DC’s New 52: First Two weeks releases (Part I)

It’s been a great start for the DC’s New 52. I saw a lot of comics enthusiast grabbing a copy of the new titles right out of its delivery box (uhm, am I one of them?) :). Here are some of my comments to the ones that I’ve bought.

Action Comics #1

Written by Grant Morrison
Art by Rags Morales
Cover by Rags Morales

I’m not really a Superman fan but I would have to say that Grant Morrison started Action Comics with a bang. DC gave him Action Comics and he delivered. It started with a chase, and it kinda felt a little bit Batman-ish, not in a bad way but just different from what I was expecting before reading it. I never thought I would hear Superman say “Catch me if you can” but yup, he said it. I still don’t know where he would go (Morrisson) with it but that would be one of the reasons why I would be reading the next issue. To see what he would do next with it. A panel after panel full of action and that is enough reason for you to grab a copy. 🙂 

Superboy #1

Written by Scott Lobdell
Art by R.B. Silva & Rob Lean
Cover by R.B. Silva & Rob Lean

Before reading this, the only thing I know about Superboy was what I’ve watched from the “Young Justice” cartoon series. It somehow did nothing to make me interested to pick up a comic book about him. With the release of DC’s New 52, many where saying that Superboy is the one that you should not miss. I was surprised as to how good Scott Lobdell executed the story. He gave enough background for new readers and at the same time, creating something new for the Superboy fans. The last page makes me so excited as to what would happen in the next issue!

Justice League #1

Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Jim Lee & Scott Williams
Cover by Jim Lee & Scott Williams

This is my long overdue comment on the Justice League issue #1. Comic Bloggers are clamoring that the first issue of Justice League did not live up to readers’ expectation. With all the hype and it being the first of the DC’s New 52, much has been said. Some says that the story should start where the Justice League already exists or the issue should have been a full story. I would have to disagree to them. I think Geoff John starts a very solid 1st issue here. If you’re looking for a full story, you should have bought a graphic novel instead. You could not expect that the writer could squeeze all the characters there on the first issue. This is the way to go, a scene where he makes a dialogue with two or even three of the characters as a way of introduction. The readers, specially the new ones, would have a feel of who the characters are. Like what he did with Batman and Green Lantern, who would disagree to me that it was an awesome banter between the two characters? Yup, I knew it, NO ONE. If he could sustain that great writing all through out, I’m quite sure that Justice League would sell like hotcakes in all comic stores. With that said, I think it is worth it to grab the second issue of the Justice League.

So there you go. I did put a part I at the title and hopefully I would be able to finish writing some of my comments to the other comics that I’ve got during the first 2 weeks of DC’s New 52. Till next time, I mean next post. 🙂

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Intro to Komix Korner: Why Do I Read Comics?

Looking for something to write on my intro to Komix Korner, I stumbled upon a question raised on newsarama.com. “Why do you read superhero comics? . . . . . . . . . . . I pause for a minute (to think) . . . . . . . . Uhm . . . . . . aahhh . . . . . . oh god that’s a tough one.  I think I always asked that whenever I’m at the cash register and about to pay for my comics. Leafing through them, at the back of my mind, I always settle for the simple “you like them comic books dude” answer. But now, I guess I should give it some thought and answer the question.

• Escape . . . ? – I would really settle for the “I like them comics” than to admit that in some ways, it is a form of escape. But, yeah IT IS. You are so frustrated with how mundane your life is, that you’d rather believe a person can really fly and be sucked into a story that the superhero would come and save the day. You’d rather focus on the conflicts of super-villains and heroes, them fighting, reach it’s climax and the heroes win (or sometimes die). See the use of “YOU” instead of “I”? hehehe
• Collectability – I would stare at it for quite some time whenever I’m at my room and feel satisfied. I’m not like other collectors of comics who does it for the money. Keeping it in mint condition, not even touching it because of the acids (sweat and other stuff) on their hands that could damage the goods. I like reading it again if I feel like it and sometimes just looking at their pages. But going back :P, it is more of liking the feeling whenever I completed a series.
• I like the Art – Whenever a comic is well drawn (sometimes not even needing a balloon to convey the story), I would really stare at it and say, AWESOME! Seriously, if the illustrator is that good, it could really blow your mind. I envy them (illustrators) when this happens. I wish I could be like them (awesome job by the way).
• Story – For me, I consider comics as a short story written in balloons that is so concise, that a writer should convey what he/she wants to say in one to two sentences. And believe me, that is hard. It could also be considered as script writing. The story would be written in the form of a dialogue. But either way you look at it, it is still a story. I think a story with pictures of superheroes are the best stories ever told (coming from a child’s point of view :P).

I seriously tried to put a reason as to why I read comics but still the bottom line is “I like them comic books” :). As a show of love to the world of comics, every week I would TRY (emphasis on the word try) to post comments about the ones that I’ve read. Not that long, and not as thorough as what I’ve read on other blogs (serious comic bloggers) but my own point of view as to how I see it. You might see a lot of the DC’s new 52 because that’s the one that I’ll be anticipating this coming months. So there you go and for the lack of better words to end it, I’ll just say ta ta! 

NOTE: The sketches are not mine (obviously). It is available through the net, and I do not claim any of it. 🙂

Alfred Kropp: A Hero by Default

I just finished reading The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp (Alfred Kropp #1) and Alfred Kropp: The Seal of Solomon (Alfred Kropp #2). Hands down to you, Mr. Rick Yancey for making a very unique male protagonist. Although I find Alfred Kropp a bit too honest and way too innocent, he was written plausibly. Both Action-packed and fast-paced novels, you would be left wanting to read more of Alfred Kropp.

The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp (Alfred Kropp #1) : I already got a copy of this seating on my bookshelf for a long time now and there was no one asking me why I haven’t read it yet. I blame my GR friends, you know who you are. hehehe. But seriously, this is a great YA book. The world building, unlike any other fantasy books, is somewhat near to reality and that’s the way I like it. Others would try to let you swallow the story upfront, like here’s a cake and you should eat it all in one bite. But here, it started out like a YA contemporary lit. Then an unexpected event happens that turn the book into a fantasy. It was followed by series of events and info that would make the fantasy plausible. In short, AWESOME! 😉 

Alfred Kropp: The Seal of Solomon (Alfred Kropp #2) : After reading the first one, I immediately grab this so the adventures of Alfred Kropp would not be interrupted :). With this one, I like how the author withholds the information and suddenly drops it to you like a bomb in perfect timing to give the readers the effects he wanted. The consistency was there, which I think is necessary for a series. It should feel and read like the main character from the first is still the character your reading up until the end of the series. I suggest that you read the first one before you grab a copy of  The Seal of Solomon because some of the events here was directly related to the first. You wouldn’t enjoy it much because there would be a lot of questions unanswered. A great follow-up book. I can’t wait to read the next Alfred Kropp adventure. 🙂

DC Comics: New 52

I’ve been excited for about two months now because of this. DC Comics  would re-launch 52 of their titles back to issue #1. For a new comic collector, this is good news. I would have to admit that before, I would prefer buying a graphic novel than grab a copy of one of those on-going monthlies (Oh good, I got The Flash #163! Now I have to look for #01-162). 

Check out the trailer of DC’s New 52:

Source: Comics66channel

If you wanted a complete list of all the titles that DC would re-launch, comicbookresources.com got it covered. Click here . 😉

As for me, I’m planning to collect the following comics listed below. So from time to time, I might post some reviews or comments about the said comics. 🙂

 

JUSTICE LEAGUE #1
Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Jim Lee & Scott Williams
Cover by Jim Lee & Scott Williams

 

 

 

THE FLASH #1
Written by Francis Manapul & Brian Buccellato
Art by Francis Manapul & Brian Buccellato
Cover by Francis Manapul & Brian Buccellato

 

 

 

GREEN LANTERN #1
Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Doug Mahnke & Christiam Almy
Cover by Ivan Reis & Joe Prado

 

 

 

SUPERMAN: THE MAN OF TOMORROW #1
Written by George Perez
Art by Jesus Merino
Cover by George Perez

 

 

 

BATMAN #1
Written by Scott Snyder
Art by Greg Capullo
Cover by Greg Capullo

 

 

 

BATMAN & ROBIN #1
Written by Peter J. Tomasi
Art by Pat Gleason
Cover by Pat Gleason

 

 

 

AQUAMAN #1
Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Ivan Reis
Cover by Ivan Reis & Joe Prado

 

 

 

HE SAVAGE HAWKMAN #1
Written by Tony S. Daniel
Art by Philip Tan
Cover by Philip Tan

 

 

 

GREEN ARROW #1
Written by JT Krul
Art by Dan Jurgens
Cover by Brett Booth

 

 

 

TEEN TITANS #1
Written by Scott Lobdell
Art by Brett Booth & Norm Rapmund
Cover by Brett Booth & Norm Rapmund

 

 

That’s it. I hope that the DC’s new titles I’m planning to collect would not be just another sales idea gone bad. I already got a copy of the Justice League #1, and I’m planning to write something about it this weekend. Cheers! 🙂

Not an Artist, not a Writer but a Reader . . .

“. . . Exploring our pasts will help us uncover the themes of our lives.” *

I remember way back elementary that I am so fond of those cartoons with characters having powers. They help to save earth from all those aliens and bad guys (i.e. Captain Planet). Then the Uncanny X-men animated series became a hit. One of my classmate (I can’t remember his name, sorry dude :P) told me that it was from a comics before they turned it to cartoons. That’s when I discover the world of comics. I started going to Filbar’s and other comic shops to browse and look at the cool pages of it (just to take a peak, too pricey). I was so sure that I’m gonna be one of those artists that draw this stuff. What a dreamer, right? Hahaha 😛

I was gonna submit this for the comic strip series I was planning in my head when I was in high school. (Geeky, right? hahaha)

This is the scariest villain I could think of way back high school, when I thought I could make it to the big league. But I ‘ve seen some of my classmates that could draw way better than me. I STOP DREAMING. hahaha

Things I used to draw (or copy, hehehe).

(I know I’ve posted all of it before. No new materials, sorry. I can’t find them. hahaha)

High School. That’s when I discover the beauty of prose, I think I was obsessed with writing first before becoming an addict reader. I’m an essay writer and a comic strip contributor of our school organ (well, I’m not really sure if I contributed anything, hahaha). Every writer reads. I am very sure of that. You have to love reading before you actually know that you wanted to write. I think that’s where it all started for me. I LOVE READING. Grabbing everything that I could read to further develop my writing skills (if I got one :P).

After graduating high school, life makes it a bit harder for me. It makes me forget about drawings and writings. The only thing that I could think of is finishing school and finding a good job after. But READING never left me. It became my escape whenever I wanted to forget something. I get lost in whatever it is I’m reading and I’m fine. I’m so out of it sometimes that I never know what’s happening around me because all I could think of are the characters and the situations they’re in at whatever I’m currently reading. Yes, I admit I became an addict reader and I’m proud. 😀

So, there goes the theme of my life: I’m not an artist, not a writer but I’m very PROUD of being a READER.  Hehehe 😛

*from Spanking Shakespeare by Jake Wizner

Intro: PinoyReaderCon’s Filipino Friday meme

One good thing about almost being late to everything is that people around you are tired of asking why. So, with that said, I’m now posting what I should have already posted for PinoyReaderCon’s intro to Filipino Friday meme. 😛

Books and comics are a part of my life since I was young. The only difference that I could think of between then and now is that I could now buy what I really wanted to read (well, as long as my budget allow it :P). I remember during high school and college, I would read whatever book I could get my hands on and comics was never an option (pricey stuff, I tell you. Even now,  whenever I’m purchasing a graphic novel I would hold it for about 20 mins. before deciding what the heck right? I like them comic books). But because of that, I think it broadens my choices of what to read. I’ve spent reading F. Sionil Jose’s Rosales Saga (Po-on, The Pretenders, My Brother, My Executioner, Mass and Tree) during my class breaks at my college library (nerd alert! hehehe). The authors that I like then are John Grisham, Mitch Albom and Anne Rice. Now, I prefer reading YA contemporary lit, sci-fi/fantasy and of course graphic novels. There are books from authors/artists that I would automatically pick-up and buy whenever I’m at a bookstore (I know every book lovers could definitely relate to that). Jim Butcher, Rick Riordan, Barry Lyga, Steve Feasey, Frank Portman, Michael Grant, John Green, Michael Scott, Michael Carroll, Brent Crawford, Brian Michael Bendis, Brian K. Vaughan, Geoff Johns, Francis Manapul, Budjette Tan and Paolo Fabregas are some of the names I look for whenever I’m at a bookstore or when I’m surfing the web to check if they got some new books/GN.

The book that I really like right now is Jordan Sonnenblick’s Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie. The book series that I’m currently following are Gone series (Michael Grant), The Secrets of Immortal Nicholas Flamel series (Michael Scott), The Lost Hero series (Rick Riordan), Runaways series (Brian K. Vaughan), Dresden Files series (Jim Butcher), Ultimate Comics Spider-Man and Powers series (Brian Michael Bendis).

These are my online accounts: tumblr, wordpress, goodreads and twitter. That’s where you could contact me or whatever 😛

FHL: The New Breed of Pinoy Super Heroes

Move over Captain Barbel, Lastikman and Darna, Pinoy Graphic Novels got a new group of heroes Filipino comic readers would surely love. I am not saying that this new one would surpass what those pinoy comic heroes (well some of them I just knew because of the movies and/or pantaserye made base on their original comic series) accomplished so far, but they just might. A group of “super” connected to the government to eradicate crimes and save lives. But unlike the characters of DC and Marvel young kids are familiar with nowadays, this group got some pinoy twist in them. Think about it, a mutant story in a Filipino setting. Heads up to Paolo Fabregas, what a promising start. A lot of loose ends and a cliffhanger ending to book one that would make you wish that the next would not be too far from its release. To sidetrack me from spoiling you, I’ll just introduce the members of Filipino Heroes League:

 

Flashlight – The current leader of FHL. He’s doing this gig for the chicks ;). A bit of a badass if you ask me, but he is a true leader at heart.

Power: He could create/shoot/blast a ball of fire using his hands.

 

 

Invisiboy – Big boned (not fat). Described by his brother (slick, will tell more about him later) as a law-abiding-rule-loving-boy-scout-altar-boy. He’s like the goody two-shoes of the gang.

 Power: Invisibility.

 

 

Kidlat Kid – When he’s not doing heroic things, this guy is the fastest pedicab driver alive. A sort-of kanto boy who wears a tsinelas while fighting crimes.

 Power: A speedster.

 

 

Maria Constantino – No code name yet. She is the granddaughter of “The Teacher”. A Charmaine Riviera look-alike. You’ll know who Charmaine is if you would read FHL, rightVis? 😀

 Power: Telepathy

 

 

Slick – The brother of invisiboy. He joins the FHL to help his brother and for a reason only Maria knows. A small time crook who takes advantage of others by using his powers for personal gains. Too shady for FHL but I think it is too early to judge him.

 Power: He can make any surface slippery.

 

 

The Maker – A small boy with a big attitude. He knows way too much profanity for a boy. A bit too young to join the FHL but they really need all the help they can get.

 Power: Can invent anything out of trash.

 

This is a very promising PGN (pinoy graphic novel). A round of applause for Visprint for being brave enough to publish artists/writers like Paolo Fabregas, Manix Abrera and Budjette Tan. They open up a arena that others thought was already closed. A success to those people like me who believe that we could revive the comic industry in thePhilippines.

To view some of the pages of the PGN, click HERE!