I read in the Comiket history that it started first from a mere circle of friends with that passion to what they love, just the same with Komikon. We as enthusiasts of comics should help Komikon grow more from that love of the trade and not from greed of money(though we should be more wise in creating it as a job opportunity, but that’s another thing).

But unfortunately with the current trend of Filipino mentality that “comics are for kids only”, “art are for the rich” and “you won’t get rich in komiks (or novels or anything related to the arts)”, we will have way long to go before Komikon flourish into a well of fresh haven of talent and job opportunity, despite our tag as a talented race. Because accept it, in this country using art to be used for different kinds of opportunity in different areas as possible is impossible.
Majority of Filipinos don’t have any idea as a race of appreciating anything without accepting nothing in return, we always expect we should be compensated or paid for something. We are not aware of the true meaning of passion. And since majority of us are below the middle-class bracket, anything not related to food are considered useless. That’s why usually we look down on artists, we don’t appreciate what they do, because we can’t literally eat what they produce. For a well-minded sensible Filipino, art made from passion can be eaten too, by the soul. But how about for a grumbling stomach (the poor) and a greedy tummy (the opportunistic corporations)? Art as passion alone is futile to satisfy the first, and expect the latter useless to stop asking for more.
We could only dream for a Komikon as big as Comiket in dreams, but having Komikon is better that none, ne? If only Filipinos can be taught to appreciate art early enough to understand it more than just a written or painted words and scribbles in trees, Komikon (and other conventions related to the arts)then might have grew into something bigger than today.
And don’t expect from our National Artist in VA to have that dream fulfilled…

- I empathize with you here. And like John said, we have a long, long way to go but Komikon did a great job of starting it. In the long run, maybe we can reach the standards of COMIKET.