I am comparing it to my income as a call center manager but it really is barya to be honest.
I'm now focusing in my distribution which was the major challenge back when I was still working. Yes, part of me got really tired working in a call center but to the people out there, who kept asking themselves whether to resign or stay in their call center, do not resign just because you are tired. I have been many times tired but I just kept on working. If I had stopped in those days I was tired, I wouldn't have the money to retire and start something I really wanted.
To those who have been assuming that I'm from that or this company, who knows? I might work there in the future once I'm done with my task list. But right now I wanted to invest on some stuff. Let me sleep at night muna. I missed it so much. Like one of my friends said, "Your career will always be there. You can always go back to your career but once the passion is gone, it won't come back anymore." True.

Updates on me! http://callworkcomics.blogspot.com/2010/12/goodbye-2010-hello-2011.html

Callwork in UST

Hi guys! If you have friends studying in UST or if you're from UST yourself, me, Lyndon of Beerkada and Andrew of Ambush will be in Beato Angelico bldg. (Fine Arts building) at 12 noon. Our talk on comics experience and basic comics making will start at 1 pm. That's March 5 Friday. See you there!

Philippine Toycon 2009

Shared a table with Jomike Tejido of Foldabots last Saturday. It was too crowded that I wasn't able to enjoy looking at the toys. Wanted to see more of the LEGO but it will take too much effort just to get close by their table. Bayan Knight and Kalayaan is also there. Thanks to Az for the table and to Ariel!

Supersized Ronald McDonalds!

Out table. Artist's Den:

Alodia's Booth:
Super Pogi na Superman:
Starwars!
Astig na Cosplayer!!!

Comic strip by Julius Villanueva

This comic strip done by Julius Villanueva, creator of Life in Progress. His comic strip appears daily in Manila Bulletin. Thanks dude!

Komikon Summer Fiesta 2009

I didn't expect the Summer Komikon to be crowded. It may not be as crowded as the November Komikon but I was surprised there are a lot of people including students having money to spend during the summer vacation. I initially brought 60 copies of Callwork: A Call Center Life. Good thing Oliver added 15 more Callwork books for me to sell. Sold 61 copies and packed up around 7 pm. Good sales considering it's the 2nd time around for the book in Komikon.

Me, Andrew Villar and his son, Stong Franco, Greco Milambiling and Freely Abrigo was at the SKP table. Then came Jockey, who was good at selling, who helped out with the SKP table. Also met the new SKP member who went all the way from Bicol. Norman Isaac also showed up during the event. Met my DeviantArt and blogger friends for the first time: Pilar Esber, Izketz, Wan, Omi, Borgy, Offshore241, Aaronturon, Ian Walter Along, John Becaro, Mukatmanako, Myke and Robin, Jonas Diego, Lyndon Gregorio, KC Cordero, Nerp, Subway Production, M3 group and Gerry A. Then drunken Julius Villanueva arrived and helped with the booth. Thanks Borgy for the sketch card! One indie that caught my attention is "The girl who turned into a fish". Very nicely done. Kudos to the artist. Also pushing Pilar to do more Yaoi comics. Lolz. Thanks also to Ariel Atienza and the Artist Den pips, Micheal David, Joanah Tinio, Syeri Baet, Manix Abrera, and most of all special thanks to the people who came from the following call centers: Etelecare, Convergys, Alorica, JP Morgan, Teleperformance and former call center agents.

Mga siga na SKP members:

Table namin:
KC and Nerp:



Again, thanks to all who supported Callwork. Next Komikon this October in Megamall and Manila Comicon this August also in Megamall!

Ang paggawa ng Callwork

Ang sarap pala ng pakiramdam nang matapos ko na gawin ang prototype ng Callwork kong libro.

Una kong ginawa ang Callwork noong taon 2006. Isipin mo, limang taon na akong huminto magdrowing bago ako nakagawa ng komiks. Noong gumradweyt kasi ako sabi ko hindi ako magiging artist. Gusto ko sa corporasyon ako. Ako lang nun ang nag-iisang Fine Arts student na nagexam sa P&G noong 4th year sa awditoryum ng U.P. Lahat sila ay taga engineering o business admin.

Maraming beses na rin akong nagtangkang ihinto ang Callwork. Dahil nga wala akong praktis sa pagguhit, maraming nagdiscourage sa akin na tumuloy pa sa paggawa ng komiks. Isa na diyan ang nanay ko. Hindi naman daw ako magaling gumawa ng jokes. Itigil ko na raw yan. Isa na rin si Gerry A. Sobrang dami daw ang kelangan kong gawin para mapaganda ang komiks ko. At higit sa lahat, noong nagdodrowing ako, may bagong silang pa akong sanggol. Kinakailangan ko rin bumalik sa trabaho nun. Isipin mo, wala akong yaya na magaalaga ng sanggol tapos puyat pa ako sa trabaho ko. Hiwalay na rin kami ng asawa ko nun. Wala talaga akong oras magdrowing drowing ng mga panahaong iyun. Pero naisip ko hindi excuse ang pagka 'busy' na hindi ka na makakagawa ng komiks. Marami ang hindi nakakapagupdate dahil daw 'busy sila'. Leche. sabi ko... lahat naman ng tao busy e.

Di nagtagal, may inapplyan ako na trabaho sa kumpanya rin namin. Excited talaga ako nun kasi makakatrabaho ko ang isang magaling na bise-presidente sa kumpanya. Sapat na na rason 'to upang itigil ang pagdodrowing ng Callwork. Noong nakapag-decide na akong ihinto ang Callwork, bigla namang tumawag ang Manila Bulletin at ilalagay daw nila ang Callwork sa dyaryo nila. Wow, sabi ko. Tapos, bigla na lang hindi natuloy ang trabaho ko dun sa bise presidente... wala na raw kasing budget ang kumpanya namin sa posisyon ko na iyun.

Muntik na rin na hindi ko matapos ang prototype na ito. Bukod kasi na ********* ****** Manager ako ng latest kong kumpanya, bigla akong ginawang ********* Manager din. Isipin mo, doble and trabaho ko sa isang kumpanya tapos nagsusubmit din ako ng strips sa Bulletin. Tapos eto, ang pressure sa paggawa ng libro ng Callwork. Kung hindi lang ako kinulit ni Andrew isang araw, malamang naka tengga ang project na ito.

Ngayon ay nababalot ako sa mas marami pang pagsubok. Tulad ng pagpunta sa DTI, National Library, pagkuha ng ISBN, pagkuha ng business permit, BIR, advertisers ng Callwork, paghahanap ng maganda at murang printing press, marketing collaterals at pagpitch sa mga bookstores. Kung iisipin ko, nalagpasan ko na ba talaga ang pinakamahirap na parte sa paggawa ng komiks o nagsisimula pa lamang ako?

callwork.tk

First of all, you can now subscribe to Callwork by just typing in your email address below the side bar and I'll deliver my comic strips direct to your email for free! This is ideal for those who are not allowed to surf in the office or has been dealing with proxies.

Second, tell your officemates and friends about Callwork! I have a new URL that can easily be remembered by non-blogger people. (Since bloggers cannot comment using their log-ins' in this hosting) It can be found at http://callwork.tk

CALLWORK.TK