Comics: Bubblegum & Taffy (Preview)

Illustration and Story by: Jemuel Bernaldez

Studio Salimbal

(3/5 ★★★☆☆)

This 5-pages exclusive sneak peek of Bubblegum & Taffy can be seen at the last pages of Bravos ~ Cebu: Recruitment.

It shows a market place with a butcher busy cutting up some meat. Until a wild dog came and made everyone flee except for the butcher. He then locks up his meat, puts on a head gear and grabs two of his butcher knives to face the creature.

It looks like one of those short funny cartoons that we see on the television.

Overall, this preview was just fine. The illustrations were good. The plot of the story was still a bit confusing. The title alone, didn't give much clues. It will even leave you wondering who is bubblegum and taffy. Could it be that one of them could be the butcher, the creature or the girl on the first page?

We'll just have to wait and see what the story is all about.

More of Studio Salimbal can be seen at:
http://www.salimbalcomics.com

Comics: Buster (Preview)

Illustration and Story: Peejay Catacutan

ChopSoy Comics

(5/5 ★★★★★)

Inside the magazine ChopSoy 2015-2016 Arts & Comics Preview, a 4-page preview of Buster can be seen.

The 4-page preview was enough to get you excited for this comic. Presented to us fully colored, we could expect that the same would happen once the comic finally appears on a comic convention.

Reviving our hero doctor, Jose Rizal, a different kind of hope in the 3rd world war was an interesting concept with his return. The details of the remnant countries still in action and the mystery party whom the world is fighting against will really get the interest of those in search for a war comic that is made by a Filipino.

If you don't have the magazine, just try looking at the cover. Motto Stella having a background full of explosions would surely make you wonder on what kind of story the creator is telling here.

Be sure to check this comic out when it is released on June [July] 2016. Dr. Jose Rizal might just be the Buster that this world war 3 themed story needs.

In celebration of Free Comic Book Day 2016 the 4-page preview can be viewed online:
Scribd: Free Comic Book Day - Buster #1

Buster Comics Update:

Buster #1 Launch Date

Comics: Anino Comics Komikon 2015 (Preview)

Ang Subersibo

by: Jose Rizal

Adopted by: Adam David

Illustrated by: Mervin Malonzo

(2/5 ★★☆☆☆)

Si Janus Silang at Ang Tiyanak ng Tábon

by: Edgar Calabia Samar

Adopted by: Carljoe Javier

Illustrated by: Natasha Ringor

(5/5 ★★★★★)

In preparation for Komikon 2015, Anino Comics printed out a 6 pages preview of Ang Subersibo and the manga adaptation of Edgar Calabia Samar's Si Janus Silang at Ang Tiyanak ng Tábon. These were given out for free at the October Komiket 2015.

Ang Subersibo is an adaptation of the novels, Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, of Jose Rizal. It was written by Adam David and the illustrations by Mervin Malonzo.

The concept looks promising. However, the first five pages of this preview feels a bit dragging as Rizal introduces us to the story. Then, it left us hanging as we almost got a taste of how close this comic adaptation is to the novels of Rizal. The illustrations were not clear. (Clearly it is just a preview copy after all). But given how awesome Malonzo's illustrations appear on his comic book Tabi Po we could presume that he also did great on this comic.

Si Janus Silang at Ang Tiyanak ng Tábon is a young adult novel written by Edgar Calabia Samar. The manga adaptation of this young adult novel was written by Carl Joe Javier and illustrated by Natasha Ringor. In comparison to the preview of Ang Subersibo, this part has a nicer preview copy. The details of the illustrations are much clearer.

Having personally read the novel from which this manga was adopted from, I could say that the preview was nicely done. Ending on the scene where Janus is suddenly surrounded by dead TALA players would make anyone checking out this teaser wonder as to how the story would go on.

This teaser of Ang Subersibo and the manga adaptation of Si Janus Silang at Ang Tiyanak ng Tábon was a nice surprise from Anino Comics last October Komiket 2015.

The forthcoming Komikon 2015 is sure to be a grand one for Anino Comics as they prepare to release 2 new books. One of these is an adaptation of the famous novels of Rizal while the other one is a manga adaptation of a popular Filipino young adult novel. Anino Comics sure is determined to make their presence known this November 2015.

More information about these two new books from Anino Comics can be seen at:

http://www.adarna.com.ph

Facebook Page: "Anino Comics"

Comics: Mang Jose: Ang Superhero-ng Naniningil! (Preview)

Story by: Gabriel Chee Kee

Pencil by: Ace Enriquez

Inks by: Allan Burdeos with Carina Altomonte

Alamat Comics

As the Ber months start, Winter Komikon 2014 will just be around the corner as an early Christmas gift to most comic lovers.

Having that in mind, a nice flashback to some of my previous purchases led me into discovering once again a comic preview from Alamat Comics.

The preview of Mang Jose: Ang Superhero-ng Naniningil! contains a short teaser of the story and some sketches. It also features a nice pin-up sketch by Raymund Bermudez.

The story looks promising. The only problem is that this preview copy that I have is around 2 years old. I just wonder if this story will finally be released in the upcoming Komikon.

Comics: The Adventures of Apocalypse Al ~ Issue 1 (Retailer Exclusive Preview Edition)

Story by: J. Michael Straczynski

Illustrated by: Sid Kotian

Color by: Bill Farmer

Rated: M / Mature

Joe's Comics

Image Comics
(4/5 ★★★★☆)

"I love L.A. Beverly Hills on one side, demonic creatures on the other. Sometimes it's hard telling the two apart." - Allison "Al" Carter

I got this comic by chance while shuffling through a box of new comics in Filbar's in Festival Mall, Muntinlupa City. I was so amazed to have found this comic since I know that it would not be out in the shelves till next month (February 2014).

I bought this comic for the same price it will be sold by comic bookstores. It was also to my amazement that they had sold it to me since it was a retailer's copy, which I failed to notice on the front cover due to my surprise in finding this a month in advance. But still, it is a keeper since it would be a rare opportunity for me to just suddenly buy this off the shelf of a comic bookstore.

The difference with this retailer exclusive preview copy from the issue to be released next month is that the contents are not colored. It is only the front and the back cover of the comic that is colored by the artist. It really teases a lot by giving a preview on the art and the story of this new comic with the color being left out. In this preview I could personally say that this looks interesting. One could get the feeling that this might be a bad choice, but I think this might be due to the lack of color that it has.

I'll do the review for the story after I get a copy of the comic with full color next month. So far I'd say that you should try to browse this preview copy in a comic book store nearby. Try to buy it if they would allow you. But if they won't, well just browse through it and you might get interested in following this new series from Joe's Comics.

More of The Adventures of Apocalypse Al can be seen at:

Joe's Comics: www.studiojms.com

Image Comics, Inc.: www.imagecomics.com

Comics: Trese 6 (Preview)

Story by: Budjette Tan

Illustration by: KaJo Baldisimo

Alamat Comics
(5/5 ★★★★★)

Even though this is just a preview for the next installment of Trese 6, Budjette and KaJo gives us a short comic that is still worth to hold on until the complete one is released. In this preview, we are introduced to the same stuff, Manila's surroundings and its problems with the paranormal, however, we are finally given a glimpse of one of Alexandra Trese's brothers. Carlos Trese is presented here in which the underworld knows of him as "The Verdugo" and to some as "Uno the Hunter". 

His character is introduced finally here after just a few notations of him in the previous cases in the Trese series. In this preview, I can sense that a huge plot awaits us. A big battle may be emerging in this 6th book. I'm guessing it being the 6th book, a huge plot will be brought upon us in connection to Alexandra being the 6th child of the 6th child. Well with this story as a glimpse into that book, one thing will be sure and that is that many surprises awaits us in Trese 6.

Among other things in the preview of the 6th book, I just noticed a minor error. On page B of the preview, in the frame wherein JanJan's cellphone screen is shown. I think that the last message might have been from her teacher, thus it being a message which she received, it should have been placed in the left side and not on the right. Well it's just one thing that I had observed and I may be wrong about its placement, but hey its still a good read.

 

An interesting addition to this preview can be found on the back side of the comic. The Trese creators has managed to give us two stories by its inclusion of "Stories from the Diabolical." The story is presented thru Hank's character on how and what the "Diabolical" encounters daily. The story presented here is entitled "The Choir" which talks about a man in the denim jacket, a new customer of the Diabolical, and the strange experiences he has been getting lately in his aunt's apartment. He says that he was always woken up in the wee hours of the night by kids singing "Silent Night". This continued for nights with the number of kids increasing but as soon as he steps out of the gate to give them money for their beautiful voice in caroling they just disappear.

Well it was nice for Budjette and KaJo to also have made this story printed. The story "The Choir" apparently was actually put up online on December 24, 2008 with Elbert Or back then to do the illustrations. It would be nice for them to have these stories compiled up and be printed for avid fans of the Trese comics.

For the Trese fans out there, well done if you managed to get this preview. I can say that this will be a great addition to our collection. Kudos to Sir Budjette and KaJo for opening us to Trese's world. We, Trese and soon to be Trese fans, awaits for the release of Trese 6 and maybe if possible we can have a copy or a preview of the shortfilm Trese: Case One that was made by a group of DLSU students as their thesis film. Well it would be great if there were a CD copy. Hoping that all of us would be able to see it on the next Komikon.

Note: Some of the images were taken from the net, while the others were just a photo from my copy since I couldn't find them uploaded on the internet.

More information about the Trese Comic can be seen at:

www.tresekomix.blogspot.com

More stories from the diabolical can be seen at:

www.diabolical13.blogspot.com