Asian Journal- The Filipino-American Community Newspaper

ONE by one, they wait.

Holding sketchbooks, comics and other paraphernalia, fan boys (and girls) of The Flash, Superman, and Batman wait hours in line for an original sketch or an autograph from a Fil-Canadian artist.

At this year’s Comic Con 2010 in San Diego amongst the hundreds of artists, illustrators and writers along Artists’ Alley, there’s no one hotter than Francis Manapul, a DC Comics illustrator and host and artistic director of a new show called Beast Legends.

And he has the envious line to back it up with people waiting hours just to shake his hand.

"My friend and I waited more than an hour and a half for this," said a giddy James Tomsicek, a 31-year-old sales supervisor, as he holds up a newly done black and white sketch by Manapul of Captain Cold, one of the Flash’s archenemies. "He does phenomenal work. He’s just amazing. I’m just blown away by this drawing."

"This guy is the man right now," said Bret, a Comic Con attendee who craned his neck around a group of people watching Manapul draw. "DC chose him to do Flash and that’s a big deal."

Famed Pinoy comic artist Whilce Portacio, who shares a booth adjacent to Manapul and will be in a panel together this weekend, described Manapul as one of the comic industries "rock stars."

"He’s a perfect example of the new generation of Filipino artists who is really embracing all of this convention stuff being a celebrity but still having his feet on the ground and still evolving his art," said Portacio.

As he stands behind his booth sketching each book one by one, Manapul brushes aside the superlatives that others have described him. To him, it’s all about what he produces on the paper.

"For me it’s about storytelling," he said. "The illustrating aspect of comics has really taken a back seat for me, and my main focus is telling the story well."

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