COMIC CON 2012

So I made it back to San Diego and it was still awesome! Although I wish Jonty could have gone since it would have been more fun with him there. Anyway, just wanted to share with you guys some photos from my recent trip to Comic-Con 2012. Above you can see the MARVEL Booth which displayed the "Hall of Armor" from the upcoming Iron Man 3 movie. My friend Gerard who was with me called it. When we were on the way there, he predicted that Marvel would display Tony Stark's armors. I think it's so cool that you can see Marks I-VII in the photo :)

Below are photos in chronological order :)

When you go to Comic-Con, prepare to WAIT IN LINE. Seriously, not for the non-fan. You will be bored. Falling in line in Comic-Con requires a certain type of passion. That's the only way you can be patient. For Preview Night, we got there at around 12:30 and we waited until 5:30. Not cool... But entering the halls of Comic-Con washes the pain away!

You'll never know who you'll run into so be sure not to be shy. I saw G4TV's Blair Butler (who also wrote a 4 issue limited series for Image called HEART) She happens to review comics for G4 also and she's a cool geek! I really like her comic book recommendations. 

Behind me is the side of the MARVEL Booth. They're displaying MARVEL NOW! (It's their relaunch this October. See Cyclops? His eyes are shaped like an X!

Crazy prices for comics right? But tell me, where can you get a 9.8 copy of X-Men 1 and a 9.6 of the 1st appearance of Iron Man? ONLY AT COMIC-CON!

With CHEW Artist Rob Guillory. He's a really nice guy! Can't wait for the Chew TV Series to come out! Rob was also interested in visiting the Philippines :)

I just had to have my photo taken with the SILVER SURFER! I saw this dude last year and he's awesome! SILVER PAINT YO!

This is Axel Alonso. He just happens to be the Editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics! :) Booyah! Tall guy too! I couldn't believe no one was talking to this man! Seriously... Axel's doing an amazing job. I told him I'd support MARVEL NOW all the way.

Forner WWE Champion JEFF HARDY!!! SWANTON BOMB!!! Aww yeah!!! 

Slave Leias reunion

This is Sergio Aragones. He writes and draws Groo. I'll put him in "One of the Nicest Guys" list. We actually talked about his visit to the Philippines a looooong time ago. He said he was great friends with the legendary Alfredo Alcala :)

Thought the X-Men and Tales of Suspense prices were crazy? These are even crazier. Behold, Action Comics #1, the first appearance of Superman graded at 5.5 and a copy of Detective Comics #27, the first appearance of Batman graded at a super high grade of 6.5 for a golden age book! Yes, more than half a million each! Men in suits were behind this glass case and asked me if I wanted to hold it. Damn... drool... drool... drool...

My dream comic... AMAZING FANTASY #15

This year at Comic-Con, I attended more panels. I had to stay in 2 panels just to get in Marvel's Cup 'O Joe panel. It was worth it! Jeph Loeb was hilarious!

This is Olivier Coipel. He's a French superstar artist for Marvel and I love his art! Super love his art! 

They were displaying the Batmobiles outside Comic-Con so I decided to visit the exhibit and check out the badass Batman cars. Behind me you'll see Christian Bale's Tumbler and below you'll see my favorite Batmobile which was Michael Keaton's. Love the Keaton Batmobile. SUPER BADASS! That's THE Batmobile.

Badass right? 

Dinner with my Comic-Con friends! Next to me are Philip and Kristine Tan, Gerard Poa and Kristine's cousin Oliver. We hung out with them last year and this was a mini-reunion. Philip took us to this awesome seafood restaurant that served super awesome clams!

I met Anthony Bourdain! I met him at the DC Booth since he wrote a comic book called "Get Jiro" which was sold out in Comic-Con. I got his autograph on my notebook.

Presenting the debut of the Mark VIII from the upcoming Iron Man 3 movie! I'm not into the gold though... I think it's too much gold for my taste. We'll have to wait and see how cool it is.

Lucas Scott! Este, Chad Michael Murray. I was a fan of One Tree Hill when I was in college. I have to admit. Chad's promoting his comic book EVERLAST. I got Misha a copy with his autograph.

Also in attendance is SUPERSTAR Leinil Yu and LEGEND Alex Nino :) I think this picture is awesome! (Nil, feel free to get this pic :) )

RVD! Nuff said.

Do you guys watch Ancient Aliens on the History Channel? :) This guy is awesome! Love watching him on that show! "TSOUKALICIOUS!" Hahaha!

With the coolest and nicest guy in MARVEL COMICS! I swear, this man is just way too awesome! CB CEBULSKI Ladies and Gentlemen. He brought me inside the Marvel Booth!

With the 2012 Eisner Award BEST WRITER! MARK WAID! 

Was I the droid he was looking for?

Guys, if you're planning to go to the 2013 Comic-Con, please feel free to ask me questions and I'd gladly give tips! All I can say is that Disneyland is NOT the happiest place on earth... It's the San Diego Comic-Con!

Can't wait for 2013? You're in luck! Why don't you join the National Book Store NEW YORK COMIC-CON Promo? :) Click on the banner on the top page for more details :)

The "Reverse Pasalubong" - Beyond Borders and Guimaras Chocolates

Happy Independence Day!

I thought today was a good day to write about this. I think that the Department of Tourism is really doing something to help improve this nation. I was fortunate enough to meet a man who works under the DOT. Mr. Enchong Formoso taught me the concept of "Reverse Pasalubong" and it was brilliant! You see, there are A LOT of balikbayans. They come here bringing pasalubong from the US, the Middle East, the UK, etc. But when they go back there, what do they bring to their American friends? That's where "reverse pasalubong" comes in. 

Balikbayans have a lot of power if you think about it. They have a lot of power marketing our great country. Mr. Formoso let me try this unique Milk Chocolate called "Guimaras" and it's a chocolate filled with Philippine Mango. I'm sorry I wasn't able to take a personal photo but it was exquisite! You can get that at Duty Free Philippines. 

Anyway, this concept of reverse pasalubong gives us a chance to tell our balikbayan friends what to bring to whatever part of the world the Philippines has to offer. A few weeks ago, my friend Marga asked me if I could write something in the blog. It was her product/advocacy. It's interesting because I told her that apart from geeks, there were Moms and Girls who actually read this blog and this part is actually for the great Moms and lovely women who read my blog. (Thank you Moms and Ladies, I am humbled)

Marga gave me some products for my mom and their woven blankets from Ilocos! Marga is part of "Beyond Borders" and they make blankets, placemats, linens, and throws. Guys, sorry, I also don't know what throws are either... Hahaha. But anyway, Marga works with Ilocano women and they are preserving an old Filipino Tradition. She sent a really nice Yellow Blanket for my mom.

I was really amazed that Marga was helping out Ilocano women and preserving an old Filipino Tradition. Here was a friend from school living out an advocacy. I'm really proud of her for doing this for the Philippines. 

Here's the press release from Beyond Borders.

Beyond Borders was born out three Filipinas' pride in their culture and its traditions and a sincere desire to preserve them. With an eye-catching product line handmade by Ilocano women and men on antique looms, Beyond Borders makes preserving tradition surprisingly modern.

"Abel" in Ilocano translates to "weave", and it is a craft that has been passed down orally to today's weavers by their elders. Younger generations have been more reluctant to sit at the loom because weaving takes patience and skill, and they are convinced they can earn more hunting for jobs in the city. But, with every item sold, Beyond Borders and its growing customer base prove them wrong! There is a future in keeping crafts alive.

Today, we are focused on raising awareness about the beauty and durability of Abel. We strive to design and innovate products that appeal to the urban markets while maintaining the integrity of traditional hand-weaving. Each product by Beyond Borders is a piece of the Filipino heritage. By supporting the brand and owning the products, you are doing your part to help us get closer to eternally preserving our Filipino tradition of Abel weaving.

Here's the THROW! Marga sent one for me. Now I know what it is. Haha! Thanks Margs! Check out http://www.facebook.com/beyondbordersphilippines for more information.

If you are a balikbayan reading this blog, thanks for taking time! I highly recommend that you have a pasalubong for your friends when you go back to whatever part of the world you're going back to. You really have the power to bring tourists here in the Philippines. I suggest products from Beyond Borders and Guimaras chocolates.

Have any other ideas for reverse pasalubong? :)

CUE: Modern Barbecue

Here I am trying out new things again. I went to CUE: MODERN BARBECUE at the new wing of Bonifacio High Street and all I can say that this is your "cue" to try it out. If you're a meat eater, head on to Cue AS SOON AS YOU CAN!

What should you order? Here's a portion of the menu for you to see. There are loads of choices! The appetizers are already to die for! 

                                      

While you're waiting or still checking out the menu, you get POPCORN! It has a special Barbecue powder that's tangy and a bit spicy which is excellent.

Now here are my recommendations. I'm not a food expert. I'm not a food blogger but just trust me on this one because it is just superb! The CUE Bone Marrow and Steak Tacos. They're to die for! It's very indulgent but it's just the best taco I've ever tasted my entire life. I'm sorry but it's true. Ubod nang sarap talaga ng tacos na to!

It has other fillings you can put like corn and this special pesto/herby type sauce that's just excellent! 

If there's one thing you'll order, it's gotta be the steak tacos!

The House Burger with Sweet Potato Fries! In all honesty, this CUE House Burger can give the other popular burgers in the Philippines a run for its money. Why? The cheese and special sauce inside was AMAZING. No need for ketchup... This House Burger gets it DONE!

The Sweet Potato Fries... KAMOTE FRIES! C'mon, let's be real. The Kamote fries are actually pretty tasty too! It has balanced saltiness and sweetness that's really a great marriage inside the mouth. You know how you don't finish your fries at times? Well.. You'll finish these for sure.

My other recommendations.

BEEF BELLY. Cue's version of the Beef Belly is quite nice when it comes to the blend of flavors. It's just right! It's extremely indulgent so this is best shared with friends. This also comes with Horse Radish on the side.

The Chili Monggo. CUE has a twist to the Chili! We usually have chili with the normal beans right? This one I'll recommend to those who like it really spicy. I'll be honest that I only took one spoon of this because I couldn't handle the spice. But hey, it was a good twist!

So there. Now you know where to eat this weekend! :) Cue: Modern Barbecue is on the lower level of the building across Kabisera in Bonifacio High Street.

The Milla in Manila Experience

I've been fortunate to meet a lot of comic book people from the international scene because of Comic-Con and National Book Store. I've met Hickman, Quesada, Loeb, even Liefeld in San Diego. I met David Lloyd and CB Cebulski here courtesy of NBS. But the one guy I really had the chance to talk to and discuss fanboy things was Mark Millar. THE Mark Millar.

Shame on you if you don't know him. But for the sake of information, he's one of the best comic book writers/ creators in history. He wrote and created WANTED, KICK-ASS, CHOSEN, SUPERIOR, NEMESIS, THE SECRET SERVICE and SUPERCROOKS. For Marvel, he wrote the best selling CIVIL WAR and THE ULTIMATES just to name a few. 

He signed my Chosen book

The man is a genuine nice guy and he's a true fanboy. You can discuss ANYTHING with him. ANYTHING. 

To be honest, I felt like a groupie when he was here. I hung out with him, Leinil Yu, and the kind people of National Book Store. 

I was invited to a dinner for him Friday along with Jonty and a number Filipino Artists like Harvey, Carlo, Jason, Heubert and Ian. The man sat next to me at dinner and that's when I found out how extra cool he was! He knows so much about movies plus he definitely knows his comics. Para siyang kabarkada mo lang. Seriously. He's like another fanboy in the group and finding out that he's down to earth makes him so much cooler, credible, and respectable. But what struck me the most was how polite he was. He'd never forget to say thanks to a waiter or say please. Such great manners! Was he funny? I laughed so many times at his stories and ideas. Too bad I can't divulge on the topics we discussed. 

Saturday was the day of the interview, Jonty and I visited the NBS Glorietta 5 branch to interview him for "These Aren't the Droids You're Looking For" column (Out Friday in The Philippine STAR, YOUNG STAR Section) We got to ask all the nerdy questions we could ask and he even told us about Hollywood stuff you don't get to hear everyday. I brought a copy of Trouble #1 which was the first Millar book I read. Being a Spidey fan, I just had to have it signed. He told me that I was the first one to have him sign a Trouble #1. After that I went to Komikon to moderate some panels. But my interview ended late so I need to say thanks to Tony Tuason of Flipgeeks for covering for me. 

Surprise! Surprise! What KOMIKON fans didn't know was that there was a preview of The Milla in Manila! Mark Millar visited Komikon for a special guest appearance!

Who's that guy in the lower right? :) 

Sunday was the BIG DAY. Mr. Millar had been so jet lagged the whole weekend plus he had tons of interviews. Yet, the professionalism he showed was just amazing. He signed like 1000+ books and he signed for all those who went to the event. I was happy with the fan turn out! A lot of fans really went to the NBS event to see him! It was probably the most successful and biggest comic event in Manila. EVER. I stayed at the sidelines of the stage just relaxing. Yes I have hosted some NBS events but someone with more experience and just as geeky had to be the guy. That's why I was happy it was RJ Ledesma who did it! Before the signing started, I called Mr. Millar and said my goodbye. I wasn't sure when I'd see him again. I said thank you for everything and for visiting the Philippines. It was really such a privilege and blessing meeting and hanging out with the man himself. 

Happy Fanboy courtesy @nbsalert

Monster Crowd!

Fans raising their copies of Supercrooks #1

Fan Art courtesy of the awesome Apol Sta Maria

Thank you National Book Store for making this possible! I had the most awesome experience. Imagine a fanboy hanging out with one of his heroes? Man... I'll never forget it.

I don't know if Mr. Millar will ever stumble upon this small blog but Mr. Millar, MABUHAY KA! It was really such an honor :)

He was actually the one who thought of wearing my glasses

Mom's Philosophy

"You can always say things in a nice way"

Since it's Mother's Day this Sunday... this one's for you Mom

That phrase makes a difference. I've been working for almost 5 years now. My mom taught me that you can always say things in a nice way. I've never shouted or raised my voice at work or anywhere else. You can always treat the person you're talking to with respect even if you're already very angry. Everyone deserves respect...

I see that you can raise your credibility and professionalism because of that. If you need to get a message across, you can always say it positively or in a calm and collected way.

If you're still in school or starting out, try it. It makes a huge difference. Imagine being shouted at compared to someone speaking to you in a calm and collected way but just equally angry and disappointed.

Again, no matter what, treat anyone with respect. Oh, and if you have nothing nice to say, just keep quiet :)

Thanks for teaching me that Mom :) Happy Mother's Day!

The Avengers - A Celebration of Geek Life

No SPOILERS here I promise :)

In 2008, MARVEL released Jon Favreau's masterpiece that was Iron Man. Robert Downyey Jr. made it back to stardom when he played Tony Stark. He was awesome! It was in Iron Man where the MARVEL Studios logo debuted. :)

I saw my cousin Miko when it showed April 30 if I'm not mistaken. I was told "hintayin mo bonus scene. basta." It was in that movie where I really geeked out when Nick Fury appeared and mentioned "The Avenger Initiative"

MARVEL just said that they were building something HUGE! It was a whole plan for a big crossover movie that has never been done before. Sadly, even if DC Comics could do it, they couldn't. They didn't see it coming. Being the Marvel Zombie that I am, I'm glad DC didn't do it. So anyway, the MARVEL then released in chronological order The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, THOR, and Captain America: The First Avenger. 

There were questions on who would direct the film and thank God it was JOSS WHEDON! He was the best choice!

Fast forward to April 25, 2012 and we got the greatest superhero movie of all time, MARVEL's The Avengers.

Jonty and I watch comic book movies together. It's a brotherly thing and I'm grateful that I have a really understanding girlfriend. Misha always lets us have our brotherly gimik.

MARVEL's The Avengers is probably THE MOST ANTICIPATED COMIC BOOK MOVIE of this century. The build up was great and I really tried to lower my expectations. It didn't work... BUT MAN DID IT DELIVER!!!

Having your brother next to you who's also a comic book geek is fantastic! 

The whole movie is a celebration of geek life! Earlier today, I talked to people at work who watched and we were giving ourselves High-Fives! Hahaha! It's just a fantastic movie filled with soooooooo many geek out moments!!! One would really cry in joy with what MARVEL showed. It's just f*#%in phenomenal!!! AMAZEBALLS!!! HOLY SHIT!!! COWABUNGA!!! Seriously, when do guys do that? In basketball games? Not in movies! This was a first for me! Everyone was just really really happy! 

There were kids in the showing last night and surprisingly none of them were annoying like "Who's that Daddy?" There were no side comments in my showing too! There was just respect for the fellow geek!

The movie does NOT disappoint!!!

If you're the type who says "Nah, I'll wait till it dies down...". SHAME ON YOU. This movie is just super super awesome!!!

I'm still on an Avengers high!!!

Yes, I stood at THE ACTUAL HELLICARRIER set piece. This was in San Diego last year :) Hahaha! :P