TRESE: BLOODLINES Volume 2

A message has just emerged from the aether, informing me that the second volume of TRESE: BLOODLINES is expected to release at the upcoming Philippine Book Festival 2026, to be held at the Mega Trade Hall at SM Megamall on March 12-15.

Volume 2 contains "A Higher Decision of Instinct" (AKA SANCTUS Issue 2), with art by the mighty fine Brian Balondo.

I believe I've mentioned this elsewhere in the past: this was actually the first "Solo Fr Matt" script that I wrote ("Solo" in that it wasn't, like IUNCTURA and the subsequent scripts along that particular narrative throughline, a crossover/team-up with Dakila).

But Budjette wanted a more Fr. Matt-centric story as my first SANCTUS salvo, so "Instinct" was pushed to this volume.

In it, we get to see how the Hilasterion operates, as Fr. Matt and company go up against a colony of black ant demons!

Oh, my!

So show up at the Book Festival and snag a copy, why don't you?

Let me leave you with the cover art by the mighty fine Brian Balondo...

... and a massive shoutout to Laurent Keller and Élisabeth Gordon, for The Lives of Ants, which helped inform not just this particular issue, but my overall approach to the ant Malevari...

you can't drink just six,

Dave

 

CHECK THIS OUT! (July 30, 2022)

ARENA Glossary (1)

ARENA GLOSSARY

domaz

the winner of the previous Tornos, who acts as a scorekeeper/referee/impartial observer for the current one

numen (pl. numina)

omnipotent entity (considered by some as a deity) who views the Tornos as idle entertainment; each numen acts as a patron for a pehon

pehon (pl. pehonem)

fighter chosen (and often abducted from their home dimension) to represent a particular numen in the Tornos

taumaz

a group of four pehonem temporarily allied together

Tornos

a tournament the numina mount on a regular basis, in which pehonem battle each other till only one remains undefeated, becoming the winner, and subsequently, the domaz for the next Tornos

Vahta

the isolated location from where the numina observe the Tornos

(the) Vanayis (The Wish Without Limit)

the ultimate prize of the Tornos, a reality-altering wish

If you haven't read the first episode of ARENA yet, and have absolutely no idea what those funky words are all about, then please click on the logo above for front row seats to the Tornos.

(Click on the logo, people...

Click on the logo and engage...)

ARENA is brought to you by the tag team responsible for the DAKILA: Siyudad story arc--the mighty fine Pytr Mutuc on art and colors, Ye Olde Space Monkey on script and letters.

As with PODERICO POWERBOMB!, ARENA is also one of the many, many entries in the Webtoon "Call to Action" contest, so, we need as much support as all you mighty fine folk can muster...

We need what Webtoon calls "engagement"...

So, please, engage away, people!

And please be kind enough to help spread the word; feel free to share the ARENA link to any and all, particularly those you feel would groove to its distinctive beat.

As I've said before, my mighty fine collaborators Marv del Mundo and Pytr Mutuc, and I, need all the support we can get, and all the support all you mighty fine people out there can muster.

Thanx so much!

you can’t drink just six,

 

Dave

Thanx to my mighty fine co-creators on PODERICO POWERBOMB! and ARENA, Marv del Mundo and Pytr Mutuc.

Thanx to all you mighty fine folk helping to spread the word.

(ARENA logo designed by Pytr Mutuc.)

CHECK THIS OUT! (July 27, 2022) PODERICO POWERBOMB! Glossary (1)

CHECK THIS OUT! (July 27, 2022)

PODERICO POWERBOMB! Glossary (1)

                                                                    

What you'll find here, though we're calling it a glossary, can actually be looked at as a primer as well.

For anyone who's read (or is about to read) PODERICO POWERBOMB!, and who happens to be unfamiliar with Filipino myth and folklore or things like Filipino place names, then we've got you covered here.

Our intent is to present an updateable glossary/primer, in that new terms and entries will be added as new episodes are released, and these updates will hopefully be of service to those who may be encountering these terms for the first time.

To wit:

PODERICO POWERBOMB! GLOSSARY

BGC

Bonifacio Global City, a “financial and lifestyle district” located in the city of Taguig in Metro Manila

bruho [broo-ho; from the Spanish brujo]

male witch, sorceror, witch doctor; often a practitioner of so-called “black” magick

danag [da-nag]

race of vampiric humanoids

datu [da-too]

title used to denote the ruler of a particular group or community; equated with “chief” or “prince”

diwata [di-wa-ta]

spirit who protects the land and those who dwell upon it 

huevos [hoo-we-vos]

eggs

huevos rancheros [ran-che-ros]

literally, ranch-style eggs

kantahan [kan-ta-han]

singing

mijo [mee-ho]

contraction of mi hijo, "my son"; a term of endearment sometimes used regardless of blood relation

Pasay [Pa-sai]

city located in Metro Manila

Pasig [Pa-sig]

city located in Metro Manila

We hope that helps those who might have stumbled on some unfamiliar terms...

PODERICO POWERBOMB! is brought to you by the tag team responsible for the Dakila/Fr Trese DEVIATION crossover, "Iunctura"--that would be the mighty fine Marv del Mundo on art and colors, and Ye Olde Space Monkey on script and letters.

Click on the image below to join Team 'Rico!

Please be kind enough to help spread the word; feel free to share the PODERICO POWERBOMB! link to any and all, particularly those you feel would groove to its distinctive beat.

My mighty fine collaborator Marv del Mundo and I would greatly appreciate the support.

Thanx so much!

you can’t drink just six,

 

Dave

Thanx to my mighty fine co-creators on PODERICO POWERBOMB! and ARENA, Marv del Mundo and Pytr Mutuc.

Thanx to all you mighty fine folk helping to spread the word.

(PODERICO POWERBOMB! logo designed by Marv del Mundo.)

CHECK THIS OUT! (July 24, 2022) [Updated with New Link]

CHECK THIS OUT! (July 24, 2022)

[UPDATED with NEW LINK]

Is!

Now!!

Live!!!

Click on the logo, people...

Click on the logo and engage...

ARENA is brought to you by the tag team responsible for the DAKILA: Siyudad story arc--the mighty fine Pytr Mutuc on art and colors, Ye Olde Space Monkey on script and letters.

As with PODERICO POWERBOMB!, ARENA is also one of the many, many entries in the Webtoon "Call to Action" contest, so, we need as much support as all you mighty fine folk can muster...

We need what Webtoon calls "engagement"...

So, please, engage away, people!

If all goes well, this will hopefully be our foot in the Webtoon door, and for those of you who are familiar with my writing, you'll know that there is still so much more story to be told...

And, if you haven't checked it out yet, there's also

                                                                    

which you can find

PODERICO POWERBOMB! is brought to you by the tag team responsible for the Dakila/Fr Trese DEVIATION crossover, "Iunctura"--that would be the mighty fine Marv del Mundo on art and colors, and Ye Olde Space Monkey on script and letters.

You can check out some promo art here and here, or as a tag team combo, here.

Please be kind enough to help spread the word; feel free to share the PODERICO POWERBOMB! and ARENA links to any and all, particularly those you feel would groove to their distinctive beats.

As I've said before, my mighty fine collaborators Marv del Mundo and Pytr Mutuc, and I, need all the support we can get, and all the support all you mighty fine people out there can muster.

Engage away, people!

Thanx so much!

you can’t drink just six,

 

Dave

Thanx to my mighty fine co-creators on PODERICO POWERBOMB! and ARENA, Marv del Mundo and Pytr Mutuc.

Thanx to all you mighty fine folk helping to spread the word.

(ARENA logo designed by Pytr Mutuc; PODERICO POWERBOMB! logo designed by Marv del Mundo.)

CHECK THIS OUT! (July 19, 2022)

CHECK THIS OUT! (July 19, 2022)

                                                                    

Is!

Now!!

Live!!!

See?!

https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/poderico-powerbomb/all-manner-of-things/viewer?title_no=787924&episode_no=1

(Actually, both images above are links too, so, hey, please feel free to click away...)

Brought to you by the tag team responsible for the Dakila/Fr Trese DEVIATION crossover, "Iunctura"--that would be the mighty fine Marv del Mundo on art and coloring, and Ye Olde Space Monkey on script and letters--PODERICO POWERBOMB! is one of the many, many entries in the Webtoon "Call to Action" contest, so, as I said in an earlier "Check This Out", we need all the support all you mighty fine folk can give us...

While a majority of the judging percentages lies in the work itself and is determined by Webtoon's judges, there is a percentage taken up by "engagement."

So engage away, people!

If all goes well, this will hopefully be our foot in the Webtoon door, and for those of you who are familiar with my writing, you'll know that there is still so much more story to be told...

As for

from the tag team responsible for the DAKILA: Siyudad story arc--Pytr Mutuc on art and colors, Ye Olde Space Monkey on script and letters--this should hopefully go live sometime later this week...

You can check out some promo art here and here, or as a tag team combo, here.

Please be kind enough to help spread the word; feel free to share the PODERICO POWERBOMB! links to any and all, particularly those you feel would groove to its beat.

As I said, my mighty fine collaborators Marv del Mundo and Pytr Mutuc, and I, need all the support we can get, and all the support all you mighty fine people out there can muster.

Engage away, people!

Thanx so much!

you can’t drink just six,

 

Dave

Thanx to my mighty fine co-creators on PODERICO POWERBOMB! and ARENA, Marv del Mundo and Pytr Mutuc.

Thanx to all you mighty fine folk helping to spread the word.

(PODERICO POWERBOMB! logo designed by Marv del Mundo; ARENA logo designed by Pytr Mutuc.)

INDIEKET 2021 (ONLINE) [Updated! With Schedule!!]

INDIEKET 2021 (ONLINE)
[Updated! With Schedule!!]

Among the Creator Connect talks scheduled for this year's online edition of Indieket on August 7, we've got one in which a half-dozen of the mighty fine artists I've had the privilege to collaborate with are gathered to talk komiks collaboration...

Thrill! At this Sneak Peek!!!

For the record, those half-dozen are:

Michael Urbano [Top Left]: URIEL: Hekhalot; DAKILA: Legado Issues 1 & 2A

Marvin del Mundo [Top Right]: DAKILA / Fr TRESE: Iunctura

Carl Corilla [Middle Left]: DAKILA: Makadaot

Pyotr Mutuc [Middle Center]: DAKILA: Siyudad Issues 1 to 3

Ace Enriquez [Middle Right]: BATHALA: Apokalypsis

Reno Maniquis [Bottom Center]: MASKARADO / DAKILA: Silver Like Dust

More details here.

We've got the 5th slot, from 4 in the afternoon to 5:30.

(More details here.)

You'll note from the Sneak Peek that Yours Truly was not on the Zoom call (long story short: technical issues prohibit me from Zooming at the moment).

Regardless, you should still most definitely check the talk out, coz these mighty fine gentlemen discuss komik collaboration, and I also still managed to answer questions over email, so I believe some of my answers will be read out loud during the call...

Or something.

Anyhoo, just check the talk out if you've got the time and the inclination. (August 7, 4PM to 5:30PM.) 

Your viewership and support will be greatly appreciated.

And please feel free to check out any (or all) of the other Creator Connect talks...

"See you" at the Indieket.

you can't drink just six,

Dave

INDIEKET 2021 (ONLINE)

Among the talks scheduled for this year's online edition of Indieket on August 7, we have Creator Connect, in which a half-dozen of the mighty fine artists I've had the privilege to collaborate with are gathered to talk komiks collaboration...

Thrill! At this Sneak Peek!!!

For the record, those half-dozen are:

Michael Urbano [Top Left]: URIEL: Hekhalot; DAKILA: Legado Issues 1 & 2A

Marvin del Mundo [Top Right]: DAKILA / Fr TRESE: Iunctura

Carl Corilla [Middle Left]: DAKILA: Makadaot

Pyotr Mutuc [Middle Center]: DAKILA: Siyudad Issues 1 to 3

Ace Enriquez [Middle Right]: BATHALA: Apokalypsis

Reno Maniquis [Bottom Center]: MASKARADO / DAKILA: Silver Like Dust

More details here.

Exact time has yet to be announced, so check in at the Indieket FB as August 7 comes creeping towards us for updates.

You'll note from the Sneak Peek that Yours Truly was not on the Zoom call (long story short: technical issues prohibit me from Zooming at the moment).
Regardless, you should still most definitely check the talk out, coz these mighty fine gentlemen discuss komik collaboration, and I also still managed to answer questions over email, so I believe some of my answers will be read out loud during the call...

Or something.

Anyhoo, just check the talk out if you've got the time and the inclination. Your viewership and support will be greatly appreciated.

"See you" at the Indieket.

you can't drink just six,

Dave

 TRESE: BLOODLINES Volume 1

TRESE: BLOODLINES Volume 1 is now available to order on Shopee.

I had originally intended to make that announcement in a new Out of the Gutter post where I was going to talk a bit more about one of my contributions, but alas, some Personal Life Upheaval stuff raging, so I'll try and get around to that particular OotG at some point.

For now, my contributions are as follows:

The Fr. Matthias Trese case, “That Kind of Hunger” (art by the mighty fine Brian Balondo) and

the Fr. Trese and Dakila Deviation, “Iunctura” (AKA DEVIATIONS Issue 1; art by the mighty fine Marvin del Mundo).

If "Iunctura" makes you want to see more Dakila (and I really hope it does), then kindly click on down to the Indies section of the Avenida website, where you'll find these 'Verse goodies...

Support independently published local comics!

In the meantime, let's continue to trudge through this liminal space, leaving the massive dumpster fire that was TFNY 2020...

Hopefully, 2021 will be kinder to the human race...

With that said:

 

Stay safe.

Stay sane.

 

you can’t drink just six,

 

Dave

OUT OF THE GUTTER (4) “Iunctura”

OUT OF THE GUTTER (4)

“Iunctura”

David Hontiveros / Marvin del Mundo

[Contained in TRESE: BLOODLINES Volume 1]

This piece originally appeared in the DEVIATIONS issue 1 “Iunctura” floppy release.

It appears here at the Iguana for any readers who will be reading the story in BLOODLINES Volume 1 for the first time.

 

When Budjette asked me if I was interested in writing Fr. Matt, I very quickly landed on having my first script be a team-up between Fr. Matt and Dakila.

There are a number of reasons for that, and these are two of them.

One:

The only established foundation for the character of Fr. Matt was the “Linda Blasco” story; I was given free rein in terms of not just his personal backstory, but also the finer details of the type of demons he faces as well as the further specifics of the organization he’s a part of.

 

And while the relatively open slate I was presented with eased away some of the pressure on one end (there wasn’t much I could possibly contradict, given the single issue worth of story that was my, ahem, Bible for Fr. Matt), it also compounded the pressure on the other (because in the final analysis, this was going to be all me).

 

So I felt I needed to ease into the character of Fr. Matt, and having another character there, someone I’ve been actively thinking about and writing for a whole slew of scripts and issues and years, was sort of my security blanket.

If I knew exactly what Dakila would say and how he’d react to any given situation, that would free me up to focus on Fr. Matt, so I could discover who he is as a person and an individual, and I would then, in turn, eventually know what Fr. Matt would say and how he’d react to any given situation.

I wasn’t just discovering Fr. Matt from my viewpoint as the writer; I was also discovering Fr. Matt through Dakila’s eyes, and that helped the process tremendously.

Two:

The thought of chronicling how a priest would react to meeting a superhero who happens to be “the champion of God”...

That was a no-brainer and too, heh, tempting an opportunity to pass up.

So I opted to have IUNCTURA be the first Fr. Matt script I wrote.

 

And yes, for those of you who super-parsed that sentence, there are more Fr. Matt scripts that have already been written, some focusing more on Fr. Matt (and which lean more towards the horror end of the spectrum) and some featuring the further adventures of the Divinely Dynamic Duo, Dakila and Fr. Matt, both types of stories working in tandem to help build out the world of the Mercy Seat and the Malevari.

 

So we all hope you enjoy this first step that takes us deeper into the world of Fr. Matt, where demons buzz and shriek with the voices of the once-possessed, and where priests can be trusted to kick Evil’s ass for the Lord...

--dave (Space Monkey)

October 2019

And with that dispatch from the Long Ago sent out into the wilds of the Interwebz, let me leave you with:

 

Stay safe.

Stay sane.

 

you can’t drink just six,

 

Dave

TRESE: BLOODLINES Volume 1 contains both

“Iunctura” (AKA DEVIATIONS Issue 1; art by the mighty fine Marvin del Mundo), and

“That Kind of Hunger” (art by the mighty fine Brian Balondo).

TRESE: BLOODLINES Volume 1 is now available for preorder at the Avenida website.

There's still time to preorder (20% off cover price), so long as payment is made by December 17, 2020, which is tomorrow, so chop chop!

Shipping starts on December 21, 2020, Monday next week.

And while you're down Avenida way to preorder, it would be greatly appreciated if you also check out the Indies section, where you'll find more Dakila in these 'Verse goodies...