PH Book Festival 2025 | Meeting Tablay Creators

This year’s Philippine Book Festival has made changes, and not only the venue, but the way the floor plan is getting used to. The last day was bustling with last-minute activities, book sales, and something you’d expect in a book expo or anything that a large event would do during its last few minutes before everyone had packed their stuff and dismantled their booth. Heading to the venue, my initial thoughts were just to pick up the preview comic book of Tablay and just go as planned. I didn’t expect that the author and artist would still be there. I’ve been supportive of Komiket from afar and have been to their last event in February. But this was just too good to see both Kat Olan and Paul Medalla.

Trese 7: Shadow Witness | Masterful Adventures

09.27.2019 – There locally self-published original comicbooks out there and then there’s Trese that started out being produced in photocopied pages made into ashcans that were stapled together and that was more than a decade ago. Fast forward from today it is considered as one of the very few and rare success stories that broke the mold and has accumulated a huge cult following that continues to multiply with each success of the book's releases. The steady hands of co-creator Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo has produced one of the best partnerships in comicbook fandom in the Philippines not only presented their original series for the local scene, but also gained a following in the international community that has a diverse culture for its original creations. You can argue that their ideas are not original as anyone thought, but they put together what inspired these two masterful gentlemen into crafting one of the most interesting characters from a country that thrives in Filipino Supernatural Mythology. Alexandra Trese is her name and she’s the star of “Trese,” one of the most consistent series that has finally released its seventh volume since its last in 2014.

Filipino Komiks in Mainstream Perspective

08.22.2019: The week-long event for the Anime Fest: Epic Con continues through Sunday that started 19 August 2019 at the main area of the Lucky Chinatown Mall. It features local sellers and collaboration with Komikon that has a rotation of local komiks artists except for Pol Merdina Jr. the Creator of Pugad Baboy. Medina is the mainstay of the event until this Friday, while the rest of the rotating cast certainly features the ensemble of self-publishers that have been known by the community. But can they get the same reception with the general masses that rarely see their works? There’s a story here to share and it this might be interesting…

The New DI-13 | Mysteries Unsolved

05.23.2019 – It has been a while since the follow-up to the debut issue of “The New DI-13” was released with the challenges of delay almost caught up with the writer and artist team of Ian Velasquez and Rico Rival. This is due to something more good news when the New Year had started to come together to celebrate Tony Velasquez’s Kenkoy Komiks the 90th Anniversary that sees a series of events happening. But more with “The New DI-13” taking a slow process on the narrative as it takes form on its own. Ian has his hands full not only to continue his Grandfather’s Legacy but also help promote his Grand Uncle’s creation that is also hitting a milestone. There’s so much moving parts that keep things a mystery for “The New DI-13” and Ian is keeping things to the chest as the character’s journey kicks off the second issue trying to find his missing grandfather and what is the connection of its major big bad, The Black Dragon to all of this as one of the major players that might be connected to a string of narratives that gives you the “who dun it” kind of vibe. Plus! A Kenkoy backstory which is a reprint of the original comic strip from ninety years ago that defines Tony Velasquez as the Grandfather of Filipino Komiks...

Werewolf Hunter Prokopyo | Full Moon Junction

02.21.2019 – There have been several folklores told about blood sucking vampires, but rarely a werewolf or occasionally lycanthrope have been in discussion or have become part of the Filipino folklore. Most of the stories about the creatures known as “Aswang” derived from the concept of vampires than shape shifting wolves which came from the European folklore. But the Aswang” are another form of werebeast that can be related to a werewolf type of creature although entirely different. When you think about werewolves in the modern times there’s that pop culture connection from the Lycans in “Underworld” film series, Michael J Fox’s original Teen Wolf movie, and Taylor Lautner’s portrayal of a buff werewolf in the “Twilight Trilogy.” There are other adaptations about these shape shifting hairy creatures in various medium, but these films that adapted this creatures stands out to having adapted them that are largely known for. In Philippine Komiks rarely the werewolves tend to be the spotlight, but due to the popularity of the Filipino folklore other mythologies take a back seat. But recently the creators of Crime-Fighting Call Center Agents and Patay Kung Patay have produced another one-shot short story with elements of horror and comedy that turn out to be “Werewolf Hunter Prokopyo!”

Komiket 2019 | Blissful Chaotic Vibes

02.18.2019 – In the Philippines every weekend there’s an event happening it is a music festival, an art show, or anything that is related to the local industry that has something to do with comics. Komikon pioneered in making local komiks relevant and it evolved that introduced other things connected to it namely merchandise like shirts, pins, and prints. But mostly that event focused solely in promoting the Komiks medium while the rest is secondary. But with the introduction of Komiket it’s more of an Art Market that has produced a different kind of community since its inception in 2015. It caters not only to the komiks medium, but all things that can be produced and sold through art that simply stands out with what Komiket has to offer.

Tamodern Times | Unapologetic Madness

02.07.2019 – In the Philippines independent publishing when it comes to comics has no limitation. Unlike in western countries like the US, they follow a strict rule about restriction when it comes to content. Even before the abolishment the Comics Code Authority that police and governs that regulates all manner of published content there’s going to be a warning as not all readers have the same age group. Well, there are still self-published materials that get away with the content they produce without literal saying this is only for “mature readers” case in point with the works by Noel Pascual and AJ Bernardo. This same duo who created a cult following about Crime-Fightings Call Center Agents has just discretely released their most recent comics at the Komikon Grande last November 2018. You can’t find this book at any local comic shop but through events happening in Manila where the creators participate. Unless you’re friends with them on social media particularly on Facebook you’ll be able to acquire this book. “A modern Times: Super Futuristic Philippines” sounds like a promising work written by Noel Pascual but when you browse through the pages you’ll probably have an opposite reaction to the ‘what the effect’ even with AJ Bernardo’s ever-improving art style this short story does not apologize for its crass, befuddled, and unrelated content that simply screams to be a nonsense at the same time quite impressive that for some unfunny.

The New DI-13 | Retrospective Adventures

11.22.2018 – There have been A LOT of new material that came out at Komikon, and during those two days there was so little to choose or to ‘sink your teeth’ in. It has been common to the event that there are new faces and graphic novels that really stood out. There is also merchandise sold there like shirts, stickers, and figurines. But what makes this event unique is the local comics that continues to grow. After the fun-filled storm of local comic book fandom, everyone has been taking a breather while others are still high on the excitement. Now that the storm has passed, take a look at some of the best titles that have been released. Rarely, tradition has been passed down to one generation to another. It’s a unique situation to be part of it at the same time challenges when keeping up with tradition. One thing comes to mind is an old comic book series dusted off and continued for the next generation which is “DI-13” or Department of Investigation – Agent Thirteen. It’s pronounced as ‘Dee Ay – Trese' in Filipino as the original comic book series was written in the Filipino language that has been the longest running series that ended in 1962.

Komikon 2018 | Grandiose Surprise

11.19.2018 – One year removed from attending Komikon it feels different not that in a not-so good way, but it was certainly not the event I used to event since 2006. It feels like going to a Mirror Universe of some sort for a long time and emerging back to the Prime Universe that A LOT has change. Well, it looks the same but generally entirely refreshing to visit this event again. Komikon wrapped up its two-day event yesterday and like the usual event everyone was reeling from its successful gathering of the local komiks community. To be honest I wasn’t excited but practically satisfied to seeing familiar faces I haven’t seen in almost two years.

The Trese Trilogy: The Filbar's Edition!

08.03.2013 – Rarely I would talk about comics I’d rather read them. It’s hard to formulate a review without spoiling them at the same time trying to “sell the comics” in helping the creators gain more recognition. Honestly I haven’t read Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo’s Trese series until they had an exclusive launch last year at NBS Best Sellers for Midnight Tribunal. Never had the time to suit my curiosity for the huge cult following until I was at the launching of the book.

Don't Get Violently WASTED!

05.06.2013 – The much awaited reprint compilation Wasted has finally been released officially in the recent Summer Komikon at the Bayanihan Center last April 13th. It compiles the original print run, special editions as well as the ones from Pulp Magazine. Wasted is a slice of life story of Eric a broken hearted man full of anger and hate which every guy can relate in going through failures of relationships. Gerry said that some of the stories in this book were based on his personal life and most of us can agree with that same situation too.