Digmaan WIP part 3

Here is the third installment :)

Visit my shop :)

Come visit my store on CafePress!

Wala lang, pinagaaralan ko pa ito. Soon, aayusin ko ang Store ko :) Nakita ko lang ito kila Ner P at kay Reno Maniquis. Sinubukan ko na rin hehe.

Digmaan WIP part 2

Here is the second 17x 11 image :) already started on the third part. Enjoy!

Clearing something up.

Just read something about Digmaan:
http://writtenanddrawnby.wordpress.com/

"And thus we find ourselves in this situation. Filipinos who are capable of doing worthy comics are not doing webcomics or are doing them halfheartedly. The majority who do comics on the web simply do not have the talent to create something worthwhile.

Gilbert Monsanto, an established professional, gives us Digmaan, a fanciful exercise in super heroics. A quintessential superhero artist, his webcomics fall short of the quality he is capable of providing. He has demonstrated that he is fully capable of solid meticulous illustration when he wants to, and yet he considers it unnecessary to apply the same to his webcomics."

First, I would like to thank you for mentioning my fanfiction webcomic on your site. Thank you sir.

I just want to clarify something to Mr. Osorio, Digmaan is not meant to be done in its full version at all. It was never my intention for this story to be done and geared up to be just a webcomic. In fact all you see here are unfinished pages, most are not inked. I do this intentionally for several reasons. To make it clear that I have no intentions to get this comic pages in print, , most of the characters included here are owned by their respective creators. It will be a miracle if one day, I'll be able to get permission from all of them in order for me to use all of the characters and produce the actual Graphic Novel of DIGMAAN, 300 pages all in all. Another reason is to prevent piracy, I don't think they can print these low resolution images, and if they do. It will not the be the final cut nor a sellable image. I am focusing more on the story itself, keeping it locked inside my brain hurts, this is sort of a release mechanism for me. I thank the web for that.

I am content that I am now able to show and even remind more and moe people of the richness of our local komiks when it comes to having these fantastic characters that inspired me to do what I do today.

Digmaan in print will be the real dream come true for me. I just hope that the glimpse of that reality is enough for my readers, for now. Sorry to disappoint, but hey at least it's fun and free of charge.

I am currently doing a promotional image, I'll do this one in it's complete version. They'll appear the way I would want the book to look, if it ever get published.

Hope that clears up everything.

huge DIGMAAN art WIP

Started doing this promotional image for DIGMAAN. I'm hoping to finish up to four 17x11 illustration before the coming KOMIKON 2007. This is my tribute to all our local Superheroes ever made for every Pinoy Komiks reader. :)

I think doing the line art is not going to be a problem for me, although coloring them will be a tidious task. Wish me luck hehe.

DIGMAAN page 68

DIGMAAN page 67

DIGMAAN page 66

DIGMAAN page 65

DIGMAAN page 64

Note: Vanguard, created by JIM and JAY Jimenez. Serialized sa BATA BATUTA komiks.

DIGMAAN page 63

Muli na pong magbabalik ang Digmaan bilang preparasyon sa darating na KOMIKON 2007. Sana'y tangkilikin ninyo muli ang pakikipagsapalaran ng ating mga bida. Maraming Salamat!

MMK cover

50 pages plus two covers in 10 days. I'm not kidding but that was the deadline Mango Comics gave me for MMK. I finished the pages after 13 days with the help from Lan Medina and Aries Mendoza. This is supposedly my first time to do a love story. Unfortunately, it won't get printed.

Fortunately, they say I still made the cut and I got paid. :)

Here is one of those covers for "Walkman."

Just an update.

Still coloring pages for Tropa issue 2. Here is a panel drawn by Lui Antonio. Also been doing other projects on the side. Need those to feed my family and get enough funds for my books :) A new position was offered recently to me, Let's hope this one pushes through.

Did an almost impossible job of producing 52 pages including two colored covers for MMK in 10 days. Managed to finish them in 13days though. Thanks for the help Lan and Aries :)

As for the Carlo Caparas komiks coming out. I just wish it will succeed in reviving the komik industry's circulatory system :) I have just one complain regarding page rates. If a publisher can afford more, why give your drinking buddies less for their work? Yes, they do not mind, or maybe if they don't take your offer, they feared for the worst. Like no more work coming in from you guys. All I wanted to say is that, these artist deserves more love from a friend. Somebody might think, well they are just not in it for the money. Who are we kidding? We all know time is getting short and in no time, if we get sick or something that might prevent our hands to deliver, we might not have enough funds even for medicine. Try to wise up more. In the end this is a thankless job if you are not too successful and saved enough for you and your family's future. Be responsible.

Komikon 2007 is almost upon us and I must admit I am sooo behind. Hope people will forgive me when they do get their hands on Tropa#2 and Rambol#3 before November 17 this year.

That's all for now. Will be posting more soon as I am able.

Planet X Comics Grand Opening

Planet X Comics Grand Opening
Saturday, July 7, 2007 (1pm-5pm)Level II,
M2 S-2140e TRINOMAEdsa corner North Ave.Quezon City
Tel. No. 915-2744, 536-8070, 914-0040
http://www.comic-odyssey.com
http://www.komikshop.com/

Come Meet Special Guest Artists:*
Lan Medina - Penciler (Fables, Punisher, Silver Surfer, Spawn, District X, and more)*
Mico Suayan - Penciler (Moon Knight, Trakk Monster Hunter)*
Edgar Tadeo - Inker/Colorist (Wolverine, X-men, Iron Man, Spawn, and more)*
Carlo Pagulayan - Penciler (Incredible Hulk, Elektra, Emma Frost, Fantastic Four, and more)*
Jeff Huet - Inker (Incredible Hulk, Fantastic Four)*
Wilson Tortosa - Penciler (Battle of the Planets, Tomb Raider)

Artists will be signing from 1pm-5pm. The first 50 people in attendance will receive a special print created just for this event. Due to time and space constraints, sketch requests from artists will be limited. Full mechanics on sketch requests to be announced at the grand opening.

For more info, please call 536-8070, 914-0040, or 915-2744

Fan Art from JUN MONARES

A former student and a very good friend of mine just sent me via email his Fan art of Biotrog. Jun is one talented guy who is very good with well rendered and detailed pencil illustrations. Beautiful pencil lines that is so hard to replicate if inked. No longer a rookie, he too is now going strong in his career. Building his very own fan base in the comic field. I now, present to you the art of JUN MONARES.

I'll include this within the pages of Rambol#3, Thanks Jun.

Another Tropa preview with inker Boy Sicat!

Another reason to buy issue two is Alejandro Sicat, We call him Boy Sicat, inker for such titles like STONE(Avalon/Image), District X (Marvel). He's one talented fella. I can always see some magic whenever he inks my work. We also worked together for The Saints under Saturn Comics. I trust in his hand and his judgement to give justice to my pencils.

Pencil and colors: Gilbert Monsanto

Inks: Boy Sicat

Tropa preview number 2

Another good reason to pick up Tropa #2 when it hits the shelves soon is LAN MEDINA. Yes, Marvel Comics superstar did several pages for our humble book. Lan is one of the kindest man in local comics. He is very shy in nature but pours everything on paper. he's both dedicated to his profession and to his family. A silent wonderful guy.

There are other reasons why Tropa#2 is special like Gerry Alanguilan, Ed Tadeo, Oliver Castañeda, and other great pinoy artists who did pages and inks for the book. The book symbolizes a certain unity among artists and their love for the medium. I can't get all of them now, but I will contantly do so with the other issues. There are reasons why I did not invite some here...yet. I always consider their strength and would usually cater the scenes for them. I'll show you the no script process I use with these books soon.

I cropped the page to avoid spoiling the story. Sorry about that guys.

Thanks Mr.Medina for the support, for us and the local komiks industry.

Preview page from TROPA 2

Pencil and color: Gilbert Monsanto

Inks: Francis Lim

A cover for Jon Zamar's Digmaang Salinlahi

Cover for Jon Zamar's Digmaang SALINLAHI

Do we really need to change the INDUSTRY or our MENTALITY?

It has been a while since I wrote anything here that is really bothering me for too long now. I know that I was one of them people, who you can call an optimist. Being optimistic gives me the courage to march into impossible odds just to make my dreams reality. I'll always convince myself that everything will always turn out right if you are not doing anything wrong in the first place. That is why i followed my heart and became a comic book artist. For the longest time, I've never been anything but a comic book creator. I've tried everything from writing, penciling, inking, coloring and now even self-publishing. With every step I took, I am always happy to be a part of every title I've worked on. Because I love doing what I've always done, drawing. But being a professional comic artist is not how I started. I've been a READER of comics ever since. That is an essential part of how I understand comics, every part of it. Now, I've read a lot about the POSITIVE side and especially the NEGATIVE side of this industry here in the Philippines, and sadly, they are all true. Imagine going to a National Bookstore to find mangled local titles right in front of you. I gasped thinking they were RAPED!!!! I can only imagine how heart broken these creators feel when they see their hard earned money spent titles in this horrible state. I feel that way, for them and for me. That is how it is today, sadly. I've heard unfeeling comments from people who views themselves a reader, a customer, and the backbone of this industry. What do they have to say? Demands are more like it. Why is your title in english? why is it is Filipino? Why not weekly? Why this why that. But whatever we do to try and entertain the public? They come up with another complain. WHY IN THE HELL DO THEY DO THAT? Are we as a people so rotten not to think of all the hard work and money placed down on the table just to produce the titles they now read? Don't they ever consider how we feel? How we have to twitch and turn our bodies inside out JUST to print those babies? We are the parents of those titles, you tell us how you feel about it, we consider, we plan to give you what you'll need, ALL if we could. MOCK them, we bleed.

The industry is sick, needs medication. Beaten down by discrimination from both ends of the spectrum, the literary side and the artistic side. Yet, always taken by movies and television only to be RAPED yet again by their own brand of injustices. The revisions of unholy concepts just to play god on the poor creators who are trapped with a notion that who ever has the money are the boss. In this, we too suffer.

As for the big question why the price is way too high? I guess you have to find that out for yourselves. Just think about terms like PRINTING COST, DISTRIBUTION, DISCOUNT FOR THE STORE which could go as high as 40% or more. In fact, even if you've managed to sell half of the print run? All the expenses and the leg work done just for these books to make it to the readers is enough to STOP any small publishers, almost better let it die down and stop. Imagine again all the spoilage of mangled copies, not a pretty sight.

We do this out of love. So STUPID for so many to think other wise since, it is all very clear that there is no MONEY. Oh wait, you mean those mini magazines with 98% ads? sorry totally not COMICS to me. And the reprints of old comics running solely because of all the ads? Well, NOT our industry, non PINOYS are not included here. Just to be clear, I'm talking only about the local Komiks here.

With all these obstacle, how can one be optimistic? I know I am not, but that is not the point. It is a matter of principle. We let go now? IT IS OVER! Now, I know alot wants that. That should never happen, we fight! It is not the time to accept defeat. It is time to PUSH BACK! We hold hands as creators, not as individuals with personal grudges, as professionals. Tell them to learn from us, from these mistakes we hope to shape the next generation of Comic creators to be wiser, stronger, more adapt to every scenario.

I don't care if you are against or with us. This is not a request. If you are a komiks lover, by God Prove it! If you can't say anything productive... SHUT UP! If you hate because you are one sad individual... SHUT UP! But if you have solutions, stand up and be heard.

Tapusin na natin ang mga TALANGKA!