Movies: World War Z (2013)

Director: Marc Forster

Cast: Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos, David Morse

Story: based on the novel by Max Brooks

Genre: Action, Drama, Horror

Rate: 9 / 10

"United Nations employee Gerry Lane traverses the world in a race against time to stop the zombie pandemic that is toppling armies and governments, and threatening to destroy humanity itself."

This is one great suspense movie for 2013 that will certainly give you the feeling of jumping out of surprise  because of fright from the start till the end of the movie. From the time the title and a few credits had already presented at the start of the movie, and also after a few introduction to the main characters of the story, we are right away bombarded with surprise and confusion as to what has suddenly took place. By having zombies popping out of almost anywhere and very eagerly (and also very fast in running) to catch anyone, it really changes a lot of things that we might opt to do in case a zombie apocalypse might happen.

Spoiler: There are a lot of scenes wherein you'll get frustrated for individuals who caused the death of others. Thru a simple phone call or by singing out loudly of songs of worship. I'm just guessing that's what they're singing and also I have nothing against them doing their worship. The only problem is the volume of loudness of their song that will certainly make you angry after the succeeding events. There's also the foolish death of a doctor, who was the best person who could have found a cure. But the thing that really pissed me off was the phone call that was made by the wife while her husband is in the middle of biking towards the plane, in the middle of zombies. It just makes you want to leave destroy your communication with her until you get back and finish the job. End of Spoiler.

As a viewer who watched the movie without having read the novel from where it was based on, I would say that this movie gives us a new and great insight on zombies. Aside from the mode of transmission that the "zombie" virus needs, it was really amazing and shocking to see the upgrade that the zombies have in this movie in comparison to previous zombie creations. In this movie, they have now the ability to climb tall buildings and walls by forming a somewhat zombie ladder, which was made upon by the bodies of zombies climbing on top of each other. With the loss of human instinct to stay on land, the movie gives us the impression that in order to stay alive and remain free from infection of the zombie virus, one has to be either in the middle of the sea or up in the air.

I recommend watching this movie for all the zombie story fanatics out there. Even though, I had already seen this movie two times in the cinema, it still never failed to make me jump off my seat once in a while due to the surprise and fright some scenes can give its viewers.

 

"Mother Nature is a serial killer. No one better. More creative."

Comics: Black Ink Comics' Shortcuts ~ Fairy Tails: Another Beauty And The Beast / For A Pair Of Legs / Jack And The Giant

BIC0013

(4/5 ★★★★☆)

Aside from releasing comics which consists of around 10 books more or less per series, Black Ink Comics also came out with Shortcuts. It's a comic book that consists of three short stories that are created by different writers and artists. In this shortcut, it presents Fairy Tails with stories like "Another Beauty and the Beast" as the first story. The other stories included are "For A Pair of Legs" and "Jack and the Giant".

Another Beauty And The Beast

Story by: Ron Mendoza

Illustrated by: Arnel R. Coronel

Black Ink Comics

"Maniwala si Beast na hindi mahalaga ang hitsura pagdating sa pag-ibig. "Bulag ang pag-ibig," sabi niya. Pero nang mawala ang sumpa sa kanya at bumalik ang kaguwapuhan niya, bigla ay nagbago ang pananaw niya sa pag-ibig lalo na nang ma-head over heals in love sa kanya ang isang halimaw."

This short story I may say is the best among the three stories complied in this book. It uses the Filipino language and the modern way of how Filipinos communicate with each other. Words like "Nevah", meaning never, was used in the story as a way to present how our current society talks informally. The story is based from Disney's Beauty and the Beast in which the author placed a twist. It answers the question, "What if the situation was reversed with the Beast turning to be a handsome prince, while the gorgeous Belle transforming into an ugly beast?" As much as the story was written nicely, its just sad to see that some of these lines were placed incorrectly. I find that some of it were positioned at the very side where the pages of the book are bounded to its spine, meaning you need to open and expose the pages of the book wide enough in order to read the texts. Then on page 9, where Belle and the beast are having a conversation, I find the speech bubbles to be a bit confusing as to whose lines are spoken first due to their arrangement. Nonetheless, with this shortcoming I find the story and the art to be good. I'd advice though that this story not be read by children in grade school and below for a bad word that it contains, which may highly be disapproved by most parents.

For A Pair Of Legs

Story by: Nald Tabuzo

Illustrated by: Cliff Renegado

Black Ink Comics

"Love makes the little mermaid foolish. She doesn't mind where her love for the prince will take her. Love is a source of joy. But she seems unaware that it's also a source of misery."

This second story is based on another Disney movie entitled The Little Mermaid. It has a less entertaining twist in my opinion among the three stories compiled in this book. In here, the same concerns with the first story like some texts can't be easily read, since it's placed near the center where the pages of the book are kept in place, are still present. It also contain some words which may be disapproved by some parents to be read by their little kids. I might say that the thing that I liked the most with this story was the part where Belle started doing a headstand and all different sorts of dances for a dance competition.

Jack And The Giant

Story by: Jeffrey Marcelino Ong

Illustrated by: Roy Allan Martinez

Black Ink Comics

"Jack climbs the giant beanstalk in their backyard to search for his missing father and brother. He finds a nasty giant whom he kills jubilantly, unaware that what he did would probably be his life's greatest mistake."

This third story of the compilation is now based from the famous Jack and the Beanstalk. The story starts with the beanstalk already in the backyard of Jack. The plot starts with his brother and father who were never seen again after they had climbed up the giant beanstalk. This story gives a different view about the giant that lives in the castle up on the clouds. Still the same problem with the previous two stories were seen to be present in this compilation such as having some of the texts not being easily readable due to its placement.

Overall, this compilation is worth the buy due to the twist that the writers had made to the fairy tails that most of us knew. The only downside is the placing of the texts. I only hope that this difficulty in reading the text won't appear in the next comics published by Black Ink Comics.

Note: Images were taken from the internet.

More of Black Ink Comics can be seen at:

Twitter: @BlackInkComics

Facebook Page: "Black Ink Comics"

The Mechanic's True Handbook

Written by: Peter Wallace

Illustrated by: Manix Abrera
(5/5 ★★★★★)

"The joys of the workshop leap from the pages as the insights this wonderful handbook provide takes you to another plane (where the wood is truly smooth).

Join us in an exploration of the workshop and the satisfaction it can truly bring. No true engineer or mechanic can afford to be without it." - www.nationalbookstore.com.ph

Needless to say, this is the same as my review with "Why You Need 3 Hands" made by the same writer and artist. An interesting insight made by Peter Wallace can be seen on page 3 where it says "KNOW IT ALL: Mechanics don't read instructions -- they know how to do it already." A thing most of us usually do upon purchasing things, such as a gadget, wherein we neglect to read the manual which could have given us a few tips to have a more enjoyable time with the product that we had just bought.

As for the illustration, Manix Abrera made use of one of the common characters seen in the Kikomachine Komix series, which is the guy whose eyes are rarely seen due to the cap he's always wearing. Well, just as the same with the book "Why You Need 3 Hands", it is a must buy for avid collectors and fans of Manix Abrera's works.

Note: Image was just a photo from my copy since I can't find a good picture uploaded on the internet.

Why You Need 3 Hands

Written by: Peter Wallace

Illustrated by: Manix Abrera
(5/5 ★★★★★)

"The little book brings into sharp relief the absolute need for a 3rd hand-as an unreachable itchy back can readily attest. And taboo as the subject is (or ist anymore?) just imagine the sexual experimentation.

Why You Need 3 Hands tells you it all, brings to the fore the incredible advantages of a human-kind redesign." - www.goodreads.com

Well with the witty and some crazy thoughts Peter Wallace has here in this book, another reason to buy it as you can guess is for the artist. When passing by the shelf of a bookstore, I just happen to notice a familiar style of drawing technique, which I as far as I have seen has become a trademark of Manix Abrera, the creator of the Kikomachine Komix series and 12 (Silent Comics).

A must have for fellow fans of Manix Abrera's artworks I must say it is.

Note: Image was just a photo from my copy since I can't find a good picture uploaded on the internet.

Comics: Horror Asylum ~ Issue 2: Black Magic Woman

Illustration and Story by: Jake Vicente

Ink Jinks Comics
(3/5 ★★★☆☆)

"A married couple have been happily living near the woods for three years. Until the husband shoot his wife in head. For what reason did he murder his wife for and how will this story end."

Black Magic Woman is the second issue of the Horror Asylum series. The story was good enough. But I'd say the first issue was still better. The art from this 20 page story was also good. The creator had gotten good at drawing characters at a certain angle which I find it better compared from the first issue. However, there are still some parts that needs minor improvement such as in drawing the body of the character. Nonetheless, the art was nice. Overall, the second issue was a bit okay but I would say that I liked the first issue over this one better. But still, I'm going to wait and see for the third issue. Who knows, it might give us an eerie twist like the first issue.

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.

He can be seen at:

www.tyrfryt.deviantart.com

The group can be seen at:

Facebook Page: "inkjinks"

www.inkjinks.deviantart.com

Comics: Horror Asylum ~ Issue 1: Sweet Child of Mine

Illustration and Story by: Jake Vicente

Ink Jinks Comics
(5/5 ★★★★★)

Ink Jinks Comics, a new group that I had stumbled upon last Summer Komikon 2013. It's the title and the cover of Horror Asylum which drew my attention to their table. As I checked their facebook account, I sensed that their group offer stories of a wide variety. However, they intend I think of having their art drawn in manga style. Well as long as the story and the art fits with each other I have no problem in that kind of comic book.

"Two fugitives ventured out in the dark woods to escape from the prison watch dogs. Exhausted, the two fugutives went deeper and found a hut, but what would they expect from someone living in the middle of the forest??"

Horror Asylum is an interesting series that the group published. At first I thought it would be something like the movies Saw or Hostel only it was comic book form, but of course I was wrong. I just got the impression due to the title and its creepy cover. Well, before anything else, I'd say I love the paper and the printer these guys used in printing their comics. These are actually the kind of paper that I've been always looking for to use in photocopying handouts and other stuffs. I can say they've been using a good kind of paper and also a nice printer for publishing these comics. Now with the story, I'd say the first issue was a good start for this series. It was not that scary but still its fine. On page 3 though of the comic on of the panels there, I found the inclusion of the usual "corny" Filipino joke of using lyrics in a song as a joke in order to steer for a slight second the topic, which usually happens inf the conversation was a serious one, to be not fitting. Then on the 20th page, o wait there's none, or at least on my copy. I wish though it would have been a good ending to the story to have on the last page (page 20) to have the scene like zooming out of the nipa hut while screams continue. Well that's just my opinion. Now with the illustration I'd say it was good except for some panels, i guess the artist just needs to improve drawing the characters when they are facing a different angle. But so far as with the rest of the art, I'd say it was good. I also liked the concept on the cover of their comic book with the front and the back changing as to signify the changing of a character in the story.

So far, I could still say that Horror Asylum is an interesting series from Ink Jink Comics. Hope it continues to deliver good short 20 pages stories and a little improvement on drawing the characters on certain angles.

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.

He can be seen at:

www.tyrfryt.deviantart.com

The group can be seen at:

Facebook Page: "inkjinks"

www.inkjinks.deviantart.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