BUSY BUSY BUSY!

I was not able to write or post anything here for quite some time now. Must be the season. We've been so busy with lots of upcoming family gatherings and outings. Relatives from UK and the US will be spending the holidays here in Manila so it will be a massive reunion with lots of kids and it will be all fun and body aches :) Aside from that, I've been juggling to keep up with deadlines and recently, we had a major termite invasion and we had to evac our stuffs from our room. 28 big boxes total. I am amazed on how we managed to fit all those stuffs inside a small room. I had to plan ahead just to make it work when it is finally time to return them inside. But I this will be one memorable Christmas for sure. As of now we still have to plan more parties before Christmas. Plus having our newest baby boy needing all the care and attention from us. There is just no time to spare. I even had to return to my old ways of working late as in up to 3-4 am just to keep up with the deadlines. Feel like a Zombie sometimes. A bit cranky even sometimes. Getting old I guess :)

Anyways, i'll to post in updates on our books.

Also, please check out Enchanted Kingdom, the Christmas issue. I colored some pages inside for them. The art on those pages done by my friend, Jim Jimenez and lettered also our friend, Reg Ting (ex editor for DC Superheroes and DC kids Philippines).

I guess that is it for now. I'll post new stuffs soon.

-G

METROPOLITAN FAN ART by RENIE PALO

Renie Palo sent in this beautiful fan art for Metropolitan. Thanks Renie!

INTRODUCING SHAWN DAVID MONSANTO

We like you to meet our second baby who was born November 15 around 2:20am.

Druid's Keep 2nd anniversary adventure.

Last Saturday, I went to the 2nd Anniversary of Druid's keep in Magallanes. Gerry Alanguilan was there to promote and sign his very successful title Elmer now on its second issue. One thing I noticed when he signs his books, he'll be comfortably slow and felt like, he was actually drawing his name on the book. I admire that actually. Me? I'm a speed freak! I did some speed sketches for fun. I sold some issues of Rambol and Tropa plus gave out some free posters of Sacred Mountain and I am content that new people tried and I hope will enjoy our titles. Gerry encouraged me to write down some of my views on how to improve the current state of komiks. I'll have to polish that thought before posting it here in my blog. I really enjoyed our conversation and the delicious BBQs Mr. Cua has prepared for the occassion. Thanks Felix for the support and Happy 2nd Anniversary!

Another look back at komiks 1994

Just a week ago, Mr. Rod Espinosa wrote me an email. Rod is just one of our local artists who migrated to the US and continued their profession abroad doing comics. He's already done numerous project under Antartic Press. I actually colored some of his pages for "For Eternity" when it was reprinted here locally by PSICOM.

I happen to have a copy of his old work while working for TERMINATOR komiks( Sonic Triangle ) he worked on "CYBERINA" while I did X-Trooper inside the said Comic Magazine. We haven't met personally but is good to know that more of us back then are now working on more projects that are internationally released.

Keep the magic coming Rod!

METROPOLITAN fan art from ALAN GALLO

First ever fan art for Metropolitan from Alan Gallo.
http://rowper.deviantart.com

Now available at Druid's Keep

Rambol and Tropa

Now available at

Druid's Keep

3rd Floor, Gateway Mall

(where Rustan's is)Magallanes

Get Tropa and Rambol by mail!

Great news! You can now get your copy of RAMBOL KOMIKS and TROPA by mail! Just follow these simple steps:

Step 1: Go to any nearest BPI bank and deposit the correct amount to the account as shown below. Please write clearly to avoid any errors.

GILBERT MONSANTO
Savings Account Number: xxxxxxxxxx ( due to security reason, please email us a request letter to proceed with the transcation.)

Step 2: Write down your name, complete mailing address, telephone or cel number or email for confirmation on a piece of paper and fax this, together with the validated deposit slip duplicate, to 6556780 or scan the said duplicate and send as attachment via email to smp_letters@yahoo.com

Step 3: Wait for 10 days for a package to arrive.

Remember that when you order Tropa #1 and Rambol #1 as a set, you’ll be receiving a FREE POSTER from Sacred Mountain Publications.

Note: LVM means LUZON/VISAYAS/MINDANAO

We are still formulating ways to send copies outside the Philippines, so stay tuned!

RAMBOL cover 2 preview

The LAUNCH, a RAFFLE and then SOME

Komikon 2006 was a blast! The launch for both Rambol and Tropa was a success with a lot of positive feedbacks. The place was full of creative geniuses in the field and it is nice to have a chat with most of them while I made my rounds around the area. Aside from selling our komiks, we had a little something for those who would buy from us on that day. We have this small scale raffle just for fun. I prepared an original artwork of BIOTROG for a lucky individual who bought a set of komiks from us.

I know it is not much but I felt that a little token of thanks is required for the support they gave us and our book. So just yeserday, we started the raffle, we designated numbers to each of their names and placed them into a small container. I was actually suprised to see lots of respected comic creators' names on the list. Truly, the comic industry in the Philippines runs on a close and much welcomed support system.

Later within the day we called upon our very own version of a DTI (Darling Toddlers Inc.)representative and he eagerly lent us his hand on picking the winner for the draw.

The winner with a number 10 on his listed name, is none other than Dominique Cimafranca with only his blogsite written on the paper, villageidiotsavant.blogspot.com I'll have to email him to ask him his current address so i can send him the original artwork.

That night, with much energy to spare. i decided to work on the 2nd issue cover for Rambol. During my time working in local komiks, I've always wondered who will win between X-Trooper and Biotrog. In this issue, we will finally know and it won't be a tie unlike the rest of this kind of slug fest story that has been done again and again in Marvel/DC books.

Tropa and Rambol Komiks

It is now official! We'll be releasing two titles this saturday at the KOMIKON 2006. Tropa priced at 75 pesos and Rambol Komiks priced at 60 pesos. If you buy one of each together, we'll give you a special Sacred Mountain poster for free! The poster itself is priced 20 pesos if bought separately. Hope to see you guys there.

Sacred Mountain's first baby delivered!

My wife and I, considers Tropa issue1 as just one child to be born before the end of this year. We hope that Rambol issue 1 will be delivered by next week, just in time for the Komikon this year.

The copies of Tropa is finally in our hands. Now we'll need to put them in plastic bags. We're formulating a way for people outside NCR get a copy possibly via snail mail. I'll get into that process soon and post it here soon.

Tropa is a full colored book, 52 pages including the cover and priced Php 75. We hope that people will give our books a try. If everything goes well, and I pray it does. Sacred Mountain will be producing more books to try and help Komiks back into shape. I've heard alot of exciting titles coming out this year from other fronts like Alamat, Mango Comics, Komikero and other studios and I hope that Komiks will once again be more visible and available to more readers. These are all good signs.

Kita kits sa Komikon!!!

My answer to another letter.

Good day sir!

You may have heard or read this question a million times, but how does one get to apply to be an artist in the local comic book industry. I dont have any one to back me up. Just plain old hard work.

Thanks!

My answer:

Chris,

There are several ways to break into comics:

1.) Self-publishing- More and more publications now are looking into those independent titles. Because they can really look at your work in a finished and polished format. This is beneficial to you as well. You'll get your very own signature product. This will also be your testing ground, if you'll have a fan based audience who will support you with other and future projects.

2.) Create your own gallery on the web. Easy access to potential publishers, try to open an account, either a Deviantart or a simple blog to showcase your work. Your goal is to entertain possible readers of your work.

3.) Join a group, there is power in numbers. Working with people can really help you improve. It will also be a rewarding experience since most artists are loners. Social skills should be encouraged.

4.) Whenever people say that you need more practice, that means you need to learn more about your weakness and strength. Improvement is the key word. If you'll practice and practice doing the same routine? Chances are, the results will be the same. Try new things, if you've mastered a technique, move on and work on new techniques until improvements are evident. You'll know because people around you will tell you exactly that.

5.) Dedication- Comics is a lifestyle. If you are going to try this out of curiousity or as a hobby, do so. But, be quick to stop if you feel it is not working out. Because if it does not work out the way you want it to happen? It never will. it takes a lot of heart to stay in this business. It will only get easier if you love doing comics.

Hope that helps,
Gilbert Monsanto

RAMBOL proofs

I think Rambol will also make it this Komikon, Yehey!! Here are the proofs. I think the copies of Tropa will be delivered within the week. There's so much to do after that. I am working on issue to as we speak. Hope to see you guys this Oct. 21 at the Komikon. More updates soon.

The proofs

Presenting the proofs for Tropa. Because of the Storm Milenyo, the printing is taking more time to finish than expected. I'll post in more images of Rambol very soon as well. Let us just hope that at the end of next week, the copies will be delivered to us.
As Milenyo was doing its damage on us all. My PC was also affected by the storm as a result ruined four fully colored pages that I had no choice but to redo all those pages. Now, all we can do is wait and see if RAMBOL komiks can make it to Komikon 2006 as well.

More updates soon.

"I AM A KOMIKS READER" ART RECIPIENT IS...

Rodel Timbreza is the lucky recipent of an original art from me. His request? Thunderstone. I created this character in 1991, if I am not mistaken, and I am surprised he even remembered Thunderstone. Here is the pencilled art I made for Mr. Timbreza. I've decided to ink this one as my publisher won the arguement that the art will last longer inked. :)
Unfortunately, he forgot to write in his mailing address. I've already sent him an email about this and will just wait for his reply before we send this thru mail.

Thanks to everyone who participated and for those who haven't yet, you can still send in letters to smp_letters@yahoo.com. We'll probably send an original art within the next month if more emails came in.

Thanks again,
Gilbert Monsanto

KOMIKON POSTER

15 min CATWOMAN for a JAM

Here is a simple 15 minutes Catwoman for a friend's Blog JAM! Hoping this is okay DADICUS! :)

ikatlong hirit

Ikalawang kiliti

Unang silip

UPDATES

Been busy lately. Finishing our first book is both exciting and exhausting. Especially if your publisher is your wife. "Yes Dear!" is all can say to that. It is done and the next step is the printing process. I am now working on the second title. We decided to try and finish the book for it to also make its initial debut at this year's Komikon. The book is a Half/Half in nature ( no, not in terms of Gender), because half of it will be Manga influenced and the other half is Global ( western/europe/komiks or all of the above classification of style). Whadayouknow, manga is the only category divided from the rest. Anyway, I do not believe in all that what style should be used. I believe however that comics should be one thing. A good product! Whatever style we like to do, that is our option in life. It is like religion. We respect the person no matter what religion he/she is in. Anyway, hope to see you at the Komikon 2006, we'll be at table E22, right next to Gerry Alanguilan, as I've been told.

I'll post in images soon. Promise! The title of the book by the way is TROPA. The book is all about friendship and the adventures that take us in by the power of brotherhood and all that stuff that shapes us into who we are, individuals one and all.

I am not alone in this, Jim Jimenez, Kriss Sison, Lui Antonio and newcomer Marvin Maglaque joined us to bring you the 1st ever issue under Sacred Mountain Publications. Although I have to color the whole 52 pages of it, with my wife Glenda. My friend, Reginald Ting helped me with the letters. Whew!

Oh I am going to start selecting an email sender for the "I am a komik reader" and should be able to show you what the lucky sender will be getting in the mail :)

Until the next update! :)
-Gilbert

Paypal

Komiks should be made cheaper?

Another topic about komiks, this one from John Becaro:

For what I have observed nowadays, people really miss reading affordable comics...So it is advisable if we could lay affordable comics yet very high in quality.Yes, if we will try to check the demographics, ages like 20 up really seem to miss reading comics(because they belong to the generation of reading comics between 1990's-when the comic industry is still up).20 below, teenagers tend to buy comics if they have an extra allowance on them.So if we will check below puberty line class, they prefer to buy food than reading comics.But they also wanted to buy if it is afforadable due to their limited access on entertainment and internet.Middle Class will have a probability on buying a comic book but will just check it as an option on their shopping list.So they still prefer buying their "needs" and not the "wants". Upper Class will highly buy a comics if their attention are captured.As of this moment we still have the chance to make the industry became more bigger by considering the demographics.If we wanted to achieve potential marketing we have to make sure it is accesible to all market ages and demographics. Who will read the comics,?How much is the price?Is it worth reading ?And how can we relate it to them?And is it entertaining?This are the probable questions that would help us achieving our marketing strategy.

My answer:

John,
I think we have a dilemma, it is easy to say that we should print komiks using cheaper materials akin to what Atlas/GASI used before. We can say that it will be better since the art will also be better. We can do that yes, but remember the komiks of yesterdays are refered to as "Pambalot ng tinapa." What are the odds that they won't do that again today? I think image and materials are big factors to show the new readers/consumers of todays komiks to give the proper message that THIS product needs care and IS worthy to be called collectable buy. The old komiks that survived in my "baul" are all so muddy and full of creases, not because of mishandling but because of poor choice of material. I think our komiks should shout out to potential buyers " INVEST IN US." That includes the product's overall look from the writing to the art and most especially in the paper used. These little things give komiks its' soul.
Have you ever wondered why people rented their local komiks for 50 cents while people would not just hand out their imported comics to friends? When I was in high school I would trade my issue of fantastic four with my classmate's X-men title for what? collateral. Yes, we value our comic books that much. Why? Because it is so expensive. Simple logic to me that only those who value a comic book of komiks should buy komiks. Only with respect to this medium one should open and read through these pages to be rewarded with months of preperations that the creative team placed into it so that at one special time will be given to a reader.
The old ways is dead to me. Since I came from an era where komiks are made cheap and talents are paid measly amounts, just to make sure that the publishers are assured that their talents are made to grab anything that is offered to them. The real reasons why we were called contributors states the obvious. We are not employed, we are contractuals. We don't have nothing but the hope that we'll still be needed by editors for as long as we can last. If we asked for more than what they give? it is so easy to replace us. There is no royalties in the Philippines, well not in komiks magazines. The logic behind this is simple, a lot of people working on one title. It's almost an impossible feat just to give a certain amount to the whole hungry mouths and divide them evenly. But I am convinced that this is not so. Imagine a book with 20 creators, every issue sold 30-100,000 copies. If the publisher really wanted to give royalties, they can. I believe in the US, they would give like 5% or less to every issue sold to the creative team. It can now be divided to each of the talent. It is being done by the music industry here in the Philippines, i think it is best to do the same thing with comics as well.
So many things to point out but I still think that komiks should be given the quality treatment it deserves and should not just be bought because it is cheap to begin with.
-Gilbert

Lead Slingers challenge at Komikon 2006

go to http://www.jonasdiego.blogspot.com/ now!

About a letter.

I just received this letter from a former student of mine, I must admit it really is quite depressing. The more I believe it should be addressed.

The letter is written in tagalog so pardon for those english reading peeps out there.


Heto pa po ang ilan sa Drowing ko...
Sabihin ko lang po ang mga nangyari sa akin upang maibsan ang hinanakit ng damdamin ko...

Kahapon po noong nasa national bookstore ako, nabadtrip po ako...Nakapuwesto ako doon sa may Graphic Novels, may dalawang estudyante doon na nag-uusap at tapos bigla na lang sasabihin sa comics na "Kadiri! Uso pa ba iyan?"...Sa totoo lang po, talagang naiinsulto ako sa mga sinasabi nila!!! Hindi ko na pinansin (balak ko sanang lingunin) dahil pananaw nila iyon at wala naman po akong magagawa...Kasi lagi na lang ganito ang pananaw ng marami sa Komiks eh! Ganito ang napapansin ko po ngayon! Nalulungkot nga po ako kung bakit ganito kababaw ang pagtingin ng mga tao sa comics...Minsan naiiyak pa po ako eh!!! Lalu na, pag bumabalik iyong masama kong nakaraan noong hayskul...Kasi mahal na mahal ko po ang comics...Noong sinabi ko na gusto kong maging comic artist balang araw sa harap ng klase noong inenterview kami ng bago naming guro, pinagtatawanan pa ako ng iba (pero di naman lahat!)...Sama ng loob ko noon! Meron pa akong kaklase na pilit akong dinidiskurahe at sasabihin pa po "Alam mo noong bata pa ako, nagdodrowing din ako! Kaya lang, pinipigilan ako ng tatay ko dahil wala namang mapapala diyan kaya hindi na ako nagdodrowing!"...Hindi ko naman po pinapansin at tinitiis na lang ang pang-mamaliit sa akin...Ganun kababaw ang pagtingin nila sa akin dahil lang sa comics...Naalala ko tuloy iyong sabi ng mga kacomic geeks kong friends at iyong nababasa kong kwento ng iba sa forums...Tinutukso pa nga raw silang wirdo, isip-bata at autistic sa iskul pagdating sa komiks...Bakit ba ganun? Parang walang kwenta ang pagdodrowing! Hindi nakikita ng karamihan na magandang talento iyon...Bakit parang grabe ang pang-maliliit ng tao sa atin? Tayo pang mga artist ang lagi na lang napapasama?

Sa ngayon, wala pa talaga akong mapapatunayan sa mga ito pero blang-araw po sana...Kaya heto ako pilit nag-aaral magdrowing...Kaya talagang ang dami ko pang dapat pag-aralan...Pero ayokong mawalan ng pag-asa...Balang araw, mapapatunayan ko rin sa mga iyan...

Ang henerasyon nga po talaga namin ang talagang nakakaranas yata ng ganito...

Kaya noong highschool ako, ugaling-ugali ko talaga magdala ng mga comics noon...Lalu na ang mga gawang-pinoy tulad ng gawa ni Carlo vergara at iyong Lastikman ni gerry...Book month pa nga noon...Laking tuwa ko nga, nung nahilig silang basahin iyong Lastikman komiks kaya ipinagmamalaki ko iyon pati si Gerry..Sorry po talaga ah, nabadtrip lang talaga ako at kayo lang po ang alam kong makakausap dito...

Salamat po!

Here is my reply to that:

Although it is true that comics are being viewed as the lowest form of entertainment here in our country and please take note, only in our country, I think that those people who do put down this medium of entertainment are those who haven't tried and experienced reading comics at all. They could be the die-hard book readers, scholars who think that everything that is not educational is not worth their time. Or the movie/TV people who think that everything now can be learned by watching and not from reading. I remember someone telling me about a story of a guy who tried to impress a girl on a bus. "Ang ganda pala nung Hunchback of Notredame no? Napanood mo na miss?" The girl replied, "No, but I read the book." Then the guy said, "Really? May book pala iyon?" Imagine people talking about the Spider-man movie and asking in the end, "Really? It was a comic book?" Will they then change their mind and say, "Yuck Kadiri! I don't like Spider-man anymore." Do you think they will?

I believe that whatever lured me into reading comics is not because it was hip at the time or uso. It has been there for years. I loved it because of the art and soon after because of the adventures inside each cover, cover after cover. The best part of the deal is, once I buy it, I can read it over and over again and with each read, I get more information that I must have missed when I first read it. Can you say the same with video games after completing the whole sets of stages? If you will compute the number of hours, effort and money after you are done with the game, you would have already spent a fortune, more expensive than a comic book that will be your possession, a treasure to keep, a memory that will last longer than the excitement of a noisy and quickie time playing a game that will go puff like air after. What memories will it leave you? You'll go, I pushed this button and this button the right time, then I pushed this one and this one-- blah blah.

I think the only mistake you really made is expressing it so loudly to people who would not know anything about comics and the stories and art behind it. When I was still in high school, I never told anybody I wanted to be a comicbook artist. No, I'll just sit in a corner and draw with such happiness that my classmates came to see what I was doing. They should ask first before I tell them the stories I am working on. Why? It was exclusively mine, my space and my world. In this world, I am the creator and I loved my creations. When it is time to talk or play with people, I do that. I am normal otherwise. You see comics to me was never an obsession. It was me, there I am untouchable. You'll be called weirdo if you try to mix this comics thing with reality. My advice would be, who cares if they don't like what you do, as long as you do.


I have to admit, the recent years of komiks were not so glamorous like the yesteryears. Artists and writers are not given the right opportunities to live the lives that they should have if we lived in a different country. Absence of royalties and instability are eating them up inside out. But we kept doing it no matter how low we've been paid. Why? Because we loved it. We love creating comics for people who don't even know our faces, but they do know us, for each art is unique. People can identify a Vincent Kua from a Hal Santiago. We tried our best to survive but in the end, one by one, each soldier got burned and wounded and moved on doing new stuff like animation, movies, pocket books and/or paintings. Yes, paintings. Many painters came from comics, even Malang I think, and Toti Cerda. Still, people dare say that we are not artists and our work, not Art.

I think we still need to keep our act together and finally establish a new and better Komiks. As for those who have never tried the comic reading experience? Well, it may not be your thing, but I believe there are still a lot of people who genuinely love reading comics and who would probably say the same thing that I write here today – you don't know what you've been missing. I encourage you to try it. There are no guarantees, but you just might like it.

Everything is nothing without a little Imagination.

-Gilbert Monsanto

The BIG Question: How big IS the local komiks Industry?

We are coming out with a new title very soon under our very own SACRED MOUNTAIN PUBLICATIONS. The same questions always loom over every creator who has ever considered putting out a book from the deepest depths of their creative minds to the shelves for the people to read and enjoy Komiks. In the past, local publishers have no problems selling more than thirty to a hundred thousand copies every week through consignments, as newstands are so visible and scattered nationwide. However, distributing all the copies to potential buyers is now so limited that it usually takes a lot of time and effort before a good book gets to the reading public. During this time that there is a need to know the real state of the komiks industry, I would like to urge everyone who can read this to send us an email and tell us if you are among the existing local komiks readers of today. All you have to do is send us an email at smp_letters@yahoo.com and let us know if you still support the industry. Comments and opinions about the local komiks industry are also welcome. We'd appreciate if you can write your real name so that we can tally results correctly. You don't need to write your whole address but it is wise to do so, because I am going to send a little token to a lucky letter sender, just for writing to us. It is an original art pencilled on an 11x17 artboard of any character of your choice. Just don't forget to write the desired character you want me to draw if ever your letter gets picked. Please indicate "I AM A KOMIKS READER" in the subject of your email. Don't worry, this will be conducted under utmost confidentiality. Within a month I'll put here the number of responding letters for all to see, no names, just numbers.

Hope to hear from you guys soon. Please tell your friends as well.

-Gilbert Monsanto
Sacred Mountain Publications

Title other titles in KF#3

Here are the some more titles:
Kulto by Jess Grafilo Jr. and Rudy Florese




















Double Blade by Vic Poblete and Clem Rivera
















Versus by Mike Tan and Lando Inolino

A little trip down memory lane shall we?

A student of mine, Raymund Ferrer brought some of his collections of old 90's komiks including issues with my early works. I'll show you guys more of these title soon but for now, let us take our eyes unto this one first. The 3nd issue of Kick Fighter dated February 22, 1993. This is those times when video arcades are booming and kids love all them video game characters but everything else about them was so limited to alot of people. Internet was not that popular then. So Infinity Inc. made a huge risk of publishing this fight book. One of the first to come out. It was not intended to promote superheroes but Fighting in general. The cover was done by me. Although, all the characters inside are clearly parodies of the original concepts that is of course Street Fighters. Readers wanted more from the arcades and liked the title.

I've also scanned some inside pages to show you the original line up of writers and artists involved in the komiks magazine as the titles like this was technically named. During this time, I was about to quit comics. This title and BIOTROG saved my career so to speak.

He smiled :)

Last Saturday, we went to PGH for a scheduled ultrasound. The doctor said that our baby is a boy. Actually early on, we already had an ultrasound, this was on the third month of her pregnancy. The doctor then also told us that she can already see a tootoot(penis), but we decided not to jump into conclusion until the 5th month. Well, we really hoped it would be a girl this time since our first child is a cutie boy. It is perfectly okay for us as long as our baby is healthy.



During the whole procedure, as the doctor was talking about 4d ultrasound and how much it costs. She managed to show us our baby's face, and what do you know? He smiled. I guess he'll be just like his kuya Kyle who is always smiling and laughing just like their daddy hehe.

an EXODUS art

This image that I drew and colored can be seen inside the pages of Blitzworx#1, intended to be a centerfold poster but due to miscalculations it did not happen that way. We have seven superheroes here owned by seven different creators: Matrix (Lando Inolino), Jim Dragon (Jim Jimenez), Metallica (Lui Antonio), T-raw (Jay jimenez), Scyber (Gilbert Monsanto), Katkin (Roy Allan Martinez, and ISOG (Louie Salvio). We all came from the early 90's of GASI, Infinity Inc, and Sonic Triangle. I just hope that each of us still has the same dream when we started Exodus. I know I do.

All of us have been blessed with so much in whatever path we took, but the journey continues. We pledged before to do whatever it takes to improve the quality of komiks in our country, and I for one have no intention whatsoever of stopping.

Yes...

Yes, we are pregnant!:) Been meaning to post this fact for a long time now. I guess it is better late than never right? Glenda is now four and half months on the way. Funny thing that we planned to have a new baby more than a year now and we got blessed a month after she resigned from work. I guess it was all the stress from work that prevented us to succeed. So, I'd say it was all worth it.

Now I really need to work more hehe.

just another few new images

Just a few try out pages again using a diferent style. Spawn characters are so fun to draw :)

sight seeing :)

Took this picture at the top deck of Linden Suites. Facing this way, we can see San Miguel Corp. and SM Megamall. This is around 5-6pm, I liked the blue shade effect so I took a shot.
I took this picture at the eight floor of the Medical City from the room my mother in law is admitted for a scheduled and successful hip surgery.

BRUSHWORK 2

Here is another practice featuring Spawn. I'm doing these pieces on 11 x 17 artboards. I'm testing this style for a future project I am considering to do. I find it faster only in terms of execution. I'll just doodle a light sketch and start brushing away the details completely as I ink. But the amount of decisions to make actually makes it quite hard to finish, every strokes will be definite and final whenever I use brushworks.

BRUSH WORK 1

Just started using brush on my art just recently. A bit rusty so I guess I'll be doing a bunch of practice pieces before I can get the hang of it again. Here is one done recently. :)

Look into my eyes

http://world2.monstersgame.co.uk/?ac=vid&vid=31053734

don't know what this will do :)

DIGMAAN page 62

DIGMAAN page 61

DIGMAAN page 60

DIGMAAN page 59

Finally able post a Digmaan page! Still busy but I figure it is best to give a little time here as well.

ZSA ZSA ZATURNNAH by Carlo Vergara

Mr. ATLAS (ATX) nila Reginald Ting at Jim Jimenez

A Character made exclusively for Atlas Publishing, Reginald Ting and Jim Jimenez introduced the ultra strong Mr. Atlas.
Character design: Gilbert Monsanto

BATANG X by Peque Gallaga and Lore Reyes

Originally a movie, Sonic Comics made an adaptation. the first illustrator on that title is Ariel Padilla. I did not put him as co-creator here because all the elements and costumes already existed before the comic book was out. I also drawn some issues for Batang-X :)

Here is a new version for the characters. Although I still need to do control and A-gel on a different entry.

Here they are: G-boy,Kid/Lat and 3-na.

What kind of a DOG am I?

No bones about it, you're a good-hearted, people-loving Bernese Mountain Dog. Down-to-earth and loyal, no one works or plays harder than you do. You put your nose to the grindstone when it really counts, but you never neglect your social calendar. Simultaneously strong and sweet, you're very tuned-in to the feelings and needs of the other dogs you run with. Without having to be asked, you always have a helping paw to lend and a sympathetic shoulder to lean on. "Communication" is your middle name, and when that's paired with your unswerving devotion, you get a breed that everyone respects and trusts. Woof!






You're a Bernese Mountain Dog!


What Breed of Dog Are You?

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The Movie of my Life

The Movie Of Your Life Is An Indie Flick

You do things your own way - and it's made for colorful times. Your life hasn't turned out how anyone expected, thank goodness! Your best movie matches: Clerks, Garden State, Napoleon Dynamite

If Your Life Was a Movie, What Genre Would It Be?

little big secrets

I've never written anything much here even though this is my blog and suppose to be used as a journal. People who knows me, assumes they know me, not that I've been faking stuffs from them. The know the Smiling part of me, the happy guy on steroids side of me. Boy Sicat even asked if I am into some kind of magic prozac. No, never needed any of them drugs to alter any of my already imbalance chemical metabolism. Heh, whatever that means.

I've been silent for too long and maybe because I been observing and analyzing. I think I now know what's keeping this country down. We don't appreciate each other the way that we should. We are taught to be polite and not be rude to people. Never to be rude IN FRONT OF THEM. I know because a few years ago, one of my student confessed that a group of well respected creators bought a copy of my groups ashcan and well, vandalized the copy with ballpen. Telling him bad things about it and even my character. I just told him, don't worry. they bought it. They have the right to that to it. The are costumers. I would be mad if they did not pay for that copy. Opinions are important and should be respected.

I think we all need a bit of Gerry Alanguilan. This is why I love this guy. He will only promote me and my work if and only if he believes that what I did is good. Otherwise, he keeps silent. That is how I know which of my work he did not like. If there is something he really needs to tell me, he tells me. He even told me once that he did not like me for a time, then surprisingly I grew on him. That meant a lot to me. Eternal respect is what I have for him.

I had friend who told me that he needs to solicit some money from me, because there was a fire. Then, he told me that people who'll give him money will be his basis of what a true friend means. Money is not a guage of friendship for me so i tested his character. I did not give him money but instead prayed for his safety. Until now, he does not talk to me. Friendship for me is free.

Another asked me to work for her. I agreed and did the deed. When I asked for my salary for some of the artists who worked with me. The book was already out by the way and it was only a small amount. She told me that she taught that I was professional? and I was greedy. This one really boggled my mind til now :)

We are sometimes polite outside but so rude in the inside. That is why our country is so unsettling at times. We are okay, every Pinoy knows how to smile or should I dare say mask our pains. We love to tell jokes about almost anything. I do that a lot, only my wife tells me the truth. "That one is not funny Gilbert." I take that joke out of my system. It's rewarding to be married to a woman who can tell you only truths. She keeps me in check. Our country also needs a little checking, especially on character.

If you think that sometimes all this hidden rudeness is a matter of fact? Then try to imagine all our officials, our government, the business sectors down to our brothers and sisters? We've probably lost something valuable that can never be replaced. We've lost trust, and gain a lot of doubts. How can we be a strong country if deep inside we are thinking that our neighbors might be thinking and even saying bad things behind our backs? We must learn to reeducate ourselves. our chains might have already been broken, the chain that links us all together. But we can still weave a rope, a rope that is made of that thing that I recently heard from the radio. The term they called MORAL FIBER.

So, I guess by now you're thinking what my being a happy guy have anything to do with all this? Well, I just like to tell you that I appreciate everything and everyone that comes in to my life. Why?

Because I am here now. Even though I came from a broken family. I am here. Even though I had to wake up around 5am and ride jeepneys from Pandacan to Guadalupe just to go to school when I was 13. I am now here. Had to walk home everyday from school because I just don't have much to spend for food. Had to go live with different relatives and felt like a bouncing ball because they can tolerate a guest for only so long? I am now here. Was left with only 35 pesos when my mom went abroad, had to budget that money, luckily I have my best friend, Rene Sabangan and his wonderful family who helped me plus of course my titas and cousins that even though we lived on a so called squatters area, we grew up to be decent people. I had to borrow 50 pesos each week for two months from my mom's friend, that was so embarrassing for me. I hang on til my mom finally sent in some graces from the middle east. Haven't seen my dad from age 12 to age 29 when he visited just to say hi. It will be a long list of more unfortunate memories but still like I said, I am now here.

People, all this memories includes people. All of them a family to me. All of them, a reason to be happy. All the dark stuffs are all in the past, all of us are all here...Now.

Now is where I have the job that is also my dream, my loving wife, My son who smiles alot, he is my hope. Tell me, isn't that enough reason to appreciate this life?

I can tell you now why everything will be fine, why I am a happy person. If you think back? You'll know how lucky you are to be here at all. If some of you don't have memories such as these... even better, and the more reason to be happy.

Most of all, I think God is watching over us. Before I thought it was all about luck. Now I know, It is all a matter of faith.

Darna VS Zuma sketch

Been busy lately. Here is something to go by. I'll more very soon. Will post new pages soon.

DOODLE CAMP

Come join the fun!

DARNA by Mars Ravelo

COMBATRON by Berlin Manalaysay

EL GATO by Mike Tan and Sonny Trinidad