Sunday, February 27, 2005

High-flying Angel


Team Angel: Wesley, Spike, Angel, Fred, Gunn and Lorne Posted by Hello
The good guys of Angel Investigations have taken over the L.A. division of supernaturally evil law firm Wolfram and Hart. Nice lineup, with Spike joining the cast after his heroic last mission in Sunnydale. This is the fifth and last season of the show. And, boy, what an ending!
Also, Illyria (Amy Acker, below) kicks ass!!! Angel Season 5 airs locally soon.

For Season 5 spoilers galore, click here; for more great Illyria pics, click here.

Illyria! Posted by Hello

Friday, February 25, 2005

More National Champions


Pencil drawing, Dec. 2000 Posted by Hello
The blue-skinned Sun Arrow is an avatar of an old Indian cosmic being. Her friend and teammate is Miss Intrepid, one of New York's most reputable costumed crimefighters.

Wednesday, February 23, 2005

You On My Bed

If I knew how to create music, this would be a song. The words kept repeating in my head with a faint melody when I was heading home from the mall. I rushed to the keyboard and channeled away.
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You On My Bed

I miss your bed, your soft pillow ‘neath my head.
Falling asleep after all the pressures of the world have been shoved aside by your kind words.
I feel free when you stay beside me and touch me like you do.
Like no one else can touch me, like there was nothing else that’s true.

You know I miss you and your bed; I miss the time we feel no dread.
When I whisper in your ear and you nibble on mine so dear,
I just feel the time we steal can come to no end.
I feel your heart beating faster; can it race mine, my friend?
Hold me close and let’s pretend that forever is in your bed.

And after your warm mouth has gone all over me, and mine all over you, falling asleep and cradling each other was the next best thing we could do.
There were no promises, as far as I could tell, just “be there and wake me up”, and as for tomorrow, “who can tell?”
There are others who have touched me, true, but there’s nobody else like you.

You know I miss you on my bed, and all the times we feel no dread.
When we clasp hands and lower our defenses and we pleasure all our senses.
I just feel the love that we make can last forever and a day.
I feel your heart beating faster; do you feel mine, my friend?
Hold me close and let’s pretend that salvation’s in my bed.

And the sunlight comes, and the party ends, and the music fades.
So we’ll forget the night, and all its addictive delights.
Until next time.

Next time we’re cuddling on borrowed beds, I’ll feel you breathing near my head.
And when neither of us feels the need to bring it up, we’ll just live parallel lives instead.
We only care about each other in the secret ways that matter.
I feel your heart pounding in your chest, just like mine, my sweet, sweet friend.

It’s what we do best, lose ourselves in our beds.
There’s no pretending that our lives, yes, they change in our beds.
We’re changing in our beds.

Monday, February 21, 2005

God

I need a damn vacation. Need to tune out a lot of soulless, annoying fuckers.

Sunday, February 20, 2005

Counting my blessings

Some good things from an otherwise emotionally taxing and energy-sapping past week:
1) I was able to personally sell at the Pinoy DC barkada meeting thanks to McPiggy. Sold 10 copies of LNA to Benjamin, who will be giving them to friends, and one each to Brian and Christian. A girl member, Sheila, told us she bought multiple copies at Druid’s Keep after owner Felix Cua showed it to her. The day before, McPiggy sold three copies to his friend Robert Magnuson.
2) Boi bitch’s pimpage of my book.
3) A brief but interesting talk with Vinnie, Dean and Gerry about comics, my blog, and art.
4) I Googled my name and discovered a 17-year-old with a Deviant Art account whose favorite artist is, heheh, moi. :)

Perun the Stormer


Pencil drawing, May 2000 (clicky!)
Another weather deity. One of the Twelve Stormers. Posted by Hello

Saturday, February 19, 2005

Mix tape, March 17, 1998

Took me weeks to finalize this tape inspired by the all-female Lilith Fair. It’s one of a few, actually. I called this one “Lilith Lite”, as it was mellow-themed. All these 24 songs snugly make up one 90-minute tape. I always listened to it when I was busy doing illustration tryouts... I rarely listen to it now, but I still enjoy it when I do.

SIDE A:
Sarah McLachlan
- mary
Sundays- folk song
Jewel- near you always
10,000 Maniacs (Natalie Merchant)- circle dream
10,000 Maniacs (Mary Ramsey)- across the fields
Cranberries- dreaming my dreams
Sophie B. Hawkins- before I walk on fire
Milla Jovovich- gentleman who fell
Sheryl Crow- strong enough
Texas- put your arms around me
Paula Cole- me
Color It Red- me singing (lalala)
SIDE B:
Kate Bush- rocket man
No Doubt- world go ‘round
Alanis Morissette- hand in my pocket
Indigo Girls- mystery
Sinead O’Connor- you cause as much sorrow
Jill Sobule- barren egg
Suzanne Vega- world before columbus
Annie Lennox- no more I love yous
Tori Amos- baker baker
Heather Nova- doubled up
Lisa Loeb- truthfully
Pineforest Crunch- french connection

Thursday, February 17, 2005

Thank you, Sir Louie

Sir Louie Camino just passed away hours ago. I initially felt terrible about it, but now I'm just a bit relieved that he's not in pain anymore.

Sir. Thank you very, very much. You've been one of the most consistently generous persons I've ever met. Thanks for being a trusting and trustworthy friend. Thank you for listening to me for almost three years. And thank you for believing in me and in what I can do.

Thank you.

Wednesday, February 16, 2005

Tsk...

Three terror attacks shook the country two nights ago.
Doon pa naman ako minsan nag-aabang sa tapat ng SM Makati kapag pauwi ako.
Kawawa naman tayong mga walang kinalaman...
The real world can be such a fucked-up place with actual monsters, sometimes.

Monday, February 14, 2005

Love-ly Day


Pencil drawing, Apr. 1999
The Brigadier (one of the most formidable National Champions) and Eclectica (daughter of monster entities Lilith and Grendel) make an unlikely but happy couple. Posted by Hello
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Bleh, “Valentine’s Day”.
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Some of my favorite love songs aren’t necessarily ultrasappy ballads. But yeah, I like obsessive, irrational, and cloyingly honest lyrics. These flawed, relatable perspectives are very appealing to me, especially when they're integrated into memorably melodic tunes.

“Valentine. You know that I'm fighting this love in vain. The sun's been shining for a week. But it just feels like rain, Valentine. I know you're not mine. And I don't know why you stay. But when those hearts and flowers fade, oh my darlin’, look my way…”
--Belinda Carlisle, “Valentine”

“I've got a pocket full of holes. Head in the clouds, the king of fools. You've got a ribbon of rainbows, the sun in your eyes burning through. Could be I'm happy and sad; could be I'm losing my head over you. Well, you've gotta be crazy, baby, to want a guy like me. Yeah, you've gotta be out of your mind. Crazy…”
--Icehouse, “Crazy”

"I'm going crazy, I'm losing sleep. I'm in too far; I'm in way too deep over you. You'll always be the one. You were the first, you'll be the last. Wherever you go, I'll be with you. Whatever you want, I'll give it to you. Whenever you need someone to lay your heart and head upon. Remember, after the fire, after all the rain, I will be the flame. I will be the flame…”
--Cheap Trick, “The Flame”

Sunday, February 13, 2005

Attention Malatephiles!

Lexy, Nance & Argus: Sex, Gods, Rock & Roll is now available at super gay gift shop Pride Exchange, located at Orosa corner Nakpil Streets Malate, Manila. It's right on top of Komiks Cafe. Their store hours: Mondays to Thursdays, 4 p.m.-12 midnight, and Fridays and Saturdays, 6 p.m.-3 a.m. (Sundays-closed). Check it out! Thanks to Mr. Fleras and Charles for the opportunity to sell there.

My comic book is also available at all Comic Quest branches and Druid's Keep Magallanes.

Thanks to Amy, Jaime and Camy for the support! Also to Randy Torrecampo and Joanah Sayo of the Benildean for interviewing me about it. And to McPiggyboy for bringing me to Malate. Salamat!

Wednesday, February 09, 2005

Old Avengers


Pencil Drawing, Dec. 2000 (Touch it!)
Posted by Hello
The New Avengers lineup is interesting. Cap, Spidey, Iron Man, Spider-Woman, Sentry, Luke Cage, Wolverine, and possibly Daredevil. One gripe though... what's with Spider-Woman's puny, puny venom blasts?!
Anyway, hope the roster will eventually include powerhouses like Dr. Strange, Silver Surfer, Phoenix, the smart Hulk, Namorita, Dazzler, Captain Marvel (Genis), Ikaris, the resurrected Thor, Tarene, Northstar and Juggernaut. Wishful thinking.

Tuesday, February 08, 2005

I can use many words...

... but all I really want to say is, "I miss you".

Saturday, February 05, 2005

Closest thing to a crossover


Pen and ink, 2003 (clickie on image) Posted by Hello
Taken from Budjette's phlog. Can't remember when I drew this, exactly. Forgot about it, and discovered it posted there months ago.
Lexy, Nance, Kupcake and Tol check each other out... hehehe


Love, lost and...


FOUND
The Beloved

Well, tell me one thing. Is there madness in this reason? And tell me something that I never knew before. The consequences of my actions aren't confusing. They're just wanting the direction that I've never had before.

I was happy, now, I'm walking on the water. I was laughing, now, I'm floating in the air. 'Cause I found you.

These gut reactions are the best things you can go by. Premonitions are the second, that's for sure. I'm caught by your eyes, they just surprised me, overpowered me. I stand here waiting in the calm before the storm.

I'm delirious, as happy as you're crazy. It's nothing serious or difficult to cure, 'cause I found you. Yeah, I found you.

Your smile is like the ocean, your kiss the seven seas. Your eyes like magic potions, they just enrapture me. I promise my affection for all eternity. You are my resurrection. You mean the world to me.

Friday, February 04, 2005

Rest for the wicked

Just stopped working yesterday to avoid total mental shutdown... and just caught up with nice stuff like:

1) Jamie Cullum's chopped-down-to-30-minutes concert over at Channel V. My god! This guy is a real compelling performer. I've been a fan since I first heard his album Twentysomething, and seeing him perform some of his songs live was a real treat. He kept jumping up and down, and running across the stage like crazy. He even bashed away at the piano with his forehead and chair! He did caress and kiss it several times after. Heh.

2) The latest issues of Justice League Elite, New Avengers, and JLA Classified. Potential spoilers!

Manchester Black's back in Elite. Someone bites the dust, and unfortunately it's my favorite team member. Oh Well. Still good stuff from Joe Kelly and Doug Mahnke. It's refreshing to see Mahnke's detailed and dynamic storytelling in this series. If only he was illustrating the regular title as well. He'd do Busiek's current story justice. That title has been suffering from shoddy and sloppy art lately.

New Avengers... hmmm... Marvel's supposed answer to the JLA's Big Seven... Sentry wasn't shown doing much. And Wolverine hasn't popped up yet (yes, he's gonna be an Avenger). Captain America recruits Spidey, Luke Cage, Daredevil, and Spider-Woman (she's got an interesting, mysterious subplot going on). Characterization's better than the past two issues. Art... not really a fan. Reminds me too much of Andy Kubert's.

JLA Classified is cool. Morrison ends his three-parter. Action scenes are way too short; I want more! McGuiness' art is okay. There are unclear panels, though, like Martian Manhunter getting dunked in a volcano... that was really confusing because we never actually see it happen. Anyway, it's good to see Aquaman kick ass without controlling fish, Batman beating up Gorilla Grodd, and the Ultramarines getting a new direction.

3) Damien Rice's O, Cyndi Lauper's compilation Twelve Deadly Cyns, and John Denver's A Song's Best Friend. Good music all around.
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"Heroes don't accept the world the way it is. They fight it."

--Bad boy Lindsey McDonald to Team Angel (Angel Season 5, "Underneath")