Russell Molina and Kajo Baldisimo
In February, as the nation celebrated the 30th anniversary of the EDSA Revolution, Anino Comics and the EDSA People Power Commission launched a graphic novel set during the final years of Martial Law and the 1986 People Power Revolution.
It begins with four friends, bandmates, who miss the curfew. Afraid of being caught by the police, they seek refuge in an abandoned printing press, which one of them recognizes as his father’s former workplace. As he recounts the story of his father’s capture by the Metrocom, the reader gains an overview of law enforcement during the Marcos years. The story escalates when the bandmates leave their hiding place and encounter a jeepney driver searching for his daughter, missing after several rallies and mobilizations in Tondo, Manila. Alas, the police catches up with them, and a few good men heed the call of the brave. The story ends at a concert during the height of the EDSA Revolution, with the bandmates playing their song not just for freedom, but in memory of their fallen comrade.
What I enjoyed
Molina is a gifted storyteller, honest and unpretentious in his use of words. What you read is what you get with Russell, and yet he is able to layer events and emotions into a multi-dimensional narrative. In 12:01, Molina is not just telling the story of four friends dreaming of making it big in the music industry; he is also showing us that we all have dreams that can be crushed or realized by forces larger than ourselves. Tragedy can happen anytime, especially during the Martial Law years, but he shows readers how people can live through such dangerous times. And so, we persist.
Baldisimo’s illustrations are dynamic. They are kinetic where they need to be, haunting and nostalgic in exactly the right panels, and dramatic and melancholic when the moment calls for it. The broken coffee cup. The old picture frame. The drumsticks left unmoved on top of a garbage can. His artwork enhances and enriches Molina’s skilled storytelling. And the book cover-- powerful.
What I hope it had
This is more of a suggestion than a critique, and I hope Anino Comics gets to read this review.
There are three songs in the graphic novel: Hala, Tahan Na, and Gising Na. These are seamlessly woven into the plot. But it would have been a great way to further engage teenage readers if guitar chords or tabs for these songs were included. Add a downloadable or streaming MP4/MP3 recording, and you’d have a multimedia material perfect for the digital native.
Rating: ★★★★☆ (Four bookmarks out of five)
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