My Favorite Supernatural Komiks

Today starts the SANDAANG ARAW ng KOMIKS. For 100 days, I will post anything related to Filipino comics to raise the public awareness about them. Here's a list of my favorite komiks with supernatural themes.

1. Andong Agimat: The goddess Maria Makiling has been kidnapped by the evil forces of Jun Pogi and it's up to the rough and tough Andong Agimat to save her. Wearing his amulet against bullets and accompanied by other heroes, Ando will not stop until he accomplish his goal and redeem himself of his dark past. This gritty fantasy graphic novel is a throwback to old Filipino action movies and it was authored by Arnold Arre.

2. Trese: Trese is a paranormal and occult komik series. When the police encounter cases too weird and baffling to solve, they call Alexandra Trese. Trese is an expert who deals with supernatural cases and fights against the evil. She wields a mystical dagger and is accompanied by supernatural twin brothers called the Kambal. The hit comic series is written by Budjette Tan and drawn by Kajo Baldisimo.

3. Pugad Baby 4: Ang Hiwaga ng Dueñas: Pugad Baboy is a Filipino comic strip that normally deals with satirical humor on Filipino society and the issues of the day. In the fourth compilation, the people of Pugad Baboy go to Dueñas, Iloilo and encounter a wide array of supernatural creatures of Filipino folklore. The comic strip series is authored by Pol Medina Jr.

4. Flash Bomba: Flash Bomba is one of the most unique and interesting superheroes in Filipino comics. For the sake of convenience, here's an excerpt from his Wikipedia entry.:

Flash Bomba was a man who lost the use of his legs in an accident. Because of this, he trained the rest of his body to an incredible level of athletic ability and did everyday stuff using his hands to compensate for the loss of his ability to walk. Eventually he heard a rumour about a "Tikbalang" (a mythological creature with the body of a man and the head of a horse) who would grant powers to anyone who could defeat it in battle. Flash Bomba challenged the Tikbalang - and set a time and place for the battle. He defeated it despite his physical limitations and the Tikbalang granted him superpowers. But as a jest, the Tikbalang gave him powers that made him look awkward. Flash was given the Tikbalang's magic hair, said talisman allowing Flash to transform into his super-powered version - a being with large hands and feet, as well as superhuman powers. Using his new abilities, he became a crimefighter.

Despite his unusual appearance, I honestly think he's a very cool character. His creator was the legendary Mars Ravelo.



5. Salamangkero: Several years when I was still in college, I browsed through issues of Hiwaga Komiks in the magazine rack. One of the serials in Hiwaga is that of a sorcerer who helps the police force. It was simply entitled "Salamangkero". It's a shame that I didn't buy a copy and now I regret it. I thought it was a cool comic. It would be nice if someone has a collection of Hiwaga Komiks featuring Salamangkero so I could borrow them.

So there you have it. For now, these are among my top supernatural komiks. Who knows? Maybe more will come out and I may have to update this list. Til then, toodles. Mabuhay ang komiks!

A Gathering of One Hundred Supernatural Tales

One of the manga I often read online is Nurarihyon no Mago, a supernatural comic authored by Shiibashi Hiroshi. It's a manga about youkai, supernatural beings and creatures of Japan. One thing that really caught my attention is the Hundred Tales Clan story arc. In the manga, the Hundred Tales Clan is a group of youkai that creates new youkai through the parlour game Hyakumonogatari Kaidankai or A Gathering of One Hundred Supernatural Tales .

Our main focus for discussion is the Hundred Ghost Tales game. The games was originally played by the samurai to test their courage. However, the game became popular with the townsfolk. One hundred people are needed to play this game in a dark room. There is one lit candle in front of each player. Each player tells a ghost story and extinguishes a candle thus making the room gradually darker. It is said that after the final candle is blown, a supernatural entity appears. This parlour game is also a form of evocation. I've never played this game but I expect a lot of squeals and screams when it is played. After all, who knows what lurks in the dark after the telling of a hundred spooky tales.

Did someone say candles? I got some candles here...

Questions for An Occult-Artist

Questions and Answers regarding my art

1. Why do you like to draw in monochrome?

I like to draw in pure black and white because two of my major influences in art are Arnold Arre and Stan Sakai. Despite the lack of colors and gray tones in their works, they look stunning. I especially like Stan Sakai’s art because it’s simple yet elegant to look at. I want to develop an art style like that. Although the artwork is important, I believe that the story is much more important when it comes to comics. I honestly believe that good content always beats outward design.


2. What are your inspirations as an artist?

I have many influences but the artists and writers who influenced me the most are Stan Sakai, Pol Medina Jr, Arnold Arre, HP Lovecraft, Austin Osman Spare, Shotaro Ishinomori, Matt Wagner, Steve Ditko, Neil Gaiman, Grant Morrison, Alan Moore, Leiji Matsumoto and Mike Mignola. They inspire me. Things that inspire me are magic, the paranormal, martial arts, absurdist humor, surrealism, the counter culture, mythology, legends and folklore. Every now and then, I’d meet an interesting person who could be a new character and experience an interesting that could be a new storyline. I’d like to think that life is a comic book and we are the authors of our own lives. It’s up to us to decide how it goes and how it ends. That’s why I think life is the most powerful source of inspiration of all. Well, either that or love. Take your pick.


3. What is the message you’re trying to relay to the world through your work?

The message? Anything that has meaning possesses magic. Art, especially good ones, create an effect on people in a deep level. Art and magic has always been inseparable for eons. Despite what the artsy-fartsy types say, comics is a form of art. Comics and magicks are one. When I draw an inkwork or create a comic, it’s like I’m calling forth worlds and characters from worlds beyond ours. Even if my works don’t create the effect I desire, the ideas get imprinted in people’s consciousness. I want to spread the message and the message is this: Everything is magic. I think it’s about time that people use their kind of magic (even if it’s something mundane such as house gardening or construction working) to add importance to their lives. They become authors of their own fates. Let your bliss guide you.