Neil Gaiman in Manila
Wall of Noise
Neil Gaiman in Manila: The Gathering
The Rockwell Tent
July 9, ‘05
The travel from Diliman to Guadalupe became a blur when I saw roughly a hundred people outside a relatively huge white tent. Everyone was there – from the geeks, to babybats, to schoolgirls with their moms. They were, as I later observed, either fidgety or just plain agitated as myself. I arrived at about lunch time, feeling a bit smug of my promptness. But, my hopes flew out the window when all the Fully Booked employee could give me was a pink stub with the number 131 on it for tomorrow’s signing. Well, I thought, what the heck – I think a lot of good things will happen for the next three hours. So I waited patiently and they did.
After what felt like a century of waiting, the gates were finally unlocked, ushering a stampede of people with a hungry-for-celebrity-look. The artworks submitted for the contest were lined up on the wall, curiosity eating them up. The band, The Late Isabel, opened the event with covers of Velvet Underground’s Venus in Furs, a twist off the Sound of Music soundtrack My Favorite Things, and originals like 68, Rising Tide and Doll’s Head. Some members of the audience decided that five songs are enough for an overture. When the band’s sixth song was introduced, the crowd shouted cries of disapproval. Most of them were snotty kids who took photos of everything onstage. I could literally smell the swank of anticipation – maybe they were dreaming about seeing the writer/illustrator since birth or they were too dumb to realize the band was playing for diversion while Neil Gaiman was overcoming printer problems. The winners of the art contest were announced and those who luckily got a publisher’s poster of Wolves in the Walls. Everybody got excited when the famous face of Yakult, Gabe, emerged from the stage – it means Neil Gaiman is in the house.
Thank the heavens I didn’t have to tiptoe when he lumbered on to the stage, profusely apologizing for his tardiness and putting the blame on the hotel printers. He was greeted with what he described as a ‘Wall of Noise’ – considering almost 3000 people came to see him. Neil’s apt comparison: Brazilians look reserved next to Filipinos.
The Q&A portion went smoothly, as he answered every question with frankness and of course a load of humor. He then went on to reading an excerpt of the Anasi Boys, his new brainchild and a prequel to the American Gods, on the subject of a quirky combination - death and embarrassment. A thirteen-minute video clip from Mirrormask was shown, illustrated and directed by Dean Mckean. Since, IÂ’m more of a Mckean fan (the illustrator for GaimanÂ’s books such as Violent Cases, Black Orchid, The Wolves In the Walls, The Day I Swapped my Dad for two goldfish), I was bouncing and craning my neck to get a better view (due to a height disadvantage).
It was rockstar-treatment at its best, but its uplifting to think that writers get that kind of reception not just celebrities or bands in this country. I had my books and sketchpad signed the next day at the Greenhills, Promenade Mall. Only blotches of ink on my sketchpad can rekindle my moment with Dream himself.
Neil Gaiman in Manila: The Gathering
The Rockwell Tent
July 9, ‘05
The travel from Diliman to Guadalupe became a blur when I saw roughly a hundred people outside a relatively huge white tent. Everyone was there – from the geeks, to babybats, to schoolgirls with their moms. They were, as I later observed, either fidgety or just plain agitated as myself. I arrived at about lunch time, feeling a bit smug of my promptness. But, my hopes flew out the window when all the Fully Booked employee could give me was a pink stub with the number 131 on it for tomorrow’s signing. Well, I thought, what the heck – I think a lot of good things will happen for the next three hours. So I waited patiently and they did.
After what felt like a century of waiting, the gates were finally unlocked, ushering a stampede of people with a hungry-for-celebrity-look. The artworks submitted for the contest were lined up on the wall, curiosity eating them up. The band, The Late Isabel, opened the event with covers of Velvet Underground’s Venus in Furs, a twist off the Sound of Music soundtrack My Favorite Things, and originals like 68, Rising Tide and Doll’s Head. Some members of the audience decided that five songs are enough for an overture. When the band’s sixth song was introduced, the crowd shouted cries of disapproval. Most of them were snotty kids who took photos of everything onstage. I could literally smell the swank of anticipation – maybe they were dreaming about seeing the writer/illustrator since birth or they were too dumb to realize the band was playing for diversion while Neil Gaiman was overcoming printer problems. The winners of the art contest were announced and those who luckily got a publisher’s poster of Wolves in the Walls. Everybody got excited when the famous face of Yakult, Gabe, emerged from the stage – it means Neil Gaiman is in the house.
Thank the heavens I didn’t have to tiptoe when he lumbered on to the stage, profusely apologizing for his tardiness and putting the blame on the hotel printers. He was greeted with what he described as a ‘Wall of Noise’ – considering almost 3000 people came to see him. Neil’s apt comparison: Brazilians look reserved next to Filipinos.
The Q&A portion went smoothly, as he answered every question with frankness and of course a load of humor. He then went on to reading an excerpt of the Anasi Boys, his new brainchild and a prequel to the American Gods, on the subject of a quirky combination - death and embarrassment. A thirteen-minute video clip from Mirrormask was shown, illustrated and directed by Dean Mckean. Since, IÂ’m more of a Mckean fan (the illustrator for GaimanÂ’s books such as Violent Cases, Black Orchid, The Wolves In the Walls, The Day I Swapped my Dad for two goldfish), I was bouncing and craning my neck to get a better view (due to a height disadvantage).
It was rockstar-treatment at its best, but its uplifting to think that writers get that kind of reception not just celebrities or bands in this country. I had my books and sketchpad signed the next day at the Greenhills, Promenade Mall. Only blotches of ink on my sketchpad can rekindle my moment with Dream himself.
Page created: July 18th 2005 03:07 AM