Amoy ng Kufpal

Category:	Books
Genre:	Comics & Graphic Novels
Author:	Patrick Enrique

Vomit inducing, profanity-laden and good disgusting fun that you might fight the urge to wipe your ass off of just to add color to this B&W indie komiks.

Imagine vomiting all over after an all night drinking binge and at the same time suffering from explosive LBM (the airy, sticky kind) because you keep eating your own vomit, this while popping your zits through it all. Yup. That's Amoy Ng Kufpal in a nut shell. Well, put in some punk, rap and video game culture in there and you're getting there. But be warned: This is not for the weak of heart.... or poor constitution.

The artwork reminds mo of early MAD magazine in terms of line work and details. Maybe some R. Crumb influence is in there somewhere and I'm guessing hallucinogenics for the repeating patterns but still the drawings still retains originality. Sobrang original na-tae ako.

This is one indie release that is such an appropriate companion to the toilet. Just so you know, I just tasted my own bile reviewing this shit fest.

(Originally posted on http://theilldiablo.multiply.com Oct 30, '11 7:00 PM)

The Filipino Heroes League Book One: Sticks and Stones

Category:	Books
Genre:	Comics & Graphic Novels
Author:	Story and Art: Paolo Fabregas

This is one overdue review of an excellent local graphic novel. I was at this April's Komikon earlier this year where I got this. Got my copy signed too by the very bald, very tall and handsome author.

Don't let the corny sounding title fool you. This is a smartly written book on what it means and what it takes to be a superhero, specially the difficulties and hassles of being a third-world government-funded superhero: Headquarters old and falling apart? Tough shit; Foreign superheroes steal your thunder? Live with it; Your crappy vehicle gives up on you? Take a cab, a PEDICAB! Honestly, the back cover featuring Invisiboy and Kidlat Kid commandeering a pedicab sold me to the book. It got me thinking, "What kind of a predicament that superheroes would have to ride in such a mundane vehicle to get to where they are needed?" A Filipino superhero it seems.

The Filipino Heroes League appears to have seen it's glory days as a superhero group. Gone now are it's founding members. Some are dead while it's original leader, the Supremo lies in a coma. Apparently the majority of it's members are OFH's or Overseas Filipino Heroes who either use their powers for entertainment (Sky, another original member works at a travelling circus) or as Government-loaned supers. Think of it as OFW's with super powers. Now the days are gone when being a superhero means just saving lives and protecting the country from an equally powerful adversary. Now they seem like a joke and outlived their usefulness that their military(?) handlers want them gone. Replacing them with a better, grittier and more dangerous set of superheroes. And that's not even the main plot.

A lot of allegorical rhetoric can be found on this book: Overseas Filipino Workers as powered up Bagong Bayani's, Government corruption and inadequacies, the image of our modern heroes (firefighters, soldiers, policemen) and their sacrifices for a thankless job.

The art style is pretty much moody line drawings but it works here. A more polished, Marvelized style would destroy the feel of the book. The names of the characters might sound campy and unimaginative but then again, this is a comic book. You can't be all serious when tackling government goons and fallen superheroes, right?

This Php200.00 130+ page black and white graphic novel is a solid work you wouldn't mind to be in your book shelf is what I'm saying.

web site----> http://www.filipinoheroesleague.com/

It's available on NBS too.

(Originally posted on http://theilldiablo.multiply.com Oct 15, '11 10:08 AM)

Nag-iisa Lang Ako (Ang Ikatlo Sa Huling Libro)

Category:	Books
Genre:	Biographies & Memoirs
Author:	Tado Jimenez

I remember looking all over every NBS on my locale and not finding any copy eventually acquiring one at a book convention at SMX and I can tell you after reading and succumbing to the Tadoliciousness of it's pages that this shit could have been a lot better production wise. Any print media practitioner knows the care and attention when publishing works specially books. I don't know how much the editorial staff at PSICOM is being paid but from the looks of this books, I guess not much. Expect half-assed editing, errant grammar and spelling (unless sinasadya ng author), horrible-horrible proofreading and not too great layout awaits.

'Yung unang mga pahina ng kopya ko ginamitan ko pa talaga ng red ballpen at kinorek ang mga nakikita kong mali. Tinigilan ko na lang nang napansin ko na
binili ko ang aklat na ito para enjoyin at hindi para i-edit. TRABAHO NG EDITOR ANG I-EDIT NG MAAYOS ANG AKLAT NA ITO.

*Drinking Game*

Materials:
A copy of Nag-iisa Lang Ako, Beer (Alak optional).

Instructions:
Preferably do this on a weekend. Read the book and take a drink of your alcoholic beverage every time you see a mistake.

Ayan. Wala pa sa kalahati ng aklat lasing ka na.

The content is not the problem here. Yeah, there might be some chapters that the fancy coffee house crowd might pass over and wouldn't really care to understand or medyo masasabi rin na kababawan ni Tado ang mga isinulat niya. But the thing is, while you are reading his comedy which some would find juvenile, you'll find the source of his humor and his mentality by reading further and eventually knowing his life story. He's a remarkable guy. I envy his lifestyle, his craziness, his seeming simple mindedness and his outlook in life.

The highlights of this book is the Foreword by Ramon Bautista, Strangebrew days, his show business roots, Limitado, PUP days, Brewrats radio show and some selected excerpts from his Marikeno Asintado articles.

He is that weird friend of yours, the funny friend that's been on the wrong side of the tracks and back, the one that has all the tall tales, that friend of yours that is so anti-everything that he became the mainstream, he is that funny guy that dances funny on TV but is opinionated.

So there. If you don't mind some irritating editorial non-works on your book then buy this. It's not the best read you'll get but just reading Tado's thoughts would likely make up for this fuck up.

(Originally posted on Oct 1, '11 2:03 AM)