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Happy birthday to the angels and ninjas, the new mutants and old gods, the timawas and flying phantoms, the vampires and them wasted youth.

Happy 11th birthday to Alamat Comics!

Today, November 3, marks the 4015th day of existence of Alamat.

I had hoped that our anniversary would be marked by the launch of a full-color, hundred page graphic novel; instead we launched two new, black-and-white, Xeroxed comics books: TRESE and KUNOICHI BOY.

Make no mistake, we’re might mighty proud of our latest creations. As far as TRESE is concerned, it’s the latest story I’ve written and gotten published. (Even thought “Batch72” did come out in 2001, those scripts were written in 1995. So, I couldn’t really say they were new.)

After 11 years, we’re not really at the height of our imagines full-color, monthly dreams. I’m just glad that the “new komikeros on the block” are doing well, and doing things better. It’s really nice to see whenever a the latest issue of CAST and MANGO JAM hit the magazine racks.
I also found out that Visual Print’s ZSAZSA ZATURNNAH is on its fourth printing. Despite the fact that it’s one of the most expensive books under the Visprint line, it has managed to get sold out this past year.

Talking about Visprint, they also launched David Hontiveros’ Penumbra line of dark fantasy / horror books. Not exactly comic books, but it’s written by David, so it kinda makes it into this little list of achieves by Alamat creators.

Gerry’s HUMANIS REX is still waging war in the pages of “Fudge”. In the same way that WASTED found new comic book readers through the pages of “Pulp”, maybe HUMANIS REX will win new readers in the new year. (Especially when H.R. gets compiled!)

Earlier in the year, Marco Dimaano unleashed “KIA” and she Kai even got interviewed in the Philippine Daily Inquirer. Not everyday a fictional-deadly-sexy-assassin ends up in the Q&A of PDI.

So, there you go. Our year in review.

This is the part where I usually say “To be continued!” or “Itutuloy!” And you wonder what will new things will be coming from Alamat in the new year.

Well, even I’m not sure.

Creating and finishing TRESE was a big surprise for me. I hope to surprise myself even more in the new year.

There.

That’s it.

That’s what we can strive for.

That we surprise ourselves with the all new stories and all new art that we will create.

And that would be my birthday wish, not just for Alamat, but for everyone doing something in the Filipino comic book scene.

May we surprise ourselves, not just on the creative end, but on the business end as well—that we may finally come up with that creative solution for the all problems regarding finances, sales and distribution, advertising, and promotion.

May the Filipino comic book creators, here and abroad, surprise us with new ways of making this “comic book scene” become a “comic book industry” once more.

May we surprise our readers, both new and old, with stories that will make them want more.

See you in the comic book stores!

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