Komiks 'Humanis Rex!' Will Be Published Print On Demand

EDIT: Added pic. General Elias couldn't be happier.

If you hadn't heard it yet, Gerry Alanguilan's decided to publish Humanis Rex! via print on demand.

quote from komikero dot com:

Since Humanis Rex! was done in full color, it would be financially difficult for me to have a collection of it printed at the moment. I considered selling it through online print on demand services like Lulu.com, but it would drive the retail price very high, as POD books normally are, exacerbated by additional shipping costs from the US to the Philippines.

But during the talk I had yesterday at UP Diliman, part of the 2nd Philippine International Comics, Cartoons and Animation (PICCA) Festival, I met the owner of a local print on demand service that would make collected editions of Humanis Rex! possible.

This may not be the first time a komiks creator has tried print on demand. But it is a major risk for a prominent komiks creator, who markets and publishes work for local consumption.

By opting to print on demand, Gerry is retaining the high quality standards he's set for Humanis Rex!, and ensuring that that standard will be enjoyed by everyone who reads his book. Unfortunately, not everyone will be able to afford it. But more importantly, there may be a segment of komiks readers who can afford but will now choose not to, because they will not see it as a good deal irregardless of the actual quality of the work itself

At least, this would be the conventional wisdom based on Pinoy's spendthrift culture. There is also the prevailing perception that komiks should not be too expensive. In any case, most of the people buying Gerry's work are hardcore fans anyway, so they will more likely to be pleased that they will be able to get Humanis Rex in full color.

The self publishing paradigm has changed radically in the age of the internet. Self publishers can rely exclusively on their core fan base to buy their projects, and now many are exploring the possibilities of having them fund these projects as well. Komiks makers have not fully explored these possibilities yet, but the risk/reward factor makes it seem so tantalizing, and I personally hope to see more experimentation, and greater success, in the future.

Supplementary Reading:

On the differences between print on demand and offset printing, you can't go wrong with Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Print_on_demand

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Offset_printing

"But what in God's name is Humanis Rex!?" You might be asking yourself. Here's a short introduction and preview from Gerry himself:

http://www.alanguilan.com/sanpablo/humanisrex.html

Bonus: a short interview with self publishing pioneer Cory Doctorow:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2010/10/25/130811846/doctorow#pt1 This link courtesy Budjette Tan!

Have a nice Halloween/Samhain everyone :)