LOVE ME BETTER/ DRAGONSLIPPERS

Monday April 24th 2006 at Kinokuniya Bookstore Plaza Senayan Jakarta, was definitely an entertaining night. At first I have to be honest to be sooooo nervous to be one of the speakers on this Love Me Better/ Dragonslippers book discussion. How couldn’t I? I was scheduled to be on the same stage with the legendary psychiatrist, Niniek L. Karim! Oh man, I never dreamt before to meet one of the famous lecturer/ scientist/ practitioner which I admired for so many years. I was black out when we shook hands. She was so friendly! It was at Starbucks when we talked many things about this Rosalind B. Penfold book with Lulu, Beng Rahadian, Ika Vantiani (moderator), Greti (Gramedia), Iwan Gunawan, among others. Rosalind was a Canadian and stayed for awhile when childhood in Indonesia. She doesn’t want to publish her real identity to public. Niniek said that she might not be fully recovered from trauma and her bitter experience. Wow she gave so many opinion that add my knowledge on this book.

As usual the show started late. While waiting I took the opportunity to chat with another close friend from music community, Hendra Kurniawan. Our chat was about the music magazine Hendra and other friends published. It’s already #02 and I offered myself to be their regular contributor. It’s been a long time since the last time I wrote music articles. Starting issue #03 my writings will join them. I hope you won’t be dissapointed.

07.25 pm the discussion started with oepning speech from Ika Vantiani (PR Outmagz Magazine) and introducing the speakers: Niniek L Kariem (psychiatrist), Lisabona Rahman (writer, researcher) and myself (Komik_Alternatif community) including each background. I was a bit embarrassed when she told the audience that my background was interesting. The name Surjorimba Suroto can be found in many comicbook communities. She also mentioned about my other life in another world, which was progressive rock. This made some people smiled, especially Lisabona’s abrupty comment. Ika delivered in short Love Me Better’s synopsis, especially to the main theme focusing on abuse in relationship.


Ika then asked the speakers to give their comments. It’s a bit uncommon as usually the moderator asked a question or an intriguing issue, to be commented by the speakers. But this time it was different and I became the first victim. So then I gave my opinion (including Komik_Alternatif members opinion) about Love Me Better. In short I admired this book that could effectively delivered its message using a visual medium. It was possible the delivery was just as effective as written medium.

Niniek L. Karim commented on my opinion that in some cases visual medium is more effective in delivering its message. For example some education textbooks in Japan were replaced with visual and graphic books. She then sent her opinion, from a psychiatrist perspective. One of her important notes was the possibility that Rosalind (the writer) actually enjoyed being abused both physically and emotionally. It was also possible that the writer was a masochist, that lived by enjoying abusement. Lisabona also add her opinion as a women’s researcher.

Book discussion became more interesting during the Q&A session, which were all women till the end. There were many questions about comicbooks and graphic novels addressed to me. Especially concentrating on the future of Indonesian comics, the difference between comics and graphic novels, can graphic novel be the future of Indonesian comicbook industry, and the basic qualification to be a cartoonist. I tried to answer all questions at best. If I couldn’t answer, then I admitted I didn’t have one. While I was eager answering each question, I almost misspoken and got lost into the world of progressive rock=)

Various questions were addressed to other speakers such as the fact Indonesian women (in culture term) tolerated abuse more than western women, inffectiveness implementation to grass roots of Abuse in Family Act, and many others including a confession of a girl within the audience, saying that she has a problem as the result of family abuse. I was amazed and shocked to hear her story.

As a speaker in this book discussion, I really enjoyed this.Especially whenever Niniek L. Karim delivered her tutorial. Many unique commentaries and her jokes really made the atmosphere alive. It was more like a sitcom. Around 9.00 pm the discussion ended with dorrprizes, which the whole lucky attendants were women.

I hope those who attended felt the same way. It’s nice to know and have a little chat with some people I only knew by reputation before, including the movie artist Cornelia Agatha, who appeared shortly before the show.

I must send my highest gratitude to Lulu and Beng Rahadian for their effort and support in making this with Gramedia Pustaka Utama (publisher) and Kinokuniya Book Store (event). I love you both. Beng, don’t forget to discuss that project we’re going to make together! I’m very excited here!