Babbling Point

CRASH AND BURN, BABY! And they finally speak and are quoted on the matter. KAKOSA : May comment si Gerry Alanguilan. His original criticism was, "It's great. Great comic book, great art, great story. But is it Filipino? Is it uniquely Filipino? Is it original?" Ang stand niya ngayon is, it's not so much as being Filipino but arriving at your own distinct style. James(publisher of CULTURE CRASH): Ang ayoko lang kasi sa ginawa niya, he took a stand. He put it in writing and then he changed it every month. For one thing, yung stance niyang iyon, it's exactly what we told people who were asking us and who were in contact with him. It's not looking for a Filipino style. He's looking for a distinct personal style. Our goal here is actually to help all the other Filipino artists. We just want to help everyone. The rest of the interview can be found here . Well, as far as I know, Gerry's article was never a direct attack against CULTURE CRA...

Like I said, almost everyone now seem to have a blog. Hey Camille ! Welcome to the wonderful world of blogging!

I’ve been offline for week. Well, not really. I’ve been checking mail, but have not had the chance to blog. I went on leave last week. Didn’t really go anywhere. Just stayed in the city from Monday to Thursday. Reverted back to my bum/mallrat lifestyle… and it wasn’t fun anymore. (Yeah, yeah, I know I’m 29 and too old to be a bummallrat.) It wasn’t fun because back in the “old days”, I used to walk around the mall, check out the comic book and book stores, and then meet up with the guys afterwards. I was in the mall the whole day, but everyone else was busy at work. Went to the Bookfair and got two books. The tried to write a story which has been running around the dark corners of my mind since two years ago. Tuesday was spent at home. Kept on switching channels til I realized there was nothing good on TV. Then went to sleep. I WAS SUCH A BUM! Wednesday, I went to check and collect sales of BATCH72 in a couple of stores. It’s just crazy how after one year, I only sold four...

Keep on bloggin' After one week of being off-line... I suddenly discover... 1. Dean's blog 2. Jason's comic book studio blog . 3. And... nevermind... DING! ANG KOMIKS KO! Posted by Zach Yonzon in the Alamat mailing list : Comic fans! Darna's back, and sexier than ever! Mango Comics, a division of Yonzon Entertainment Syndicate (YES!), will release the first story arc of Mars Ravelo's Darna under its Mango Classico line this December. The first three-issue Darna story arc features new work from Ryan Orosco, Lan Medina, and Gilbert Monsanto, who have done work for the Big Three. Check out teaser pages from Issues 1 & 2. Spread the buzz! There's no official website yet, so you can check out the preview art at Jason's blog or Gerry's message board .

I wonder if it's not too late to start drawing again. I used to draw. I have the skecth books to prove it. Than again, maybe I shouldn't show it anymore. But if I can draw again, it would certainly solve alot of problems, but I'm just afraid it would double the angst of not being able to write and draw the stories I want. But at least things wouldn't be out of my hands. Well, it's not that bad, I guess. Things are not all that bad. Not at all.

And you reach the crossroads and now have to decide whether to go left, right, or forward. Or you could also just go back where you came from, but you do know that things will never ever be the same. Then you also have the option to not follow the road and just wander into the dirt path... or to that place where there are no paths. There is also that other choice of just staying at the crossroads, to remain in statis... or is it in flux? To never decide-- that would you be your decision.

I'm buzzed. I shouldn't be blogging. Who knows what I may write and regret later. Just finished watched SATC at Telly's place with the usual suspects. And as usual, finished two bottles of wine. Not all by myself, mind you. But I'm buzzed. And shouldn't be blogging. After I finished lunch around 3pm, I checked email when I shouldn't have. Then again, I guess I couldn't have avoided it. I would have eventually found out. Three years in this agaency and what do I have to show? A lot, I guess. Three years in this agency, and what comic book do I have to show. Not a single one. But I shouldn't really use this agency as an excuse for an being able to write and publish my comic books. It is... nothing more... but an excuse. Forgive me, that's the red wine talking. whine whine whine Must stop that. And just get to work. But I'm buzzed. But it's almost midnight. But I must get back to work.

NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALISTS ANNOUNCED Philippine Daily Inquirer August 26, 2002, Section E-3 The Manila Critics Circle recently named the finalists for the 2001 National Book Awards. Ophelia Alcantara Dimalanta , MCC Chair, said the winners will be announced on September 3 at the Megatrade Hall, SM Megamall, during the Philippine Bookfair, The MCC is composed of Dimalanta, Virgilio S. Almario, Juaniyo Arcellana, Fr. Miguel A. Bernard, S.J., Cirilo F. Bautista, Isagani R. Cruz, Ruel S. De Vera, Resil B. Mojares, Danton R. Remoto and Alfred A. Yuson. The finalists for the comic book category are: “Isaw Atpb.” Featuring the stories of Vincent Michael Simbulan and Marco Dimaano, with illustrations by Arnold Arre, Carlo Vergara, and Dimaano. Edited by Nikki Alfar (Quest Ventures) “One Night in Purgatory” written and illustrated by Carlo Vergara (Alamat Comics and Quest Ventures) Both comic books are available at Comic Quest.

A copy of a copy I uploaded David's award-winning story in the Alamat e-groups FILES section. Read it and enjoy!

On my way to work, saw a traffic cop with gold handcuffs hanging on his utility belt. Which makes me wonder if gold handcuffs are mandatory in the city of Pasig. I also wonder if they have their version of the Miranda Rights. “You have the right be to spanked like a bad little boy!” Also noticed this car repair shop that had the tagline, “ Kalampag Specialist ”. Which is the quickest way to describe exactly what you do. I mean, drivers like me don’t really know the difference between the engine and the radiator. All I know is that there’s this weird noise whenever my car hits a bump on the road. So, where should I bring my car? To the Kalampag Specialist! Ba-dum-bump! Well, anyway I’m now at work. It’s almost 5pm. My day just begins.

Around noon today, got a call from the Publisher at the Top. We have been officially rejected. I should really be getting used to this. But I don't. Which makes me now wonder if this a sign that we would go for the slave-wages of that other publisher and hope that things will get better. Well, at least we now know what she wants. And maybe, sometime in the future, we'll end up with a comic book title that she'd want to publish. And so, we give it another try.

Scenes from a mall at 10am Just pulled-out issues from BATCH72 from the Filbars branch in Glorietta. I dropped off 60 copies of B72 back in November 2001. Nine months later, I’ve only sold 17 copies. You know what that means? I still can’t quit my day-job. Meanwhile, CULTURE CRASH and WITCH continue to get sold out. I did see old issues of MEG, when it was still in its handy “pocketbook” size. It was an entire box full of issues from last year. So, I guess I’m not the only one with boxes of back issue. On my way out, I saw a vendo machine that would usually have prepaid call cards, but instead contained Magic cards. The other thing you could get from the vendo machine we’re packs of cigarettes. Who would’ve thought that Magic cards and cigarettes would go together. Talk about being a bad influence on kids. I passed by Timezone, which was mostly empty, expect for the clerks and security guards. But in one corner of the arcade, I saw two girls in their grey...

The best thing since Crisis on Infinite Earths >>> Futurama Comics/Simpson's Comics: Infinitely Secret Crossover Crisis BWAHAHAHA!!! Talking about comics... here's Gerry's new site www.komikero.com !

Announcement posted by Gerry in the Alamat mailing list >>> Comic Quest Festival Mall Grand Opening and Comics Signing Comic Quest Festival Mall is now open, and will have a grand opening celebration on August 25, Sunday at 2:00pm. To help promote the event, several comic book pros will be coming over to promote their work and sign their books. At this point, the comics pros involved include: Leinil Francis Yu: (Tentative!) High Roads, X-Men, Wolverine, Superman: Birthright Pol Medina: Creator of Pugad Baboy Edgar Tadeo: inker and colorist (High Roads, Iron Man, Captain America) Gerry Alanguilan: Who the f?? To be confirmed...(Hey Guys Mike wants to know if you're coming....) Marco Dimaano: Angel Ace Carlo Vergara: One Night in Purgatory/Flashpoint Arnold Arre: Mythology Class, Batch 72, Trip To Tagaytay See you guys there!! Comic Quest can be located on the 4th floor near the Cinemas. Festival Mall can be found at Alabang near the corner of the S...

Been away for awhile... work just won't let up. Which is why Friday and Saturday nights are usually spent with my orc army and the rest of guys (and girl). Yup, WARCRAFT 3 is my escape these days from work, work. Below is an email from Yo Jo. Won't make sense if you don't play the game. haloo haloo haloo!! medyo di maganda result natin last week. di ata tayo nanalo. di tuloy nakangiti si mark pag uwi. hehe simpleng warcraft tips lang.. shortcut keys lang at konting tips.. ECONOMY & BUILDINGS 1. 4-5 workers sa gold .. 5-6 sa lumber 2. expand kayo... para may resources kayo.. para di makuha ng computer. 3. building placement.. basic muna kayo.. wag nyo ikalat yung buildings nyo at wag din masakip masyado. 4. expand kayo 5. wag naman kayo mag defensive structures na sobrang layo sa base nyo.. mas ok sila pag nasa base di ba.. protecting the base ;) 6. expand... 7. upgrade your troops HEROES 1. pls don't let your hero die while creeping ...

Chilling at 104 degrees Stuck in traffic? Stuck at work? At home? Then tune in and chill out with this new radio station test broadcasting on 104.7FM. 24-hours of chill-out music. Hope they keep their ads and DJs talking to a minimum when they on regular broadcast.

David Hontiveros wins Palanca David is the 2nd place winner of this year's Palanca Future Fiction (short story) category. His award-winning entry is entitled “Kaming Mga Seroks”, which tells the story of a future Philippines where human clones are illegally sold in the same way pirated CDs and VCDs are sold today. David is one of the founding members of Alamat Comics and has written the comic books “Flashpoint”, “Dhampyr”, “Horus”, and “Avatar”. He has also written articles and reviews of various magazines and newspapers.

It's 4:27 am and I'm still at the office when I shouldn't be. Don't ask why. Well, of course I'm here for work but... nevermind. Flasback 24 hours ago... Went to the launching of Jessica Zafra's FLIP. Got drunk on two bottles of red wine thanks to a certain writer, who is also, currently, undergoing a "Oh my God I'm turning 30 this year" crisis! Otherwise known as the " Tick... Tick... BOOM !" syndrome. Got to watch that play last Saturday, thanks to Telly. Watched the play with Brandie, Roach, Grace, RG, Jason, Tina, and of course, Telly. Strangely enough, the play made me "calm down". Made me realize that 30 will pass me by and all that will matter is if I worked on "the work" or not. I think that as long as I get to do and keep on doing what I want... to write stories, then timelines won't matter, because eventually I'll get it done. Finish my story. Get it published. Get it done. Anyway, back...

I finished reading ROAD TO PERDITION last night. My mom read it in one sitting. She really couldn't put it down. Brandie and I bought at the bookstore-formerly-known-as-Page One and when we when to Starbucks, my mom started to read it while we lined up to get our orders. By the time we got back to the table, she was well into the first chapter and couldn't be bothered. We actually had to wait for her to finish chapter two before we could go home, where she finally finished the third chapter. Her main comment was, she can't picture Tom Hanks playing the character of Michael O'Sullivan aka the Angel of Death. For some strange reason, she thinks Eric Roberts would do a better job. Oh well, I think I'd rather watch Hanks than Roberts.

FLIP: The Official Guide to World Domination is now available. Published and edited by Jessica Zafra. Only P100.00 Get it for FREE at Powerbooks and A Different Bookstore, if you have their membership card. It begins! A PREVIEW OF THE FIRST ISSUE * The World Domination Report > How We Invented Globalization > We are the first citizens of the gloablized economy. We knew all about the global vilage even before Marshall McLuhan coined the word. FLIP Editor and Publisher Jessica Zafra explains why Pinoys don't have to take the planet by force-- it will be ours eventually. * Kingdom of Cockroaches > In our quest for wolrd domination, our fiercest competitors are these noctural creatures, Roby Alampay tells us why our claim to ebing the dominant species is shaky at best. * Canine Cuisine > The Whitebread Award-winning author James Hamilton Paterson says : When in Rome, eas as the Romans do. * Flip-Hop Nation > Hip-hop saves the local record...