OUT OF THE GUTTER (1) KADASIG: Walanghanggan Issue 1

OUT OF THE GUTTER (1)

KADASIG: Walanghanggan Issue 1
David Hontiveros / Romnick Magbanua

For the record:

In the Far, Far Away Time of the Long Ago, when Ian replied to my question of who was the bad guy he wanted Kadasig to face with "the Seven Deadly Sins", I had to give that a bit of a think.

Because I'd already previously done a version of the Sins in AVATAR.

 

During that period of consideration and deep dive research, the idea of leaning into elements like color and animal associations with the Deadly Sins seemed the way to go (since the approach I took in AVATAR was to anthropomorphize them).

In the end, I said "Okay," and The Septet came into being.

 

So while Magalit (Anger) is the Red Bear, Masakim (Greed) is the Yellow Frog.

(The full rundown of the Septet’s animal and color associations--as well as the reason why their names all begin with “Ma”--can be found in one of the in-between-chapters text pieces in the TATSULOK: A Vision of Dust compilation, art by the mighty fine Xerx Javier.)

 

Meanwhile.

 

When the idea of a demonic, sentient horror movie first came into focus, I immediately knew it would be an opportunity to nod towards a few of the subgenres that I feel a deep horrorhead affection for.

Thus, in issue 1, you have spotlights shined on giallo and the slasher films subsequently influenced by giallo, as well as the “disembodied killer hand” subgenre, as typified by Oliver Stone’s The Hand (an adaptation of Marc Brandel’s The Lizard’s Tail), Alfredo Zacarias’ Macabra (AKA Demonoid), Rodman Flender’s Idle Hands, and of course, Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead II.

(And though it’s a short fiction piece, it would be an insulting oversight if I neglected to mention Clive Barker’s “The Body Politic,” from Books of Blood. I haven’t had the chance to watch Mick Garris’ Quicksilver Highway, in which “The Body Politic” is adapted, so I have no idea if it does justice to the short story.)

 

But let’s step back and take a closer look at giallo, shall we?

When they hear the term, horrorheads will immediately think Argento, Bava, Fulci… but the term giallo originated from the world of literature.

And the meaning of the word giallo?

Yellow.

The term was used as a label for these pulpy mysteries and thrillers because the backgrounds of the book covers were uniformly yellow.

 

So, yes, I loved the serendipity of Walanghanggan also being about Greed (as per the long-standing Art Vs Commerce argument that has shadowed cinema since its inception), so that the story arc that featured giallo prominently within its narrative, would also happen to have yellow covers, like an old school giallo paperback…

 

Serendipity.

Mwah!

 

The next OotG post should be about DAKILA: Siyudad issue 2, and will probably go live at some point in the indeterminate future…

For now though, I should take this opportunity to note that one of the characters introduced in Siyudad 2 speaks with a font designed by none other than the mighty fine Edgar Tadeo, who drew the sh!t out of KADILIMAN: In Their Silent Shadow Carnival. (Hey, Ed! Howzit?)

 

Guess that’s all for now.

 

Stay safe.

Stay sane.

 

you can’t drink just six,

 

Dave

 

The new ‘Verse releases KADASIG: Walanghanggan 1 (art by the mighty fine Romnick Magbanua) and DAKILA: Siyudad 2 (art by the mighty fine Pyotr Mutuc), as well as 5 other previously released issues, are all available to order online at the Indies section of the Avenida website.

2018 NOVEMBER KOMIKON ANNOUNCEMENT #3

We're four weeks out from this year's November Komikon (November 17 & 18), and look!
Announcement number three!

DISCOUNTED COMPILATION

TATSULOK: A Vision of Dust Compilation

David Hontiveros / Xerx Javier

In the many rooms of the House that is the World, there are arelim and shedim. Most men know them as angels and demons.

Three individuals, each related to one race or the other, converge on the stage of Holy Week, 2009, for their own collective Passion Play of transformation and acceptance.

Collecting issues 1 to 4, this is a remastered TATSULOK: AVoD.

The page size is bigger than the previously released singles, which means, more art, because:

A)    You’ll get to see the art at a larger size; and

B)    With the captions and word balloons staying the same size, less of the art is now covered by those pesky, pesky words…

And a limited number of copies will be available at NovKon at the discounted price of 200 pesos!

So, yeah!Freebies!
A new release!
And discounts!

There you go.

Set the dates: November 17 & 18, at the Bayanihan Center on Pioneer.
Look for me (and the freebies and the new comic book release and the discounted compilation) at the Visprint booth!

And, while we're all here, I'd also like to announce:
ARTIST ALERT!

If you're an artist (or know one) who's interested in collaborating, then we'd absolutely love to hear from you.
If you're dropping by NovKon, then make sure and bring some samples to the Visprint booth, drop them in front of me, and we'll see what there is to be seen. (This is how at least one of the artists I'm currently collaborating with got on board the 'Verse train.)
Or, you can email us at verse.comics@gmail.com. (Subject Heading: ARTIST ALERT)

Please keep in mind though, this is not a paying/salaried/page-rated job.
As per the long standing Alamat tradition, the only possible financial compensation will come from royalties from sales, once the completed comics are published.
(Which is a whole other can of worms that needs to eventually be opened, but of course, the comics need to be completed first.)
This is primarily about our love of the comic book medium, and contributing to that medium what are, hopefully, stories of substance.
With lots of punching!

So, again, if you're an artist who wants to help keep the 'Verse train on track, then we can't wait to hear from you!

And come on back to the Iguana to check for any new NovKon announcements every now and then.

And please also feel free to spread a link to this post around, so we can get the word out.

#komikonph

Hope to see all you mighty fine folk at NovKon!

you can’t drink just six,

Dave

A QUICK 'VERSE OVERVIEW

If you've always wanted a quick snapshot of the 'Verse titles, or ever wondered what the differences are between them, then this just went up.

Thanx to Ica, for helping get the word out.

you can’t drink just six,

Dave

TATSULOK: A VISION OF DUST TPB ANNOUNCEMENT

I was informed yesterday that a delivery has been made of the Tatsulok: A Vision of Dust TPB to Comic Odyssey. So it should be hitting their shelves soon.

Picking up a copy isn’t just a show of support for my writing and Xerx’s art, it’s also, fundamentally, a show of support for choice. For choosing to support titles that, for one reason or another, can’t find shelf space in the major bookstore chains.

If Comic Odyssey is one of your regular haunts, or if you happen to be in a mall with a Comic Odyssey branch, then we’d like to invite you to check the Tatsulok TPB out.

Honestly, I’m not sure which branches of Comic Odyssey will receive copies, so I guess the best thing to do is just ask after it.

Tatsulok: A Vision of Dust.

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

Please feel free to spread the word and the love…

And remember: choice.

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

INDIEKET 2015 'VERSE RELEASES

This year’s Indieket will be held on August 15 at the Bayanihan Center on Pioneer.

The ‘Verse will be attending, and, given the marked absence of a Summer Komikon this year, we sure hope to see all you mighty fine folk there…

Debuting at this year’s Indieket:

DAKILA: Lumilim

Issue 1 (of 3)

By David Hontiveros and Elmer Cantada

Your name is Brandon Ramirez and you’ve been a geek your whole life: comics, movies, RPGs, cosplay.

And now you’re officially the world’s first superhero, as evidenced by the cape, the mask, the totally ripped physique, and those crazy-awesome powers.

Higher agencies seem to have conspired to steer you right into that skintight outfit.

We have only one question: How’s that working out for you?

It’s been almost 3 months since 18-year old Brandon Ramirez first became Dakila.

And right now, he just wants to cosplay.

But a day at ManilaCon with his barkada turns super weird (and super dangerous!) when creepy urban legend Mr. Alikabok--actually one of Mangilala’s many guises (dude’s a cosplayer too! Who knew?)--shows up with some, err… “friends,” to spoil everybody’s geekery.

Boo! Hiss!

Dakila. 18 years old. Cosmic champion.

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

URIEL: Hekhalot

Issue 3A (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 lie in the hands of his seven-year-old mortal charge, Maleck de los Santos.

Uriel believes the only way he can vacate Maleck’s body without hurting the boy is by facing Malael head on…

But first, he needs to say “Goodbye” to Maleck, in case his plan doesn’t work out.

Meanwhile, Caim pulls the good Doctor further down into the rabbit hole…

TATSULOK: A Vision of Dust Compilation

By David Hontiveros and Xerx Javier

In the many rooms of the House that is the World, there are arelim and shedim. Most men know them as angels and demons.

Three individuals, each related to one race or the other, converge on the stage of Holy Week, 2009, for their own collective Passion Play of transformation and acceptance.

Collecting issues 1 to 4, self-published by Xerx himself, this is essentially a remastered TATSULOK: AVoD.

The page size is bigger than the previously released singles, which means, more art, because:

A)    You’ll get to see the art at a larger size; and

B)    With the captions and word balloons staying the same size, less of the art is now covered by those pesky, pesky words…

So, yeah! Remastered!

And there you go.

Hopefully, another title may get a new issue in in time for Indieket, in which case, there’ll be another update here soon. (Send some good karma our way to help with that!)

Hope to see all you mighty fine folk at the Indieket!

you can’t drink just six,

Dave

PIMP MY STUFF
NOVEMBER 16 2013 KOMIKON

For all you mighty fine folk who plan to be at the Bayanihan Center this Saturday, November 16, for this year’s NovKon, these are the new ‘Verse titles that are launching:

URIEL: Hekhalot

Issue 2A (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 has been betrayed by the corrupted (and quite possibly insane) kerub, Malael.

He will eventually find his way to Maleck, in whose body he needs to heal his grievous injuries.

But first, he must escape his demonic captors…

Δ: A Vision of Dust

Issue 3 (of 4)

By David Hontiveros and Xerx Javier

In the many rooms of the House that is the World, there are arelim and shedim. Most men know them as angels and demons.

Unlike the arelim (who cannot breed within their species), the three different classes of shedim have interbred incessantly since their inception, producing all manner of demonic get.

Lora is one such offspring.

She is the third point of our triangle.

The nephil half-brothers Miguel and Lucio have now allied themselves with the runaway succubus, Lora.

But Lucio’s father, the Morningson, has expressed an interest in Lora and the strange condition she finds herself in…

So there we go.

Hope to see all you mighty fine folk at the Bayanihan Center this Saturday.

you can’t drink just six,

Dave

PIMP MY STUFF
PORTAL TO THE 'VERSE OPENS AT FILBAR'S!
DAKILA AND URIEL TAKE FLIGHT!!

The August 10 Indieket is less than three weeks away, but before then, I’d like all you fine folk to know that there is now a portal to The ‘Verse at the Filbar’s Megamall branch.

Yes, all 5 current ‘Verse titles are now available at Filbar’s Megamall.

Yes, 5.

Filbar’s officially debuts the first issues of DAKILA: Kapalaran and URIEL: Hekhalot.

DAKILA: Kapalaran (1 of 3)

By David Hontiveros and Bibo Reyes

Your name is Brandon Ramirez and you’ve been a lifelong geek: comics, movies, RPGs, cosplay.

And now, at 17, you’re officially the world’s first superhero, as evidenced by the cape, the mask, the totally ripped physique, and those crazy-awesome powers.

Higher agencies seem to have conspired to steer you right into that skintight outfit.

We have only one question:

How’s that working out for you?

For those of you out there who’ve read Parman and liked what you saw in there, you might want to check DAKILA: Kapalaran out…

Just saying…

URIEL: Hekhalot (1 of 4)

By David Hontiveros and Michael Urbano

Angels were not always warriors.

In the beginning, the arelim were messengers, their role, to bring Word and News from the lips of the glorious Hari ta mga Magbabaya, to the ears of all who would hear them.

But when Men were Created, it soon became clear that the vile Mangilala was deeply interested in their misery.

Thus, Magbabaya decreed that all Men must have a nathra, a watchman, a guardian, to defend them against Mangilala’s dark and cruel whims.

Uriel is one such nathra, and 7-year-old Maleck de los Santos, his mortal charge.

So, there you go.

DAKILA: Kapalaran and URIEL: Hekhalot are now available, alongside AGYU: Surfacing, KADASIG: The Skeleton at the Feast, and TATSULOK: A Vision of Dust.

Swing by Filbar’s Megamall for those.

Plus, I believe they’ll also be made available at the opening of the “first all-new, all-different” Filbar’s at the Festival Mall this coming Saturday, July 27.
(Thanx goes out to Paolo Chikiamco, for help in the portal construction.)

In the meantime, prep is being done on another new issue, set to debut at the Indieket.

More news on that soon…

you can't drink just six,

Dave