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Posted October 16, 2010 by Norby Ela in Comics
 
 

KOMIKS INTERVIEW with Andrew Villar

It’s a Thursday and it’s rainy. But having a chat with Andrew Villar, the indie komiks creator of Ambush and Hari, just made my day.

Interview by Norby Ela


FG: Tell me about yourself?
AV: I’m a full-time art teacher, a father and a husband siyempre.

FG: What is the best part of yourself?
AV: The best part is my left hand (pandrawing at para sa kung anu-ano pa)

FG: What is the worst part of yourself?
AV: The worst part… wala siguro, pero nabibigatan ako sa tiyan.

FG: How did you first discover comics?
AV: My dad used to buy me comics in National Bookstore – Cubao.
FG: What comics?
AV: Batman and Spider-Man yun. Aa comics strips, si Siopawman palagi kong binabasa.

FG: If you weren’t working in comics, what would you be doing?
AV: Kung di ako nagkokomiks, Art teacher pa din ako at nagdodrowing-drowing on the side pa din.

FG: Who are the biggest influences on your work?
AV: My biggest influences ay sina Larry Alcala, Roni Santiago, Jim Lee at si Frank Miller.

FG: What are you working on right now?
AV: We at Core Studios, have a lot of projects. sa october, Boink komiks; first time na pambata ulit na komiks. Sa November, a collaboration with Rod Espinosa. It’s about some super-roommates. At ang 430 kids. Sa December, may secret project with Lem Garcellano

FG: How do you work? Do you do any rituals before, during and after working?
AV: Everytime I have free time, I draw. Ganun lang.

FG: What is the single work of which you are most proud of?
AV: I’m proud of Ambush. Medyo malayo na rin ang narating kahit papaano. At marami pa siyang special projects sa future.


FG: Name one your guilty pleasures.
AV: Guilty pleasure… watching Glee
FG: Hahahaha!
AV: And loving it.
FG: Hahahaha!
AV: And also I’m a member of Heartworld, the Heart Evangelista Fan club. Go Heart!!!!
FG: Hehehe!

FG: What is the last comic that you bought?
AV: The last comic is Blacksad. Ganda ng art at story medyo controversial lang. Pero ayus. Got it sa booksale for 45 bucks lang.

FG: Who could play you on a movie about your life?
AV: Tom Cruise
FG: Which Tom Cruise? Now-Tom Cruise? Top Gun-Tom Cruise?
AV: Kahit ano. Basta si Tom Cruise
FG: Born in the Fourth of July-Tom Cruise?
AV: Hehehe. Yun. Kahit nga Tropic Thunder eh. Hehehe. Yun mas malapit

FG: Pick three things that you couldn’t live without.
AV: Paper, pencil and pen

FG: What is the strangest thing in your house?
AV: Strangest thing? Me

FG: What music are you listening these days?
AV: I only listen the Corrs when I’m working. Otherwise, mga soundtracks by John Williams or from the Tim Burton movies

FG: What is your favorite comic of all time?
AV: Batman: The Dark Knight Returns.

FG: What TV shows & series and movies you like?
AV: Star Wars, Indiana Jones, 24, and The Big Bang Theory. And Glee nga.

FG: If you have superpowers what would it be? What would be your superhero name?
AV: Gusto ko teleportation. Para di natatrapik at napapagod sa biyahe.

FG: What is the worst advice that you’ve ever recieved?
AV: Worst advice: ‘Huwag kang magkomiks. Walang pera dyan’

FG: What is the best advice that you’ve ever recieved?
AV: Best advice: ‘Huwag kang magkomiks. Walang pera dyan’ The best advice i got was from my professor in college. He advised me to go into teaching.

FG: Name someone you admire. And explain Why.
AV: I admire? Madami, dude. Basta, gusto ko sa tao yung mabait at di mayabang. Marami akong kaibigan na ganun at madami akong kakilalang ganun din. Yun ang mga taong I admire.

Well, siyempre yung mga magulang ko. Sobrang pasencya nila sa akin.


FG: Tell me about being an independent komik creator?
AV: Being an independent komik creator lets me explore a lot of things sa comics. As in pambata at pammatanda, nagagawa ko. Kahit ano mahirap dahil it really doesn’t bring home anything. Kaunting kita lang after a convention. Pero, okay lang. I just manage my time para magawa ko pa rin itong indie komiks. And what I love about being in the independent scene is the company. Its good to be with other people who have the same interests katulad nung akin. It makes you feel your not the only geek around. Hehehe

FG: What would you like to see happen in Philippine komiks in the next 12 months?
AV: In the next 12 months, I see more indie komiks. Hopefully, some regularly published na din. Sana… wishing, hoping, and dreaming!

FG: What the world needs now is…
AV: peace (anu pa ba?) & understanding…. more comics… hehehe.

FG: Who are your favorite and up & coming komik artists, writers, creators?
AV: I love the ESTRELLA story ni Jeri Barrios. Then I met this guy who will publish his first work with us, his name is Ernest Caritativo. Ganda ng drawing niya man! sa mga gimickan naman, yung nakakawork ng ibang media din ay si (Rommel) Omeng Estanislao. Hayop ideas nun.

Then there’s Hannah Buena who is soooooo amazing! Mga new breed ito mga ito and good luck to them!

Sa Pinoy scene, idol ko talaga si sir Gerry Alanguilan. Noong araw pa with his WASTED book. Then sa writing, si Budjette Tan at si Hazel Manzano (na one day, I dream of a collabortion with them). Sa drawing si Carver ng Zsa Zsa Zaturnah. Sa fan following, bilib ako kay Manix Abrera! Rak ‘en Roll!

Dude, madami pang iba ha. Like sina Jonas Diego, si Kajo (Baldisimo) ng Trese, si Macoy, and the dude who made the Bathala (ni Jon Zamar) comics. Galing ng mga yan! Mabuhay ang Pinoy aritsts!!! Mabuhay tayong lahat!


Norby Ela

 
Now residing in San Diego, CA, I strive to work in art and further grow FlipGeeks around the world.