Gerry Alanguilan was an important figure in the Philippine comics renaissance of the 1990s and early 2000s, and is known internationally for his graphic novels Wasted and Elmer, and for his inking on American superhero comics such as Wetworks, X-Men, Superman: Birthright, Wolverine, and Fantastic Four.
28 Facts About Gerry Alanguilan
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Gerry Alanguilan incorporated elements of social commentary in his work, especially Elmer, which satirizes racism.
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The protagonist of Whilce Portacio and Brian Haberlin's comic series Stone, Gerry Alanguilan Alan, is named for him.
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Gerry Alanguilan was born in the city of San Pablo, Laguna in the Philippines.
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Gerry Alanguilan entered the University of Santo Tomas in 1984, earning a Bachelor of Science in architecture from the College of Architecture and Fine Arts in 1989 and passing the board exams to become a Licensed Architect by 1990.
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Gerry Alanguilan has cited Barry Windsor-Smith, Alfredo Alcala, Frank Miller, Katsuhiro Otomo and Alan Moore as creative influences, in particular Moore's 1980s reinterpretation of Marvelman.
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Gerry Alanguilan first made submissions to Marvel Comics around 1986, while he was still in school.
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Gerry Alanguilan temporarily gave up on comics from 1993 to 1994.
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Gerry Alanguilan studied to become an architect, but turned his hobby of comic book illustration into a career to be with his then-girlfriend.
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Gerry Alanguilan published Wasted in the Philippines from July 1994 through July 1996, and from there its popularity spread to the United States, where it was praised by Warren Ellis, and established him as an independent comics creator.
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Gerry Alanguilan then got his first opportunity to work for Marvel Comics in 1997, inking Leinil Francis Yu's pencils on Wolverine Volume 2 No 121, written by Warren Ellis.
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In 2006, Gerry Alanguilan self-published a four-issue miniseries titled "Elmer," depicting a world in which chickens suddenly gain intelligence and the ability to speak like humans.
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Gerry Alanguilan wrote the story and Arre providing the art for the piece, which portrayed Darna's alter-ego Narda having forgotten her superhero identity and moved on to a life of obscurity and poverty, until fate intervenes to bring back.
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In 2014, Gerry Alanguilan collaborated with Arnold Arre again to release the graphic novel Rodski Patotski: Ang Dalagang Baby.
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Gerry Alanguilan wrote the story, and did the inks and colors for the cover.
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Gerry Alanguilan collaborated with architect Arlan Esmena to publish the graphic novel Where Bold Stars go to Die.
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Gerry Alanguilan contributed to local landmark anthologies Siglo: Freedom, Siglo: Passion and Filipino Komiks.
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Gerry Alanguilan's self-created titles attracted fans including comic creators Neil Gaiman and Warren Ellis.
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Gerry Alanguilan worked hard to promote Komiks as an art form appreciated by Filipinos, notably playing an important part in re-familiarizing the public with the work of Francisco Coching, leading to Coching's posthumous elevation to National Artist of the Philippines in 2014.
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Gerry Alanguilan was one of the leading voices in the protest against the conferment of the award to Carlo J Caparas in 2009, which was finally voided by the Philippine Supreme court in 2013.
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In 2002, Gerry Alanguilan organized an informal group of artists based in Laguna Province to create the Laguna Artists Group, which was renamed as the Komikero Artists Group.
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Gerry Alanguilan noted that "mini-comics conventions" had been happening in the Philippines as early as 1994.
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Gerry Alanguilan played an active role in organizing the second San Pablo City Comics Festival, which took place at the San Pablo City Lion's Club along Sampalok Lake in 2009.
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Gerry Alanguilan's creepy smiling face was a popular meme in Indonesia, known as Ayo sini sama om, usually used for comedic effect combined with other memes.
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Gerry Alanguilan co-produced the 2012 documentary Illustrated By: Filipino Invasion of US Comics.
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Gerry Alanguilan played the role of a human trafficker in Tin-tin,15, a short film created in 2010 to increase awareness of child trafficking in the Philippines.
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Gerry Alanguilan died on 21 December 2019, at the age of 51 in San Pablo City, Laguna, Philippines.
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Gerry Alanguilan is considered a vanguard of what has been called the "new wave" or "renaissance" of Philippine comics in the 1990s and 2000s.