Filipino Komiks Veteran, Pablo S. Gomez passes away

It was reported in the local news, Pablo S. Gomez died in Sunday December 26, 2010 at the Sta. Teresita Hospital in Quezon City after suffering a heart attack. Gomez was involved in the Philippine media. But, he was well-known to be one of great talents in the Philippine Komiks.

In sources: Born in Sampaloc, Manila on 25 January 1931, he is the son of Olimpio Gomez and Pacita Salonga. He studied at Legarda Elementary School, Jose Abad Santos High School, National Teachers’ College and Ateneo de Manila University.

In 1949, he started his writing career submitting prose works in publications such as Liwayway, Bulaklak, Aliwan, and Sinag-Tala. After that, he started as a proofreader then rose to editor of Ace Publications’ serials like Hiwaga Komiks. He was at the same time writing komiks stories for Ace Publications, which was then starting out with only two komiks titles: Pilipino Komiks and Tagalog Klasiks. Some of the stories he created here were signed using his pen name, Carlos Gonda. Apat na Taga, his first komiks novel, was such an instant hit that movie giant Sampaguita Pictures turned it into a movie in 1953.

After writing for Ace Publications, Pablo moved to Rudy Ner Siongco’s Gold Star Publications where he also wrote several komiks stories and serialized novels in 1962.

It was in 1963 that Gomez decided to put up his own publishing company thus naming it P.S.G. Publishing House. He served the publishing house from 1963 to 1974 from that time, it published United Komiks, Universal Komiks, Kidlat Komiks, Continental Komiks, and Planet Komiks. It was in this publications that the great komiks legends like Alex N. Niño and Carlo J. Caparas created a name for themselves. Unfortunately, Gomez had to close down his publishing house and sold the rights to his labels to the Affiliated Publications, Inc.’

Many in the Philippine Komiks community have made their statements commented of this prolific writer.

Gerry Alanguilan:
“It’s sad to wake up to news that one of my komiks heroes, Pablo S. Gomez has passed away. Contrary to what others may claim, Pablo Gomez was to me, unarguably, the most prolific komiks writer in the history of Philippine komiks. Imagine this: he started writing stories in 1949, and he continued writing until his death in December of 2010. That’s a little over 50 years of working professionally in komiks, in a career that is unparalleled by no one else, living or dead.”

Dennis Villegas:
“Indeed, like his craft, Pablo is ageless, and like his greatest works, he is immortal.”

Jonas Diego:
“Pablo S. Gomez is a legend in the Pinoy Komiks Industry and he will truly be missed.”

Johnny Zamar:
“such a great loss for the industry, bakit ngayon pa kung kelan mga creations niya ang ginagamit sa both (TV Network) stations” — ‘Juanita Banana’ in ABS-CBN; ‘Machete’ in GMA.

Ace Enriquez:
“Hats off to him and the likes, man. they are institutions.”

Late of this year, Pablo S. Gomez was awarded the 2010 MCC Lifetime Achievement award. He died at the age of 81.