Crisis Averted

EDIT: To clarify the situation yesterday, my iPhone didn't just spontaneously go crazy- it seemed to have been caused when my Mac restarted after an update download, and something weird happened with iTunes (though I didn't update iTunes). Afterwards, when I synced, that dreaded yellow bar of consumed but inaccessible space took up the whole bar of my iPhone's memory. With no other recourse, I had to attempt a restore, using firmware I downloaded and an app named INdependence. The process of reactivating the then-restored but locked phone was straightforward and easy, which just steams me up when I remember how I paid about 2K for the service from a tech in Greenhills, and they even made me think that it was frickin' hard to do. Bastards. In any case, I feel that yesterday's bungle was a blessing in disguise, since now I know I can restore my phone whenever something like this happens again.

Anyway, it took me until midnight, but I managed to get my phone customized and loaded with apps again, which is great. Everything's cool once more, and the iLife goes on. Wonderful!

Just before lunch today, out of the blue, my Apple iPhone suddenly goes bonkers. My videos and music disappear, but the space they consumed is still unavailable and unusable- kind of like someone having a bad case of gas. I could still use the phone features and apps, but as an iPod the phone was kaput. It was the kind of error/screw-up that required nothing less than a Restore, which, basically, returns your device to factory settings. For iPods, this is nothing more than an inconvenience. For our country's hacked, unlocked iPhones, it's a bit more trouble. That's because we can't simply restore our phones and have everything go back to normal. Nope, if you just restore from iTunes with the default settings, Apple will make sure your phone becomes a very expensive-looking brick.

Months ago, my first reaction would have been to pace around like a headless chicken, do something drastic and rush all the way to the nearest hacker/tech to fork over the several thousand peso-fee to restore the device to working order. Luckily, I had done some homework and had the software and files needed to do the deed without much trouble. I was able to restore my phone to factory settings, then activate it once more.

Things aren't back to 100 percent just yet- the phone's working fine now, with all my contacts (saved to iCal, thankfully so I didn't have to re-input everything by hand again) and media back and available. However, all my third-party apps and games are gone, so I have to work on installing them and customizing the darn thing again so it looks like the cool, slick myPhone of yesterday. Nothing a good hour with a stable WiFi connection shouldn't be able to fix.

But man, that was scary for a while. I got through it though and things should hopefully go better now that I've experienced a second major breakdown and survived. You really gotta have quite a bit of nerve to own a hacked iPhone, but darn... just one look at the device makes it all worthwhile. Heh.

High Resolution

So, it's the New Year. What about some resolutions on how I'll be going about things from now on? Well, let's see...

For starters, I resolve to blog more often and blog better this year. I have to admit... the MADness ran thin last year. I miss the good ol' days of Ants in the Scanner, the Taxi Driver with a Frog's Voice and the Cellular Phone Theft MRT Incident. Now, I don't plan on encountering criminal scum ever, but I'll try my best to post more interesting, funny, entertaining, insightful, informative or just plain MAD rants and raves to tell you all as we go along. I owe it to all of you who take the time getting your retinas seared by my page's crimson coloring.

I have to watch my back. Literally. From now on, I have to make sure to take frequent stretch breaks and walking time at The Salt Mines. Every hour, every so often, I have to just tear myself away from the keyboard, the laptop and the desk and just let the body move naturally. It'll save me sleepless nights contorting in The Sanctum, pain lancing up and down the spine and lower back. Maybe I should get an hourglass or something to keep me updated on the time. We'll see.

More Comics. Mangaholix Presents is still on my plate this year, but I do plan on publishing my own stuff as well in 2008. It may be something familiar, but then again it could be something totally new. I'll keep you all informed right here. Yeah, I do intend to draw it as well as write it. Okay then.

That's enough for now. It's all just for starters. Small steps, but I think they're gonna go far in making sure that 2008 is cool as school. I don't want to make big promises I can't keep. We'll see if the year proves me right or wrong. Or can I count on all of you for that? Let's get moving then.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

What's past is prologue! This year looks great, and I for one am glad it's here. We just had a simple but perfect New Year's dinner last night, and after the meal we watched the fireworks from the front yard and greeted each other Happy 2008. I am looking forward to more MADness, rants and raves for this hopeful time ahead. I'll talk about resolutions in a while. Then it's on to planning what to do. Oh, and tomorrow, back to work. Oh well.

Looking Back at 2007

It's been a hell of a year. Looking back at my past Rants and Raves, I realize that in the past year I had...

Discovered the Apple iPhone, and spent the next several months lusting after it, trying to forget it by turning to the 02 XDA Flame, but ultimately ditching the world of Pocket PCs and Windows Mobile for it. With the most lovely and big screen, a revolutionary touch screen, video playing that puts to shame all other mobile phones and a platform for apps that still continues to grow, it has since become my best cellphone to date. I still have it, and look to still have it into the New Year and the foreseeable future. But then, the only thing constant is change...

I discovered the sweet and double-edged pleasure that was Krispy Kreme Donuts, considered by some as a vice, others the nectar of the gods. I don't bring home boxes of the stuff regularly anymore, but it can't hurt to have a glazed or two every now and then. I think.

This was the year when I got my Playstation 3. Yeah, I got it too early I guess... the big games that I really got it for are only coming out THIS year- Tekken 6, Soulcalibur IV, Metal Gear Solid 4 and Final Fantasy XIII. Of the two uber-consoles, the Xbox360 had more titles and saw more playtime (but ultimately caused more trouble thanks to the frickin' 3RL crap). Still, I can't say I didn't enjoy all those hours of Virtua Fighter 5, and that one afternoon of Heavenly Sword. Well, games on the PS3 haven't been that great YET, but it's still a kick-ass media thingie and looks SOOOO Star Trek.

To coincide with the PS3, this was the year I made the leap into HD, finally and irrevocably leaving behind standard-definition TVs and buying my first LCD HDTV set. It's probably my most significant and enjoyed acquisition of the year, along with the iPhone and Cable DSL. It's been a widescreen world for me since then, and there's really no going back now.

On my HDTV I watched shows like Rome and Heroes. Rome was a bloody classic, although I still have to muster watching the second season. Heroes was enjoyable in its first season, but word of boring episodes, uneven storytelling, crappy new characters and even creator Tim Kring apologizing to fans for failing has made me dread looking at the second season. Oh well. At least Ghost Hunters is still creepily cool, and has new episodes and a spin-off in 2008.

If it was one show that I truly waited for and enjoyed this year, it was Avatar: The Last Airbender. The final season aired towards the end of the year, rewarding long-suffering fans with even more thrilling elemental action, deeper character moments and some big-budget battle scenes. And the darn Book of Fire is only halfway through! 2008 should see the Avatar's quest finally end, but hopefully this world and setting will live on in another form.

Comicspace arrived and seemed to be a great place to show off pages and interact with other comic people. But it soon fizzled out as got forgotten as other sites came in to populate cyberspace with pics, posts and flying sheep... from MySpace, Friendster, Multiply and... gasp... Facebook.

Comics were hit and miss. Civil War was pretty good, as was Infinite Crisis and 52 (eventually). Joss Whedon proved to be gold on the comic writing biz with his brilliant Astonishing X-men. Coming in later in the year were more pages of graphic goodness in Alex Ross' Justice, Adam Warren's Empowered and World War Hulk. However, all these goodies can't erase the unmitigated crap that was Amazon Attacks. UGH.

Speaking of comics, I wasn't too productive in the Indie front- no self-published work, but arguably what I DID do this year reached more people than ever before... thanks to my work on my secret "C.I.A." comic book and my new partnership with Groundbreakers Inc. for Ninja Girl KO! in Mangaholix Presents. The New Year will see a new issue out, so things look great coming into 2008. In the past year, I came together with Elbert Or and Carl Vergara to pass on our experiences to the next generation of artists and comic creators in Ateneo. However, I'm not quite ready to retire anytime soon. There's always a possibility of another K.I.A. book, and that Angel Ace story is still in the gray matter, somewhere. We'll just have to see.

This year seemed to mark the real beginning of CG movies as serious fare, with the CG and Sandals epics 300 and later Beowulf striking the box office at the jugular. First it was all-CG settings. Then it was all-CG EVERYTHING. Adult animated movies are beginning to move in. If you thought Hollywood stars looked airbrushed-perfect before, you haven't seen anything yet.

Still on movies- it was a year of Sequel-Busts like Spiderman 3 and Shrek the Third. The Simpsons Movie was a nice diversion, and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was properly dark and brooding. I kinda liked Pirate of the Carribbean: At World's End and Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer though, but I can't seem to find anyone else who shares these views.

Work went well for the most part- I'm still at The Salt Mines, where I've been working for the past three years or so. And I don't have any plans of leaving. Things look good, and God willing, they'll stay that way.

All in all, 2007 was a good year. It had it's ups and downs, but for the most part, it was coasting along nicely. What I think though is that it was mostly buildup for the year to come. The optimist in me is thinking that next year- THIS year in a few hours- is going to be even better in so many ways. I can't wait. The Future looks bright, indeed.

T'was the Day After Christmas

I dared venture out into the sunlight today. I've been vegetating in The Sanctum since the vacation started, so I just needed some air. I was thinking that the mobs at the mall should have receded by now, but nosiree... at least Megamall was still crawling with folks. It wasn't unbearably crowded, but I soon found myself yearning for solitude once again. I wanted to try and get something cool, and at some points found myself wondering if I should get a new game (Naruto: Rise of a Ninja for the Xbox360) or a Blu-ray disc (Paprika) to take home. In the end, I balked and just got myself two things- a new belt (from McJim no less. Ownly from... McJim)and a new wallet. For the new year.

Afterwards, I headed home, just wanting peace and quiet once more. And the tranquility of the crowded yet silent internet. Hahaha. I'll try to slip in another mall foray before New Year, I think. But for now, I think I'll bother myself with more R&R, perhaps starting on the script for Ninja Girl KO issue 4, and trying to save the universe in Mass Effect for the Xbox360.

Man, I love vacations. Back to vacationing, then.

Cartoony Christmas

It's the Christmas break, FINALLY, after a pretty long but eventful and ultimately rewarding year. Last week, the Salt Mines celebrated Christmas in a simple but rousing party that was made merry simply for the company. I am really thankful that I am able to work with people I really like and who apparently like me- enough to vote me one of the two most popular Creatives in our department. HO HO! It's nice to be appreciated, and certainly nicer to get a prize for it. Of course, the office Christmas party wasn't the end of the week, but for the rest of the remaining work days of 2007 we just spent the time winding down to the holiday.

Last night, I attended the Comic Quest gang Christmas party at Vin's place. There, we spent the night just enjoying the night air and each other's company, and experienced weirdness like El experiencing a sugar high thanks to his first-ever taste of a Krispy Kreme donut, a photo tour of Jamie and Iyay's honeymoon in the US and an odd half hour of watching 80's cartoon openings on Youtube. Certainly an odd way of celebrating Christmas, but damn fun.

I don't really have much planned for the Christmas break other than the obvious luxuries of oversleeping, enjoying holiday food, catching up on comics reading and videogame-playing and a little bit of shopping. I'll save some serious stuff- like planning the activities in comics for the next year- after Christmas Day itself.

For now, it's kinda weird to have to spend Christmas with just my nuclear family of Mom, Dad and myself, but with a good internet connection and Skype, our loved ones are not out of sight or out of mind. Technology is so grand, isn't it?

Happy Holidays, people! Be safe and happy wherever you are.

Losing is Half the Battle



It's been awhile since my last Avatar: The Last Airbender update, but since then THREE episodes have come out, the most recent coming out only yesterday! We've gone over the halfway point of Book of Fire. Only eight more episodes to go (well, nine if the 21-episode count is to be believed) before this magnificent animated saga comes to a close.

The Day of Black Sun is a 2-episode arc (consisting of The Invasion and The Eclips) that serves as Chapter 10 for Season 3. The culmination of a plot point picked up during events in Season 2, this involves the Avatar and friends' attack on the Fire Nation on the day of a Solar Eclipse- a day when firebenders all over the world lose their powers. Unfortunately, given that events in the last season lost the support of the Earth Kingdom's vast armies, the 'Invasion Force' at Aang and company's disposal consists of little more than a handful of very brave souls- the Men of the Southern Water Tribe, led by Hakoda, Katara and Sokka's dad, and a smattering of familiar faces and friends made in previous episodes. It's pretty cool to see guys like the Swampbenders, Haru and his tribe, the Duke and Pipsqueak and even The Boulder and The Hippo back fighting for the good cause. The plan is so daring that it just may work... a fast, violent strike right at the heart of the enemy, with some pretty awesome war machines made by the Machinist, in order to pave the way for Aang to face off with The Firelord and end the war once and for all.

UNFORTUNATELY... it's only halfway into the season, so you just know that things won't work out quite the way it was planned. In any case, these two amazing episodes show off enough action and pyrotechnics to please anyone, and the drama and pathos is pretty gripping- it had me glued to the screen the whole time. The whole Invasion has a big budget feel to it which is a truly cool achievement, especially for a TV kids' cartoon. There's even a little tease for a long-running loose end that hopefully will be addressed soon. When all is said and done though, the Empire, er, Fire Nation strikes back, and things get even worse than ever, but at least we don't have to wait a year to see what happens next.

Episode 3.12, The Western Air Temple is the latest episode and involves the gang's retreat to an old and abandoned Airbender sanctuary as they try to plot out their next move. For the most part though, it's a Zuko-centric episode as the now-fully reformed Fire Nation Prince tries to find a way to break the news of his new viewpoint in life to a bunch of people he spent the last several months hunting down like dogs. It's certainly an episode with awkward and uncomfortable moments, which are thankfully mostly intentional. By the end, things work out- sort of. Friendship has to be earned, trust somehow rebuilt and somehow Zuko has to help Aang overcome a major hurdle he has had to becoming a full-fledged Avatar. In any case, it should make for pretty interesting interactions for the last few episodes. It's been a long road to his redemption, and as we, the audience, knows, he's earned and learned so much. It's time this started to pay off.

The last stretch of episodes now beckons- the series is set to end with a momentous 4-episode finale (episodes 18 to 21), so we have five episodes of buildup to the endgame. It's been a long time coming, but this should be awesome. Book of Fire is going to end with a blast.

Ninja Girl On Duty!



When the Groundbreakers are around, keep a lookout for a Ninja Girl on guard! The image above is an artwork made by Kriss Sison as a standee for Mangaholix Presents exhibits, campus tours and workshops. When I find a good printer, I'll have my own Michiko on guard at the Sanctum. For now though, I'll make do with her guarding my iPhone and PSP on cool Ninja Girl KO! wallpapers. DARN she's cute. Kriss is the MAN!
Anyways, the second episode of Ninja Girl KO! is being produced as we speak, with more slick martial arts high school teen action comedy, though when the next Mangaholix Issue hits stands is still TBA. I'll keep you all updated once I get any news.

Prepare for the Next Battle!


The Tekken 6 Arcade Intro. The Fighting Soap Opera continues...

Yeah, this is another videogame post best left for The Lone Gamer, but like Metal Gear Solid 4, this game is so popular and universal that it's part of everyday life and blogging for me as well. It's the flagship fighting game everyone knows. It's TEKKEN!
Tekken 6 is coming. Actually, it's already arrived- in Japan, though. For now, all we outsiders can do while we wait for the inevitable international arcade release and PS3 home conversion is salivate at blurry, low-res videos of matches on Youtube. But what has happened since the last chapter in the Mishima soap opera?

We last left the Tekken crew in Tekken 5 with then-hero Jin Kazama defeating both his evil grandfather and father (Heihachi and Kazuya, respectively) and then moving on to vanquish his GREAT-grandfather, Jinpachi Mishima, who had been transformed into a demonic creature by his long imprisonment underneath the Mishima shrine. You'd think that with Jin now in the pilot's seat of the powerful Mishima Zaibatsu, things would be cool and peaceful. But NOOOOO...
Given that Jin had a pretty sinister smirk in his Tekken 5 CG ending, you just could tell that things weren't going to go well. Apparently, after taking command of the Zaibatsu, Jin starts taking his company and personal army, the Tekken Force, into world politics. The Zaibatsu's power and influence soon starts a world war, which ends with Jin on the winning side. With almost every country pummeled into submission, only one force stands with enough power to challenge the Zaibatsu- G-Corporation. And by coincidence, the new leader of G-Corp is none other than Kazuya Mishima. Once again, father and son do battle.
And so, the Sixth Iron Fist Tournament is announced, with a special bounty being placed on Jin Kazama's head by Kazuya. From all over the world, fighters come together once again. Some wish to stop the world war. Some seek revenge. Some crave power, or just the thrill of combat or the rush of blood. At the end of the tournament, a great evil awaits, and one fighter will decide the fate of the world.

WHEW! Melodramatic, ain't it? Well, I SAID it was a soap opera, didn't I?

Anyways, Tekken 6 will come with the whole regiment of characters that appeared in the last installment, the arcade/psp/PS3 release, Tekken 5 Dark Resurrection. Along with undead soldier Dragunov, spoiled little rich girl Lili and back-from-the-dead Armor King, the Tekken regulars are joined by four totally new combatants. Leo may seem to be a bishounen youth, but SHE is actually a girl dressed up like a guy. She comes in seeking revenge on Kazuya for the suspected murder of her parents. Zafina is an Arabian/Egyptian beauty and guardian of a royal tomb who is seeking out the meaning behind a prophecy predicting the end of the world should 'Two evil stars meet'. Miguel is a Spanish matador and brawler who's out for Jin's head for the death of his beloved sister (Darn, these Mishimas know how to make people angry, don't they..?). Finally, Bob is a martial artist whose unique body shape (okay, he's morbidly obese) belies his agility and power. Of course, those seeking favorites like Paul, Law, Lei Wulong, King, Nina Williams... they're all here and looking better than ever before.

As for the end bosses- well, here's the word. Waiting for players in the penultimate stage will be Jin Kazama himself- not Devil Jin but normal Jin- albeit with permanent Rage enabled. Once you wipe the floor with him, you'll face off with Azazel, the latest and BIGGEST end boss yet in a Tekken game. Azazel has already been seen before in the game's trailers- he's the dragon-like monster with the beak and floating crystals- and he seems to be some kind of ancient demon or god. What he IS, though, is a large target, and so far players seem to be kicking his arse handily despite his ability to earthbend and use flying crystals for attacks. Hopefully he'll be buffed up and made more formidable for the home version.

The game of course looks pretty awesome, rivalling or perhaps even surpassing Virtua Fighter 5 in graphical splendour. Character models sport incredible detail, along with facial expressions and individually-layered and modelled clothing (more on that later). Even better, all the animations have been redone, and new movements have been added to make Tekken 6 different and fresher from its predecessors. A big factor in the gameplay now is something called the Rage System, where a character whose lifebar is reduced to near zero gains a surge in power to allow him/her to inflict greater damage and catch up to his/her opponent. Air combos are now monstrously powerful and can empty life bars in seconds- I do hope they tone this down quite a bit.
Another treat in store, taking a cue from recent fighting games, is Character Customization. Even more detailed than that in VF5 and Tekken 5, Tekken 6 will allow players to give their favorite fighter a unique appearance. Since the character models in Tekken 6 are basically 'naked', you can swap or remove as you wish from the available wardrobe of tops, pants, shoes, gloves and so forth as you want (don't count on having the girls topless though), and add cool stuff like swords and guns. These accessories won't be just for show though- apparently some items have special abilities which can be used in battle- Anna, for example, can throw her high-heeled shoes at her opponent (it would be hilarious if you actually KO someone this way). Bryan Fury has been shown using a shotgun to juggle his enemy, while Bruce has at his employ a gang of baby chicks (!). These Item Moves are probably more taunts or minor moves, at best, and shouldn't really be anything more than a fun diversion and fan service.

As of this writing, the Japanese arcade release has been out for a week, and the game is making the rounds in arcades. So far, Namco is still updating the game for the final release at the end of December, making tweaks to the fighting system and adding in options and customization options. Hopefully all this playtesting will result in a perfectly-balanced, supremely playable game. This early though, Tekken 6 looks awesome and it will surely be a system-seller for the PS3 when it punches onto the console sometime next year. Since the arcade version is operating on what is basically a PS3 board (it even has the same XMB interface!), I expect the home version to arrive sooner, rather than later (though apparently only after the release of Soulcalibur IV on the PS3). I can't darn freakin' wait.

2008 is gonna be a good year for fighting. In games, at least.

War Freak

I love the Discovery Channel and National Geographic channels like no other. However, I seem to detect that these funds for knowledge and learning are also places where the US Military does some of their most subversive advertising. There are TONS and TONS of military specials, war shows and series about weapons, smart munitions and other scary stuff that basically imprints on anyone watching that the Americans are FREAKY armed like hell and no one should dare mess with them.

Which is fine, whatever. I just find myself just cringing whenever I watch the show Futureweapons with the bald-headed ex-Navy SEAL host almost oozing with GLEE as he shows off piece after piece of murderous hardware designed to blow human bodies up into little-bitty chunks. Morbid, but fascinating stuff. But yeah, I wouldn't mess with the US military...

Unreal

I was able to watch the CG-fantasy flick Beowulf a couple of days ago, and I must say I'm glad I caught it in a theater. This sort of spectacle needs to be seen on as big a screen as possible. What can I say? I was certainly amazed and enthralled at the visual artistry of the film, much more so than Robert Zemeckis' previous CG cartoon effort, The Polar Express. The characters onscreen still, slightly have that 'uncanny valley' sort of thing; you KNOW they're not real, but after a while it doesn't matter. After a while, you're just watching performers onscreen, not thinking all the time they're just pixels made to look like Anthony Hopkins or John Malkovich. Strangely enough, the one actor who doesn't look the same onscreen and offscreen is Ray Winstone, who plays the titular hero. Apparently he was cast for his voice and his age, perhaps, since a great part of the story happens in the warrior's more senior years.

But as fabulous as most of the CG graphics are, I have to say there are things that still aren't gotten quite right; mainly WOMEN. Barring Angelina Jolie's succubus-like Demon Mother, the other female characters tend to all look like Glenn Close at the start. I can't figure it out. There's still something about the female form that the CG artists behind this flick just haven't gotten yet. Oh well.

All that aside, I have to say that this was a pretty slick fantasy epic, well worth watching and seeing. The best thing about it for me is how solid everything felt, like the world it was set in, the texture of stuff from wooden walls and gold-painted skin to the disgusting pus-laden flesh of Grendel's scummy skin. Also incredible, the way the camera moves everywhere, like it was attached to a fly, following everything from the path of a gold coin thrown from a king's hand to the bloody swath Beowulf's sword cuts through the gullet of a monstrous sea monster. ASTOUNDING.

I'll be picking up the DVD I guess, since this does seem to be a keeper.

Scummy iPhone

As if to remind me of its POWER after I have been doting recently on my new PSP Slim, my iPhone just got itself quite a bit of gaming prowess. SCUMMVM, the game system that powered all those classic Point-and-Click videogames like Day of the Tentacle, Secret of Monkey Island and Maniac Mansion, has been ported over to the iPhone platform. With an interface perfect for the touchscreen-master device, the SCUMMVM games not only play great but look great on Apple's mobile.

The trick is, of course, getting both the emulator program (freeware) AND the game files (bahala na si Batman how you get them) onto the iPhone. It requires an openline, unlocked phone and several apps, WiFi and a bit of fiddling with 1P addresses. But it's easier than it seems, and I got it working fine. So now, my iPhone's not so much the boring, non-gaming device I whined about yesterday.

Doesn't mean I'll be throwing away my PSP though. Not while Tekken and DOA are there. Heh.

New Toy!


Slim and Lite!

I got myself a brand new PSP Slim last weekend, and I'm having a ball with it. Yeah, I know, I know... I HAD a PSP several months ago, and I really didn't have it for very long. In fact, my first PSP was with me for all of less than three months, and I was really only able to play about three games for any length of time. The portable was a bit more expensive then, and all the games I had were originals, so I was paying for each title through the nose- even the crappy ones (and I did buy a couple of crappy ones). Sad to say, lugging around the PSP with delicate UMDs wasn't the most convenient or comforable thing to do, and the fun wasn't there for me then. So, I eventually bade goodbye to it.

Well, things have changed a bit since then. All over the place now is the new model PSP Slim and Lite aka PSP2000, which is unsurprisingly slimmer and lighter than the previous model 1000s. But never mind the specs about how the thing is 20% lighter and thinner- the nicest thing about local PSPs is that they all pretty much come with homebrew firmwares, large-capacity Memory Sticks and ISO games. What does this mean? Well, it means that you don't need to get those crappy, easy-to-get-scratched-and-ruined UMDs... games are little more than files that you load into your Memory Stick, and play from there. So you can pretty much bring a whole arcade's worth of titles in your PSP, and not a single UMD in sight- thus, Light on the weight but HEAVY on the gaming!
Add to that the niceness that the usual PSP package costs even less than the previous offers did months ago AND gives you tons of games from the get-go, can you say... SOLD?

So now I have my new Piano-Black PSP Slim (I passed on the Ice Silver, Florentine Blue and Rose Pink variants...), loaded to the rafters with games like the indispensable Tekken 5 Dark Resurrection (to tide me over until Tekken 6), Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions (really, the game that got me interested in the PSP again), Puzzle Quest (a hilarious mix of Bejeweled and Fantasy RPGs), Jeanne D' Arc (Anime-themed RPG set in the War between France and England), Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops (which I sinfully didn't get to play on my previous PSP) and Sid Meier's Pirates (classic). Heck, I even have Dead or Alive PSX loaded in my PSP as well- running at a lovely 60 frames per second at BLAZING fast speed, it's like a whole new game with upped challenge thanks to the copy being the PAL version (which contains several extras unseen in the NTSC games). Plus, it's the closest thing to Virtua Fighter anyone can get on the PSP. Except with swimsuits.

So now, I have the perfect companion to my iPhone, which despite all it's loveliness and multimedia power, is pretty CRAPPY when it comes to games (Tic-Tac-Toe, anyone?), and another way to fight boredom whenever it rears its sleepy head.

Anyways, if you'll excuse me, I have an appointment to keep in Ivalice...

Now Sneaking Into Your Favorite Bookstores



Mangaholix Presents #3 is now available in National Bookstore and other places where magazines and comics are sold. This third issue of the locally-produced manga-zine is full to the brim with awesome art, cool stories and characters and tons of content to enjoy.
The stories include the latest installments of MHP's mainstay stories. Midknighters: Fistfight Manifesto, the Ocean's Eleven-meets-Fight Club action adventure takes a break from all the beat 'em up action and takes a look at the softer side of one of the macho heroes. Aporia continues the comedic fantasy adventure of Kapres and Tikbalangs as Apo, the exiled Kapre, confronts his pursuer. Meanwhile, action heats up in the realm of Engkantos as secret dealings continue to play out. In the musical sci-fi fantasy Pulis Pangkalawakan, the band meets a new ally in their battle against the Parapaps... and maybe a new love interest?
Also in Issue 3, a cool feature entitled Musical Icons Manganized where some of the hottest local bands (Sandwich, Itchyworms, Urbandub) get re-imagined by the awesome artists of Mangaholix. And finally, game and gear reviews aplenty as well as in-depth reports on the recently-concluded San Diego Comic Con round out this overstuffed issue!

Oh and of course, Issue 3 contains the debut episode of Ninja Girl KO!, brought to you by yours truly and awesome artist Kriss Sison. Martial arts hi-jinx and light-hearted adventure begin when hapless student Anton Alcazaren crosses paths with the Philippines' cutest and deadliest war straggler- the lovely kunoichi Michiko Yamashita!



Get your copy of Issue 3 (and 1 and 2 if you don't already have 'em) NOW NOW NOW! WAHOOO!!!

WRATH OF KON (a.k.a. a MADman's Komikon 2007 Report)

Another year, another KOMIKON! For starters, I'd like to congratulate and thank Azrael and the members of Artists' Den who worked hard to make this, The 3rd Filipino Komiks Convention, an awesome and cool reality. I've been to all three Kons so far, and they just get better and better each time. A great personal thanks comes from me as well to Groundbreakers Inc., the grand crew behind the hottest new local mangazine (shameless plug!) Mangaholix Presents, for making the day particularly cool, exciting and rewarding for me.

One can only lament that we, the local indie komiks/komics/comics creators/artists/producers/fans/enthusiasts only get one day in the whole year to really call OUR OWN. But then, at the end of the several hours, we're all probably too tired and spent (both in body and in spendable cash) to go another day like this. So yeah- we only get one day, but what a day it is. Crowded, chaotic, creative, completely crazy and cool.

Really, the Komikon is like every other convention out there- get a bunch of people who like the same thing, and get them all together in one place to swap stuff, stories and laughs. At the Komikon, it's always a fun time. The only things I see more of other than comics, toys and fun stuff are giddy smiles and expressions of glee and wonderment (or puzzlement from the odd man/woman out who just wandered into the area by mistake thinking it was some tiangge). The local indie comics community, which also extends to local gaming and hobby interests, apparently, is particularly friendly, close-knit, courteous and pleasant to be around with. It's great to just wander around, meet people in the field you've worked with/crossed paths/swords with/heard of/idolized/been envious of, and just talk shop, swap war stories, give solicited advice and what have you.

There were the usual suspects- seasoned indie professionals who have been around and made their names in the local community. Then there are the youngsters- kids in college or just out ready to storm the world with their hot-off-the-copier ashcans. The next generation, right there. I have to say, it's great to see the Indie Tiangge table filled with tons of new stuff, fresh and ripe to be read and appreciated. I'm a little sad that I wasn't able to scoop up every issue on offer- I blame the ATM for giving me 1000s in bills and the ever-present problem of change. Oh well.

It's wonderful to meet fans and readers of your work, and it never ceases to amaze me how people still keep your stuff to heart years after first release. I was given copies of the original Angel Ace to sign, as well as Angel Ace Again and Next, Siglo and even a couple of copies of Cherry Blossom High. Man, it was great! I have to apologize right now to those fans and readers who approached me and then I can't remember their names- my memory is horrid (but I often remember faces better), but I love you guys and appreciate your support for Angel, Kai and all my other comics to no end.

HECK, you guys and gals are the reason I keep doing this thing.

My main place was at the table of Jonas San Diego, who graciously and generously allowed guys like me, Elbert Or (who selflessly allowed himself to be my cashier... El, I am gonna treat you to lunch or dinner next time we meet. Seriously), Carl Vergara and Dave Hontiveros to squat and peddle our wares. Me? I just brought ten copies each of all the Angel Ace Again! releases (including NEXT!), and five copies of K.I.A. which I had laying around The Sanctum. Nicely, I sold most of them during the day, and gave a couple of sets away to some special people. Not bad!

A few feet away, Budjette Tan and the 'New Alamat' crew of Ian Sta. Maria and Mervin Ignacio displayed their cool new releases- Budj of course had the latest Trese, but his boys had their first major release- Skyworld, a fantasy action-adventure with distinct Pinoy flavor and awesome Tikbalang versus Aswang action. Great stuff!

A stone's throw away, Gerry Alanguilan would be selling the latest issue of his critical and popular indie success, Elmer... unfortunately a mishap in directions almost caused the stocks to get delivered all the way to San Pablo, Laguna. Yikes! Luckily, the comics eventually arrived to the delight of the fans.

Vin Simbulan (Isaw At Iba Pa, Kid Continuum) and Andrew Drilon (Karaboy, Kare-Kare Komiks)were by for a while, but had to leave shortly for another engagement at the other side of the world. Like a tag-team, another couple of good friends came by- Arnold and Cynthia Arre were along to get into the fun and spend a nice lunch with me. On a table nearer to the main stage, the Seven Seas crew was gathered, and I met Taga-Ilog(Pasig) and Michael David (Kubori Kikiam) and got their latest stuff... FINALLY!!!! MORE MINA AND DANTE!!! AAAAH!!! Really, seeing you guys made the day all the brighter.

Of course, my main joy for the day was the release of Mangaholix Presents Issue 3. At the Groundbreakers Inc. table, Head Honchos Ian Cang and Emmanuel Javier presided over their hardworking artists who were scribbling away awesome sketches by the minute. Where was Issue 3? It was a bit late, but literally arrived HOT OFF THE PRESSES in the afternoon. The copies were, thankfully, excellent (if still a bit damp from ink) thanks to production from the Culture Crash guru himself, James Palabay. Great to see ya again, James! Reactions to the new ish, and to a certain new title, Ninja Girl KO! looks great. Hopefully, it's all great from here.

And of course, it was great for me to finally meet in the flesh not only Ian, but Kriss Sison as well! Incredibly enough, the two of us managed to fashion a pretty slick, 10-page manga episode without ever seeing each other eye-to-eye. WAHOO! Gotta love the internet. Anyways, it was awesome meeting you, Kriss, and I hope this results in more, more, more great pages from both of us to the readers.

Other stuff. Fun stuff as well. Met Oliver Pulumbarit (Lex, Nancy and Argus) and had a group pic of him with me and Arnold together- Lourdes School alma mater unite! Met Fero Benedict too...and got reminded I owed him a review and never delivered. OOPS! Sorry, Fero!

Some cool guys and gals from Tale Craft, a locally-produced card-based storytelling game, got me, Carl and El to judge their storytelling contest. It was fun, albeit very difficult to hear the stories due to the overly LOUD emceeing from the central stage. SILENCE!!! STORIES BEING TOLD!!! Oh, and congratulations, Evil Dex!

In pleasant contrast to the last Kon, it was great to have adequate food and drink stations around this time, instead of having to crowd around that ONE Smokey's Stand last year. Thankfully, the venue also wasn't as hot as the last Kon as well, thanks to the many cooling fans set up all around. Unfortunately, it would invariably lead to people crowding and hanging out in front of the fans and blocking the coolness. Oh well.

At the end of the day, people were tired but triumphant. Tired but smiling. Tired but glowing with new purchases or flushed with sales. Me, El and Joel Chua winded the day down with dinner at Katipunan and a long chat about the past day and other funny stuff. Oh, and a long-winded review of mine about those crappy Shake, Rattle and Roll sequels.

The great thing about the Kon for me is that I always end it afterwards with my Comic-Making Spirit reinvigorated with new energy. Enough energy, hopefully, to last me till the next Kon. HOHO! Have to get back on to work on the next Ninja Girl KO! script. Have to keep plugging away at getting the next K.I.A. book off the ground. And how about the Angel Ace graphic novel I seem to be eternally planning? And what else may there be up my sleeve? With luck, we'll see some stuff in the near future. Before the next Kon. Or by the next Kon.

Seeya all next time, people! Till then... Support your local Indies! Support the REAL Filipino Komiks!!!


Elbert Or, Carlo Vergara and David Hontiveros.


Me and Andrew Drilon visit Taga-Ilog and Michael David at the Seven Seas table.


Vinnie Simbulan and Budjette Tan give the Kon a thumbs up!


Everyone gathers at Jonas Diego's table.


Manga Team KO! Finally, I meet the incredible Kriss Sison.


Arnold and Cynthia Arre are in the house!


Busy, busy, busy at the Groundbreakers Table!

More, more, more pics here!

WTF

The local news once again got me wishing my Vanishing Ray was real. A day ago, a man went into a Court building in Las Pinas and gunned down his own wife, whom he had some altercation with, and her female lawyer who tried to get in his way. The bastard was caught in his own house today, showing apparently no remorse at all for his deed.

The Supreme Court washed their hands of the matter, saying that it wasn't their fault since they're not given enough budget to provide adequate security in court buildings.

So what... anyone can walk into the courtroom and gun down anyone who files a case against them now? I mean, no death penalty anyway so why not?

What an amazing country we have. Government officials zip around in multiple luxury cars and own vast mansions, and we can't even afford proper protection for our courts.

WHAT THE FUCK. Fucking broken shit this country is. FEH.

KOMIKON 2007: Malapit NA!

It's just a day or so away, the one day in the year when Indie Komiks and Comics can meet and match. Lots of familiar faces will make their appearance, but we're all hoping lots of new people come and see what the local komikeros, manga-kas and comic book creators have up their sleeves. I'll most probably be hovering around the Groundbreakers Inc. place where they'll be selling Mangaholix Presents Issue 3, but I'll be sure to drift around and grab myself a copy of whatever catches my eye. I hope you guys all come and grab a copy of Mangaholix!

Seeya all there at UP's Bahay Alumni on Saturday! Later!

Where It Counts

So here I am, watching cable. On one channel is Star Wars Episode One: The Phantom Menace. On another, there's Serenity, the movie sequel to the short but sweet Firefly sci-fi western series by Joss Whedon.

Easy to see how superior writing, characters and direction make the smaller sci-fi epic far, far, far superior to the overblown, woodenly-acted, horribly scripted and directed big-timer. I'll fly with the Serenity over any Pod Racer anytime. Hahaha.

Back to work then.

Slammin' Artworks


The gang's all here.

The last time I bought a book from Udon, the rockin' band of artists who made Streetfighter and other Capcom franchises cool in US comics, it was the Eternal Challenge: Streetfighter Art Book which I love immensely. And so, even though this newest volume from them- Udon: Art of Capcom- costs a whoppin' 3K, I got it without batting an eye. Okay, I shed a tear of blood, but that was it. In any case, the hefty volume full of lovely full-color, videogame-inspired, action-packed art is just right up my alley- and also that of quite a few other guys since this volume is promptly selling out at Comic Quest.

For the most part, the book is composed mostly of Street Fighter, which is great since that's my favorite of Capcom's properties. Aside from the images of Chun Li and company, there's a bit of Darkstalkers, the supernaturally-themed brawler, a bit of the Feudal Japan adventure Onimusha, a bit of Resident Evil (No Milla Jovovich though), quite a bit of Rival Schools and some other cool odds and ends. Thankfully, aside from the tons of cover art for Udon's comics, there are gobs and gobs of stuff never seen outside of the book, so I consider this a good purchase. Certainly, it's great reference material for hot, butt-kicking babes and that alone is worth the price of admission.

Great stuff! Now, back to cranking out the comic pages...

Mangaholix Presents Issue 3


Coming on the Kon.

Here's the cover for the third issue of Mangaholix Presents, and this is extra-special for me since it contains the first episode of Ninja Girl KO!, written by Yours Truly with art by Kriss Sison. It's not yet available in stores, but you can grab the hot-off-the-press copies on the day of the 4th Komik Convention at the UP Bahay Alumni in UP Diliman, on November 17. Gloriously, I'll finally be at a Komikon again with something I did, instead of just walking around just buying stuff. Now I'll be there hanging out with the Groundbreakers and signing copies.

Aside from MP3, things look good on the little something I'm whipping up specially for the Kon- it's a one-shot K.I.A. story entitled The Prize that I'll be putting out in a special Komikon-only Ashcan edition. It'll be at least 12 pages but could be as long as 22 depending on how things go. Basically, it's one long fight scene, and brings back a familiar character to anyone who got the K.I.A. anthology comic.

Things look cool! Can't wait for the Kon! See you all there on the 17th!