From Vegas to San Diego Road to SDCC: Hot Tropiks’ Filipino Komik Adventure

July 22, 2024

Hey, Book Mates!

It's Angelo here. I was going to write a blog and email that was all about SEO, but honestly, it sounded boring even to me. So, I thought I’d just be real with you and share my journey of learning e-commerce and selling Filipino books in the USA, and now the world. Who knows who's reading this, so let's keep it brutally honest.

Let’s do a quick recap of what happened in July.

Week One of July, I was just minding my own business when SDCC called and said they had a booth available. I wasn’t planning on being part of this year’s SDCC, but how could we pass up this opportunity?

Week Two... Thanks to you all, we’ve been running low on products, so we had some challenges to solve. Big shoutout to Plot Twist Publishing in Vegas for coming through and printing last minute with special editions of Filipino komiks.

Special thanks to the Vegas community for hosting us at Alternate Reality Comics. Seriously, it’s an amazing store and community in Las Vegas.

Huge thanks to the Dasig Team, Ebony Soy, and Kotra Against Evil Team for providing us with some last-minute products for SDCC.

Gearing up for Week Three... I haven’t been to SDCC since 1994, and wow, it’s changed! It’s now the largest pop culture festival in the world. This is our first convention as Hot Tropiks, and wouldn’t you know it, it’s the biggest one on the planet. I've never filled out so much paperwork or dealt with so many last-minute roadblocks. But we’re pushing through and making it happen. I think I need to start a vlog about this… LOL.

Anyway, enough of my rambling. Here are some of the books we’ll be featuring at SDCC. Check us out at Small Press Area Booth L-10!

Featured Products

Maharlika Vol 1 – SDCC Exclusive Ian Sta Maria Cover: Experience a unique sci-fi adventure with the exclusive SDCC cover.

Aklas US release: An anthology comic series set in the class-divided world of Mega Manila in 2048, created by an international Filipino team based in Canada and the Philippines.

Kontra: Against Evil: Face the terror and join the hunt for the bloodthirsty aswang in this action-packed comic series.

Super Proxies by Sampay: Dive into a world of youthful energy and manga-inspired action with this SDCC exclusive.

Maloles by Ebony Soy: Discover the passion of storytelling in this beautifully illustrated exclusive release.
Dasig - Embark on a journey of courage and self-discovery with Dasig, a beautifully illustrated Philippine historical graphic novel that delves into the heart of Filipino heritage and mythology.
Apoy ni Lakapati - captivating graphic novel where a tattoo artist's journey through a forest fire leads to a profound transformation and self-discovery amidst the clash of tradition and modernity.

Community Stories

PICOF just wrapped up in the Philippines, and there’s probably a ton I can write about here, but I think I need to save it for next week. Congrats to Komiket, NBDB, and all the Komikeros back home. The event looked amazing, and I wish I was there.

This SDCC looks to be amazing with Filipino representation. Mark from Diwata Komiks will be speaking at a few panels. Kid Heroes has an amazing lineup planned, including Ely Buendia and the Eraserheads Comic?! And the launch of the Halo-Halo App. I don’t know much about this yet, but I hear Whilce Portacio is one of the founders along with the Kwento Comics team.

Upcoming Events

San Diego Comic Con, yo! What else is there? Join us at the Hot Tropiks Booth at SDCC 2024, located at L-10 Small Press, for signings with amazing Filipino creators:

Bong Redilla: Philippines-born Bong Redila's tales, set in a mythical city, blend childhood wonder with adult insight. Author of Meläg, published by Fantagraphics in the US, and Meläg 2 by Anino Comics in the Philippines.
📅 Friday, July 26 @ 4pm
Manix Abrera: Award-winning Filipino storyteller, best known for "Kikomachine Komix" and silent graphic novels "12" and "14."
📅 Saturday, July 27 @ 12pm
Ebony Soy: Digital artist in LA creating comic and tattoo art inspired by Filipino heritage.
📅 Saturday, July 27 @ 2pm
Nathan Cayanan: SoCal writer/illustrator for DC Comics, also teaches writing at USC, UC Irvine, and CSUF.
📅 Saturday, July 27 @ 4pm