For the Sama-laut, descendants of the bronze-skinned Badjao of the Philippines' southern seas, the transition from seafaring to spacefaring was both a logical move and a disorientingly monumental change. Centuries and generations of living at sea under the unforgiving maritime sun gave them the genetic sturdiness needed for prolonged space flight. And so, in their scantily equipped solar-drive ships, they set out into that place which had heretofore been the exclusive domain of Tuhan, the almighty god of the sky.
They were not ready for what they would find there.
They were not ready for what they would find there.
Skygypsies was originally a short story written by Timothy James Dimacali for the 3rd Philippine Speculative Fiction collection. It’s about a father and his son facing the perils of the sacred void. Put it simply, it’s Badjaos in space!
I chose to feature this story for my comic book illustration thesis because of its sci-fi aspect blended with a distinct Filipino flavor. The visual approach for the book was to combine the Traditional Filipino Style of comic book illustration Modern Digital Coloring. I drew inspiration from Francisco Coching, Nestor Redondo and Alfredo Alcala – the three best artists who exemplified the style.
In 2012, we were blessed to have the story published in the pages of Kwentillion – a magazine from Summit Media dedicated to young adult literature and media, featuring young adult-themed comics and fiction.
The illustration thesis also required us to promote and create an advertising campaign for the comic book.
