Set for release on Valentines Day is a new book I illustrated, “The Love of My Buhay,” published by A&S Books. It’s been in the works since summer of last year, and I’m excited and relieved that it’s finally coming out. Lorra helped out a lot with the art on this, and it makes me giddy just thinking about it, the two of us working on a book like this. Hee hee. It feels a lot like this:

Renaissance is the comics event that will bring together the best and brightest comic book talents of the country.

Efren Sapalaran is my next comic book project.

Both will happen in February.

Game!

“Lola: A Ghost Story” is now out in comic stores, and if you’re still on the fence about whether to buy a copy or not, perhaps some of the reviews will help convince you to buy a copy for yourself, and another for a loved one.

Comic Impact calls Lola “the sort of book that never gets old after how ever many reads.” Of my artwork, the reviewer writes, “What makes it so scary and surprising, is that the whole book is usually drawn in a lovely, romantic style where everything looks joyous and at ease…but then when you come across a monster it really catches you off guard.”

OneMetal gives the book a 3.5 out of 5 – “good stuff, definitely worth a look.”

Comic Book Resources has a review of the book as well, drawing parallels between my work and artist Paul Smith, which just made me absolutely giddy.

“Torres and Or’s tale is the sort of quiet horror story that moves along simply, lulling you into false security, before twisting quickly in another direction right at the end,” says the first review of Lola: A Ghost Story from the School Library Journal.

Previews of the first 17 pages are also available online, in places like Comic Book Resources, Broken Frontier, and Major Spoilers.

It’s also been cited as one of the books to watch in 2010, by the Sunday Daily Inquirer, where it’s described as “a uniquely Filipino title.”

Excitement!

Drawings made over the holidays. Lorra went home to spend the holidays with her family, so the impetus for these was simply me having a case of too much missing her.

Hope you had safe, great holidays, everyone! And here’s to a rip-roaring 2010!

A sort of tradition now, coming up with Jingle the Christmas Pig stories every year since 2006, as an e-card I send to friends and family. People seem to like it. I figure by the time my kids graduate from college, I’ll have drawn enough Jingle the Christmas Pig pages to fill a book compilation.

You can also view some of the previous years’ Jingle stories in the site’s Comics Archive. Happy holidays, y’all!

The image above features characters from the graphic novel I illustrated for Oni Press, Lola: A Ghost Story which is written by the prolific J Torres. Should be in stores right in time for Christmas. Which makes me happy. The back cover blurb calls it my “North American debut.” Which suggests there will be more to follow. Well, dagnabbit, I know I’ll want that to be true! Got me lots of projects in the pipeline that I want to get started on finishing, starting right…

Now!

Well, I’ll be going home to the parents’ for the holiday first. And then I’ll get to working on it.

Later!

Have you been reading up on Cast? You can now read the award-winning Cast Issue 10 for free! No need to have read previous issues – the series about high school students trying to stage a dramatic play while coping with the drama of everyday life is completely new reader-friendly! Click on the ‘more’ link at the bottom of each page, you’ll even be able to access behind-the-scenes commentary from series writer Jamie Bautista!

Cast was written by Jamie Bautista, with art by Arnold Arre. Published by Nautilus Comics.

Do you have a DeviantArt account? (Sign up if you don’t!)

Then vote for my Lorra’s beautiful entry to the Wacom Bring Your Visions to Life – Dreams Competition! There’s a special Community’s Choice Award which will go to the entry which receives the most starred votes and favorites from DA users from December 16 until December 22, and we need votes. So go, make with the clicky-click your way to her DA page!

Come join us this Thursday, December 17, for an open forum on comics and graphic novels, with Philip Tan and his Amazing Friends! The event will take place at the NGF Room, 1/F De la Costa Building, in Ateneo de Manila University.

In addition to Tan, who’s done work on Green Lantern and Batman and Robin, among other stellar books, the forum will also host Carlo Pagulayan (Agents of Atlas), Heubert Michael Khan (Unstoppable), Ernest Jocson (Maze Agency), Andrew Drilon (Kare-Kare Komiks), and others. A portfolio review will be held afterwards. Lots of fun will be had throughout.

Here are some of the amazing promotional posters my Information Design students came up with (thanks Smile and Mark!):