MASKARADO/DAKILA X-OVERS!

 MASKARADO/DAKILA: SILVER LIKE DUST and IN A DARK WOOD

Check this out!

https://www.instagram.com/renomansa/p/Dei0UFajx9z/?img_index=1

So, yes, IN A DARK WOOD (cover below) is now available to order, along with the new print run of SILVER LIKE DUST (cover above).

Check the deets at Reno's IG or the official Maskarado FB page!

Huzzah!

you can't drink just six,

Dave

MASKARADO/DAKILA: SILVER LIKE DUST

MASKARADO/DAKILA: SILVER LIKE DUST

Reno hits yet another one out of the park with this brand new cover for a new print run of MASKARADO/DAKILA: SILVER LIKE DUST.

Huzzah!

This newly-covered edition of SLD will be unleashed at the same time its sequel, MASKARADO/DAKILA: IN A DARK WOOD, flies out at 'ya.

Please feel free to pick up both so you can read the whole story thus far...

This equipped-with-a-snazzy-new-cover-and-larger-than-the-original-release edition of SILVER LIKE DUST is, like IN A DARK WOOD, coming soon(ish).

Release date details to follow...

you can't drink just six,

Dave

MASKARADO/DAKILA: IN A DARK WOOD

 MASKARADO/DAKILA: IN A DARK WOOD

In the wake of the events chronicled in MASKARADO/DAKILA: SILVER LIKE DUST, Reno and I are about to unleash its sequel, featuring even more high flying, high kicking superhero spandex buddy hijinx.

Superheroes don't get days off.

So it's clean up detail at "the Office" (the main Lair of SLD's just-arrested Big Bad).

On a Sunday.

Ugh.

It's an explosive end to Dakila's first weekend in Maskarado's home dimension.

("I traveled to the future of another dimension! That sounds so awesome...")

With kicka$$ art by Reno and words by some other geek, IN A DARK WOOD is coming soon(ish).

Release date details to follow...

you can't drink just six,

Dave

 

'VERSE UPDATE 2020 (2)

Aaaaaaand here we go!

Two new releases and a good mix of previously released issues, some of which are being made available to order online for the first time:

DAKILA: Siyudad Issue 1 (of 4)
David Hontiveros / Pyotr Mutuc
B&W / Wraparound cover / 24 pages / 5.5 x 8.5 inches / 100 pesos
 
The oikoumene is the physical plane we all live in.
But just beyond the Veil, there’s the Darkside, the diabul, where creatures from folklore and myth, entities divine and infernal, creatures undead and spectral, reside.
And Dakila’s about to enter the diabul--on Halloween, of all nights--to help young Maleck de los Santos with a personal quest.
What could go wrong?

DAKILA: Siyudad Issue 2 (of 4) [New Release]
David Hontiveros / Pyotr Mutuc
B&W / Wraparound cover / 24 pages / 6.5 x 10 inches / 160 pesos
 
Where Makati stands today used to be a swamp, a long time ago.
In the diabul, something’s about to rise from that swamp…
And it isn’t in a very good mood…

KADASIG: Walanghanggan Issue 1 (of 3) [New Release]
David Hontiveros / Romnick Magbanua
B&W / Colored cover / 36 pages / 6.5 x 10 inches / 230 pesos
 
There is a sentient horror movie, a diabolic film that constantly hungers to completely draw its audience into its narrative.
Literally.
And Kadasig is about to become its star attraction…

MASKARADO / DAKILA: Silver Like Dust
David Hontiveros / Reno Maniquis
B&W / Full color cardstock cover / 28 pages / 5.5 x 8.5 inches / 200 pesos
 
Maskarado: “Manila’s Masked Marvel.”
Dakila: his world’s “cosmic champion.”
These two heroes from different dimensions are about to face an enemy driven by madness and greed.
An enemy who wants all the power in the world for himself.
Including theirs.
 
And, for Brandon Ramirez, all the skintight spandex craziness starts here, in the 3-issue introductory arc…
 
DAKILA: Kapalaran

Issue 1
David Hontiveros / Bibo Reyes
B&W / Full color cover / 24 pages / 5.5 x 8.5 inches / 130 pesos
 
In which Dakila meets some corporate angels and the Devil…

Issue 2
David Hontiveros / Romnick Magbanua
B&W / 44 pages / 5.5 x 8.5 inches / 160 pesos
 
In which Dakila gets some training, we find out what’s up with his MIA mom, we discover which trusted ally is lying straight to his face, and the Devil does SPOILER!

Issue 3
David Hontiveros / Enel Lawrence Villegas
B&W / 32 pages / 6.5 x 10 inches / 190 pesos
 
In which we witness some cosplay, and Brandon’s official public debut as a superhero.
 
So there we go.
 
Please click on over to the Indies section of the Avenida website for more details (and preview pages), and, you know, to do the ordering…
 
Meanwhile, please stay safe and sane, people!

you can't drink just six,

Dave

'VERSE UPDATE 2020 (1)

Story has always served to help keep my head above water, especially when the seas are particularly tempestuous (as they have been, and continue to be, in TFNY 2020).

A significant part of what got me through the nightmare of the past 8 months or so was doing my part in telling the ‘Verse Story.

I can’t speak for the mighty fine artists who worked through quarantine to fill my Inbox with pages of art that managed to keep my spirits up and kept me going, but for me, working on the comics--whether it was lettering the pages that were coming in, or writing scripts--was me defiantly waving a double bird salute to all the grief and anxiety in the most creative way I knew how.

So, yes.

There are new ‘Verse issues on the way.
 
And, thanx to Avenida, you’ll be able to order those new issues (and some previously released ones) from your home.
Long-time ‘Verse readers will perhaps rightly guess that, in some other alternate timeline, these new issues (4 of them) would have been the new releases at good old NovKon.
As far as our world goes though, you’ll need to click on over to the Avenida website, and then have them delivered to you.
But not yet, though.
I’ll be posting again with another announcement once I get the green light from Avenida that all is ready on their end.
 
For now, these are the cover images for the 2 new issues releasing in Wave 1.

The other 2 new issues will be released as part of Wave 2, sometime early next year.
 
More details on the new releases (as well as the old issues also becoming available to order on Avenida) in the next announcement.
 
For now:
 
To the artists I’ve had the privilege to collaborate with on the ‘Verse titles:
 
To those who stayed radio silent throughout quarantine, I truly hope you’re all doing well.

If you happen to be reading this, please drop me a line. It would be great to hear from you;
 
To those who reached out, I’m glad to have heard from you, and I hope you’re continuing to stay safe (and sane);
 
And to those who joined me in working through TFNY 2020 (you know who you are), thanx SO much for your hard work and dedication.
These comics would not exist without you.
 
And to all you mighty fine folk out there, supporting these new releases won’t just be a show of support for my writing.
 
You’ll also be supporting Avenida, without whose order/delivery infrastructure these issues would not be available under the current circumstances.
https://www.myavenida.com/
 
You’ll be supporting Reno Maniquis, proprietor of Ye Olde Print Shoppe, CreativeTrio.
https://www.facebook.com/creativetriodesign/
https://www.instagram.com/creativetriodesign/?hl=en
 
You'll be showing your support for the local, self-publishing comics scene.

And you’ll of course, be supporting the mighty fine artists who’ve worked on these issues.

 
But aside from that, you’ll also be supporting Story.
And the Voices that are helping to tell that Story.
 
Please continue to stay safe and sane, and keep an eye out for the next announcement, once Avenida is ready to accept orders.

you can't drink just six,

Dave

TRESE DEVIATIONS: IUNCTURA 
ADDENDUM (1)

As I mentioned in the Iunctura announcement here, this is the Addendum to the text page in the comic.
Despite all you mighty fine folk not having read the comic (or the main text page) yet--since Iunctura launches at Komikon Grande 2019 some 10 days away--I think this post is still nonetheless readable, because it addresses the fundamental question...

“BUT IS IT CANON?”

It’s a question I anticipate will be asked about Iunctura, so I’ll do my best to answer it here.

Obviously, I can only answer that question with authority in regards to Dakila and the ‘Verse, and my answer: YES.

So all you mighty fine folk who’ve been following Dakila’s adventures in his own title, yes, this is the same Dakila.

For the record (and as I explained to Budjette during our conversations before I agreed to take on writing Fr. Matt), there is only one ‘Verse timeline.* No Elseworlds or What If’s.

In staying true to my belief that every story counts, not just from a narrative standpoint, but a character one as well, there is one single Dakila, and in every story that features him and that’s written by me, rest assured, it’s Brandon Ramirez underneath that mask, and not some alterna-Brandon.

It’s Brandon wearing that mask, and in the same way each of us learns a little (or a large) something from every encounter we have, every challenge we’re confronted with, every day we live through, there’s a single Dakila, with a single emotional throughline, a single character arc, learning a little something here, a large something there, as he goes along.

So yeah, Iunctura is canon, as far as Dakila and the ‘Verse are concerned.

And as far as Fr. Matt, who will be appearing in both Trese Deviations team-ups as well as his own “solo” stories: as I mentioned in the Iunctura text page, both kinds of stories work in tandem to build out the world that includes the Hilasterion and the Malevari.

We’ll meet the other members of the Mercy Seat; we’ll see the manner in which they operate and conduct their ongoing struggle against the Forsaken; we’ll learn what other kinds of Malevari are out there, as well as the origins of the entire demonic race.

All of these and more, secrets and revelations, to be found in either type of story, so the Big Picture can only be seen, the proverbial puzzle solved, from pieces gathered from each and every Fr. Matt story…

So we fervently hope you’ve strapped yourselves in, ‘cause we aim to treat you to a wild and wonderfully horrific ride as we take you into the midst of the Hilasterion/Malevari conflict…

* Note though that not all characters who appear under the ‘Verse banner are singular like Dakila.

I’ve addressed this in the past, but I’ll repeat it here since it seems to be germane to what we’re discussing: the Kadasig who appears in Skyworld is not the same Kadasig who appears in the ‘Verse title that goes by his name, in the same way as the Alexandra Trese who appears in Skyworld is not the same Alexandra who appears in the comic that she headlines.

You can choose to look at it this way: while Skyworld may now be retroactively considered a “Deviation” for Alexandra, it’s always been canon to Skyworld…

Because--and I’m brutally paraphrasing good old JC* here--“You should always have the right to refuse to be someone else’s alternate timeline.”

“OH, AND BY THE WAY…”

Because there wasn’t any space for this in the comic:

IUNCTURA Baumusik

Blondie, Depeche Mode, Dubstar, The Essence, The Fall, Grandaddy, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Lloyd Cole and the Commotions, The Pale Fountains, Pulp, The Railway Children, Ruby, and X-Mal Deutschland

-- dave (AKA The “Writing Machine,” as Budjette refers to me)

* No, not that JC! I mean John bloody Constantine!

So there we are.

TRESE DEVIATIONS: IUNCTURA

[Featuring Dakila & Fr. Trese]

By: David Hontiveros and Marvin del Mundo

Page Count: 36 pages
Cover Price: P 160.00

Launching at Komikon Grande 2019

November 23 & 24

Bayanihan Center, Unilab Compound, 8008 Pioneer St., Kapitolyo, Pasig City

Now, while there may be more BTS insights of this sort in the near future, what I'd also like to do here in this space is to open the floor to any questions you may have.
So long as the questions aren't too spoiler-y or too personal, please feel free to leave them in the Comments section of this post, and I'll do my best to answer them in a future Addendum piece.

So, once more, save the dates: November 23 & 24, Saturday and Sunday.

Hope to see all you mighty fine folk at the Bayanihan Center for Komikon Grande 2019!
Look for me at the Visprint booth, where copies of Trese Deviations: Iunctura and Dakila: Kapalaran 3 will be available.

Parting Shot:
In addition, these issues of DAKILA are also available to order online here, at the Indie Komiks Market section of mervstore.com.

So for any Trese fans who are as of yet unaware of who Dakila is exactly, please feel free to click on over to mervstore and check these issues out.

you can’t drink just six,

Dave

KOMIKON GRANDE 2019
'VERSE ANNOUNCEMENT (2)

We're less than two weeks out from this year's Komikon Grande (AKA Good Old NovKon).
I've already announced one 'Verse release here.
At long last, I can officially announce this release as well.

As DAKILA, Brandon Ramirez is the Baita’s first--and potentially most powerful--superhero. He is his world’s “cosmic champion,” and, allied with the angels of the divine corporation, TierCell, he defends the innocent and powerless, and punches Evil in the Face, 25/8.

He’s also an eighteen-year-old geek who may have been reading about superheroes for as long as he can remember, but has only been in the cape and mask for just over seven months.

In that time though, he’s already teamed up with more experienced superheroes from other dimensions, and learned a lot from them.

Today, February 1, 2011, he’s about to meet a priest.

MATTHIAS TRESE is that priest.

The 27-year-old son of occult investigator Anton Trese, Matthias is referred to in some circles as “The Third Son of the Sixth Son.”

Having had a long and rebellious adolescence, he eventually landed in (some would say, “was sentenced to”) a seminary.

It was there though that Matthias found his calling, and soon, he was inducted into the Hilasterion, an organization that was founded to defend mankind against the malevolent forces of the Enemy.

As a clericus of the St. George Division, he faces the demonic Malevari alongside the other members of his Trinity, Fr. Wilfredo Fuentes and Fr. Alessio Bronze.

Take one “champion of God” superhero and one priest who kicks a$$ for the Lord, drop them in a demonic convocation known as “the Tiangge” during election season in the Baita’s Seven Lodges of Hell, and watch the divine and infernal fireworks clash and go BOOM.

TRESE DEVIATIONS: IUNCTURA

[Featuring Dakila & Fr. Trese]

By: David Hontiveros and Marvin del Mundo

Page Count: 36 pages
Cover Price: P 160.00

Launching at Komikon Grande 2019

November 23 & 24

Bayanihan Center, Unilab Compound, 8008 Pioneer St., Kapitolyo, Pasig City

Now, while there is a text page in Iunctura where Budjette and I share some BTS insights, space is always at a premium in a comic, so I'll be posting an addendum of sorts here at the Iguana, which will address a question both Budjette and I foresee will be frequently asked regarding Iunctura in particular, and the Deviations title in general.

That should go up here at the Iguana on Wednesday or thereabouts, so click on down here later in the week if you wanna check that out.

So there you go.

Save the dates: November 23 & 24, Saturday and Sunday.

Hope to see all you mighty fine folk at the Bayanihan Center for Komikon Grande 2019!
Look for me at the Visprint booth, where copies of Trese Deviations: Iunctura and Dakila: Kapalaran 3 will be available.

Parting Shot:
In addition, these issues of DAKILA are also available to order online here, at the Indie Komiks Market section of mervstore.com.

So for any Trese fans who are as of yet unaware of who Dakila is exactly, please feel free to click on over to mervstore and check these issues out.

you can’t drink just six,

Dave

¡QUÉ HORROR! 2019

Candidate #20

BRIGHTBURN

(May 2019)

“Maybe we need to talk to somebody. He needs, uh, like a, specialist.”

“What?! And say what to ‘em?”

“I don’t know!”

“‘Hello, this is our son. We found him in a f*cking spaceship in the woods. Now what?’

“No! We should have done something a long time ago! This is on us!”

The above quote shouldn’t be a spoiler for anyone who’s seen Brightburn’s trailer. Hell, even the one sheet gives the game away.

Take The Bad Seed, the idea that a child can be a scheming, conniving killer, and graft some spandex superhero origin story onto it, and you get Brightburn.

Or, to use 21^st century Hollywood pitchspeak, it’s Superman as an evil child horror movie.

What if a loving yet childless couple finds an infant under bizarre circumstances?

What if that child (which, after 81 years of conditioning, we’re led to believe will grow up to be a paragon of virtue) turns out not the way we hope or expect?

For longtime comic book readers, this is certainly not a new and novel concept.

But in this day and age of the box office supremacy of superheroes, any story that carries even the whiff of subversion (such as, say, Amazon’s adaptation of The Boys, which doesn’t so much as carry a whiff but reek of it) is certainly welcome, if only to mix things up and offer decidedly different flavours to the cinematic buffet that very quickly tastes all the same, all the time.

And while there is some effective horror and some brief, yet standout gore, what really sells Brightburn are the performances of Elizabeth Banks and David Denman, who play the loving yet childless couple, the Breyers.

Instead of rearing a superhero for the ages though (and through no real fault of their own), they find, to their horror, that their little bundle of joy is anything but.

(Brightburn OS courtesy of impawards.com.)