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Korea Herald
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Filipino webtoon creator Maria Mediarito spins a sapphic sanctuary through comic series 'Katlaya Rising'
MANILA, Philippines (Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN) -- Magic, monsters, and maidens are mainstays in fantasy stories. However, when the relationships and dynamics of these story staples have largely remain unchanged, Metro Manila-based comics creator Maria Mediarito -- or MariaMediaHere, as she's known online -- gives the genre a fearlessly Filipino and queer twist in Webtoon Originals comic, "Katlaya Rising." "Being queer is integral to the work that I have," says Mediarito. "I know when people don't feel safe to come out, they will end up in bad situations." Through "Katlaya Rising," Mediarito creates a sanctuary where her audience, especially queer and sapphic readers, could see themselves as heroes in epics. Don't be fooled, though. Mediarito's Filipino-driven fantasy world is anything but safe. Wild animals infected by frenzy run rampant in the stratified Pilipit Town. Exterminators, like Katlaya De los Kalye, risk their lives hunting these beasts for meager pay. Yet, for Katlaya, unhinged giant boars are a small part of her daily tribulations. Like her heroine, Mediarito leaps headfirst into the fray. In "Katlaya Rising," the author tackles tough topics like gender roles, classism, and religion. "Subtext is for cowards," she quotes fictional author Garth Marenghi in an interview. For Mediarito, comics create spaces where authors and readers can explore different facets of their identities. Self-discovery through comics Inspiration is found in mundane places. Mediarito found hers in her high school's art room. "I wouldn't have been able to access all of that if it weren't for my art teacher, Sir Norman Ramirez." Sir Norman was a personal hero to young Mediarito. He shared his personal comics collection with interested students looking for some company. The moment when Mediarito flipped through those comics, she was a goner. "Even if you pick up Chapter 400 of a long series and don't know these characters, you should still be able to be engaged," she explains. "That's proof of good comic book writing." Beyond appreciating the craft of comics, Mediarito internalized the importance of media consumption. Sir Norman knew that sharing comics, instead of letting them gather dust at home, was what was best for them. "I do believe the entertainment we consume molds our values and personalities." Sir Norman's influence set Mediarito on the path she's on today -- not only in her art but also in her identity. "I was in denial for a very long time, which is funny because my sister knew the entire time." Though her sister was supportive, Mediarito was self-conscious and scared. "I was so in the closet and so afraid of people judging me." In high school, she was desperate to find a boyfriend in order to fit in with her peers. The possibility of being ostracized distressed her. "They say that being queer makes people depressed," reflects Mediarito. A study conducted with 165,000 participants by the Open University reveals that LGBTQ+ teens face significantly higher risks of depression. But, being queer doesn't inherently affect one's mental health. "It's because the experience of queer leads people to situations where they're mocked, slighted against, or physically hurt." The Katlaya origin story For college, Mediarito majored in information design at Ateneo De Manila University. She didn't think she could earn a living from art alone, so she practiced corporate design. "I had a lot of side hustles in college," she says. "Because you have to feed your mouth and then you have to feed your heart." In between commercial gigs, Mediarito carved out time for comics. In 2018, Komiket, a Filipino nonprofit that organizes conventions, held a comics competition. Mediarito didn't want to join at first, but her best friend and poet, Ives, encouraged her to try it out. Mediarito's 16-page entry was shortlisted but didn't win. Though, losing one battle sometimes means winning the war. "Being acknowledged in this competition was a sign that I can go for it. Maybe I can win," she reflects. Komiket gave her a green light to pursue comics along with her commercial projects. The author came face-to-face with an adversary, as many other college students in the late 2010s did: COVID-19. Suddenly, her corporate gigs dried up. Not only was getting through the pandemic economically challenging, but it was also lonely for creatives. Without the routine of corporate gigs and art events, Mediarito poured her time into web comics. In 2021, she published "Ghoul Crush," which centers on a romance between a woman and the ghost haunting her apartment. Mediarito also submitted her work to literary publications and awards. "Then, I got an email from someone I didn't know who said they were a Webtoon editor," Mediarito says. She ignored that email for a few days, but in the back of her mind, she thought, "Let me check that just in case." The email, from LA-based Webtoon editor Aria Villafranca, was not spam. Villafranca was interested in working with Mediarito on a Webtoon Originals comic. Mediarito only had short comics at the time, so she sent over a 16-page story called "Katlaya De Los Kalye." "Aria saw what Katlaya could be," says the author. "We can make it a whole world with more creatures, monsters, characters, subcultures, and lore." Villafranca and Mediarito worked on what became "Katlaya Rising" for a whole year before publishing the first chapter on Webtoon. "Comics will bring you to places you never knew you could end up in." Writing queer characters the right way Katlaya De Los Kalye crashes through a married couple's tin-roofed home in Lower Pilipit Town to fight a rabid beast to the death. While Katlaya's monsters would feel more at home in a Nintendo game, Pilipit Town's atmosphere and citizens feel vaguely familiar. "The backgrounds are so important to informing the world," Mediarito says. "It has to be Filipino." Katlaya and her motley crew fight monsters and, occasionally, each other in tight eskenitas drenched in neon light from signs in Baybayin. Capiz shell windows line houses in Upper Pilipit Town. Tricycle drivers rush past pedestrians in the morning. These lived-in details are all by Mediarito's design. Mediarito works with a team of assistants based in the Philippines. "We do field trips around Manila to just look at old and new architecture," she says. "And then we see how we can fuse them together." Although readers see backgrounds for a few seconds, the rich references in Katlaya's world adds depth to the greater story Mediarito is telling. In a moment of vulnerability, Katlaya reminisces on her childhood and time as a nun in service to Pilipit Town's local religion. Growing up, she overheard her neighbors gossip about her queerness. "What a waste of a pretty face. ... She's like a 6/10 in looks." These comments are commonplace in the comic, with many members of the LGBTQ+ community being called "sayang" at least once. In "Katlaya Rising," Mediarito also touches on the expectations for Filipino women to bear children and the consequences they face regardless of their decision. "Society goes through ups and downs," says Mediarito. "In some older films, the villains were queer-coded to prove they were strange and not of this world." Giving antagonists traits and appearances commonly deemed as queer, such as crossdressing and flamboyance, feeds into stereotypes about the queer community. Now, some fandoms are at another extreme and fetishize queer characters. "We went from villainizing queer people to putting them on a pedestal," the author says. "We've come to the point where we can make queer characters just characters. That's why I have five different love interests in 'Katlaya Rising.'" Representation inches closer Planning, writing, and drawing a Webtoon -- especially one set in a fantasy world with five romantic subplots -- is no small feat. "I never expected to be in this situation, where I can say I'm a professional comic artist," Mediarito reflects. "Maybe it's not so crazy if you're from a different country where the comics industry is more developed." The Philippines has a tight-knit and vibrant comics community that self-organizes events and conventions, like Komiket and the Manila Comics Fair. However, most, if not all, large publishers, like Marvel, DC, and Kodansha, are based abroad, making it tougher for Filipino creators to reach international audiences. "We're just a small archipelago in the middle of the ocean. For any one of us to achieve acclaim is a net good," Mediarito says of her practice. In addition to raising the Filipino flag a little higher, she hopes "Katlaya Rising" would also hold space for the queer community. "You have to confront what type of artist you want to be. Do you want to make something for as many people as possible, or do you want to make something for yourself?" she advises. So, what kind of artist is Mediarito? A story about sapphic Filipinos fighting monsters and each other's love interests sounds quite niche. However, complex, unapologetic stories are cementing their place in the public's consciousness. In February 2025, Chappell Roan won Best New Artist at the Grammys, singing about drag queens, clubs, and coming out. The first installment of "Wicked," with queer-coded heroines, graced screens worldwide and brought in $756 million at the box office.
The Guardian
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
GCSEs are outdated. It's time to ditch them
Sally Weale cogently questions why we need to continue with the outdated GCSE examination, being the only country in Europe to have such an assessment ('They are making young people ill': is it time to scrap GCSEs?, 11 June). There are two additional reasons that support the case for abolition. First, the cost. GCSEs are a billion-pound-plus industry. Few people realise that, per student, we spend more on the exam entry than on providing resources to study the subject. Second, most importantly, GCSE results are standardised as a bell curve of results. A third or more of young people receive below-average results because the statistical model so determines. The government wants to improve technical and vocational education, but this will not happen while hundreds of thousands of young people are told that they 'didn't do very well at school'.Bob MoonEmeritus professor of education, Open University Re Sally Weale's article on the effect of GCSEs on young people, I attended a traditional grammar school in Colchester in the 1970s. We had a forward-thinking headteacher who believed that seven GCE O-levels were enough. One of these, English language, was taken in year 10, which left only six at the end of year 11. No formal English literature exam was taken, but pupils spent year 11 writing an extended essay on a literary subject of their choosing. This was marked by the school, and a grade, though not recognised externally, was given. It made for a more leisurely year 11. Ironically, my brother, who was in the top stream at his secondary modern school, had far more exams, with a mixture of both GCE O-levels and CSEs. At the time, most students left school at 16, whereas now they are in full-time education or training until 18. So it would seem that the GCSE is an outmoded exam that needs to be KilvertHull GCSEs were intended to recognise what pupils know, understand and can do – they do not. They were supposed to be assessed fairly – they are not, as grades are based on norm referencing. They were designed as a rite of passage at 16 for pupils at the end of their statutory education – but 90% of pupils stay in education until they are 18. We need school-based diagnostic and formative assessment systems from 11 to 18, which can guide young people on to their next best stage of learning, not expensive and stressful GCSEs. Age 18 is the time for the summation of a young person's schooling, not 16. And at 18 we need proper recognition of where young people really are as they continue their learning journey into and through adult NewhoferOxford The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, which argues for the scrapping of GCSEs, is named after the man who rejected a golden opportunity to do so and replace them with a diploma-based system when he was prime minister, based on the 2004 Tomlinson report. If it is 'a decade's work' to come up with a new qualification framework, we might now have been a decade into one if New Labour had made the change when it had the CameronStoke-on-Trent In the current round of exams, my grandson had to sit three in one day. How is that fair? How can it be justified? Where's the sense in it? Yes, it's time to scrap Colin RichardsFormer HM inspector of schools Have an opinion on anything you've read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.
BBC News
30-05-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Try the Open University's vintage driving test
Would you pass an historic driving test? Have a go at The Open University's "Driving Through the Decades" online quiz below and see how you get on!Click here for the quiz!, external
Hans India
30-05-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
To become a king or a slave is your choice, DKS tells students
Bengaluru: Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Thursday advised students that they have a choice to become a king by studying well or to become a servant by not focussing on studies. 'Studying well will pave the way in all fields, otherwise you will end up being a servant. The choice is yours. Where there is will there is way, but hard work is important,' he told the government school students while speaking at the 'School Commencement 2025-26' event in Adugodi. 'If we sow good seeds, we get good crops. Similarly, we get good citizens if we sow the seeds of knowledge. Students are our assets and the government is committed to provide them all that they need. Students should dream big and work hard towards their dream. Discipline is important in this journey. You dream should be not just to get an employment but to employ many people,' he added. 'India's first PM Jawaharlal Nehru termed children treasure of the country. Education is such a treasure that it can't be destroyed by anyone or anything. I joined politics when I was a student and hence could not focus on education. I realised lack education when I went to the Assembly and heard learned people speaking in the House. I decided to get my degree from Open University at the age of 47. That degree gave me more satisfaction than my accomplishments in politics.' 'Our government is working towards upgrading 2000 government schools to Karnataka Public Schools. We are trying to resolve the shortage of teachers by drawing them from private schools as well. Many Organisations have come forward to build these schools. Ramalinga Reddy has created history by upgrading all government schools in his constituency into Karnataka Public schools,' he said.
BBC News
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Film swordsman receives honorary degree for his work in the arts
A professional sword master who trains actors and appears in films has been recognised for his work in the Wilkinson, who lives in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, has been made an honorary graduate of the Open University which is based in Milton has performed in films including Henry V starring Kenneth Branagh, and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves featuring Kevin said the Master of University award was "humbling" and said: "This is the very first time in my career I have been acknowledged." Wilkinson has used his skills in fencing and other weaponry to help him gain an Equity card serves as proof of membership in the trade union for actors and creative practitioners. After discovering he was good at teaching, Wilkinson went on to gain a range of qualifications in coaching, eventually becoming head coach of his fencing 35 years in the business, he has featured in dozens of productions, as well as screenwriting, producing and was a writer, choreographer and director for Golden Swords, a play first performed at London's Globe led the British Academy of Fencing team to victory in the World Artistic Fencing Championships. He is an honorary professor of theatrical fencing for the has also written books on his own life in the industry. Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
