How a Filipino Family Shared their Experience with Autism through Komiks

Hot Tropiks: We're here with Bambi and Roland Amago, the creative minds behind Comics by Amagination, to discuss their work, " Doobiedoo Asks," and their journey in the world of Filipino Komics. For those new to the title here is a brief synopsis of Doobiedoo Asks:

Doobiedoo Asks funny (and pun-ny!) questions. One day, he asks Mom and Dad a rather unusual one: “What is wrong with me?” Determined to help Doobie out, they discover he is on the autism spectrum. But how can first-time parents overcome unexpected challenges to help their son gain the confidence to succeed in school, and go back to being the happy, pun-ny boy everyone loves? Doobiedoo Asks is a semi-autobiographical story for all parents and kids to enjoy. This book is an Official Selection of the 1st Philippine International Comics Festival (PICOF.)

Hot Tropiks: Doobiedoo Asks is a powerful and personal story. Can you tell us more about how your own experiences and meeting during Questor influenced your creative journey in bringing this story to life?

Comics by Amagination: Since we used to work together, we were already used to each other’s routines, quirks, and work behavior. Basically, the synergy was already there and it made working on the book easier. It also made us more accepting of criticism and suggestions – both on the story side and the art side – making it easier to smooth out creative differences and varying viewpoints.

Hot Tropiks: Managing time and maintaining quality are crucial for freelance artists. How do you effectively balance multiple projects and ensure the high quality we see in your work?

Comics by Amagination: Discipline. :) We have both traditional and digital ways to keep track of projects. We have a white board where we list down each project and its corresponding deadline. At the same time, we also keep track of deadlines using Google Calendar. From there, it’s just a matter of prioritizing which project should be finished first and not get distracted and only move on to the next when that’s done.

Of course, the mindset of putting out your best work each and every time – no matter what the project is – is always there, because names and reputation are attached to it. As artists, we DON'T want to be known as people who put out sub-par work. If you have a reputation of producing quality work, then more and more people will want to hire you or work with you.

Hot Tropiks: Your journey through the local and US comic industries is impressive. How has this experience shaped your creative style and storytelling, especially when tackling complex and significant themes?

Comics by Amagination: Having worked for both local and international companies in almost every stage of comic book production helped us with the technical aspects of the business. From knowing, for example, lettering and paneling basics to preparing files for handing over to the printer – all these help us put out professional-looking work, even if they are indie-produced. Plus being in the industry helps us be aware of readership trends and preferences. Knowing these give us insights on what readers would like to see in a comic, or in what kind of stories or characters they tend to relate to.

Hot Tropiks: Doobiedoo Asks is a deeply personal and emotional story. How did you approach turning your family's experiences into a comic, and what were the main challenges and rewards of choosing this storytelling format?

Comics by Amagination: We are both introverted by nature, so the biggest challenge for us was potentially opening our family life up to public scrutiny and criticism. But sometimes, we find ourselves in a situation that’s bigger than us – we realized that with the book, we would be in the position to help raise awareness specifically, for people like our son who is on the spectrum, and in general, people who are othered just because of differences and misunderstandings. So realizing this, how can we not act? :)

The most rewarding thing about our Doobiedoo Asks journey is meeting readers at events, telling us how the book has helped them understand themselves or helped them understand a loved one better, or how they now feel seen and are finally represented in media. Feedback like these let us know that we did the right thing, despite our earlier apprehensions, in sharing our story to the world.

We also produced the book with parents in mind, to help parents facing the same situation we did – so another pleasant surprise is finding out that kids also love the book! In fact, it was awarded the Kids’ Choice Award at the 7th National Children’s Book Awards. So knowing that the book is accessible to all ages, to people from various walks of life – it’s very gratifying for us.

Hot Tropiks: You challenge common stereotypes about autism in "Doobiedoo Asks. Can you share real-life moments when your son's experiences shattered those stereotypes and showcased the diversity within the autism spectrum?

Comics by Amaganation: Gosh, he’s been with us all his life and he still surprises us everyday! 🙂

Okay, let’s see… If you’ve seen Rain Man, you’d think autistic people are Math geniuses, my kid’s biggest school frustration is Math. Spock, Sherlock Holmes…these characters would have you think that people perceived to be on the spectrum are unemotional, my son is a hugger and he’s very sensitive and he likes expressing how much he loves someone or something.

But within the advocacy, we have a saying, “if you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve only met one person with autism.” So what may be true for my son, might not apply to others even though they share the same condition. This is why it’s important to be more patient and understanding and not be so easily swayed by stereotypes.

Hot Tropiks: Humor plays a significant role in addressing sensitive subjects related to autism in Doobiedoo Asks. How does humor, particularly Doobie's jokes, contribute to the story?

Comics by Amagination: For the book, we use humor to lighten up the mood. Because while yes, autism is a serious subject, we wanted to show that it’s not all gloom and doom. Like life in general, everything has ups and downs. While we address the “downs,” we also have to highlight and give importance to the “ups.” Instead of being marginalized, we want persons with autism to be productive members of society. We believe that one step in achieving this is focusing on their strengths instead of zeroing in solely on their deficits. (What they can do vs what they can’t.)

Hot Tropiks: What impact do you hope Doobiedoo Asks will have on shifting society's perspective towards those perceived as different, ultimately promoting acceptance and accommodation?

Comics by Amagination: Yes, we do hope that Doobiedoo Asks has a very, very significant impact towards shifting society’s views on those who are different. We also hope that it inspires neurodivergent creators to tell their own stories, it’s about time that the world hears their voices.

Hot Tropiks: It's fascinating that your son was involved in the creative process. Can you share more about his role in shaping this book and his feelings about being an integral part of this project?

Comics by Amagination: Well, we would like to think that he’s proud of it, haha. :)

Aside from sharing his jokes and superhero character designs, he’s also our biggest critic, proofreader, and quality control. :) He made sure that we stuck to the events we showed in the story as accurately as possible. :)

 

Hot Tropiks: Looking ahead, what can you reveal about your current and upcoming projects? What keeps your passion alive in the world of komiks and storytelling today?

Comics by Amagination: For current and future projects, we just announced the re-release of Carnal: Banahaw, this time in a 3-issue series that’s in black & white, giving a more noir-ish look to the book. We will also be releasing the concluding arc, also in a 3-issue run, called Carnal: Cristobal. Very different from Doobiedoo Asks, the Carnal series is fictional and is inspired by folk superstitions and rural mythology. In it, twin brothers – one a priest, the other the vocalist of a rock band – come back to their hometown, but ghastly murders and mysterious goings-on seem to follow in their wake. Is it coincidence or is it the handiwork of something unspeakable evil?

Additionally, for our readers in the United States, we're delighted to share that Doobiedoo Asks is now readily accessible via www.hottropiks.com. Hot Tropiks is your gateway to the largest selection of graphic novels and books from the Philippines in the United States, making it easier for American audiences to explore this heartwarming and insightful comic created by Comics by Amaganation.

Buy Doobiedoo Asks: https://hottropiks.com/products/doobiedoo-asks-by-bambi-and-roland-amago