MANILA, Philippines?Robin Padilla as ?Bad Boy.?
Dina Bonnevie as ?Ang Babaeng Nawawala sa Sarili.? Dolphy as ?Dino Dinero.? Raymart Santiago as ?Magnong Rehas.? Monsour del Rosario as ?Buhawi Jack.? Rita Avila in ?Mana sa Ina.?
What do they have in common? The comics stories-turned-movies were crafted by komiks writer-illustrator and screenwriter Rod Santiago.
Santiago, who started as an illustrator, got his big break in 1968 when Tony Velasquez, known as the Father of Pinoy Komiks, recommended him for work with Mars Ravelo, another top gun.
?Competition was tough,? Santiago says, recalling the time when the komiks was the most popular pastime for the masses, and the hotshot illustrators were Nestor Redondo, Alfredo Alcala, Fred Carillo, Tony de Zuñiga, Jessie Santos and Noli Panaligan. Santiago says Francisco Coching, King of Komiks Illustrators, is his foremost idol.
Revival
With other writers and illustrators, Santiago is pushing for the revival of the komiks industry through Carlo J. Caparas? partnership with Sterling Publishing, which has produced the newly launched Klasik Komiks, OFW Super Stories, Super Funny Komix, and Gwapo Komiks. Santiago?s new stories and illustrations appear in all four.
As writer-illustrator, Santiago created ?Badman,? ?Niño en Tarzan,? ?Kerubina? and ?Vulcan 5? for Hapi Komiks; ?Walking Doll? for Superstar Komiks; ?The Mantis,? ?King of the Cancha,? ?Kapitan Aksiyon? and ?Ang Babaeng Nawawala sa Sarili? for Hiwaga Komiks; ?Agua-Bendita,? ?Angel ng Demonyo? and ?Bandanang Itim? for Liwayway Magazine.
He collaborated with other illustrators in ?The Couple,? ?The Sisters,? ?Mana sa Ina,? ?I Love You Josephine,? ?Ang Paa ni Isabella,? ?Vincent,? ?Dugong Gubat-Dugong Bughaw,? ?Robin Wood,? ?Lawin ng Cordillera,? ?Papunta Ka Pa Lang, Pabalik Na Ako,? ?Bad Boy,? ?Magnong Rehas,? ?Mga Birhen ng Ermita,? ?Magma (Anak ng Vulcan),? ?Buhawi Jack? and other komiks novels. His own work, ?Di Palulupig,? became a top-rated radio serial in 1984-86.
The artist claims he works best in the basement of his house, but he also goes out to find fresh ideas. Once, while developing the character of a striptease dancer, he befriended women who worked in bars to have a better understanding of their work.
Universal theme
Santiago believes some stories write themselves. ?There are characters who take hold of their own stories so that, as a writer, I stop deciding their fate. In a way, I just become the narrator.?
As a matter of course, Santiago says, he creates characters that reflect Filipino values, such as diligence, determination and love for family. Most of his stories explore the universal theme of good battling, and winning over, evil.
Asked which is easier, writing or illustrating, he replies: ?When I was just an illustrator, I thought it was more difficult. When I started to write, I realized that was more difficult. It?s like making music?the composer is the writer and the singer is the illustrator.?
Santiago is currently working on a fantasy-horror telenovela that he hopes to be produced this year. In 2006, ABS-CBN?s fantasy-drama series ?Komiks? adapted his novels ?Agua-Bendita,? ?Vincent,? ?Sandok ni Boninay,? ?Paa ni Isabella,? ?Kapitan Aksiyon? and ?Vulcan 5.?
Santiago, 65, also dabbles in painting and enjoys surfing the Net. But he?s still bent on doing what he loves most. ?I?m always working on improving my art,? he says. ?I keep in mind what Confucius said: ?Choose a job you love, and you never have to work a day of your life.??
