AND NOW... A FEW (MORE) WORDS ABOUT SEROKS
 
Congratulations to Andrea Abulencia, whose presentation of her paper--at the POSTHUMANITIES IN ASIA: THEORIES AND PRACTICES International Conference held at the Umeda Campus, Kansai University, in Osaka, Japan, on June 8 and 9--was, in her own words "well-received."

For the record, the paper is entitled "Pirated Identities, Real Fictional Selves: The Posthuman Clone Narrative in David Hontiveros' Seroks Iteration 1: Mirror Man as Philippine Contemporary Science Fiction," as can be seen in the image below.

Once again, thanx so much to Andrea and all you other mighty fine folk who continue to spread the good word...

you can't drink just six,

Dave

AND NOW... A FEW WORDS ABOUT SEROKS
 
I've just been informed that Andrea Abulencia, who chose SEROKS Iteration 1: Mirror Man as the subject for her thesis in 2016, has written another paper on it.
And this time, she's presenting her paper at the POSTHUMANITIES IN ASIA: THEORIES AND PRACTICES International Conference being held at the Umeda Campus, Kansai University, in Osaka, Japan, on June 8 and 9.

And while I've always been both thrilled and humbled every time something I've written is chosen as the subject for an academic paper, I've never made announcements before.
This time though, the paper's being presented.
At an international conference.
In the land of Ultraman, kaiju, tokusatsu, and the late, great Satoshi Kon. (All of whom/which, incidentally, were referenced in SEROKS.)
For all that, I thought it was blog post-worthy...

So, if you happen to be in the Osaka neighborhood this coming weekend and presentations of academic papers are kind of your thing, then hey, check out the conference.
And tell Andrea (now a teacher at the University of Asia and the Pacific; hope the presentation goes well!) you read about it here at the Iguana!

And before I wrap up, I'd just like to say thanx so much to all you mighty fine folk like Andrea, who find resonances in my writing, and help spread the word about them.

Dōmo arigatōgozaimashita.

you can't drink just six,

Dave

2018 SUMMER KOMIKON LAUNCH

THE BLACK BESTIARY: An Alejandro Pardo Compendium

Okay, new article highlighting five of the new creature entries from The Black Bestiary: An Alejandro Pardo Compendium (launching tomorrow, April 14, at Summer Komikon) can be found here.*

Check out the round-up post (which has some more BB-related links) here.

The Black Bestiary: An Alejandro Pardo Compendium contains a new batch of creature entries (written by Budjette Tan), and a whole lot more narrative stuff, written by yours truly, with illustrations by Kajo Baldisimo, Bow Guerrero, and Mervin Malonzo.

[Click to embiggen!]

BB will be available at the Summit booth (which will be located outside the main Kon area, in the lobby, at L101 on the floor plan). 
Get your copy early, enter the main Kon area, and mosey on down to the Alamat table (B36) to have it signed.

You'll be entitled to discounts on most of the 'Verse comics if I sign your copy of BB on Saturday!
(Offer good for the duration of Summer Komikon 2016 on April 14, Saturday, and while supplies last.)

I'll also be at the Summit booth from 2 to 4 PM, signing alongside other members of the creative team. (Kajo and Bow have indicated they will be present, though no word from Mervin that I've heard.)

Plus of course, new 'Verse releases here!

You might also want to visit the Visprint booth (against the wall on the right side once you've entered the main Kon area), if you're in a science-fiction mood to check out the Seroks collections (Iteration 1: Mirror Man and Iteration 2: Once in a Lifetime) and if you're in a horror/dark fantasy mood, some of the remaining Penumbra novellas.

And there you go.

Set the date: April 14 (tomorrow!) at the Bayanihan Center on Pioneer.

#komikonph

Hope to see all you mighty fine folk at Summer Kon!

you can’t drink just six,

Dave

* Just to clarify, while Kajo and Bow do have illustrations in BB, the art of the five creatures featured in the article are all by Mervin. (And, as noted on each image, all illustrations appear courtesy of Summit Books.)
 

2018 SUMMER KOMIKON LAUNCH

THE BLACK BESTIARY: An Alejandro Pardo Compendium

Okay, so let's see...

A 15 second video for The Black Bestiary: An Alejandro Pardo Compendium (launching this coming Saturday, April 14, at Summer Komikon) can be found here.

I talk a little bit about it here, and a Q&A with me can be found here.
Plus, there's a Summit article here.
Travel to distant parts of the World Wide Web with just a few clicks!
Modern technology... awesome.*
And please share those links, yeah?

So there you have it.

The Black Bestiary: An Alejandro Pardo Compendium will contain a new batch of creature entries (written by Budjette Tan), and a whole lot more narrative stuff, written by yours truly, with illustrations by Kajo Baldisimo, Bow Guerrero, and Mervin Malonzo.

[Click to embiggen!]

BB will be available at the Summit booth (which will be located outside the main Kon area, in the lobby, at L101 on the floor plan). 
Get your copy early, enter the main Kon area, and mosey on down to the Alamat table (B36) to have it signed.

You'll be entitled to discounts on most of the 'Verse comics if I sign your copy of BB on Saturday!
(Offer good for the duration of Summer Komikon 2016 on April 14, Saturday, and while supplies last.)

I'll also be at the Summit booth from 2 to 4 PM, signing alongside other members of the creative team. (Kajo and Bow have indicated they will be present, though no word from Mervin that I've heard.)

Plus of course, new 'Verse releases here!

You might also want to visit the Visprint booth (against the wall on the right side once you've entered the main Kon area), if you're in a science-fiction mood to check out the Seroks collections (Iteration 1: Mirror Man and Iteration 2: Once in a Lifetime) and if you're in a horror/dark fantasy mood, some of the remaining Penumbra novellas.

And there you go.

Set the date: April 14, this coming Saturday (Two! Days!! Away!!!), at the Bayanihan Center on Pioneer.

#komikonph

Hope to see all you mighty fine folk at Summer Kon!

you can’t drink just six,

Dave

* Unless it's used to spy on you, or tries to murder you 'cause it's a killer robot... in which case, not awesome.

POST-SUMMER KOMIKON POST!

Still deep in Recovery Mode from a long day at this year's Summer Komikon, but I'd just like to convey my deepest gratitude to all you mighty, mighty fine folk who passed by the table and picked up some 'Verse, or had your books (whether pre-bought copies of the LOST JOURNAL or SEROKS) signed, or helped to sell out the LOST JOURNAL stocks at the NBS booth and picked up some UNDERPASS.
Huzzah!

For everyone who asked after the possibility of a Volume 2, well, let your voices be heard by Summit, and get your friends and family to pick up their own copies!
And, you know, do the Facebook thing at the Summit FB page.

And if you still don't have a copy of the LOST JOURNAL in your hands, check out the images below for its availability.

THE LOST JOURNAL OF ALEJANDRO PARDO: Creatures & Beasts of Philippine Folklore is now out (P295).

For those outside of the Philippines, it's available as a PDF from the Buqo Bookstore.

Once again, thanx for all the enthusiasm and support, and please feel free to spread the word and the love…

you can’t drink just six,

Dave

THE LOST JOURNAL OF ALEJANDRO PARDO
(At 2016 Summer Komikon!)

The clock continues to tick down to April 16, Saturday, for this year's Summer Komikon, and as I mentioned before, there will indeed be a LOST JOURNAL presence there.

So, yeah, books for sale, some of the creative team present for putting their grubby paws and deathless scrawl on your personal copies...
The usual Summer Kon madness...

As I mentioned before, The 'Verse will be at Summer Kon with some new releases (full details here), so if you're at Bayanihan early, then track down the Alamat table...

... where I shall be stationed.
Pick up some 'Verse, or have your copies of THE LOST JOURNAL signed early. (Or, better yet, both!)

To the best of my knowledge, Mervin should also be lurking at the Visprint tables (to the right of the Alamat table, where copies of the SEROKS collections should also be available), so you can get him to sign your copy too!

Once again, thanx to all you mighty fine folk for the enthusiasm and the support.
Hope to see you at Summer Kon!

THE LOST JOURNAL OF ALEJANDRO PARDO: Creatures & Beasts of Philippine Folklore is now out (P295).

For those outside of the Philippines, it's available as a PDF from the Buqo Bookstore.

Please feel free to spread the word and the love…

you can’t drink just six,

Dave

POST-INDIEKET 2015 'VERSE POST

Firstly, allow me to thank all you mighty fine folk who came out to yesterday’s Indieket.

To everyone who stopped by the table to pick up some comics, shoot the sh!t about your thoughts and reactions to The ‘Verse and Seroks, or to get your hands on the Tatsulok compilation (art by the mighty fine Xerx Javier), your presence and support was awesome and greatly appreciated.

Now, we’re hoping to make an announcement soon regarding availability of the Tatsulok compilation out in the real world, beyond the borders of the comic convention circuit.

In the meantime though, please allow me to share with you these little bits.

For anyone who’s been following any of The ‘Verse titles, you’ll well be aware of the books’ backmatter (the supplementary text pieces in the comics).

Below, you’ll find a couple of bits excerpted from what I like to think of as “The Septet Musings.”

Anyone who followed the Tatsulok singles, or picked up the compilation yesterday at Indieket, will hopefully be familiar with The Septet, and will have at least seen one of them in that book, as well as the “personal assistant” of another. (Who, yes, is the same Alice that makes a brief appearance in Dakila: Lumilim 1, with art by the mighty fine Elmer Cantada, which also debuted yesterday at Indieket.)

Truthfully though, The Septet are an active force in The ‘Verse due principally to Ian Sta. Maria answering my question about the Big Bad he wanted Kadasig to face.

So The Septet have a dominant role throughout the first 4 volumes of Kadasig. (Yes, there are 3 volumes meant to follow The Skeleton at the Feast. Their titles are, for the record: The Unraveling, A Kind of Praise, and His Darling Sin. And yes, all the scripts for all 4 volumes are complete; they were all done before Ian even started drawing the first page of The Skeleton at the Feast.)

So what you see below isn’t just for anyone who might have bought the Tatsulok compilation yesterday, but also to anyone who’s following Kadasig, or any of the other ‘Verse titles, for that matter (because The Septet pop up in some of the other books as well).

To the guy who asked about Kadasig yesterday (and to everyone else out there who’ve been waiting on it), profuse apologies for the delay.

This isn’t a new Kadasig issue, but it’s what I can do for now.

Any good karma you can send our way to help us grease the wheels and get that particular engine moving, will be greatly appreciated.

In the meantime, please accept a sneak peek at these text pieces (which should worm their way into the backmatter of one of the upcoming ‘Verse issues that have something to do with The Septet).

And again, thanx to all you mighty fine folk for the enthusiasm and support.

Please feel free to spread the word and the love…

you can’t drink just six,

Dave

SUNDAY INQUIRER MAGAZINE ARTICLE

If you (like myself) checked out today's edition of the Philippine Sunday Inquirer you'll have noted that there was no Sunday Inquirer Magazine...
I've been informed that there were gremlins involved with the delay of the actual physical issue (which contains Ruey De Vera's article on yours truly).
The issue itself will be released next Sunday (November 9), so check the Philippine Sunday Inquirer then, if you (like myself) are partial to having the printed word in physical form.
And, if you want to read the article right now, it's online here.

Thanx again to the mighty fine Ruey De Vera, as well as Nida and Budjette, for the kind words...

SEROKS ART (DIGITAL PRINTS) AVAILABLE

SEROKS art pieces by the mighty fine Alan Navarra are now available! (Shades not included.)
See here and here.
And for other pieces (including non-SEROKS art), check out Alan's Instagram.

PIMP MY STUFF
NEW 'VERSE TITLES AT FILBAR'S

Firstly, all my mighty fine artist collaborators and I would like to thank all the mighty fine folk who dropped by the table at yesterday’s Summer Kon to pick up some comics (and some SEROKS from the Visprint table) and to have stuff signed and to exchange some encouraging and heartening words of support.

To all of you, our heartfelt gratitude…

For any of you who weren’t able to drop by the Bayanihan Center yesterday though, these new ‘Verse titles should be available at Filbar’s (Megamall and Festival Mall branches, I believe) soon…

DAKILA: Buwan

Issue 1 (of 3)

By David Hontiveros and Jason Confesor

18-year old Brandon Ramirez has been a superhero for almost 3 months now, and as if things weren’t complicated enough, he’s gone and fallen in love… with a lunar princess… who’s got a jealous childhood friend who happens to be a demon-werewolf hybrid, and who’s just decided to turn up the crazy in time for a really important dinner date!

Dakila. 18 years old. Cosmic champion.

All of a sudden, acne and getting a driver’s license are so not a big deal.

URIEL: Hekhalot

Issue 2B (of 4)

By David Hontiveros and Michael Urbano

Uriel is a mighty arel, held in reverence and awe by his fellow arelim, feared and despised by the shedim hordes.

And right now, his fate and existence lies in the hands of his seven-year-old mortal charge, Maleck de los Santos.

Uriel journeys to the diabul in an attempt to find a solution to his current problem: he must now find a way to leave Maleck’s body without harming the boy.

Meanwhile, Maleck’s doctor is sucked into the supernatural goings-on surrounding his young patient…

(URIEL: Hekhalot Issue 2A will also be available at Filbar’s.)

Again, thanx to one and all.

you can’t drink just six,

Dave

PIMP MY STUFF
APRIL 12 2014 SUMMER KOMIKON

For all you mighty fine folk who plan to be at the Bayanihan Center next Saturday, April 12, for this year’s Summer Kon, these are the new ‘Verse titles that are launching:

DAKILA: Buwan

Issue 1 (of 3)

By David Hontiveros and Jason Confesor

P110.00

18-year old Brandon Ramirez has been a superhero for almost 3 months now, and as if things weren’t complicated enough, he’s gone and fallen in love… with a lunar princess… who’s got a jealous childhood friend who happens to be a demon-werewolf hybrid, and who’s just decided to turn up the crazy in time for a really important dinner date!

Dakila. 18 years old. Cosmic champion.

All of a sudden, acne and getting a driver’s license are so not a big deal.

URIEL: Hekhalot

Issue 2B (of 4)

By David Hontiveros and Michael Urbano

P50.00

Uriel is a mighty arel, held in reverence and awe by his fellow arelim, feared and despised by the shedim hordes.

And right now, his fate and existence lies in the hands of his seven-year-old mortal charge, Maleck de los Santos.

Uriel journeys to the diabul in an attempt to find a solution to his current problem: he must now find a way to leave Maleck’s body without harming the boy.

Meanwhile, Maleck’s doctor is sucked into the supernatural goings-on surrounding his young patient…

PLUS!

This baby should also be available at the Visprint table…

 

SEROKS Iteration 2: Once in a Lifetime

By David Hontiveros; illustrations by Alan Navarra

Return to the dystopic future world of SEROKS Iteration 1: Mirror Man in Once in a Lifetime.

Here, we meet two more of the 8 seroks of the world’s first superhero, Paladin, engineered from the DNA of popular yesteryear movie star-slash-disgraced ex-Philippine President Federico Rubio.

And find out more about the ones we’ve already met.

Plus, there’s also the world’s second superhero, Paladin, Jr., an enhanced clone of the tragically deceased movie star Taylor Kon, who’s teamed up with the first Paladin.

All that, and the rest of our SEROKS cast--Originals, Templates, or dupes--who are joined by some new faces, some familiar-looking, some not, and some, not even human.

So, while I’m uncertain as to the current status of Once in a Lifetime as far as the local bookstores are concerned--not sure when it’s gonna be stocked on shelves--it’s a safe bet copies will be available at Summer Kon.

So there we go.

Hope to see all you mighty fine folk at the Bayanihan Center next Saturday (April 12) for this year’s Summer Kon hijinx!

you can’t drink just six,

Dave