(originally appeared in the sleeve of Athonk's Bad Times Story)

This first published edition of Athonk's Bad Times Story is likely a major breakthrough in the art of comic artistry in Indonesia. Since the golden age of Indonesian comics, back in the 1960s through 70s (which died with accusations of subversion and denounced as garbage and poison), the local comic industry has been overrun by foreign comics. Beginning with the 1980s, translations of Donald Duck, Spiderman, Flash Gordon and other American and European favorites have filled the book shop shelves, while their Indonesian native cousins wallow in the dust of neglect, if, that is, they can even be found in the storage bins. By the end of the 80s, translations of Japanese and Chinese comics such as Dragon Ball, Candy, and Kung Fu Boy entered the local scene with their more "eastern" styles of story-telling and drawing. Indonesian comics, reduced to the efforts of a handful of artists who tend to present witty and often sarcastic social commentary, appear only in newspapers, one page of the Sunday comics supplement, and in weekly magazines.

It was not just the success in sales of foreign comics that has squeezed the local varieties off the shelves. Since production expenses and the time it takes to publish local stories are much greater than buying the rights to established foreign comics, local producers have little incentive to support local artists. Furthermore, Indonesian comic artists now copy presentation styles of foreign comics, neglecting their own history and perspectives on humor or traditions of story-telling, making their own efforts seem obsolete or inferior. With no opportunities for publication now, and a fairly dead tradition, comic artistry seemed to have taken its final bow.

In light of such a sad history, Athonk's effort here should indeed be recognized as a rarity. Born in Semarang into a military family, Athonk claims to have grown up drawing comics, most of which were borrowed and circulated by friends. With an obvious talent for drawing, he insists pictures without words are empty. This comic influence does very clearly appear in his posters, graphics, and sketches with their brightly colored, cheerful and rather chaotic little mosaics of activity splashed over with words, names, places, events. Closer inspection however, reveals there is an awful lot more going on within these frames than viewers would initially recognize. Each contorted frame within the jumbled mass depicts actual and symbolic events in Indonesian history as well as the artist's own history as a citizen of Indonesia. The idealism of youth mixes right in with some rather biting social and political commentary. Yet my own dilemma in writing this introduction rests in how to assist readers in knowing where one ends and the other begins.

First inspection of the Bad Times Story reveals that all the main characters are devils. Yet, a demonic appearance does not necessarily signify evil just as Athonk's own appearance, a fondness for punk gear, chains, and a Mohawk haircut, does not signify a rejection of his Javanese heritage. Nothing is necessarily what it would seem and all things must be taken for their own merit. Such a seemingly simple statement, however, resonates with an objectivity that is rare and even outlawed in the de-politicized world of modern Indonesia. But what have devils with halos, punks in conservative Java, and questions of good and evil have to do with Indonesian politics? As the artist writes, the Bad Times Story is "a story of an endless warfare". But where is this war? It is a war of independence from oppression, the battle to be an individual, to speak freely and question the rules of order. It is a battle to survive in whatever way one sees fit. But in the narrow confines of local society, this translates as a battle for the right to chose one's own road, one's own means of expression in a world where such freedoms are illegal. Thus, as in Athonk's everyday life, the idealism of youth, the social pressures to conform, and major questions of which is good and which is truly evil despite all appearances, ring throughout this story.

Linguistically also, the Bad Times Story needs explanation. It is written in an English that the artist insists must not be 'corrected'. Having grown up in the sharply contrasting environments of a military base in Semarang and Jalan Sosrowijayan in Yogyakarta, Athonk learnt English through frequent associations with tourists and the other local youths who make their living serving them in the Sosro area. This comic is, then, written in what is generally termed "Sosro" English. But there are some fascinating twists here. Since Athonk is also an avid rock and roll, film, and American culture fan, he has a uniquely vast vocabulary of rock lyrics, quotes, clichés, and other formulaic phrases through which he communicates. Not all of these clichés are presented here in their recognizable forms and many have been superimposed upon others. For example, the "Angel in Disguise" is on a mission to "seek and destroy" in order to satisfy his "appetite of destruction", and the "first falling" is followed by the "second coming". "Holy WOW" and the frequent jumbling of rock lyrics might seem a bit confusing to the non-native English speaker, especially those who are not rock connoisseurs. Meanwhile, long term Rolling Stones fans will have a distinct advantage here where no attempts are made to disguise blatant borrowing. Regardless of how 'odd' the language may seem, English is the language of free speech and expression, and as such, it is the language of choice even for those who may not be proficient enough to pass as native users. Clearly, proficiency is not Athonk's concern, while careful reading displays a much more biting social criticism than could ever be expressed in a more conventional language. Readers should keep in mind that even though they may recognize the source of the lyric or cliché, nothing is necessarily what it may seem.

In terms of visual symbols, the three devils we accompany through their adventures frequently reveal themselves to be just as blind, deaf, and mute as the three monkeys in many other popular cultures. Such ignorance is not at all coincidental. The formulaicity of their language mirrors the limitations on freedom of speech and creative expression so common in this modern world. The stone heads of Easter Island and Poso, Sulawesi are also introduced here with Athonk's own twist. They are given the facial features of Salvador Dali and are located in a tropical island paradise called "Daliland". Why Dali? Firstly, Athonk's father's name is Dalijo. Second, one of the major art movements in Indonesia is Surrealism with Dali as the major influence. Daliland then is symbolic of the Indonesian art circles that have censored Athonk's artwork as too political, preventing him from public exhibition. While first appearances may not seem terribly striking, look closer at these Daliland figures and you will see how militaristic their features are. These statues are then huge, ever-present, overwhelming military figures, staring out over and threatening everything that occurs on Daliland.

This edition of the Bad Times Story includes the first two episodes of the first exclusively Indonesian original comic book to be presented in years. In light of all of our struggles to reach maturity with at least a meager understanding of good and bad, right and wrong, we should hail Athonk's efforts here as a brave and highly personal account of the conflicts associated with such development in Indonesia. Yet despite the periodic and occasionally serious limitations placed on his own freedoms, Athonk continues to battle against the forces of both good and evil, never quite knowing which is which. The idealism of youth prevails in his own attempts at understanding what freedom of expression may mean. Such an effort deserves both respect and support.

Selamat membaca!

Laine Berman, Ph.D.

Yogyakarta, 11 November, 1995