MAD | Humor in a Jugular Vein

MAD Magazine was not what it was when it was first introduced in 1952. It was originally published by EC publication known for The Haunt of Fear, Weird Science, Crime Suspense Stories, and many more that were not related to superheroe themes that DC Comics produced since the introduction of Superman in Action Comics. But towards its lengthy life, its publication was shut down and most of the published material survived through its acquisition by other publications. MAD was an “experiment” when the first issue was published. The early days of satirical humous content were not its DNA when it became available on newsstands. EC publication is known for horror, suspense, and science fiction with the MAD comics introduction they experimented with humour in some serious themes. Sometimes, they’re outdated today and would be considered “corny,” but those tropes would entertain readers from that era. MAD would survive and would evolve to become known for its satirical content. But during its heyday, it was simply known as an anthology that had short stories that would be part of its growth.

G.I. Joe ARAH | The Game is Set

It’s been almost a full two months since the latest issue of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero was released. The most recent story was back in March with issue No. 305, where things are slowly setting the players back to the chess board since this title had moved from IDW to Image Comics last year keeping Larry Hama as the important cog in keeping the same title that revived that was originally published by Marvel. Without missing a beat, Larry Hama crafts another masterful narrative that has been brewing for those who have jumped on this series since issue No. 301 as a sort of ‘soft reboot’ for those who have not picked up this series lured them back. It’s no rocket science that the heart of the G.I. Joe fiction and world-building started with Mr, Hama who also continued his connection to the brand by writing those File Cards for the action figures from the day Hasbro produced those now-vintage toy lines. This issue certainly keeps the pace of the story at the same time breaks down what’s been happening with the players involved. It is certainly worth noting that Cobra, the organization has become its enemy with different factions fighting amongst themselves.

Bagong Buwan | Stories from the New Moon

11.15.2019 – “Bagong Buwan” (New Moon) is a collection of three stories compiled into a single graphic novel anthology featuring Hulyen (Creator of UGH.), Julius Villanueva (Ella Arcanghel), and Mervin Malonzo (Tabi Po). It was considered an experimental project for all three authors of the book as stated by Mervin. It would be considered a ‘sleeper’ graphic novel that basically flew under the radar for majority of local readers that followed indie komiks in Manila. Bagong Buwan was released in Summer Komikon 2019 and it is quite an interesting title. Entirely all three stories are in Filipino (Tagalog) language and it actually works in this dialect due to how deep the stories are connected to Philippine culture. The cover is a simple image of a moon with two ‘Xs’ making them a pair of eyes for the lunar planet that’s crying as the second ‘X’ is dripping with paint. But then when you flip through the very page that moon was actually smiling back. The moons is actually sort of symbol for the Haliya Publishing that Hulyen, Julius, and Mervin has formed to further cement their collaboration under this banner.

Ghost Rider #1 | All Hells Break Loose

10.31.2019 – Ghost Rider has been one of Marvel’s underrated titles, but in the 1990s it had a revival with Danny Ketch as its main star and Johnny Blaze in a supporting role that launched the franchise expanding to other titles with a special event and those where the glory days of the supernatural series that was challenging to emulate in this era where the Avengers and X-Men are the major favorites due to the live-action cinematic treatments. Ghost Rider had two movies with Nick Cage in the lead roles, and the character was retold in some shape or form in the comicbooks that casual fans were having difficulties to grasp on the who is this walking flaming skull on a bike or even a car. For the longtime fans, this new series could be the breath of fresh hellfire as well as new to the Ghost Rider mythos now that Marvel is reigniting the Spirits of Vengeance with a brand new series featuring not one but two Ghost Riders. Johnny Blaze was the star for every succeeding series for Ghost Rider, but this time around a 1990s revival that will also include Danny Ketch in the lead along with his brother’s new status quo after becoming ‘the King of Hell’, which also introduce a new creative team in Ed Brisson and Arron Kuder!

Robotech Remix #1 | Dana in the Mix

10.24.2019 – Robotech Remix is a brand new jumping point alternative to follow the adventures of Dana Sterling. For those who never knew who this character was, she is actually the daughter of Max Sterling (Maximilian Jenius in the original Japanese series) and Miriya Parina (Milia Fallyna Jenius) from the original Robotech series, a Western adaptation of three Japanese anime series produced by Harmony Gold beginning with Super Dimension Fortress Macross. Dana Sterling originally appeared in Robotech: Masters Saga (Southern Cross), But with Titan Comics acquiring the rights to produce brand new retelling of the Robotech Series from Harmony Gold they change some of the narratives of the series that represents the American adaptation in a refreshing perspective for writers to expand these stories in these graphic novels. Outside North America, Robotech was only aired in some parts of Asia particularly in the Philippines in the late 1980s on the GMA Network on Sunday afternoon as the original Macross dubbed in English that was shown on local television was aired on RPN9 in 1983 predating the US adaptation that was for a western audience.

X-Men #1 | Summers Family Values

10.17.2019 – The “Dawn of X” is finally arrived in X-Men #1 with Jonathan Hickman, Leinil Francis Yu, Gerry Alanguilan, and Sunny Gho. If you’ve followed Jonathan Hickman’s well-detailed and reviving prominence of the X-Men brand through the “House of X” and “Powers of X” (pronounced as Powers of Ten) in the past months run surely you’ll be anticipating this issue too. There’s so much to take in if it hasn’t sunk in what has been re-established that Krakoa is now an island nation and things are going bananas on this first issue as there will be more revelation for the next series coming out in the next few weeks. But with X-Men #1 this is surely more focused on the characters than just a big event. It gives you the perspective of one Scot Summers and how he lives his life with his family and friends. If you missed out on all things X in the two six-issue miniseries expect a compiled graphic novel to catch up. For now, you got to pick-up X-Men #1 to give you a closer look and spotlight Scott Summer and his complicated that has been having too much drama in the last fifty years as we say “clean house.”

Into the Karnaval | From the Mind of Mitzee

09.28.2019 – There are self-published independent comics out there. It holds so many diverse stories and interest. It might be something about the author’s personal experience or found inspiration from the giants of storytellers out there. Sometimes, it about a story worth sharing that came from so many things that got the author interested to produce a graphic novel that flew under the radar.

Graphic Novel Biographies | José Rizal

09.05.2019 – There are biographies now as told through a graphic novel that are popular and good reads in other countries. It so happens, the Philippines never get much of that material. But sometime in July 2018 a Japanese author named Takahiro Matsui and illustrator Ryo Konno through publisher TORICO was able to produce ten chapters of what would be the life of Jose Rizal, the Philippines’ National Hero. It was the right timing for the creative team to announce that they have put together the story of the country’s National Hero. It was a first for Jose Rizal’s life to be told through Manga format and the first Graphic Biography from two artists from Japan. Takahiro Matsui is a teacher in Japan teaching Nihongo to Filipino children and it inspired him to write about the book to also teach his pupils living in his country about the roots of the Philippines. He was also inspired by Jose Rizal not only being a nationalist but wanting equality for his country and its people.

Jane Foster: Valkyrie #2 | The God of the Kill

08.31.2019 – In just two-issue Jane Foster becomes the last Valkyrie and now faces Daredevil’s deadliest foe—Bullseye! If this was the most challenging and ever-changing life for the former Mighty Thor then you’re for a ride with Al Ewing and Jason Aaron crafting the next phase for Jane Foster’s life. The last issue was just in time for Foster’s evolution at the same milestone that Marvel will be adapting her previous adventures as Mighty Thor for the Cinematic Universe. It is quite astonishing to see things roll for the House of Ideas to immediately get fresh takes on these characters such as Jane Foster, originally first appeared in the Journey Into Mystery as Dr. Donald Blake’s love interest. This second part of its first story arc doesn’t give enough room for Jane to breath from the last pages of the first issue that took down Heimdall. It gets straight to the meat of the narrative and action how she used to take down gods now dealing with the deadliest villains armed with the sword that used to belong to Brunnhilde, the original Valkyrie. Both writers of this series certainly have some surprises.

Slice of Suspense | Please Take Care of My Heart

08.29.2019 – There good storytellers out there inspired by superhero tropes and thematic adventures from Science Fiction of Fantasy, and then there’s the slice of life that you may or may think it’s just another graphic novel about the usual dramas of the human condition that most deal every day. But there is also this graphic novel “Please Take Care of My Heart” that looks innocent featuring two lovers on the cover (or so you think). Gioseppe Custodio suggests that it’s an introduction to how he started in the local independent scene of Filipino Komiks at the same time to familiarize his art style and his sense of storytelling, which generally his portfolio that rarely noticed by most indulging on the more established authors and illustrators. “Please Take Care of My Heart” seemed like taken from pre-existing romantic themes from the Philippines as Filipinos get most of the TV novels of ‘telenovelas’ inspired from the boom of the Spanish TV Dramas.

Batman & The Outsiders | Lesser Gods Part 3

07.11.2019 – The third issue of Batman and the Outsiders brings you to the team in pieces after Ishmael has taken away and presented Sofia to Ra’s al Ghul. The battle of the minds with The Chief Demon was trial by fire for Sofia. Like any super villain, The Demon is playing the long game. “Lesser Gods” deals with a lot of moving parts after the events from the previous issue. Batman’s roles in this latest iteration of this series are more ‘hands-off’ giving Black Lighting and Katana to get more spotlight as how they put the team back after Ishmael has beaten them to save Sofia. Bryan Hill certainly crafts a slow build-up narrative in getting to know more about the core characters that feature Orphan and Signal to make the roster accompanied them by Kaliber. Dexter Soy’s art style has evolved over the years has improved from the Japanese Manga style to his own. Of course, the creative team won’t be without Veronica Gandini’s colors that pop out that stands out. This series dynamic with Batman only giving pieces of advice behind the scenes makes it all the more interesting to read…

TransFormers + Ghostbusters | Ghosts of Cybertron

06.29.2019 – The 1980s was the golden era of modern pop culture in the 20th Century with properties introduced from animation, movies, videogames, and merchandise. In that era, there are two of those properties introduced in cinema and television that continues to be relevant in other forms of media. Ghostbusters and Transformers have built upon the cult following with their respective brands that still are marketable and after thirty-five years has been relevant. But what if both of these properties put together a “Collaborative” symbiosis that gives birth to something fresh and out of this world? Early in 2019’s New York International Toy Fair Hasbro revealed what would be a tie-up with that property and that is with the Ghostbusters brand introducing a newly created Transformers character inspired with the elements of Ghostbusters that would become the Autobot Ectotron that turns into the iconic Ecto-1. A few months forward to today with IDW Publication revealing that there’s going to be a crossover mini-series featuring these two brands that presented Ectotron!

The New DI-13 #2 | Deep Into Black Dragon

05.17.2019 – The New DI-13 Series is heading to its sophomore issue in slowly taking shape what could be an underrated revival of one of the best locally produced series in Philippine Komiks. Currently, the local scene is more popular nowadays with the supernatural Filipino folklore. But when it comes to crime, espionage, and political thriller this genre is solely more popular with internationally published works such as Velvet by Ed Brubaker or his run with Captain America that featured Bucky’s return as Winter Soldier for Marvel. Although these popular themes have continue to make an interesting read this part of the Philippines has not forgotten that before Aswangs and Manananggals there was DI-13 or Department of Investigation that made concept an interesting even before James Bond was a household name more than seventy years ago. The second issue is divided between flashbacks and modern times where the second Agent 13, the grandson of the original is in search of his long lost grandfather.

War of the Realms | New Agents of Atlas #1

05.11.2019 – The War of the Realms saga rages on as Marvel goes global in introducing already established characters in the main universe. With The New Agents of Atlas #1, the brand takes it further in cementing their interest that Marvel is invested in Asia with most of the characters from China, Korea, and the Philippines. This is not the first time a secret society founded by the Atlas Foundation known as “Agents of Atlas” was introduced, but a new roster representing a brand new team led by one of its founding members named Jimmy Woo formerly known as Yellow Klaw is now the new leader of the group that featured Amadeus Cho (Brawn), Kamala Khan (Ms. Marvel), Cindy Moon (Silk), and Shang-Chi, the Master of Kung-Fu. There’s a promise that Marvel plans to expand internationally and introduces new characters and the creative team between Greg Pak and Gang Hyuk Lim delivered what Asian fans hoped for with the appearance of Aero and Sword Master are two original Chinese characters appearing online at NetEase Comics. Then you got Korean characters like the first K-Pop crime fighter, Luna Snow, and the duo of Crescent and Lo. But local fans in the Philippines are pumped up for The Newest Filipino Superhero, Wave from the concept design of Leinil Yu.

H Club Box 5 | Surprise Yourself!

03.28.2019 – How often do you go to a local comic convention or attend any of these toy fairs that featured self-publishers of independent comicbook and graphic artists? If you have no time to go through and to meet the faces behind the stories and art why not have it sent them to your mailbox? It’s easy enough that there hasn’t been that kind of concept in the Philippines. But there’s one independent publisher that has been slowly gaining prominence in the local scene and a few other countries are also taking notice. Haliya Publishing is that company founded by three hardworking artists introducing their fifth H Club Box!

Komikon Week 2018 | Tips to Survive Post-Earthquake

11.12.2018 – Earthquakes is one of the dangerous things that most people should avoid when it happens. Sudden shakes are not as common as you think the way the weather is predicated. It’s the nature’s course why the ground shakes due to the seismic waves passing through the Earth’s rocks. These waves are produced when some form of energy stored in Earth’s crust is suddenly released, usually when masses of rock straining against one another suddenly fracture and “slip.” But what happens if you were unprepared and this has already brought damage to where you’re located?

Lindol #1 | The Good, The Bad, & Unshakable

09.06.2018 – When putting together an original concept into a comicbook series it takes A LOT of time to develop its stories, narrative, and the world building that would define a legacy. It is not just the synopsis but the idea that people would relate to or root for an unsung hero without the need to drag everyone to too much drama the way a zombie drags its undead half self to its next victim. There’s something exciting why such local independent published works from Budjette Tan, Arnold Arre, or even Gerry Alanguilan became a household name. It is not because their works speak volumes that resonate more of Filipinos reading their creations it is about the simple basic reason without comparing this new series to their works. However, the reason it was brought up to give you an idea why you should know about “Lindol,” a new series from first-time writer Tedi G. Villasor and an underrated multi-talented artist named Randy Valiente that has the same profound effect on the curiosity behind the concept of this locally published title.

APCC Manila 2017 | First Batch of Int Artists Revealed

Artgerm, Quiccs, Alan Quah, Simone Legno and Jason Freeny amongst major artists

Talent and creativity abound in the first reveal of international artists who will grace AsiaPOP Comicon Manila 2017 (APCC Manila), which is happening on August 25 to 27 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.

From international artists’ Stanley Lau aka artgerm, Quiccs, Alan Quah, Simone Legno, to Jason Freeny, these creative geniuses are set to share their talents and insights to thousands of pop culture fans from all over the region who will converge at the country’s biggest pop culture convention.

DCU Rebirth | Supergirl #1

09.08.2016 – “Supergirl” is a month away to its second season and DC Comics is making sure fans who watched the show will get more than seeing her fly off in the small screen. DC’s Rebirth is a great entry point in getting to know the character in comics which also slightly reboots some of them that mirror the up and coming TV series. Though there are not many similarities, if you’ve only seen the show fans that come to adore Melissa Benoist’s ‘Kara Danvers” is great in this one. No need to backtrack what was Supergirl before rebirth all you need to know starts with issue one. But if you’re curious enough take time to backtrack a bit to find out the questions that would form into your mind about the character and its previous stories that was set before this very issue and how she’s completely different from her live-action counterpart. DC Universe Rebirth brings back both characters that made Blue Beetle relevant and explores the relationship between Kord and Reyes who both carried the same identity.

DCU Rebirth: Blue Beetle #1 | Double Beetle

08.31.2016 – The “Blue Beetle” has been a popular character after DC Comics acquired the rights from Charlton Comics, which Ted Kord became well known for the readers. But during the ‘Infinite Crisis’ saga Ted Kord was killed by Maxwell Lord revealed to be the man behind Checkmate. Jaime Reyes took over the identity of Blue Beetle, who would eventually bonds with the ‘Blue Beetle Scarab’, an alien artifact. DC Universe Rebirth brings back both characters that made Blue Beetle relevant and explores the relationship between Kord and Reyes who both carried the same identity. But it was unexpected that the story would still focus on the young Jaime Reyes who still possesses the enigmatic ‘Blue Beetle Scarab’ that excites a billionaire technologist like Ted Kord. The anticipation for Ted Kord to suit up as the Silver Age Blue Beetle was high in this issue, but it focuses more on Jaime Reyes as would say DC Comics’ version of a young wall crawler from its rival publication.