Last Komikon, Aaron Felizmenio of Frances Luna III Illustration Firm released the first part of the GWAPOMAN sequel entitled HARI NG BASAG TRIP. First thing you will notice about it is the minimalist cover -- a black and white piece by international superstar Stephen Segovia. Inside art chores is all done by Aaron. And I must say this is his best work yet. The uncleanliness of his lines together with the washes complements the mood of the story. When I look at the art, it does not seem unfinished being uncolored and all. Frankly, it looks awesome in black and white. I hope Aaron keeps this art style for the remainder of the volume. It works. Perfectly.
Story-wise this episode is a lot easier to digest/understand than his previous releases. I don't know if it's because I am already familiar with most of the characters or because the story does not jump around and is quite straight forward. The pacing is great, alternating between the hero Rajah Aguila and Gwapoman's crew. I liked Rajah Aguila's background being a bit of a show boat. I liked his costume changes. I liked the interaction between Alas and Margaux, Alas and Mang Tan (May kiliti ako dyan). Basically, I found an appreciation for Alas. He is awesome. I liked that we learn a bit more about Gwapoman's background and that he's bit angrier this time around. I liked what little I saw/learned about Kartada X. Ooh, and that ending: totally, didn't see that coming. Nice one, Aaron. Nice one.
After his climactic battle in Bayan Knights #4, MASO finally makes his solo-comic debut in the pages of Ramil Ibay's MASO #1. Shunned by the masses and the local superhero community, Mar Ibarra must deal with the repercussions of his actions in pages of Bayan Knights where he served as a member of the super villain team Bangis.
Maso creator Ramil Ibay weaves an intricate web that I'm guessing he's been plotting for a while. The details he puts in each of the characters that appear in the issue are amazing. I don't want to give away too much of the plot, but we also get to meet some of the other superheroes like Maso's mentor Maharlika and the duo of Lolo Thunder and Kid Lighting. Their dossiers that Ramil included in the issue only shows the creative potential of this world, Maso's world. So if you get the chance, make sure you get a copy of this. It's worth every cent.
Another day, another review. w00t. Servant created by Geoffrey Borgonia tells the story of Gabriel Barreon, a call center agent slash superhero. His origin is that he is the son of the king of the pagan gods of old. Sent to our world for his own protection, Gabriel grew up as a human, taught about truth, justice and power and responsibility. He's also a geek and a big nerd.
The first issue of Servant also introduces us to the Del Maestro sisters: Katsuko, the brainy and uptight sister (who for some reason looks evil to me even though it seems that she's not) and Alexandra the carefree (and hotter) younger sister. There is also Victor, the patriarch of the Del Maestro family who seems to be the evil man behind the curtain. The weakest of the bunch though is the Mighty Ruler whose line delivery IMHO is a bit cliched.
The art on this book is rendered in 3D and is gorgeous. It looks like Borgy spent a lot of time creating the models for this. It reminds me a lot of ReBoot, one of my favorite programs growing up. My only problem is that the girl clothes needs a little loosening -- literally. They look too tight around the chest areas. Come to think of it, the same goes for Gabriel's civilian t-shirts. It's a bit distracting but still, as I said, gorgeous. Something that I think really needs work here are the fonts in the dialogue and also the speech balloons. The narration boxes in issue 1 looked a lot better but was changed in issue 2. One thing I found that improved in issue 2 though were the panels. It looked more like a comic book with the panel borders in there.
All in all, these are good first issues. It raises a lot of questions like: Who attacked Servant? What happened to Servant's world? What plans does Victor have? Does Gabriel like Alex (the obvious choice) or Katsuko (twist!)? Or maybe it's the girl reporter whose name I can't remember off the top of my head. Here's hoping that the next issues I read would be the collected edition. And yes, I am also beginning to shift my komiks collection from single issues to trades because TPBs would look better on my shelf.
When I went to KOMIKON last weekend, my intention was to get a lot of local TPBs. Yes, indie komik creators now publish their komiks in TPB format. I usually don’t get single issues if I don’t know the creator or work, so the TPB format is appealing to me. First, it looks more professional than photocopied comics. And second, I get to read a whole lot more of the story.
One of the titles I got was MARK 9 VERSE 47 by Maika Ezawa and Tepai Pascual. I read volume 1 at the airport while waiting for my flight back to Singapore so forgive me if I don’t remember a lot about the story. It’s about a mysterious man named Visdei who was tasked to look for a certain gatekeeper. He has the ability to see angels and demons but aside from that he is blind. There are a lot of other character introductions here and I kinda forgot some of them except for the main antagonist named Mal. The second volume which I read just now depicts the “origin” of Visdei. It’s a more compelling read than the first one since we learn how Ron Hunter turned from a vicious a-hole prize fighter to the agent of God we first met. My only problem with the second volume is that it ended (bitin!). The art on this title is gorgeous. Depicted in manga-style, the action sequences and layouts are dynamic. You can tell that the artist really knows her craft because you’d think that this was really a manga from Japan. I hope the next time I go to Komikon there is already a third volume available.
OH MY F*CKING GOD! This book is bad-ass. Mike Ignacio delivers a retelling(?) of the Boy Ipis mythos and it is without a shadow of a doubt, a masterpiece! An unexpected ride that will make you crave for more.
In the book, not only did Mike re-introduce Boy Ipis' origin, he also demonstrated his world building skills by introducing a bunch of interesting supporting characters and a villain with purpose. Not an easy task on a single issue but I think this TPB format that the Frances Luna boys are using has given Mike the space and freedom to do what he does best -- tell an awesome story. And I think Boy Ipis has now moved from a western "superhero" format to a "shonnen" style epic.
And in a surprising twist, Mike handled the art chores on this 100-pager himself (with ink/tone assists from some friends). His style reminded me of the art from Combatron/Tinay Pinay from the olden days of komiks (at least for me). I can say that not only is Mike a great storyteller, he also has a great eye for action. He has delivered the most awesome and brutal fight sequence I have ever seen in a local book. This book is surely one of the best buys from the last Komikon. I hope Mike releases the next volume very soon.
When I got back from KOMIKON, the first book I read was the last one I picked-up: Mark Rosario's "My Wife Is Pregnant". I've seen Mark's strips posted on Facebook and it really was amusing. It made me smirk or LOL in front of the screen, disturbing the peace of our office.
I was excited when I heard that Mark planned to leap into indie publishing by making those strips into a full-fledged comic book. "An Authobiographical Comic Book". It was right there on the cover. I should've known that this wouldn't just be a humorous and sometimes self-deprecating take on his road to fatherhood. What Mark made was a "love letter" to his wife and kid.
Keep it up Mark and start writing/making the second installment. I am sure dads and expectant parents will enjoy your work. I DID. And my "wife" isn't even pregnant.
Last Saturday's 6th annual KOMIKON saw the debut of Omi Remalante Jr.'s TALIM - a knife wielding vigilante haunted by the memories of a dead girl that ironically he can't remember. Written by fan favorite RH Quilantang, the issue gives us a glimpse into the mind of a brutal and probably unstable vigilante and his one man campaign for answers and vengeance. The issue shows us there are no shades of gray. There is only black and white. But where does our hero stand?
I like the pacing of this book. How we get to first see Talim as a normal person watching TV before we dive into the the actual action. I like how the flashback and narration during the action was handled. It didn't feel forced. In fact, it just cements the idea that this guy is really out of his mind. Omi Remalante handles the art chores for his creation. His cool use of shadows make the action a little more gritty. His style is the perfect fit for this dark tale.
Finally, Paul Michael Ignacio releases the second issue of everyone's favorite pest-err-superhero... ANG ASTIGING BOY IPIS! Mike gives his best as Boy Ipis finds himself fighting a new batch of goons dispatched by evil mastermind Master Q. Fortunately, he gets a little help from guest-stars and fellow Bayan Knights: Phantom Cat and Gwapoman.
But this wouldn't be a Mike Ignacio story without some out-of-costume action, would it? Here we get a little more hint about Mike's past love which I'm betting will play some part in the next issue. We also learn more about how Boy Ipis' powers work courtesy of Professor Chits... and it isn't as Spider-Many as you may think.
Gilbert Monsanto pencils the issue. However, I'm a wee bit disappointed with the inking. It was a group effort by the Bayan Knights and it shows. The inconsistency was noticeable throughout the issue and quite frankly, it took me out of the story. I'm hoping that there would be a regular inker for issue three. Or that the inking style changes would be minimal and less noticeable. All in all, a good second outing. Mike, promise you won't make us wait another year for the third installment.
Everyone’s in it now. The issue is narrated by Sarhento Sagrado via a personal log entry about the recent events in the Bayan Knights’ universe. Two things happen in this issue: first, the encounter with the BANGIS team is resolved. Second and more importantly, the final chess pieces are gathered.
The main story also reads like a sort of encyclopedia -- reintroducing us to characters and giving hints about the new ones, reminding us that this is a very RICH universe and full of potential. Most noticeable about the latest release is the art which was digitally painted by Gilbert Monsanto. Though I find some of the roughs a little bit “rough,” GM still managed to wow me with a lot of wonderful pin-up styled shots and paneling. And can you believe how awesome that Harvey Tolibao (Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic) cover is?
Every Legend Hides A Lie. That's the tagline for Mervin Ignacio and Ian Sta. Maria's SKYWORLD. A book that aims to twist legend and history to reveal an unknown truth.
Let's start with Book 1. APOCRYPHA feels like prologue, an introduction to the SKYWORLD universe. Here we are introduced to a tikbalang named Makabo and his quest to avenge his father by slaying the asuang named Rianka. We are also introduced to the SkyLord named Kaptan, a god who by the end of the book has fallen. Though we get to see the bloody battle, we don't exactly see its outcome and how this SkyLord fell and survived.
Cover of Skyworld: Testament (art by Ian Sta. Maria)
The second book entitled TESTAMENT starts with a history lesson pertaining to the battle of Mactan. They say that Antonio Pigafetta wrote two versions of history, the one we know now and the one that tells the truth. This second installment reads better. Not only does most of the story take place in the present with Rianka summoning a great beast, there is also a huge battle sequence that not only involves Makabo but also guest stars Alexandra Trese and the Kambal.
So if you're like me and enjoy reading new takes on existing mythology and history, you have to get this one. My only reservation (small one, really) about this book is the art. Although it's one of the better drawn comic books out there, the pages look too plain for my taste. And after seeing what Ian Sta. Maria can do on UNDERPASS, I feel that this book would be much better if it was in full color.
Next on this KOMIKON review list is Summit Media's UNDERPASS. This graphic anthology actually compiles four horror stories.
![]()
The first one called SIM is written and drawn by renowned komikero Gerry Alanguilan. It's about a man who finds a lost SIM card and then gets a mysterious call from its previous owner. I thought I knew how this one ends. I was wrong.
The second tale called JUDAS KISS is drawn by Oliver Pulumbarit from a story by David Hontiveros. It's a twisted tale that involves sex, betrayal and murder. You might want to keep this one away from the young kids.
The third story is written by David Hontiveros and drawn by Ian Sta. Maria. It's called KATUMBAS and showcases Kadasig, an immortal warrior whose job is to send evil spirits to the underworld(?) like some sort of reaper. This tale is my favorite art-wise. Ian Sta. Maria's action sequences and photo-manipulated backgrounds form one hell of a combination. Eye Candy!
The last tale is my favorite of the four. It's called THE CLINIC and it's from the powerhouse duo of Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo. Yep, the guys who gave us TRESE. The story is about an up-and-coming actress who just found out that she's pregnant. And since this is Budjette and Kajo were talking about, of course there's going to be a twist. And a shout out to one of TRESE's cases!
And there you have it. Four brilliant horror stories from four brilliant creative teams. Go get a copy now!
Just finished reading ANG ASTIGING BOY IPIS #1. Isa lang masasabi ko - ASTIG! Released through Bayan Knights publisher Sacred Mountain, the issue is beautifully drawn by Sarge himself, Mr. Gilbert Monsanto. And he ain't kidding when he said that he enjoyed working on this book. It shows in the panels, the facial exressions and the attention to detail. It was also nice to see him draw Boy Ipis out of costume and deal with the other side of super-heroing.
But the real gem of the issue is the story brought to us by Boy Ipis creator Paul Michael Ignacio which has a great balance of both plot and character development. Not only does this episode give us Boy Ipis's first(?) solo adventure, it also as previously mentioned, gives us a glimpse of his life and struggles out of costume. Although I was a bit surprised with most of the characters delivering their lines in heavy tag-lish, I was quite impressed -- specially when the female lead self-refenced it in one of her thought balloons. I also liked the fact that Mike made it a point to give nods to the other superheroes in the BK universe such as Kalayaan and Unstoppable. It gives the shared universe more credibility.
Let me see, I may be forgetting something. Oh, there are a lot of jokes -- funny, silly and some naughty -- splattered across the 32 page story. There's also a sort of back-up feature/epilogue featuring Amy Vidal's Phantom Cat illustrated by Redg Vicente. The book promises to integrate her into the main storyline in issue 2 (can't wait!) and teases an appearance of a familiar silhouette. What else? Ah. I forgot to mention the villains in the story whose names I find really amusing. They are introduced and dispatched a bit quickly for my taste but I hope that this is not the last time we get to see them -- especially Android the Giant. That guy is just too cute and creepy at the same time.
A really great read. Thinking about the wait for the next installment is just too painful. Make this a monthly book already! And with sponsors biting that Boy Ipis powered advert at the back, it could happen.
Bayan Knights # 2 has been out since FCBD... so get a copy. Me, I got mine last Saturday but was unable to read it until today (I was bedridden with sickness ...still am). So here goes the reviewage:
The issue continues from where we left off last time: the CORE team being attacked by the Sipakas and the appearance of the POWERHOUSE Division to give a helping hand. And that’s just the first half! The book actually has more pages on it’s second outing. The second part introduces us to the GILAS team and foreshadows the appearance of the supervillain team BANGIS. And like last issue, we also get 2-page spotlights on some of the members of the Bayan Knights.
The art is quite good -- specially the spreads. The 6-pager involving the CORE and POWERHOUSE Divisions is a good example. The details on those pages are awesome. But I’m kinda on the fence about the pages that uses a lot of tones. I feel that it lacks a certain level of black-ness. That’s not to say that the combination of blacks and tones wouldn’t be cool. Just take a look at the GILAS panel. That’s eye-candy! They also got a special guest artist to do the cover -- Lan Medina (Fables, Punisher). So when will we be able to munch on #3? The issue leaves us hanging with a bunch of new revelations and cliffhangers. None of which I will spoil.
Since I was not able to attend KOMIKON last Saturday, I was not able to get a copy of Bayan Knights # 1 ...until today. Anyways, here goes the review:
NO MAJOR SPOILAGE! The issue deals with the aftermath of a bloody battle dubbed as "The War In Metro". But this war is not yet over. Still, a mysterious enemy is threatening the peace of the country and one man has made it his mission to stop whatever it is they're planning. But first, he must recruit heroes who will fight at his side.
I love this issue! I was already spoiled for the storyline 2 months prior but man, seeing the words on the art was awesome. As I've said before, the art is Gilbert Monsanto's best work to date. I love me those details. Reading the script for this 2 months ago, I was really psyched. It's a team book but the team is composed of superheroes created by different people -- the first time in Philippine komiks (I think). I like the way each character is introduced and how each of them plays a relevant part either in the plot or making the book more fun. Although, some characters do really stand out from the rest. Yes, Boy Ipis, I'm looking at you and all your ridiculous side comments.
Here's hoping we don't have to wait too long for issue # 2. Damn, it's hard reviewing this without giving away too much. So I'll be cutting this short. Oh before I forget, there are also 2-page spotlights ala DC's Secret Origins backup feature. This should give readers additional background information on some of the Bayan Knights.
This week, Sacred Mountain was finally able to release the long awaited second issue of Tropa. I was fortunate enough to find that a copy of the said issue was already available at Comic Odyssey in Eastwood City, Libis. So here goes... but first a complementary recap:
Last issue, we learned that for some weird coincidence (or it may be fate) a group of five friends have found themselves empowered with different abilities. Although at first not all of them knew about each other's powers, a reunion of sorts have had them reveal each others secrets to one another. However, this reunion was interrupted when they are suddenly attacked by a group of manananggals.
NO MAJOR SPOILAGE: Now... here's what I like about the story-telling style used by Mr. Monsanto: it's like watching the television series Lost. As the team go about attempting to ward off their attackers, we also learn a few more tidbits about their past... some more mysterious than others. And while some questions are answered, we also get new mysteries like: Who the heck is kuya? What the heck is she? What will happen to the new guy?
There are some beats of the story that I don't think fits one another: like mixing science-fiction (time-travel and an apocalyptic future) with fantastical elements (magic and monsters). But it's just me. Maybe in the long run I'll be able to love the mesh of these genres (like I was able to love the mesh of space and western on Firefly). I also have an inkling to where one subplot may go but I'm a sucker for this type of tragedies. I just hope that I'll get a wonderful surprise in the end.
I would also like to commend the fact that even though the art on this komik is a collaboration among may talents in the industry, it wasn't inconsistent. My greatest fear about this book is that the art would suck because we get a different artist on every page. I am happy to report that that is not the case. The artists' styles seamlessly complement one another resulting in a unnoticable change (okay, so maybe a little) in art style. I just hope that we always get this on every issue.
All in all it was a good issue and I will be coming back for more installments of this tale. I just hope that I don't have to wait another year for issue 3.
I was finally able to get my hands on Gilbert Monsanto's Sacred Mountain debut releases. First up is the flipbook RAMBOL KOMIKS which features Alagad Inc. (not pictured) and Metropolitan. What is most noticeable is ALAGAD INC's art style which gets much inspiration from Japanese manga and anime. The story is about some supernatural beings, most probably ancient deities of some sort, coming down from their domain to send a challenge to Earth's mightiest champions. A group called Alagad Inc. re-recruits some of its best agents to help in this time of crisis. On the flip side is Gilbert Monsanto's METROPOLITAN which brings back Monsanto's old characters from his 90's stint in Infinity, Sonic, GASI etc. Drawn by Monsanto himself, this Metropolitan features quite a lot of fight sequences. There is also some hint that the Biotrog character featured in this book may not be the Biotrog we know and grew up with.
Next is TROPA. This comics stars a group of high school friends imbued with different abilities via different circumstances. I'm not saying no more. All is explained in this "origin" issue. This comic was drawn by different artists like Gilbert Monsanto, Luisito G. Antonio, Jim Jimenez, and others. Though I was first bothered when I learned about this via Monsanto's blog, I was quite satisfied with the implementation and the results. Each artist draws each of the main character's origin story. Hopefully once we get a non-flashback story, we'll also get only one artist per issue.
All in all, I found the both books quite satisfactory. The materials used for these releases are also quite different from the komiks back in the day. Komiks before were printed on newspaper-like materials, Tropa was printed on glossy paper probably the ones used on magazines while Rambol on some thicker paper. My only big problem with the books specifically the flipbook Rambol Komiks was the coloring. Although Tropa was fully colored, Rambol only had colors on the first few pages, the rest were black and white. I would have preferred to have everything in black and white instead of having only the first few pages colored. I'm OC that way.
