A couple of weeks ago, I've decided to officially close the second season of The Powerful Komiksman Podcast (TPKP). At twenty episodes since October, 2018 to April 2019, there have been a lot of amazing, unexpected moments, which as far as my knowledge, have never happened in an online podcast setting in the Philippines before.
These are the moments that I chase after on every episode. Spontaneous, raw manifestations of pure wit and creativity with my amazing guests.
Here are 10 of such moments from TPKP: Season 2.
10. Podcast in Slow Blues
When Los Baños, Laguna-based indie band, Saturday At Dusk came over for TPKP 41, I was thrilled to learn that they play slow blues numbers on their gigs. Being a big fan of the genre, I suggested we open the episode with an impromptu, improvised, slow blues jam to introduce the band and welcome the audience.
And speaking of blues, Season Two also saw the debut of the show's official themes, TPKP Blues (Opening) and JAMCaster (end credits). I've always envisioned a blues soundtrack for the podcast from the very beginning, until it actually gave me an awesome friend in Ramiru Mataro who enthusiastically took on writing and producing the now-familiar TPKP themes.
9. Podcast Crossovers
I've repeated plenty of times on the show that one of my primary goals is to make intelligent, entertaining, independent podcasts more popular it the Philippines. To achieve this, I made it a point to invite fellow podcasters as often as I could. It doesn't matter how big their following are. If I see that their podcast is well-thought out, enjoyable, and consistent, I would consider sending them an invite for a crossover.
It was a wonderful pleasure hosting singer-songwriter, Gio Levy of Creative Pickings, The Indie Komiks Podcast gang —twice, and Lito Manansala of the pioneering, pinoy DIY show, Lito Manansala TV. Other content creators made appearances as well including YouTubers, SpiderDan, Nico David and social media influencer, Cassie Umali.
8. #JAMCast Level Up
Having musician guests perform live on the show in high quality production is one of the most ambitious goals I’ve been trying to reach in every #JAMCast episode I've done. For a starting, self-taught audio production guy like myself, pulling off a professional-sounding live audio is definitely one of my biggest technical challenges on my podcasting journey.
Debuting on the first season, #JAMCasts already sounded decent back then. However, on season two, I was able to acquire new equipment which allowed me to invite more artists of different genres. The unforgettable episodes with Meleena and Tim Cada (TPKP 29) on vocals and looped guitar, and the four-member set up of Saturday At Dusk would not have been possible back in the first season.
Other #JAMCast highlights from the second season were from, Barbara Jeanne, who performed unreleased personal songs from her old notebook, Gio Levy with a TPKP exclusive, and of course, our resident JAMCaster, Ramiru Mataro with his originals and tributes.
7. Drawing Technique Breakdown with Stephen Segovia
The internet is full of unbelievably helpful content about drawing and drawing techniques. However, to the best of my knowledge, an extensive breakdown of illustration methods, mindset, and thought processes is something that has never been done in local media, much less on a podcast.
Then came TPKP 34, with pinoy comics supertstar, Stephen Segovia giving a masterclass about composition, drawing techniques, and the much-less-talked-about nuances of how artists think and decide with every step he takes in creating his work.
6. #DrawingCompanion with Mico Suayan
Being good friends with one of the best comics illustrators in world, working in this era has its perks. Mico Suayan finally graces the podcast for TPKP 37 —and making it a #DrawingCompanion episode to make it a hundred times more special!
For most of the three hour and a half episode, Mico draws an original Joker bust sketch on a blank cover comic book, which was given away to a very lucky viewer who participated on the #DrawingCompanion contest, right after the episode. Comics superstar, sketching live on a podcast then giving it as a prize on a video podcast? That has got to be a pinoy first.
5. Spider-Man's Podcast Debut
For the past forty three episodes, there have been plenty of times that I was blown away by the fact that I was able to guest people that I thought I could only dream of guesting. Having a superhero sitting across my podcasting table was an exceptionally great and surreal experience for me though.
On TPKP 36, the amazing SpiderDan Geromo swung by the studio for, maybe a one-of-a-kind, long-form podcast episode! I did a quick search on YouTube for any videos of Spider-Man in full costume in a podcast, and I found no other results other than mine. So I suppose this stands until provided with an evidence against the claim.
4. Leinil Yu Live
Okay, so sadly for me, Leinil Yu himself told me that this wasn't his first podcast guesting. But I'm gonna qualify it by saying this was his first livestreamed, long-form, video podcast guesting just so that I could include it on this list.
For me, Leinil is the Philippines' brightest superstar, comics artist, renowned for his legendary works for Marvel, DC Comics, Millarworld, and others, in a career that spans more than a couple of decades. As one of my biggest drawing heroes during the 2000's, having him on the show is truly a top highlight of the season, and one of TPKP's greatest achievements in its formative stage.
3. Memory Draw
MEMORY DRAW was a game that came out as a spur-of-the-moment idea in the middle of the first IKPxTPKP episode, on TPKP 27. It was such a riot that the Indie Komiks Podcast boys and I just had to do it again when they returned for TPKP 39, the pre-Summer Komikon 2019 episode.
I hope to invite other artist groups in the future, and make this game another TPKP tradition.
2. Pinoy Record: Longest Live Online Podcast —EVER!
When I decided to do the podcast in long form, I meant it to be REALLY LONG to take full advantage of the format's strengths. We were barely able to break the three hour-mark during the first season, but then we started getting really carried away on the second.
First time we went far beyond three hours was with Cassie Umali (TPKP 28), which clocked in at 03:41:37. The returning, former record holder, Ramiru Mataro (TPKP 35) wasn't having that, and pushed for a new record, 04:35:35 of live podcast!
I was quite certain that must have been a solid, pinoy online video podcast record that would stand for some time, until the monumental, TPKP 42 episode with Nico David (featured video above) had it smashed. Five hours, eight minutes and fourteen seconds (05:08:14) of straight podcast gold! This epic episode also earned me my first 1000 subs on YouTube —a memorable, double milestone for the show.
1. Spawning New Kick Ass Pinoy Podcasts
I have found a new thrill and personal mission in podcasting, both as an artist and an individual. As I've frequently stated in the show, I think the podcast medium is something that could hugely benefit the Filipino society if only more people get it and produce more of it.
At the moment, two other podcasts, have spawned from TPKP: the sports-themed, Bola Boys Podcast with Kiko Malicdem and Jerome Azarcon, and the TPKP MMA Special with Cheryl Saw. A couple more potential projects are in the works as well. If I may also add the other pinoy creators who have reached out to me, saying TPKP inspired them to create podcasts of their own, or finally push through their pending podcast plans. Watch out for my feature on them in the future.
Another huge development is my collaboration with other content creators, Jofell Gallardo, Nico David, and Ela De Leon to create The Tsong, Tsang Show —another hardcore, long form podcast, developed in pursuit of spreading critical thinking and championing free speech as TPKP does.
So there! That's the 10 things I came up with. Do you have other epic/stand out TPKP Season Two moments you want to add? Comment down below.
And cheers to Season Three and more podcasts!