Arnold Arre's Halina Filipina

Whether the author admits it or not, Halina Filipina is actually a good respite from the current crop of superhero/mythology tales in the local graphic novel scene. More than just about the title character, it's also about a beautiful love story between a Filipina-American learning to appreciate her roots and a local who despise things that destroys the Filipino. Together they learn and relearn what it means to be a Filipino. I personally like how Arre portrays "entertainment" as a cure and also a disease of our national consciousness. A simple jab to the jaw of game shows peddling instant high and temporary help just to earn ratings and millions of pesos in product endorsements.

Overall, this book deserves the accolade it currently earns.

Genre: Modern Fiction, Graphic Novel
Rating: 4.5 strands of straw hat

101 Kagila-gilalas na Nilalang

Sadyang napakahusay ang pagkakatimpla ng librong ito ni Edgar Calabia Samar. Sigurado akong sa di kalaunan ay magiging sanggunian ito ng mga baguhan at mga magbabalik-tanaw sa mitolohiyang Pilipino. Mula sa mga lamanlupa na katulad ng Tiyanak, hanggang sa mga aswang, halimaw, bayani, anito, diwata at hanggang sa mga bathala na katulad ni Talagbusaw at Mandarangen, nakakatuwa na makilala sila at malaman ng mambabasa ang karagdagang kaalaman tungkol sa "pangontra" sa mga masasamang nilalang, at sa kabilang dako ang kahalagahan naman ng paniniwala sa mga mabuting nilalang. Palaging mayroong aral na mapupulot sa bawat kuwento ng pagsupil sa kasamaan at  kahit kalaban man o kakampi, lahat sila ay kagila-gilalas.

Kahit na kabataang mambabasa ang pinupuntirya nito, tingin ko ay masisiyahan din kahit mga matatandang mambabasa dahil tiyak na maaalala nila ang mga kuwento ng kanilang Lolo at Lola noon. Ako mismo ay nakaalala ng kuwento ng Tatay ko mula sa mga pahina nito. Kahit na siniksik sa isandaan at isa ang bilang ng mga nilalang sa dami ng aklat na pinagsanggunian, nakakatuwang isipin na mas madami pa dito ang aktuwal na bilang nila. Nagkatalo lang sa kanya-kanyang salin(bersyon), bigkas, at baybayin depende sa pinagmulang tribo ng paniniwala.

Sa henerasyong nahumaling at nalasing sa maka-kanlurang mito ni Harry Potter, mas matimbang pa din ito na maisali sa aklatan ng mga kabataan sapagkat hindi basta basta ang pananaliksik na ginawa ng may akda pati na din ang husay ng pagkakaguhit ng mga dibuhista. Kahit papaano ay binuhay nila ang nakalimutang bahagi ng kulturang Pilipino. Saludo ako sa mga ganitong klase ng proyektong pambata.


Genre: Philippine Mythology, Young Adult
Rating: Apat na kwintas na bawang na nakasabit sa bintana

Manix Abrera's 14

This is Manix Abrera's second collection of silent comics. Unlike 12's mishmash concoction of urban existentialism of a brew, Manix this time used a singular grape extract to ferment a very potent wine. Fourteen fantastic campfire stories weaved in one complete story arc as told in the eyes of the Manananggal, Diwata, Kapre, Duwende, Tiyanak, Tikbalang, and  the Outsider.

I personally like the one where a man wins the girl by serenading her with his "magic song." Ultimately that girl became a mother of three and also became the hero of the story. How many times have we seen that mothers were just portrayed as annoying generals of the house or helplessly doing the household chores or just victims of their adulterous husbands? Not this time. Together with her kids the hero mom left the lousy husband in fantasyland in exchange for the real life for good. Seeing the simple fact that the scariest monster in the world is not the one hiding under your bed nor that monster in your nightmares but the one you can see on the street every day is pure eye opener.

Abrera's work here is not free from flaws. But creating a comic book story without dialogue or words I think is not really restraining nor self-limiting, but rather liberating. Because the artist needs a lot of creative synergy when using words, captions, dialogues, and ultimately the art to tell an effective story. I know how it feels because when I was young I love drawing comics and creating a dialogue that will fit every panel or pages is never that easy to complete the story than just drawing them in sequential without words. It's similar when you create a conceptual storyboard. But I'm just relating my own experience here and you need nothing of that. This is Abrera's work and I like it better than the first.

Genre: Dark Humor, Urban Fantasy
Rating: 4 archaic pedestals out of 5

Miriam Defensor Santiago's Stupid is Forever

It is always an amusement when you see a politician bash her fellow politician. It's like observing an alligator biting a crocodile in a zoo. You just need a piece of chair to sit on and a popcorn to munch at. And when somebody tells you that she has a very high standard of integrity, you may not need to believe it prima facie. Because she is probably joking.

Some of the contents of this book are mostly rehashed lines from Boy Pick Up (or Boy Banat) and other satire and humor sites as confessed by the author herself in the introduction. Some of the jokes are very good, the epigrams are fresh and hard hitting like a sucker punch while some are just classic jokes that has been circulating more than a decade ago. I enjoyed the fresh ones as much as re-reading the old ones. It just feels that I contributed to a politician's campaign funds, if not her health funds. Is this book an early part of an election campaign? Not sure. Not counting out the illustrators who lent their talents for this book, Miriam Defensor Santiago's collection of epigrams will make her fans love her more and also, she has the ABS CBN Publishing to thank for. I just hope that her fellow politicians take her bites at heart just for the common good of the Filipino citizen. But then again, can the stupid really learn?

Genre: Humor, Satire
Rating: 3 impressive resumes out of 5

DIASPORA AD ASTRA

Is it really strange to mix Philippines and Science Fiction? Maybe, to the uninitiated. But if you've been aware of those classic movies (Tuko sa Madre Kakaw, Anak ng Bulkan)  being shown in black-n-white tv or the sci fi adventure and horror stories in Liwayway and Hiwaga Komiks in the 50's then you can easily see that Filipinos can do sci fi. They mostly started as derivatives of the Western science fiction but today these lineup of local writers are trying to make a progressive and distinct style of Filipino Science Fiction.

In this anthology of 15 stories, I am going to put my brief description or comment per story as I understood it.

The Malaya
Dean Francis Alfar
The theme is very similar to Hollywood's found footage genre and Ridley Scott's Alien series.

Oplan Sanction
Alexander Marcos Osias
An action-packed story with an ending worthy of a starcraft-like cinematic campaign ending.

Ina Dolor's Last Stand
Raymond P. Reyes
This is what nostalgia feels like in the distant future when people have to turn to the stars as their final refuge.

The Cost of Living
Vince Torres
This is one of my favorite stories in the whole anthology. I like the balance between comedy and horror and the idea of the Overtaker in contrast to the Undertaker.

A List of Things We Know
Isabel Yap
Multiple Filipino scenes in the future that clings more on nostalgia than apathy.

The Keeper
Audrey Rose Villacorta
A woman and her family tries to cope with the government's three-child policy directive.

The Day the Sexbomb Dancers Invaded Our Brains
Carljoe Javier
A very entertaining story in this anthology and the longest to read, but you wont be disappointed.

Ashes/////Embers
Dannah Ruth S. Ballesteros
This is another action-packed episode when the government experiment on super soldiers took the wrong route. Almost wrong.

Rizal
Eliza Victoria
Another one of my favorite stories in this anthology, the author digs deeper by not just working around with the idea of "What if?" but also by working with a plausible Filipino future. The story is highly believable and entertaining capped by unfolding of a secret or rather, the necessary lie that usually gives birth to conspiracy theories.

Gene Rx
Katya Oliva-Llego
Now, I have to think twice when somebody comments about that chick and her Alien-white skin.

Robots and a Slice of Pizza
Raydon L. Reyes
If your idea of science fiction is just to "situate" people in the future while keeping their human nature intact, then this is probably sci fi. Probably.

Lucky
Raven Guerrero
Having somebody by your side at the moment of Armageddon is indeed lucky.

Space Enough and Time
Anne Lagamayo
This story is a bridge between the mortal and immortal humans in the future when they have to find a place in the overpopulated galaxy. Really cool idea.

Taking Gaia
Celestine Trinidad
This one caught me off-guard. The agents of "little brown brother" has finally took over! This is my most favorite story from the entire anthology. Simply entertaining and funny.

War Zone Angel
Emil M. Flores
I thought I was watching a beer commercial here but the chick leaves the bar. Then she meets the space soldier and begins to like him. The space soldier smiles and politely says good bye. Then he explodes into pieces. The chick is alive but now sad. Aww.

The first half of the book really needs another round of editing for some noticeable typographical errors. I am sure Emil Flores (who happened to be my Comm 2 teacher during my college days) will deal with it for the future editions of this anthology. But the book as a whole, is substantial enough to be counted as part of Philippine Science Fiction in the 21st Century.

Genre: Science Fiction
Rating: 3.5 vials of glutathione injections

Tagay pa

Ano pa nga ba ang masasabi ko para sa pinakahuling libro na ito ni Lourd? Marami kayong madidiskubreng kaalamang praktikal, pangkasaysayan, pangrelihiyon, literatura at mitolohiya na may kinalaman sa alak. Lalung lalo na kung maiksi ang attention span ninyo at may katamaran na sumangguni kay Uncle Google, lahat na interesanteng kuwento at sanaysay tungkol sa agua de pataranta ay nandito na. Natuwa ako sa recipe ng mga pulutan. Nahilo ako sa ibat-ibang klase ng makabagong Pinoy na manginginom. Nagulat ako sa epekto ng methanol sa salaulang may hangover. Medyo bitin nga lang ako sa iisang aspeto. Yung inaakala ko na mareresolba na din kung meron bang katotohanan ang paniniwala ng iba sa bisa ng kumbinasyong hilaw na itlog ng manok at beer ay hindi pa rin nabigyan ng kasagutan. Malay natin, magkaroon ng sequel ang librong ito at bigyan ng pamagat na "Aphrodisiacs & Alcohol."

Magandang maitala din natin ang kanyang mga pinagsanggunian at ito ay ang mga sumusunod:

Edilberto Alegre - Inumang Pinoy
Kingsley Amis - Everyday Drinking
Nick Joaquin - History and Culture
Iain Gately - Drink: A Cultural History of Alcohol      

At bilang panghuling hirit sa maiksing rebyu na ito ay mag iiwan ako ng isang linya galing sa Banal na Aklat na ginawang pambungad na linya ng librong ito:

"Give wine unto those that be of heavy hearts. Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more."
Proverbs 31:6-7


Kategorya: Sanaysay, Pagkain, Toma
Marka: Apat na kutsara ng Balut a la Pobre 

Ang Alamat ng Panget & Many Other ni Apol Sta. Maria

Naispatan ko lang ito kahapon sa entrance ng Aklatan - Bayanihan Center. Unang inilimbag at inilathala noong 2009, kahapon lang ako ulit nakatsamba ng ganitong klase ng babasahin. Dahil panget ang title, panget din ang drawing. Absurd pero nakakatawa. Nakakatawa pero absurd. Ano nga ba ang tamang diskripsyon nito? Wasak. Wasak dahil matagal na itong nasa baul ng iilang kolektor at mga kakilala, at sintagal na din nito ang expression na Wasak! noong buhay pa si Tado.

Gusto ko dito yung eksenang "Codename: Error," "Nay, Anay Yan" at "Malayo sa Bituka Yan." Pero sa totoo lang, naaala ko ang Nardong Tae ni Louie Cordero habang binabasa ko to... Shit, ganun na pala ako katanda.

Para sa mga batang mambabasa, isipin nyo na lang ang sinabi ni Osho na "Seriousness is a sickness." Parte ng buhay ang tumawa.

Kategorya: Komiks, Katatawanan (Humor)
Marka: Tatlong hiwa ng mantekilya

Tabi Po Isyu 2 ni Mervin Malonzo

Ito ay karugtong ng naunang isyu kung saan ipinakilala ang kasaysayan ni Elias bilang isang aswang (kasama ng kanyang mga kauri) noong panahon ng mga Kastila. Hindi ako nanghinayang sa pagpunta kanina sa AKLATAN (kauna-unahang "All-Filipino Book Fair" sa bansa) sa Bayanihan Center para sa ikalawang isyu na ito dahil sulit hanggang sa huling sentimo. Wala pang hassle sa pagpila sa libreng pirma at kumustahan sa may akda dahil wala naman talagang pila pero tingin ko'y ibang istorya ang magaganap bukas sa Komikon dahil siguradong dadagsain ang book signing nito.

Salamat sa may akda at sa mga tumulong sa kanya para ituloy ang kuwento. Sadyang mahusay ang pagkakagawa. Kung meron man hindi na ako makahintay sa posibleng pagkikita ni Elias kay Ibarra sa mga susunod na isyu.

Kategorya: Horror, Historical Dark Fantasy, Mature Reading, Komiks
Marka: 4.5 tasa ng mainit-init na Salabat

The Best of This Is A Crazy Planets 2

Ang opinyon ay hindi basta-basta puwedeng ikahon lang sa pagiging tama o mali. Maari itong katanggap-tanggap, kasuklam-suklam, o balewala lang. Pero sa takbo ng panahon puwede itong magbago. Sabi ni Bertrand Russel, "Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was once eccentric."  Ito ang nakikita ko sa sarcasm ni Lourd. Sa huli, posibleng maintindihan din ito ng marami. Sa huli, puwede din namang magbago ang pananaw nya o pwede ding etsa-puwera lang ng mga taong nakadinig o nakabasa na parang may ibinulong lang sa hangin.

Wala lang. At least, pinag-isipan naman nya ito marahil sa isang baso ng kape o sa isang stick ng yosi. Informed opinion ika nga. Sabi naman ng isang tanyag na manunulat ng science fiction na si Harlan Ellison, "You are not entitled to your opinion. You are entitled to your informed opinion. No one is entitled to be ignorant."

Problema mo na yan kung hindi mo pa rin maintindihan dahil sa kakabasa mo ng Twilight, ineng. Ngayon, ang opinyon ko naman sa ikalawang aklat na ito ay mas maganda pa rin iyong una. Ka-blam!

P.S. Isang makabuluhang pangitain na mabasa ko ang tribute para kay Palito at Dolphy na kapwa sumakabilang-buhay na. Kung meron mang langit para sa mga totoong tao na katulad nila, nararapat lamang silang mag hapi-hapi doon. Ikinasisiya ko ring malaman na parehas lang kami ng iniisip sa prinsipyo ng isang tunay na blog: Dapat nagbibigay ng alternatibong boses at pananaw ang mga blogs---dahil hindi gaya ng mga nasa broadsheet at magazine, hindi sila dapat hawak ng mga advertisers at marketing executives sa bayag. 

Sapul.

Genre: Current Events, Social Commentary
Rating:Tatlong pakete ng vetsin sa limang baso ng beer
(mabisang pampatulog daw kay ineng sa inuman)

Summer Komikon 2014 Reads

KAYAW by Magay, et. al.

This indie publication that categorizes itself as war epic is deeply centered into the heart of the Kalinga pride--that being unscathed by the Spanish, American, and Japanese regimes. Being part of the Austronesian race (but unlike their southern brothers --the Visayan Pintados that went the low profile), Igorot and Kalinga tribesfolk settle their conflicts through brutal headhunts with much public display. The introductory story is far from gruesome though (or maybe not just yet) but the sublime contrast and similarity to the Yakuza tattoo art is noteworthy. I know, it will connect heavily to the future with Lt. Masamune in tow.

Rating: 4 cuts of lengua out of 5

RODSKI PATOTSKI by Alanguilan & Arre

Since Lastikman and Darna Lives, the tandem of Gerry Alanguilan and Arnold Arre is always a good read. That territorial dispute would have been better if they put a Chinese and not Japanese Armada to express the current climate in the West Philippine Sea. The weapon's encryption algorithm would have been better if entrusted to Dr Dalawangpuso. All in all, it remains a great read not to be taken seriously.

Rating: 4 scoops of pistachio ice cream

KIKOMACHINE X by Manix Abrera

I thought I was buying a vintage Metallica or Pearl Jam vinyl when I saw this one. Of course, this is the 10th Kikomachine book by one of the current names in local comics. Glow-in-the-dark ang cover. Sakto lang ang lalim.  Parang Sunken Garden na bumababa ng 8 cm kada taon. Hwoooh.

Rating: 3.5 fathoms deep

Click here for my review of Mervin Malonzo's TABI PO #1. 

All images belonged to the copyright authors.

TRESE 5: Midnight Tribunal

It's really a delight to read this given the same format as the third book (TRESE 3: Mass Murders). Personally, I prefer this "one long story in one book" for TRESE than a "collection of short stories in one book" format. Because this long story arc can easily provide a prolonged anticipation for the climax, and the cliffhanger if needed.

It's also cool to see another Trese sibling working as a professor of Anthropology and Sociology in UP. That one specific shot in the Sunken Garden kicked a fuel blast for my mind to soar, reviewing a lot of recent and ancient memories.  Allusions to Mars Ravelo's mythology of Captain Barbell (and Panday) is a big surprise, and I never saw it coming, especially when knowing the arch-enemy of Alexandra Trese.  

Thanks to this dynamic duo of Budjette and KaJo, the TRESE legend is starting to establish its roots in the Filipino psyche. I hope those who started following the series will be ready for the next book.


Genre: Philippine Urban Fantasy
Rating: 4 cups of black coffee

img source

*Beinte kuwatro boss?

I enjoyed Pugad Baboy 23 last year, even if I saw a lot of disappointed PB fans ranting about the quality of stories and jokes. Now, I’m looking forward to this latest release, there’s a story arc that we love to follow for a Pugad Baboy comic book ever since Book 1. PMJR's redemption time is here!

*translation: "Boss, do you want a twenty four?"
images © Pol Medina JR and Pandayan Book Shop

Pinoy Readercon 2

Wow. I cant believe it's almost a year since attending the first Filipino Readercon in Mall of Asia. Loyal Filipino readers of both ages, genre, and format, this is a call. This is another chance to show your strength in numbers to support and celebrate the value of reading books.

And there is no better commemoration than to participate in nominating and voting for the First Filipino Reader's Choice Awards for Filipino works published in January 2010 to December 2011. I already made two nominations and I hope that both pass the qualification process. A new round of Filipino Friday meme is also in the works (sharks, how I enjoyed doing it last year! this one by the way is my favorite and also this one). The Friday meme will officially start on July 20 and will end on August 17, 2012.

Rock on!

When The Elephants Dance by Tess Uriza Holthe

This is my first attempt in joining Read Philippines' Book of the Month for June 2012. I actually voted for this novel, but this book originally published in 2002 has its flaws. I can see that it's not very realistic, nor strictly contextualized in the Philippine setting and this would have explained why most readers of Asian Historical Fiction remained neutral and would prefer the more prominent Ilustrado novel by Syjuco as a recommended text. This book probably needs an editor but it's understandable given the enthusiasm of the author (she tells it like a balikbayan sharing her own adventures from a strange land) in forming a synergy of variable folk and war stories to become a singular novel in the end.

Here are what I notice:

• The title itself. Used by a Filipino patriarch as an analogy of the Second World War to his children, elephants were depicted as the American and Japanese forces while the chickens scampering were pictured as the Filipinos. On the surface it may sound appropriate since elephants are essentially foreign animals to the country just like the Japs and the Americans but the father in the story used an analogy, and I think it's better to use an animal that all children in the war-thorn Manila were familliar like a water buffalo or carabao. There are no elephants in the Philippines, not yet in the zoo during the war thorn era of WWII. I prefer to rephrase what Mang Carlito said in the book like this: "When the buffalos dance, the chickens must be careful." It's much easier (and amusing) to imagine it as a Filipino child.
• Another contextual miscue is the usage of "snow" in a simile. "The evenings in our cordillera village were always deliciously hot, with the scent of the white sampaguita flowers that grew like flakes of snow around our house." The narrator here is a Filipino native in WWII telling a childhood story to Filipino audience, asking them to imagine snow flakes sprouting around the house. The problem is, there's no snow in the Philippines.
• "All Soul's Day, also known as Todos Los Santos, happened on the evening of October 31. Halloween, they call it in the States." What happens on the evening of October 31 is indeed Halloween, and then All Saints Day or Todos Los Santos the following morning of November 1. However, All Souls Day or Araw ng mga Patay, occurs on November 2. 

I dont want to elaborate further on some spelling and historical miscues (like the weird prominence of Boracay in 1940s) nor ponder on the "uncharacteristic" breakdown of a revolutionary hero and the sudden fear of bleeding to death when you already killed a lot and can easily kill more human being. But we all know that a coin has two faces and seeing the brighter side of the novel is still a rewarding and probably redeeming act. Reading the fantastic stories full of traditional values like unity and sense of family inspires me more not to let go of the colorful history of my people's race in Asia.

There is no contention that the author Tess Uriza Holthe was inspired by her father's experience as a young boy in this country during the second World War. You can sense her enthusiasm and pride in retelling the folk tales we are all familiar with as Filipinos, and it's admirable. It was an amalgam of stories within a story, sometimes amusing, sometimes inspiring, and also heartbreaking. It's probably the best description of this novel, as it mirrors the collective Filipino and its struggle for independence and sense of national identity from its Asian, Hispanic, and American experience.

My favorite quote from the book: "I do not hide, Alejandro. Remember this day. Remember how everyone fought together. Keep it in your heart, and never let anyone divide us again. As for me, I will try to build something from what remains. My soul needs time to heal. I go now to see where this new peace shall lead us. Please, tell the others goodbye." 



Genre: Historical Fiction, Folk Tales, WWII, Anti War Literature
Rating: 3.9 kilos of rice 

Looking Back by Ambeth Ocampo

1990 and 2010 Editions

What's better than to celebrate the First Philippine Independence by enjoying a factual book rich in history and trivia? This 92-pager of a thin book is a flash read that will make your day of commemoration as a proud Filipino worthwhile. I highly recommend this to my fellow Filipinos and also to lovers (scholars and dabblers aside) of Asian History.

Some interesting stories here in case you forgot about your brown roots and its colorful past:

• Magellan originally named the Philippines as Archipelago de San Lazaro. Actually, it wasnt Magellan who gave the name Las Islas Filipinas but Ruy Lopez de Villalobos in 1542. 
• The patriarch of a very popular and historic mestizo family (popularly synonymous to the name Makati) was convicted as a German spy in Manila in 1870s by the Spanish friars.
• Bonifacio tried to seek revolutionary aid from Japan, and failed/fooled.
• Prior to the Spanish-American War and the buyout of the Philippines for a sum of 20 Million US dollars; Belgium, Germany, and Japan were also interested in owning the Philippine Archipelago.
• Manuel Quezon hired in secret the national artist Honorata "Atang" de la Rama to serenade and win the heart of Doña Aurora Aragon. 
• Gen. Gregorio "Goyo" Del Pilar can compete with Jose Rizal in regards to women but Heneral Goyo easily wins over Rizal in regards to "papormahan." 
• Gen. Douglas MacArthur's secret Filipina lover is the record holder of first Philippine motion picture on-screen kiss.
• We have our own version of the mysterious Mona Lisa painting by Leonardo Da Vinci---Juan Luna's La Bulaqueña. The identity of the woman in portrait remains a mystery and the current theories, inconclusive. 
• Juan Luna's Portrait of Paz Pardo de Tavera is not just popular due to its paradoxical catholic eroticism but also because it survived the burnings and damages throughout history and most especially the popular curse legend that it carries today. 
• The man appointed by Aguinaldo to work for American recognition of Philippine independence-- Felipe Agoncillo ditched his lover for another on the day of his marriage. The marriage was cancelled after the groom changed his mind and stuck on his bed pondering the future while still dressed for the occassion. This man, who will become the father of Marcela Agoncillo will also become the first Filipino diplomat, and a man worthy of 1000+ TNL points. Sinong lolo mo? lol

There are more stories in this surprisingly short book that will lead to a chuckle or a lighthearted gab within a group. I can only imagine how cool it was if you had Manuel Quezon as your grandfather to learn a proven "diskarte" move or two. The first book in a series originally published in 1990 and republished and re-edited in 2010, it's cool to enjoy history with this as much as knowing that it's good to be free reading any book these days.

La Bulaqeña by Juan Luna ca.1895

image source

Category: History, Trivia
Rating: 4.5 freshly baked monays with quesong puti fillings

Skyworld Vol. 2

In the first day, I look into a story and I declared it good. The next day the story swallowed me whole, and it was better.

The flow of this second volume in connection with the first is mesmerizing as a fresh breathe of summer. Downplaying the shitty poetry here, I never imagined that this current cliche of resurrecting the dead old mythologies will take a new breathe of life in this electronic age of FB and Barack Obama.

The creators worked their part in story and art seamlessly and telling it from the Big Bang to the Big Crunch (with apologies to Dr Stephen Hawking) along with historical figures like Jose Rizal and Andres Bonifacio is a work just close to perfection. This graphic novel is not for the young readers though, especially when you encounter [SPOILER WARNING] that scene with the Asuang grabbing Rizal's baby boy straight from Josephine Bracken's womb. If you havent read this, better expect "graphic" scenes in this well-paced graphic novel. The artist just simply loves to decapitate both monsters and men here. The only flaw I see is Makabo's declaration of a fleshless and bloodless God only to be contradicted later about the belief that drinking the blood of the same God would give one powers terrible and unimagined.

As Joseph Campbell states in the chapter opener of his book The Power of Myth (The Journey Inward chapter); "One thing that comes out in myths is that at the bottom of the abyss comes the voice of salvation. The black moment is the moment when the real message of transformation is going to come. At the darkest moment comes the light." The Skyworld story is a testament to that old idea. You may see it as a story somewhere from a parallel universe, or an imaginary Philippines but the bottom line here is still that ultimate quest for redemption that everyone is tasked to undergo.

Since the first volume, the Skyworld universe is connected with the world of Alexandra Trese and that's the reason why I highly recommend this for Trese fans out there. But apart from Trese, there are more characters joining the fight here. The story flies between history and the present, and this narrative flow is what I seriously like about it. I'm almost tempted to call this Skyworld story an Asuang Apocalypse given the sci fi elements but I better give it to more informed and mature readers to hand that verdict.

My only duty as a reader is to find out if the story is good or bad (from the original collection of 4 chapters or serialized issues in 2009) and my assessment so far is this---it's better.


Genre: Dark Fantasy, Urban Horror, Philippine Mythology
Rating 4.5 bags of rock salt out of 5

Alternative Alamat

If you love stories about Philippine Mythology this one looks delicious. Published today by Rocket Kapre Books in digital format, this is an anthology of new and old, known and unknown, fiction and non-fiction work of writers, artists, and historians involved in the fascination and study of our country's diverse mythology.

cover art by Mervin Malonzo for Rocket Kapre Books

CONTENTS:

“Ana’s Little Pawnshop on Makiling St.” by Eliza Victoria 

“Harinuo’s Love Song” by Rochita Loenen-Ruiz 

“The Last Full Show” by Budjette Tan 

“The Alipin’s Tale” by Raymond G. Falgui 

“Keeper of My Sky” by Timothy James Dimacali 

“Conquering Makiling” by Mo Francisco 

“The Sorceress Queen” by Raissa Rivera Falgui 

“Beneath The Acacia” by Celestine Trinidad 

“Offerings to Aman Sinaya” by Andrei Tupaz 

“Balat, Buwan, Ngalan” by David Hontiveros 

“A Door Opens: The Beginning of the Fall of the Ispancialo-in-Hinirang” by Dean Alfar 

Appendix A: A Few Notable Philippine Deities 

Appendix B: Interview with Professor Herminia Meñez Coben 

Appendix C: Interview with Professor Fernando N. Zialcita 

Appendix D: On Researching Philippine Mythology 

Cover and interior artwork by Mervin Malonzo

Treat Yourself This Xmas for 1000+ TNL Points

FOR MATURE READING ONLY

The 3rd San Pablo Comics Festival

For the young at heart who's proud of being Pinoy and loves Comics.

Yeng Remulla's "Productive Pinoy"

This book is one of my "flash reads" this year. Meaning, I was able to read and finish them inside a book shop, or library. This book by Yeng Remulla is just one of those motivational and strategy books available in the market today. The cover design got my attention first and it took me less than an hour to browse through it and identify the highlight points of the author.

This book targets the Global Pinoy and his family to invest on the monthly remittances. The book is mostly about the best use of money, time, and opportunity. Nothing is new with this one. If you know some of those instructional, motivational, and entrepreneurial authors, you can see parts of their ideas within this book. In these pages I saw Stephen Covey, Robert Kiyosaki, Francis Kong, Francisco Colayco, and Alex Lacson.

With or without citation to the original authors, I would still commend Yeng Remulla for being able to express those ideas in a lighthearted and positive way, the way most Filipinos like to "read" a book. Remulla wrote with humility and his style is basically Pinoy for both the experienced and the novice reader. I just hope those who loved reading this book would also be able to apply the philosophy.



Genre: Motivational, Strategy
Rating: 3 pieces of Siomai