Sempoi hopes to revive interest in local comics
ALOR SETAR: Despite the avalanche of foreign comics and cartoon magazines in the country, the local comic scene is still very much alive and thriving.
Renowned local cartoonist Shamsul Mohammad Rozial Morad, 40, who is better known as Jian said local cartoons were still in great demand as fans were hunger for humour based on local taste and scenario.
“People who grew up during the heydays of local comic magazines such as Ujang, Gila- Gila, Apo and Geli Hati are still yearning for the concept of jokes brought by the cartoonists of these magazines.
“My friends and I have gathered to produce a magazine called Sempoi to revive the best days of the local cartoon industry and to meet the needs of fans of these defunct magazines,” he told Bernama here yesterday.
Jian who is also a former Ujang cartoonist said 20 cartoonists were involved in producing Sempoi and some of them were new.
“They are very talented and full of ideas to draw but they have no platform to show off their skills. So we took the initiative to produce a magazine which combines the works of both new and old cartoonists,” he said.
Sempoi which features 100 per cent local cartoon characters, was published in November and almost 2,000 copies were snapped up online through Sempoi Facebook page.
“We did not expect such a rousing response to the magazine even though it has yet to hit the book shops. The magazine will be published bimonthly and it would be available at bookstores throughout Malaysia in January,” he said. Meanwhile, Jian said the development of technology had also enabled cartoonists to promote their works.
“With the Internet, we could promote our works on social media and at the same time introduce local cartoons to the new generation who spend more time surfing social media.
“Nonetheless, the cartoon works we created for Sempoi are still manually drawn in terms of design, drawing and colouring. The works can be digitally drawn but we can not feel the satisfaction of working as every painting we do traditionally has its own distinctive sentimental value, “he said.
In this regard, Jian and other cartoonist friends such as Rohizat Othman, 36, or also known as Chikman were holding a workshop for schoolchildren in the northern region.
Chikman said the workshop was aimed at sharing knowledge with the students, and they could also educate them to appreciate local works.
“Most students are now ignorant of local cartoons as they are very exposed to foreign cartoons especially from Japan. So when we (cartoonists) have a workshop with them, we find many who have talent in cartoon drawing. This has enable us find enthusiastic local cartoonists and we can help to polish their talents, “he said. — Bernama