Kalayaan in Comic Quest

Kalayaan comics is now available at Comic Quest SM North EDSA. Thanks to Mrs. Sherry Baet-Zamar and Mr. Vin Simbulan for making this possible. As of this writing, only the first issue is the only issue being consign at Comic Quest. This is because I am still re-printing more copies of all back issues. Many of my old stock was sold out in the last PICCA event. I would probably deliver in Comic Quest after the Komikon event in November 13, when all the dust have settled down.

Komikon Sulyap Interview

PICCA aftershock

The first day of PICCA was very fruitful for me. I have met many people that would help me boost the visibility of my comics and my character. There was a radio DJ that took my number and said that I would be guesting in their radio show to promote my comics. There were an iPhone game developer that was interested in developing a game for my character. There is also a group that is interested in making my comics into a motion comics. These are all fun, but I always keep my expectation very low. I really do not expect hearing from them again, but if I do, that would be awesome.

Also on the first day, I have met in person Mr. John Lent. He is such a mild mannered man, a very soft spoken guy. On this picture there were actually 4 camera men taking the picture. So as you can see, Mr. Lent is looking at the other camera while I was looking at Macoy (the one who took this shot, thanks Macoy :D). He did not bought any of my comics but it was still an honor meeting him.

I also met Stanley Chi, A comedian/TV host and who also happens to be a cartoonist and has a series entitled 'Chopsticks'. He took a video interview with me,Gilbert and Levy for his TV show. Medyo na windang nga lang ako sa mga tanong nya. Ano raw ang paborito kong Anime at kung pwede ko raw kantahin yung Japanese intro song. Sa isip sip ko, pag drawingin mo na lang ako at wag mo na akong pakantahing in front of a camera. At eto pa ang matinding tanong.....tinanong nya, "Kilala mo ba si Maria Osawa?". Sabi ko .... "Syempre, sikat na celebrity yun eh." hehehehe.

This is the sacred mountain table together with Levy and Gilbert Monsanto.

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I did not make it to the 2nd day of PICCA as much as I want to. My old ulcer illness suddenly came back. I threw up many times at our house. My body was rejecting any food that I eat. My stomach ache was excruciating that I was bed ridden most of the day. I have only eaten water and crackers most of the day.

But the good news is, on this day, I have received via email, the reference number of the BDO (Banco de Oro) remittance of Forex (my publisher abroad). It is the payment for the royalty fee for Kalayaan #3 that is soon to be release abroad. Yeheyyyyyyy :D.

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My body felt much better on Sunday. There were a little stomach ache at I feel, but compared yesterday, this one is much mild so I decided I would go to the PICCA event.

The 3rd day(Sunday) of PICCA was the most profitable for me. Issue #1,2,5 and 7 got sold out (that was a first time for me). I was also very surprised that two individual took a set (from issue #1 to #10) of my comics. I was actually expecting that I will not sell anything because of what Jon Zamar said that Saturday was a very slow day for every one selling their comics. He also told me that the rest of the Bayan Knights was not coming back on that day because of the low sales of Saturday. I was so glad that was not the case on the 3rd day.

I have met Mr. John Lent again and this time he bought my comics together with and issue of Boy Ipis. Thanks Mr. Lent :-)

My seatmate on the 3rd day was non other than the creator of Boy Ipis... Mike Ignacio who also sold pretty well that day.

PICCA event

The 2nd Philippine International Cartoons,Comics and Animation Festival (PICCA) will have a Trade Show to be held at the 4th Floor of CyberZone, Annex, SM City North EDSA. It's a 3-day
event from October 22 (friday) to October 24(Sunday). I will have a table there and will be selling Kalayaan #1 to #10. I hope to see you all there.

RP ‘komiks’ fight for survival

Philippine comic books have nurtured talent for international TV and animation blockbusters, but the once-mighty industry is fighting to survive as it comes up against the Internet and other new media.

Comic books that have dominated the local publishing industry just a couple of decades ago are now largely relegated to photocopied titles sold in a few specialty stores and at conventions, lamented veteran artist Rico Rival.

“There are still a lot of good Filipino artists. They just don’t have an outlet anymore. They just photocopy their own works,” said Rival who has worked for local publications as well as US comic and animation companies.

Read more about it here.

AstigTV interview

In preparation for the up and coming Komikon. I was interviewed a couple of weeks ago by AstigTV regarding Sulyap Anthology and Kalayaan comics. They have now uploaded my interview, so please do check it out HERE. Thanks.

Back to the Future

I'm a huge huge fan of the movie 'Back to the Future'. And I believe that it is one of the best movie of all time. I still remember watching it together with my brother and our friends back in the day. I was totally blown away by the special effects, story,comedy and adventure of the whole thing.

Kalayaan 11 Cover - Inked

Here is the cover of Kalayaan 11. As much as I love to, this issue will not make it in time for the November 13 Komikon at Starmall. I have only finished 3 pages so far. And with my busy schedule at our office, finishing it is next to impossible.

I hope you like this cover as mush I like making it.

The last lecture before his Death

What would you do if you have only a few months to live?

Paru parung bukid

Northwest Missouri State University Madraliers singing our very own 'Paru parung bukid'. Now if only the Glee club could also sing this in this in their season 2. :)

Many Updates

I have just finished the page 1 and 2 of Kalayaan #11. Complete with inks and letters. This issue will have the most number of pages due to the story. It will take me a while to finish this one.
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The Kalayaan facebook page had already reached 1,023 people. Thank you very much to all that had liked it.
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I have also updated the Official Kalayaan site. I have added issue #9 and #10 to the web comics tab, so please do check it out. Thank you very much.

The Pursuit of Happyness

"GRABE!" I think that is the best word that I could describe this story. Grabe ang mga pagsubok na dumating kay Will Smith (or should I say to Chris Gardner since this movie is based upon his autobiography). Grabe pagiging matatag nya. Grabe ang mga pangyayari. Grabe ang tapang nya sa pag harap sa mga pagsubok ng buhay.

Here is a clip from the movie "The Pursuit of Happyness". Please do listen to every word that Will Smith will say in this scene. There is a BIG lesson that can be learn from here.

Never give up on the things that you want in life. If you want something, go and get it. Work hard for it. Never listen to anybody (specially not to an annonymous internet posters) about that you can't do, or you are very bad on the thing you do. Never let anything discourage you, such as it is too hard or the road is too long to achieve it. You just simply do it.

Tamang tama ang sinabi ni Will Smith. Purkit yung ibang tao ay sinubukan nilang gawin yung isang bagay at hindi nila nagawa o nakayanan, sasabihin na kaagad nila na hindi mo kayang gawin yun. Parang crab mentality ang dating, pilit ka nilang hahatakin pa baba. So it is better not to listen to those people and just do what you love to do in life.

Katamaran

Likas na masisipag at matiisin ang mga Pilipino. Hindi masyadong mapili sa trabaho, basta mapag kakakitaan ay pinapasok nito. Pero meron din talagang mga ilang tao talaga na saksakan ng tamad. It really amazes me on how a person could sometimes be extremely lazy.

Nawirdohan talaga ako kaninang umaga nang sumakay ang isang office girl sa jeep na sinasakyan ko sa bandang commonwealth avenue. Agad syang nagbayad at wala pang SAMPUNG SEGUNDO (10 Seconds, at hindi 10 minutes ha) ay bumaba na sya. Wala po syang naiwan sa bahay nila para balikan, kundi ay pumasok na sya sa isang building (malamang iyon ang office nila). Samakatuwid ay talagang tinatamad lang syang maglakad sa kalsada kahit napakalapit lang ng lalakarin. Mas gusto pa nya talagang gumastos ng pera kaysa mag exercise ng konte sa paglalakad. Okay lang sana kung malayo at may mga balakid sa daan. Pero hindi, tinignan ko ang sidewalk at ito ay maayos naman at kakasemento pa nga lang (bagong gawa lang).

Sa office building naman namin, ay madalas akong makasabay sa elevator ng mga taong masyadong mabigat ang katawan. Ang mga taong ito ay nag aantay ng 3 to 4 minutes sa ground floor upang makasakay ng elevator. Ang masaklap dito ay sa 2nd floor lang pala ang pupuntahan nila na pwede naman mag hagdanan at wala pang isang minuto ay nanduon na sila. Mas gusto pang mag antay ng matagal at makipag siksikan sa loob ng elevator kaysa umakyat ng hagdan. Yung janitor ng building namin ay napapa iling parati sabay sabi na “Sayang lang ang pinag antay nila ng matagal, 2nd floor lang pala sila.”

Naalala ko noon sa dati kong company na pinasukan sa may bandang Quezon City (my first job as a junior programmer). Meron isang part owner ng company namin na lagi na lang kinukulit ang janitor namin. Pag naroon kasi sya sa office namin, lagi nyang tinatawagan sa TELEPONO si mang janitor na nasa kabilang kwarto lang naman. At alam nyo po ba ang inuutos? Pinapakuha nya ang ash tray para sa kanyang sigarilyo. At ang ash tray na ito ay nasa kabilang mesa nya lang.

Para sa panahon nating ito na nagiging health conscious ang karamihan sa atin. Sa aking personal na opinion ay mas maganda pang maging masipag ng kaonte kaysa gumastos ng malaking halaga para mag join sa mga fitness gym. Kung kakayanin naman natin na huwag nang magtricycle mula sa kanto hanggang sa bahay ay mas mainaman na maglakad na lang. Makakatipid na tayo, magiging fit pa ang katawan.

Komikon 2010 poster

WOTL: Aquino, Excommunicado?

PICCA at SM Fairview

Me and my family was just strolling at SM Fairview when we saw these beautifull comic book pages displayed by PICCA (Philippine International Cartoons Comics & Animation).

There were so many great art displayed there, including some of the works of international superstar Leinil YU and Lan Medina. It was too bad that our celphone battery died on us. But there were enough juice in the battery to get this picture of Rambol by Gilber Monsanto.

Kalayaan #3 is ready to go

I have just sent all pages of Kalayaan #3 to my publisher abroad to be printed and distributed in America. There have been quite a delay of printing of issue 3 because of some personal matter that my publisher needed to attended to. She emailed me a few months ago telling me that she was in Manila because of her father got sick and was rushed to the hospital. I was a little bit concerned because I know the exact feeling when my 76 year old father was rushed to a hospital because of his prostate almost a year ago. Good thing my father had totally recovered from that ordeal.

I was then saddened by an email of my publisher just few days ago telling me that her father just passed away. I also felt bad about my self after knowing about it because for the past weeks, I was much more concerned on how delayed of the printing of issue #3 was. I really did not want to impose my self on her by asking her over and over again so I just simply eagerly waited for her email reply. Now that I have learned that her ailing father just died, I felt really guilty. At first, I never knew that it was that serious. I said to my self that her father will recover just like my father. I guess that I was wrong. And It only goes to show that life is such a fragile thing.

While issue #3 is being ready to be printed and distributed abroad, I'm already starting on the pages of issue #11. I have finally finished the script (thank GOD), Putting the flat colors of the cover and Inking page 1.