I guess there have been a lot of things I indulged myself with during my school days. Maybe it would be a great idea if I lay them out so that I know why I got hooked into them and whether I'm still interested in pursuing all or any of these hobbies.
1. Comics
I remembered the time of my childhood before I started going to pre-school. Comics used to be rented rather than bought back in the province. Mostly, it's the grown-ups who take advantage of it. I was so curious with the whole mystery that is concealed between those pages yet my mom and I think even my uncle stopped me from renting one. I never asked them why they stopped me but looking back, I could only assume that those comics I was intending to rent probably had some adult themes in it.
Later, into my elementary years, I finally found out what comics are all about. Back then, probably I was in 1st grade, I would see volumes and volumes of Archie comics that my classmates bring in school and read on their spare time. My mind was opened to the whole concept of story telling through visual means, opposite of course of the pages of text we always have to read and comprehend in class. But I guess one big reason why I never really got hooked with any of the Archie comics series (that includes Jughead, Betty & Veronica, Sabrina, etc) was because I was assuming that the story has a beginning and I realized that it is a series that has been running for a long time already. So there would be a lot of catching up with getting background knowledge of the characters, the setting and the grand plot. Eventually I also learned about the existence of Batman, Superman, Spiderman, X-men and Street Fighter comics yet I still treated them like the Archie comics... Volume 1 please!
I think it was in my 4th grade when I read for the first time an adult themed comic from a magazine that was just lying around my dentist's office. At that time, I was going to have my braces. I can't remember the title of the magazine that I picked up anymore but I did see a scene where a lady was all naked on the bed, talking to what seemed to be her partner - dunno if they're married or not but I was definitely paying close attention to the whole comic and how it probably changed my entire perspective about what a comic can contain. It seemed like a usual romantic conversation between the two but then I guess I just got distracted so much by the images that I don't think I even read through the text balloons anymore.
In my high school years, I was able to get the "Pugad Baboy" and "Pupung" series. Filipinos are most familiar of these. I find myself enchanted with the former, while I do get so much laughs out of the latter. I was introduced to strip comics which presents comedy and the idea of punchlines and other funny and catchy lines to satisfy a short visual commentary about politics, the environment, the society, the family, etc.
Also at this time, Japanese anime and manga were already making a large impact not just to me but also to some of my friends and classmates. TV stations were dubbing episodes of various anime series and specialty comic stores are also starting to display a lot of their manga collection on stock.
It was when my family and I immigrated in Canada that I finally get a hand on complete volumes of Japanese manga. Since I didn't study Japanese back then, I was just buying English translated manga. I was overwhelmed that many manga series do last - 25 volumes, 10 volumes, 2 volumes, and there were even stand alone comics. I found myself liking the whole finiteness of every manga series I read, something that Archie and Superhero comics never did for me.
Eventually, I appreciated fully every comic that goes out there - whether the reason for its publication is for money, for education, for fun, etc. Whether it would last for a few volumes/issues or last as long as there are artists who would be willing to continue the tradition comics brought about to its readers throughout the years.
It came to the point when I was reading indie comics and webcomics. I also got a hand of "Persepolis" by Marjane Satrapi which is an Iranian comic first published in French.
I have forgotten throughout my depressing life lately this endeavour for one reason: it was a distraction to my studies. Yet I was studying Japanese and this led me to buying manga "In Japanese". I have come to write about it and start reflecting upon these questions: Do I still like comics? Do I want to read comics? Do I want to share the great lines provided by every character I learn about in comics? Is this more plausible for me to do rather than reading novels and books filled only with text? Do I want to make my own as well? When can I start? What do I do next? Do I need to read the comics that fits my way of thinking? Where can I find the best comicbook/series for me? Where is the success of this endeavour going to lead me into? Am I polluting my mind already these last couple of years to the point that reading comics could only be the way to purify it and straighten and clarify once again my principles and ideals in life? You decide lolz!
In the last paragraph, I was just blasting out whatever questions I have collected before and whether this is enough to satisfy my frustrations in life which I wanted once and for all to recede. I'd like to once again have that drive to live a better life and it is possible that the endeavour of collecting and reading comics will bring me there.
