I was browsing, as usual, through pages and pages of comic books and skipping from one table to another at the Indie Tiangge when I heard a guy say, "Uy! Andito si Tony DeZuniga."
His friend replied, "San?"
And the other pointed to where Sir DeZuniga was sitting.
I looked over and saw a very serious-looking old man and his wife, busying themselves over posters and sketches. And I remember saying to myself, "The man who created Jonah Hex is here!? That's great! I want to meet him." So I squeezed through the crowd that surrounded Sir Tony's table and found myself staring at a treasure trove. I couldn't decide which one to buy and I was on a tight budget since I had to make sure that I could still be able to go back to Laguna after the Komikon or else I would be walking all the way from Boni. That's not good.
So I stayed by the table, ogling over all his works like a maniac staring hungrily at a woman's thigh. If I was going to buy something, it must be something that was unique. Something that he only made a few copies of.
And I found it. After hours and hours of scavenging, I found it.
I lifted it up and his wife told me, "You have a good eye. He only made 20 of those. That's the last one."
What luck! I had the last one! And he only made 20 of it. I know 20 is still a two-digit number but among billions of fans. I'm one of the 20 people who got a limited poster!
I was so happy and so I smiled and said, "Talaga po? Wow! Swerte!"
She smiled and replied, "Papirma mo sa kanya." Then she pointed at him.
I nodded like those aesthetic little dogs on a car's dashboard and approached Sir Tony.
He asked me what my name was. I said, "Ched po."
He replied, "Ched? Parang Chedeng?"
"Ah, opo...?"
"Ang tunay mo bang pangalan ay Mercedita?"
I smiled wryly, "Ah hindi po, sir."
Then he replied with one eyebrow raised, "Sigurado ka?"
And I didn't know how to answer that. I wanted to say that I really admired all his works and though I was not intensely familiar with all of them, I look up to him and someday be able to contribute to Philippine Comics the way he did but that was way out of topic. We were talking about my name and if I was sure it was my name. The time of answering had passed. And so, he signed away and handed me the poster and smiled. And I left feeling dazed and confused like the song. And for a while, I thought, "Yeah, maybe my real name is Mercedita. Most people think it so..."
Then I looked at the poster and saw what he wrote.
I knew he must have written it a hundred times, maybe he even practiced it but it meant a lot to me as an aspiring illustrator. And how often do you meet Sir Tony? For a person like me, not so often and before that moment, I thought maybe not at all. But that moment happened. And I was happy. Very very happy. Elated, that's the word. I was so elated that I was walking around the Komikon grounds staring at the inscription. It was a magical moment, indeed.
And so, I'm taking this opportunity to thank Sir Tony DeZuniga for inspiring all of us - artists from all generations - to master our craft and embrace the challenge that comes with triumph. You were the vehicle that paved the way for Philippine Comics to be recognized internationally and for that, we are ever thankful and proud of you. You will always be remembered and truly missed.
Rest in Peace Sir Tony.
PS: Sir, if you ever meet her, please tell her we also miss her...especially today.
