What to expect at the Philippine International Comics Festival 2024 happening on July 20, 21
The Philippine International Comics Festival (PICOF) is making its face-to-face return!
For the first time since its 2020 edition, the festival will finally be held in person on July 20 and 21 at The Podium Hall in Ortigas.
PICOF gathers creators and fans of comics and graphic novels for a weekend of exhibitions, talks, workshops, and more. Here's what you can expect at this year's festival.
PICOF's Official Selection
The upcoming festival will feature an Official Selection list of 10 graphic novel pitches, developed in a Creator's Lab that were published in time for the event.
Among these are Alandal by J. Philip Ignacio and Alex Nino, a title that won the 40th National Book Award and the seventh National Children's Book Award; the 2021 Asian Festival of Children's Content - Best Media Pitch winner Doobiedoo Asks by Bambi and Roland Amango; National Children's Book Award and Filipino Reader's Choice Award winner Twinkle Twinkle by Tori Tadiar; Nino Bughaw by CJ Reynaldo; and Watchdog Of Manila by Lucas Lacorte.
Meet and greet with creators
Attendees will get the chance to meet and talk to some of the most popular local creators including Pol Medina Jr., Tarantandong Kalbo, Libreng Komiks, SSKAIT, RH Quilantang, Mike Alcazaren, Noel Pascual, AJ Bernardo, Pasyon Komiks, Kartilya Komiks, Ren Galeno, Gigi Chan, and Yuri Javillonar.
Additionally, creators from other countries will also grace the event like Malaysia's Erica Eng, Chin Yew, and Sam Seen, Singapore's Juliette Yu-Ming Lizeray and Fang KAi Loo, Indonesia's Toni Masdiono and Tita Larasati, Thailand's Ping Sasinan, Maelon, and Seesaw, United States' Craig Yoe, and Scotland's Sean Michael Wilson.
Masterclasses and exhibits
PICOF will not be complete without comics masterclasses from professionals. Some classes attendees can check out include the following:
- Dynamic Flow & Angles with Toni Masdiono
- Stand Out Cover Art with Lyndom White
- Digging Your Well: Unearthing Your Personal Catalogue of Story Possibilities by Carlo Vergara
The festival will also give a glimpse of Creator's Lab works such as Hele by Mitzi Bajet and Alexa Sevilla, Hiraya by Fred Cabredo, Tablay by Kat Olan and Paul Medalla, and Sitnalta by Ray Magbanua.
Celebration of Filipino comics heritage
This year's festival will also pay tribute to Alamat Comics creators who kickstarted the comics scene in Manila through the Komikero Museum and anthology Alamat Origins. With the anthology, readers are taken back in time to the first stories and art released by the group in the 90s.
PICOF 2024 opens on July 20 and 21, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at The Podium Hall on the sixth floor of the Podium in Ortigas Center. Tickets will be available at the venue for P200.