Sunday, August 22, 2010

PIMP MY STUFF:
BATHALA: APOKALYPSIS

Thanx so much to all the people who showed up on Saturday at the Metro ComicCon, particularly those who'd already read the first chapter of Bathala: Apokalypsis online, but still wanted it in hardcopy.
Much gratitude for the support.

And to those who asked after other characters I've written about in the past, as I said, some things are in the works. A little positive energy sent our way to help them come to fruition couldn't hurt...

Getting back to Bathala, the entirety of the first chapter is online at davidhontiveros.com.
What is it about?
To wit:

What if there was only one superhuman to protect the whole world?

What if the world was ending as predicted in the Book of Revelation?

What can one superman do to stop the hand of the Almighty?


Now, the whole story is told in 7 chapters, and we're aiming for November for the 2nd chapter.
Till then, any pertinent announcements regarding Bathala (or any of my other stuff) will be found here at the Iguana.

Once again, thanx to the Metro Comic Con and Visprint crews, and Budj, for making that happen, and thanx to all of you out there for the support.

Friday, August 20, 2010


PIMP MY STUFF

Firstly, I'd like to apologize for not having been able to announce it here (net access is dodgy these days), but I was part of a Horror Panel at the recent Visprint event held at UST. I was there along with Budjette Tan and Bart Coronel last Wednesday, August 18.
To those who attended the event, thanx so much. Thanx also to those who went up to the mike and asked their questions; our gratitude for joining the dialogue. And to those who came up to us after the talk, thanx so much for your support and your enthusiasm.
A hearty round of applause for the Visprint crew, for making that happen.

Secondly, in a little bit, I'll be at the 2010 Metro ComicCon, at the SM Megamall Megatrade Hall 2. Bathala: Apokalypsis artist Ace Enriquez and editor Budjette Tan should be there as well. (Thanx once more to the Visprint crew!)
Hope to see you there!

Thursday, August 5, 2010


[REC] 2
(Review)

And I continue to be a Balagueró slut…


[REC] 2 kicks off right where [REC] ends, as four SWAT members are tasked to escort a Minister of Health into the quarantined apartment building where the horrors of the original took place. With the presence of the SWAT team, with their mounted cameras and heavy firepower, it initially gives the appearance that [REC] 2 is going the Aliens route, where the sequel doses up the horror of its progenitor with booster shots of adrenaline, testosterone, and gunfire.
But Jaume Balagueró and co-director Paco Plaza impishly tread other paths in this brilliant follow-up.


Contrary to the louder, “sound and fury” mentality of Hollywood’s hollower sequels, [REC] 2 targets higher ground in more significant ways. Not only are the shots more ambitious, but so is the narrative structure.
The diabolical aspects of [REC] are also opened up and taken further, neatly dovetailing into a sequence that takes the handheld camera from storytelling device to item of narrative consequence. (Battery life also comes into play at a certain point, so hurrah, for the acknowledgement of real life technological limitations on the found footage genre.)

Not only does [REC] 2 take the tantalizing promise of [REC]’s climactic reveal and run gleefully with it to places not normally seen in the zombie/infected genre, it also addresses some of the matters which were established in the original.
And in keeping with the spirit of [REC], it also has questions unanswered by the time the end credits roll, agonizing teases for more truly exceptional shakycam horror* in a third installment.**


* As much as I love what Balagueró has achieved with the [REC] films, setting some formidable standards for the first person horror experience, I’m also looking forward to his return to his own solo work, so my anticipation for Flatmate is rather high…

** [REC] 3 has already been announced…


Parting shot: [REC] was on the ¡Qué Horror! 2009 roll call, where it shared a slot with its English-language remake, Quarantine. Please feel free to scour the Archive, where reviews of Jaume Balagueró’s other films, Los Sin Nombre, Darkness, and Fragiles, can also be found.

([REC] 2 OS courtesy of impawards.com; images and PSA poster courtesy of jaumebalaguero.blogspot.com.)

Wednesday, August 4, 2010


PIMP MY STUFF
BATHALA: APOKALYPSIS

So, yeah, we'll be at the 2010 Metro ComicCon, on August 21-22, at the SM Megamall Megatrade Hall 2.
Hope to see you there!

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

PIMP MY STUFF:
BATHALA: APOKALYPSIS

The first issue of Bathala: Apokalypsis has indeed been sighted at davidhontiveros.com.
To wit:

What if there was only one superhuman to protect the whole world?

What if the world was ending as predicted in the Book of Revelation?

What can one superman do to stop the hand of the Almighty?

Sunday, August 1, 2010


PIMP MY STUFF:
BATHALA: APOKALYPSIS

Let's see...
A story in 7 chapters, that began with the simple question posed by Gerry Alanguilan: What if Superman had to deal with the Apocalypse?
Art by Ace Enriquez and edited by Budjette Tan.
At this point, "Soon" could be around the 3rd week of August.
Any hard confirmation will be posted here.
Oh, and at the moment, I believe the entire first issue will also be going online at davidhontiveros.com.
Again, confirmation here when there's confirmation to be had...