Stupid Connection...

Our router at home seems to be having technical difficulties. It's so hard not being able to connect to the internet!!!

It's still busted!!! It can't connect to the PPPoE!!! So I had to manually remove the cable from the router and plug it directly to my laptop...

I promise I'll do my book of the week reviews as soon as I find the time to get the comics from the shop.

Next week will be one hell of a week for me and my officemates since it will be the Kick-Off we've been all preparing for since July of last year!!!

I really hope everything goes to plan...

I'm off...

2010 - What am I going to do?

Had this funny email at work earlier today. Someone asked me if I had any intentions of running for a government position in 2010.

I don't think it's gonna happen... Not anytime soon.

Sure, the Filipino who wants to change things for the better is in my blood. I have Grandparents who served the country with unblemished names plus I have an uncle doing an excellent job in the Senate.

Why? Well I guess I'm not ready. I'm still young. Plus people say that I'm too nice. I trust too much at times.

I know that I can help out through other means. But seriously, I'm not ready yet. Maybe someday I just might decide to follow my Lolo's footsteps.

The only thing that's bothering me is this saying... "The only way for evil to succeed is when the good people do nothing..."

Honestly, is the country getting better?

Is the word "politician" positive?

Do we, taxpayers, get what's due?

Problems we have include the ff: Crab Mentality, Selective Amnesia, Apathy. *sigh*

Change must be brought in the Philippines... Change we can believe in... (Barack and roll!)

I think that we dwell too much on the past. We just have to move forward... Let's not point fingers on who did what wrong. Let's start solving the problems immediately.

What do you think?

The I AM NINOY 100 Initiative

Over the holidays last year, I met up with Tito Rapa who's spearheading the I AM NINOY campaign.

I pitched an idea and he's all for it. I'm still fixing the rules and guidelines but since I was given the green light already by the organizer of the event (Mr. Ernest Hernandez), I'm gonna blog about it.

This August, the first ever Manila Comic-Con will be held!!!

So to chip in to the event, I'm organizing a contest called the I AM NINOY 100 initiative. (Working title)

100 pieces of artwork that depicts what it means to be a Ninoy today.

Open to the public.

Plus some pros can chip in their work if they want to.

Still have to polish some things but this one's a go :)

What can we do for Philippine Comics?

When I was in Grade School, I thought of putting up a Comic Book Publishing House in the Philippines. When Avalon Studios came here, I wanted to do what they were doing. It would be me organizing everything. Recruiting writers and artists, promoting reading local comics, and showcasing the talents of Filipinos to everyone.

But there was someone who told me that you have to be in one of the Big 2 (Marvel and DC) to be successful in the industry.

Is that true? That there's no way for Pinoy Komiks to succeed?

I'll have to disagree on that one. I really think that ANYTHING in this world is possible. It is that never say die attitude that takes you places. It is having the heart and dedication for that thing you love to do.

I bumped into Carlo Pagulayan at Druid's Keep a couple of weeks back and he told me an idea. I thought it was an idea worth building on. Something for the future.

But hey, what can one man do?

So if by any chance you're a Fanboy and in the Philippines, give me a shout out or an idea.

What can we do for Philippine Comics?

I'll be waiting...

Jiggy's Book of the Week (WEEK 3)

I only have 3 titles this week so there's really no big competition here.

It's a toss up between Invincible Iron Man #9 and The Sword #14

I'm gonna have to give it to...

Invincible Iron Man #9

Why? Well I guess I'm just rather bummed about The Sword's ending. The Holy Sh*t factor wasn't just there for me... It is an awesome book but this issue didn't deliver my expectations.

Ok, so for Iron Man. I'm liking the way Matt Fraction involving Maria Hill into the story. She's another Marvel Character worth following now. I'm also liking Tony's status quo. Stark Tech being synonymous to failure just makes Iron Man's life more interesting for me as a reader. The Spidey formula is working for me on this one. Bendis' idea of bringing Peter Parker's world to all heroes is just friggin interesting!!! What's gonna happen next?

The Invasion affected Tony Stark a lot! He gave Stark Tech to Pepper Potts and now, Pepper did the hard decision of closing it. So as we know it, there is NO MORE Stark Industries!!!

World's Most Wanted is doing great so far. I just hope Matt Fraction doesn't leave this book. His worst move was leaving Immortal Iron Fist!!! That was just pure fanboygasm! Such a shame he left so early...

So far, in the Book of the year awards, Wolverine 70 is still the best. We'll see, there's 49 more weeks!

Jiggy's Book of the Week (WEEK 2)

I have 2 weeks worth of Comics but I don't think any of my remaining titles can beat this one.

For Week 2 my pick is...

Wolverine #70, Old Man Logan Part 5

Spoilers Ahead.

Team Civil War ROCKED my Fanboy expectations for this one. Mark Millar and Steve McNiven did an awesome job with the big reveal of why Logan has decided not to pop his claws for over 50 years.

I'll start with the Art first. McNiven is just one of THE best damn artists today. They're so clean plus the detail is just awesome. He draws the best Logan. (Other than Leinil Yu of course) The beard is perfect! I can see every damn stubble in Logan's beard! The bloodshed was snikity-snikt marvelous!

Ok, so on to the story. The Old Man Logan story is about a possible Marvel future. One day, all the super-villains just decided to group. They realized that they outnumbered all the superheroes so they woke up and killed the superheroes. Logan and Clint Barton (Hawkeye) are one of the few surviving heroes in the world in that future.

So now comes the big reveal. Why has Logan stopped? So one night at the Xavier Mansion, villains invaded. Logan smelled them from a far while talking to Jubilee. A blast comes and Jubilee gets a huge piece of wood on her skull. Logan kills Doctor Octopus, The Green Goblin, Silver Samurai, Absorbing Man, etc. He looks for Cyclops and the others to no avail. He keeps on fighting. Bullseye remains. And in the dying words of Bullseye, he says "Why Logan, I thought you were one of us?"

Then goes "Oh Dear!" as said by friggin Mysterio! "In behalf of the criminal community, thank you Logan"

Wolverine just friggin killed all the members of The X-Men!

What a twist! Didn't see that one coming!

Logan is just heartbroken. He goes to the train rails and puts his head there. He punishes himself. What a panel... He never pops his claws again... Didn't even join the battle in Las Vegas...

Mark Millar just continues to amaze me with his ideas. I feel I under rate this guy because of Bendis. I'm sorry Mr. Millar. I'll never do that again. I promise. You will always one of my favorite writers.

My only complaint was the cliffhanger... Seriously... A T-REX with a Venom symbiote? Jeez...

Jiggy's Book of the Week (WEEK 1)

So 2 weeks worth of comics were delayed in the Philippines because of the holidays. Government Offices were closed so no one could be able to deliver the new comics to the shops. So finally, they're here. So for Week 1 of 2009.

My pick of the week is...

The Umbrella Academy: Dallas #2

Spoilers Ahead.

Gerard Way and Gabriel Ba continue to deliver awesomeness for the 2nd straight issue in Dallas! The opening pages were heartbreaking. There was this panel where in 2 new Villains appear in a diner. They show no mercy whatsoever for the Chef and the Waitress... Damn... I felt so bad...

These 2 new Villains are on a mission to find Number Five.

The Krakken belives that something's not right. (As always with him) and he tries to wake the shit out of Spaceboy who is now obese. Rumor leaves the Academy for a breather and Seance is getting drunk while talking to the tomb of Dr. Pogo who actually answers Seance back!!! Holy Bananas Batman!!!

Rumor finds Number Five and SHE WANTS TO KNOW EVERYTHING!

The 2 Villains arrive at the Academy and they knock out Seance...

The character development is getting better plus this new mystery of Number Five is making me more excited about this book. Can't wait for #3 but sadly it's the halfway point of Dallas.

Geek Out Session #1: Criminal by Ed, Fringe, and Attack of the Show

So I'm gonna start with this new session. A time for me to relax, unwind, and geek out.

There was this Sale at Power Plant last January 2-4 and I always make it a point to visit the Fully Booked there. 20% ON ALL GRAPHIC NOVELS YO!!!

After much thought during December, I decided to spend on some things that would make me happy. I'll talk about my purchases some other time. But for now, I would like to mention that I got the 1st volume of Criminal by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips. Coward is the 1st arc and JEEZLAWEEZ! I underestimated this. I have the 1st issue as a single but I never got to finish it. I got bored. So I gave another go since I read some very positive reviews.

They were all right!!! This was indeed a crime noir story. I loved it!!! My brother read it before and he said that it will snap the #$%^ out of you. The ending will break you! True enough. Why the hell would a Crime story about a Criminal be all goody goody in the end? It was just the most awesome page-turner I've read in quite a while...

I started reading issue 1 and I couldn't let go of the book... I have volume 2 already. Yes. It's that damn awesome!

Also, over the holidays, iTunes had this 99 cent sale on TV Series. I decided to use my last few remaining downloads on JJ Abrams' FRINGE. It stars Aussie newcomer Anna Torv and Charlie Conway himself, Joshua Jackson.

It's like the X-Files! But set in the modern times. It was just so freaky and strange that I loved it! Thankfully I can catch it locally on CS9. Mondays at 9pm. The episode last night about the Observer was some freaky shiz. It's an amazing show! Try and catch it!

Finally, I've been reading Wizard Magazine and I keep seeing this girl called Olivia Munn. She's part of G4, the evolved "Tech TV" (Gosh, I SO MISS THAT CHANNEL... :( ) She host's Attack of the Show. It's about Technology, Geeks, and friggin Comics Man!!! And Blair Butler is there!!! She's a contributor to GEEK MONTHLY MAGAZINE!!! AARRGGHHH!!! It can be seen locally on MAXXX. But you know what??? WE DON'T HAVE SKYCABLE!!! NOOOOO!!! Olivia Munn is cool girl. She's perfect for Fanboys!!! She dresses up like Wonder Woman and as Slave Leia. No who can top that? She's gorgeous as well. Plus add Blair Butler to the mix! That woman KNOWS her Comics!!!

I wish Destiny Cable would carry MAXXX :(

Oh well...

In for one long January

It's back to reality tomorrow. Back to work.

I was reading a comment on one of my officemate's wall and one of our bosses said that we should enjoy it. It's gonna be one helluva January!

The Kick-Off will be on the 28, 29 and 30th. Pressure's on!!!

What I'm worried about is what my final assignment will be. Sales? Marketing? Sales Support? We shall see...

First Post of 2009

So it's 2009!!!

I was a bit sad because I've had this streak of watching the ball drop in Times Square on TV and I missed it!!! Arrrgghhh. Oh well... Being in NYC on December 31 is one of the things I'd like to do in this lifetime but enough about New York.

I'm not so excited about 2009. I guess most of us are afraid of what we do not know. I don't know what this year will bring for me. There's just so much going to happen. I'll be having my permanent assignment at work in a month's time for crying out loud. I'm getting anxious...

I could be sent ANYWHERE!!! Sky's the limit. It's up to God.

Ever wonder why time flies so fast? 365 days just goes by in a snap. It's unreal!!! By the time you know it, 2010 is just there.