Mr. Ronnel Ermino of Relics | An Almost Political Article, Almost

Mr. Ronnel Ermino of Relics | An Almost Political Article, Almost

We managed to grab a schedule with one of our WebKom creators for an interview. On the onset, I really would like to make a video call but to no avail,

"Tulog na mga tao dito sa bahay kaya iniiwasan ko mag-ingay hahaha. Tsaka siguro mas madali i-track yung convo kapag chat.” - Ronnel Ermino, creator of Relics

Can you tell us more about yourself?

Well, I am Ronnel Perez Ermino, 20 years old, living at Muntinlupa City (hindi sa loob), 3rd year Computer Science Student at FEU Alabang sa pasukan (2020). Drawing since I can remember. Notebooks ko sa school drawing ang kalahati. Kung hindi Dinosaur, Fantasy Monsters ang dino-drawing ko nung bata. Human drawing is my weakness. Pero kahit mahilig ako mag-drawing dati, wala pa akong alam sa fundamentals. Nagsimula akong mag self study noong summer before going to college. 

Na-inspire kasi ako sa isang video ni James Raiz sa YouTube aka The Box Office Artist,. Pero after kong pumasok sa college, limited na yung time ko para mag-drawing. Mostly sa programming napunta yung time ko at sa pag-handle ng Computing events as a School Org officer.

As usual, we continued on using Facebook messenger as a medium. Oh, before we go on with the article, I would like to give thanks to my co-host during the interview, Mr. Jimmy Santos, este Mr. Oyams, our website admin. I have my notepad of questions and it serves as my template to do interviews. But, my co-host started asking questions. Yes, he did. And it threw me off questioning Mr. Ronnel. So, I just let them have conversations. As for me? I just typed away as the interview continued.

Confirm ko nga sir, naprint na yung komiks mo ng likhamo ‘di ba? Binebenta na sa shopee?

“Yes po, printed na and available sa shopee

Buti sir pinost mo rin ung episodes mo sa webkomph. Sana nakatulong sa promotion ng series mo. hehe

“Natutunan ko din kasi na para masuportahan ako, need ko magbigay ng free sa audience. Kapag nagustuhan nila yung free works ko, may susuporta sa future works ko.

Oo sir, agree ako diyan. Kumbaga need mo ng madami followers muna. Kasi kung tanungin mo ako sir kahit nabasa ko na komiks mo sa webkomph, bilhin ko pa rin yung print copy mo.

“Ang sabi sa napanood ko dati, kikita at magiging secured ang isang comic artist kapag meron syang 1000 loyal fans.

Pero sa tindi nga ng competition ngayon, kapag bigla ka lang magbebenta ng komiks pero baguhan ka pa lang, parang mahirap mabenta.

“Totoo

Need mo magpakilala muna sa tao na ganito ung komiks ko, need mo muna ng reputasyon kumbaga. Parang ikaw mismo ung brand . Yung pangalan ng kreator mismo.

“Yung page ko nga na kagagawa lang, kahit 80+ likes na,  mostly friends in real life ko lang din. May mga pailan-ilan na di ko kilala kaya medyo happy na rin ako. At super grateful ako sa mga friends ko na full support sa lahat ng ginagawa ko. Mahirap talagang mag-establish ng pangalan kapag baguhan. Ita-try kong i-apply yung Data Analytics sa page ko para malaman ko yung kiliti ng mga tao.

Sa iyo pala si Dog Dirty?

Hahahah yes po. Isa yan sa application ko ng trends sa mga gawa ko. Kung sinong trending yun dapat makita ng tao.

I was just browsing the internet and let my co-host and Ronnel do the rest. It’s kinda satisfying. I feel like a transcriber in court. The one who types while others are speaking in the courtroom? Yeah. I think I might make it a career someday. Popcorn please!

Si Dog Dirty lang ba bida dito? More on political topics? O kahit anong uso?

“Mostly kay dog dirty ise-center ang story pero may iba ding characters. Ita-topic ko po kung sino sa mga makakapal na public servants ang nakakapagpainit ng ulo ko. Nagulat nga ako na may mga nag-share ng Dog Dirty na hindi ko friends sa Facebook. Nakakatuwa na rin kasi nakakakonek ako sa mga tao.

Pero hindi ba nasagi sa isip mo na medyo risky? Kasi ‘pag political, alam mo naman may mga dutertards, haha.

Sumagi rin sa isip ko yan. Pero sa tagal-tagal kong nanahimik, napag-isip-isip ko na kung hindi ako boboses, kailan pa? Kapag nilalangaw na ang Pilipinas? Madali lang naman sagutin ang mga DDS, kung hindi sila makikinig eh di mabuhay silang tanga.

The topic was turning to politics. I know my co-host is a pro-administration. On the other hand, Ronnel has his own political views. Should I butt in? This article may go political instead of an interview? But for the sake of “Malayang Pamamahayag”, I will let them talk and I will record it unbiased through texts. 

Haha isa pa, pabor din sayo kung i-bash ka mga DDS. Kasi sisikat page mo.

“Pero i doubt na sisikat agad ang page ko o ako.

“Kasama sa kasikatan ang pagkakaroon ng kalaban kasi laging may kokontra sayo. Nakakainspire lang si tarantadong kalbo kaya sinimulan ko tong Dog Dirty. At walang malapit sa akin na DDS, lahat ng kaibigan ko alam na minumura ko lahat ng tanga sa gobyerno on a daily basis. Kaya kung may mangba-bash sa akin at di ko naman close, di ako maapektuhan.

“Anyway, balik sa buhay komiks.

I convinced myself that the conversation (debate) would get heated, but it was Ronnel who decided that we should get on topic. I was hoping for a rebuttal statement from my co-host. It was getting intense too. But, at the end of the day, it is still about Ronnel, being an artist, not Ronnel being an anti-administration.

Haha, Oo buhay komiks ulet. Sa totoo lang wala na ako balita sa politics sa pinas kasi tinatamad na rin ako mag-follow. Haha.

(sigh) My co-host gave up.

“But just like Budgette Tan (Author of my favorite Filipino komiks Trese), comics are political. Interesting din kasi most of the first comics like batman are really political. Hindi talaga madaling ihiwalay ang komiks sa pulitika.

As much as I love to stay on track, political views are not that hard to set aside. Especially in the Philippines where, madaming nagbabarilan kapag eleksyon season, mga sinusunog na paaralan, mga patay na biglang nabubuhay, at kung ano ano pang mga kababalaghan.

It was now my time to ask questions. I’m the host? Not a transcriber? I thought I was just a spectator. Almost forgot my duties. My co-host was also feeling sleepy. And thus, I made coffee as Ronnel went to answer nature’s call.

Back to Topic . . . 

What influenced you most in your drawing style?

Oh, it's a great mix. First, western comics style by James Raiz. Second, tina-try ko yung hatching ni Yusuke Murata from One punch man. Third, yung complexity at details ni Kentaro Miura from Berserk. Fourth, sinusubukan kong i-adapt yung inking din ni Gerry Alanguilan, may God rest his soul, from Elmer. Lahat ng nabasa at napanood ko may influence sa art style ko. I hope someday maging Yusuke Murata at Kentaro Miura level yung works ko. Yun yung goal ko, in terms of art style.

Malaking tulong si Windail kasi hindi standards ang tinitingnan niya, gusto talaga niyang tumulong. Yung komiks contest ng likhamo ang nagpush sakin gumawa ng komiks. Kaya may relics. Di man nanalo, na print parin.

What inspired you to start creating your series RELICS?

Malikot talaga imahinasyon ko. Not in the way you think.

Simula pa noong elementary ako, marami na akong naiisip na komiks plot, dino-drawing ko lang sa likod ng notebook without speech balloons or borders. Sa dami dami ng nababasa at napapanood ko, di ko na alam gagawin ko sa mga stories na nabubuo sa utak ko. Yung Relics inspired siya ng years-worth na imagination ko. Yung inspiration nagmula sa: Trese by Budgette Tan and Kajo, One Punch Man, Berserk, Seven Deadly Sins, One Piece, Dragon ball, Overlord. At marami pang ibang anime and comics.

Pero hindi lang diyan limited yung inspiration. Inspired din yung lore ng RELICS sa computer games mostly RPG tulad ng Pillars of Eternity 1 and 2, Divinity Original Sin 1 and 2, Pathfinder Kingmaker at sa deep lore ng Leauge of Legends. Sobrang inspired yung Lore ko sa Pillars of Eternity dahil sa sobrang ganda na worldbuilding na ginawa ng creators. Mayroong gods kasi sa pillars of eternity na hindi katulad ng mga nasa myths na meron tayo. So ayun, malaking inspiration ang mga manga, anime at role playing games sa RELICS.

For how long do you plan to continue RELICS?

My goal now is to publish two volumes. Four to six chapters each. Hindi ako makapagbigay ng specific time kung hanggang kailan kasi malapit na rin ang pasukan pero sana makapublish ng first volume next year.

Have you ever thought of making comics as a career after graduating from FEU?

Well, for now kasi hindi ko pa nakikita yung sarili ko na maa-attain ko yung level ng published artists from big publishing houses after I graduate. I think I'll stick into computing muna after I graduate then kapag hindi ko na problema ang pera, tsaka ko i-pursue yung pagiging comic artist. Hindi ko rin naman maitatanggi na mas mataas ang tyansa kong kumita sa computing industry kaysa Komiks industry. Hindi rin naman ako anak ni Manny Pacquiao para hindi mag-alala sa pera, hahahahhaha.

Same, I do not have a father like Sir Manny or own a bank account that can support me till my deathbed. We are just normal people just living by what we can on this “magulo pa sa bulbol na bansa”. And last but not least, 

Any message you want to give to our readers?

If there are any fans out there, maraming maraming salamat. A simple view, comment and share, kahit hindi na like, really pushes me and other artists to create more. Kayo ang dahilan kung bakit magkakaroon ng susunod na issue ang RELICS. Dahil yan sa 2000+ views na binigay niyo. Maraming maraming salamat sa inyong lahat.

At for those who wants to create their first komiks, STARTING is the hardest part. Pero pagkatapos nun, tuloy tuloy na yan. Wag kayong matakot magkamali. Parte ng pagkatuto ang magkamali. Kaya simulan mo na yang Komiks mo ngayon!

Visit Ronnel's Facebook Page

Check out his WebKom Profile

Click here to purchase his Published Series

With Special Thanks to Likhamo Publishing Company

READ RELICS SERIES