The Carver's House

Midnight Nation J. Michael Straczynski, Gary Frank, Jason Gorder, Avalon Studios, Dreamer Design Joe’s Comics/ Top Cow Productions/ Image Comics David Grey is an LAPD cop who’s so dedicated to his job that he basically sacrifices his personal life, though not fully aware of the ramifications. His life is placed on the line after an encounter with hideous ghostly beings, and he discovers later that he’s been thrust into the ‘metaphor,’ a place that is essentially the real world inhabited by those like him, people who have become ghost-like because the real world refuses to ‘see’ them anymore. Not dead, just non-existent. In the metaphor, David meets Laurel, a woman who tells him that they must literally walk to New York to reclaim David’s soul (and not Paul Michael-Glaser… bad joke). During their journey, David finds out more about his new state of existence, ponders on the purpose of his existence, and becomes faced with one of those life-altering choices, a staple of most i...

That Singing Sensation If memory serves me well, I began my ‘karaoke career’ in 1998 at Nikolai , a dark but cozy place in Remedios Circle. Now, I’m a semi-regular of Music 21, where I’d sometimes go alone or with various groups of friends just to unwind and have fun. Or practice. But as a kid, I’d sing at home. Mom and Dad got my big sister a Trebel SAS (Sing-Along System) when she graduated sixth grade, and for the next few years I contributed to a growing number of minus-one and multiplex tapes. My voice back then was this uncertain little creature seeking its place in the world. My short stint in theater afforded me free voice training and more confidence in singing. At New Voice Company , we had Jai Sabas-Aracama of the UP Madrigal. There was also fellow member Patrice Pacis who at the time was taking her graduate degree in voice at the UST. It was at New Voice where I discovered I was a bass-baritone with an iffy vocal range. This range prevented me from dishing out the...

Learning To Write I’m a frustrated writer. It irks me, the fact that I can’t get a good narrative going despite the bazillion ideas that flood my head. I can’t even get myself to finish my Hinirang short story. I sit in front of the computer, open the file, read through it till the point where I left off, and I’m stumped. Dean gave me good advice, that I should stop bleeding over it for a while. He said that maybe the story wasn’t meant to be finished, or that it needs to sit on the shelf till such time that I could go back to it. But knowing me, it would be more of the former, because that story is as good as gone the moment I shelve it. One of the tips given to aspiring writers is encapsulated in two words. Read. Write. Read and write furiously. Get the hang of stringing words together and hopefully some panoply of narrative takes shape. Read as much as possible to get the feel of rhythm, flow and structure. To determine for oneself what works and what doesn’t work. The...

Pencil Work Vin got me some real expensive snazzy paper recently. A pack of pre-lined comics boards from Blue Line Pro. We decided to try them out for his Twilight Empires Book, and above is an incomplete page of my pencilwork using the boards. I'd normally use the uncoated side of 3-ply bristol boards, and I like the way they hold my pencils. The matted texture of the Blue Line Pro pages is something to get used to as the semi-gloss surface seems to require a heavier kind of lead (the B pencils). I should ask Vinnie to hold off from ordering more of the expensive kind. I think it's best for me to use more of what I'm used to.

What is it with me and Leader types? Got this quiz from jackmcph's blog . First it was Professor X, then Dream, then... You are Morpheus, from "The Matrix." You have strong faith in yourself and those around you. A true leader, you are relentless in your persuit. What Matrix Persona Are You? brought to you by Quizilla I guess it's my predisposition to brooding.

Hmmm...

With a Superstar Sitting beside Gerry Alanguilan at the recent Toys and Collectibles Convention was really a humbling experience, especially seeing the number of people who pick up his stuff and ask for autographs. If you've read Wasted and haven't met him, you'll be surprised to find how unassuming he really is. And for those who don't already know, his upcoming work is with fellow superstar Leinil Francis Yu, Superman: Birthright . Over recent years, my respect for inkers has grown. Inking is a difficult and precise art that many don't appreciate, and inkers don't get a lot of praise. But apart from being one of the best inkers around, Gerry has top-notch illustration work, too. So he's not just a great 'tracer.' He'll be coming out with his portfolio book soon. Hiccups I won't be able to blog as regularly from now on. Pipeline is closing and Kestrel IMC is born, setting up shop just a floor below. Internet access will be...