DC Black Label | Superman Year One

Superman has more than just a thousand stories from the first time he debuted in Action Comics #1. Most of his stories and adventures is about his powers are punching the bad guys. But over time the narrative expands and slowly grounds the character to be a relatable hero to most readers growing up and its understandable how challenging to craft a narrative around an archetype character. There are already a lot of interpretations of how he came to Earth, and the diverse stories about his origins with each one interpreted through the writer’s perspectives. But one that really redefined a modern Superman was the story told by John Byrne in The Man of Steel, but DC Comics did not stop there in crafting his other origins. Over the years, there are writers taking Superman’s origin to great heights, and a fresh take that would also be considered canon. This is due to the multiple earths that DC Comics would bring back in their major events like Crisis on Infinite Earths. Fans would debate and discuss these stories that gives clarity, which all of these interpretations are part of the wide DC Multiverse. The most recent origin of Kal-El back in the mid-2000s was written by Mark Waid with art by Leinil Francis Yu that have masterful inks by the Great Komikero, Gerry Alanguilan that was the maxi-series, Superman Birthright.

Digital Library Reads | Batman: I Am Gotham

There have been well-written and drawn graphic novels about Batman over the years. Batman: Year One and Batman: The Dark Knight Returns certainly sits up top of the heap for most books being bought as a collection or borrowed several times in a library. Of course, that counts for digital formats that has become part of the norm since the pandemic it is the only way you can find time to acquire them unless you’re nearby library to be able to physically borrow a copy or two. But a good digital read in the form that tells the tales of a modern Batman gives you something to look forward to now that today is Batman Day. Sure, there won’t be gatherings this year due to COVID-19 though to celebrate this year is sharing a good read of anything related to the cape crusader as the character is 81 years young after appearing in Detective Comics #27 seems a stretch for saying it was just yesterday. Currently, Detective Comics is now on issue no. 1027 and its timely to have the opportunity to reads six-issue run of the Batman series from 2016, which was compiled as Batman Vol. 1: I Am Gotham, which feature Tom King with Scott Snyder and also features David Finch artwork that also includes Mikel Janin, Ivan Reis, Matt Banning, Danny Miki, Sandra Hope, Scott Hana, Joe Prado, and Oclair Albert as the creative team for the duration of the first six issue of the series.

MELÄG | A Whimsical Realm

12.06.2018 – There are so many independently published books in the Philippines that is rich in culture as well as told by the author inspired from their childhood. Rarely, you see physical books highly appreciated and sometimes unseen due to popular opinion that going digital is the final frontier when it’s about reading. But the truth is buried by constant wave of raves through social media that often dictates how things should be. But for some who have a wide view of the little things that matter the smell of a newly printed book when you flip the pages and seeing the art is entirely different from the LED powered touchscreens. In the case of MELÄG a compilation of short stories published by Bong Redila from his previously released works is quite an eye opener that leaps through you and shares his tales from his childhood that inspired them that are the simple things in life growing up in a province. This is a thick book that tells a lot of stories based from his childhood to his daily experiences growing up. It’s entirely a silent comic that lets you think and admire his artistry. Each chapter is a treasure trove of details down to the inks that captures the bountiful and innocent narratives that defines this book.