Football Crazy

Playing as Henry of Arsenal is a joy

Lately i've been burning the night candles until the wee hours of dawn. And no, it's not because of some drawings deadline. It's because of the FIFA 2005 SOCCER game by EA sports.

I've had my x-box more than a year ago and I only played moderately with my usual games (x-men, Dragon Blade, Halo2) and didn't really have the feeling to be addicted by it. I even stopped less than an hour or so after commencing playing since I feel that I'm not enjoying the play that much. I used to think that maybe it's because I'm already 30, I dont have the zest for video games the way I used to have with Nintendo, sega and the ol' good PS1. Second, I'm married now and my job is very occupying, plus I also get to draw a few pages of comics every now and then that I really have no time to squeze in game consoles.

That all changed when I bought Fifa Soccer 2005. I mean, I love football. Maybe even more than basketball. But I never thought I'd be this crazy with a video game again (the way I was with Tekken before). The cool thing in this game is that you can simulate a 15- year career as a manager and hop from club to club, building good reputations and buying good players (even create some). You start with a mediocre club though, but as you build points and win matches, the enjoyment will begin to flow, especially if you master some cheats and tricks. It helps that the graphics, teams and players are really rendered like their real- life counterparts.

My career in this game started with the american league (METROSTARS), then went to thescottish league (RANGERS), then to the Portuguese league(PORTO) before i had an 'offer' to coach the English premiere league team Portsmouth. And just this weekend I was elevated to coach ARSENAL! Man, And I'm just in the 4th year of my simulated 15 year career. I think I'd stay a year or two in this club and try to win the premiership before going towards CHELSEA or to REAL MADRID or BARCELONA.

The only downside of me playing this game is that I'm stealing some time that should be devoted to me drawing and some (yes, only some) time with my kid. Jean is even beginning to nag me about this, giving me the "stare of death" everytime I sit to play. Ah, and yes, My vision seems a bit jagged in the morning going to work.

Death of a Beatle

"You make your own dream. That's the Beatles' story, isn't it? That's Yoko's story. That's what I'm saying now. Produce your own dream. If you want to save Peru, go save Peru. It's quite possible to do anything, but not to put it on the leaders and the parking meters. Don't expect Jimmy Carter or Ronald Reagan or John Lennon or Yoko Ono or Bob Dylan or Jesus Christ to come and do it for you. You have to do it yourself. That's what the great masters and mistresses have been saying ever since time began. They can point the way, leave signposts and little instructions in various books that are now called holy and worshiped for the cover of the book and not for what it says, but the instructions are all there for all to see, have always been and always will be. There's nothing new under the sun. All the roads lead to Rome. And people cannot provide it for you. I can't wake you up. You can wake you up. I can't cure you. You can cure you."
- John Lennon
some 25 years ago yesterday, One of Rock music's most notable icon and quarter of the legendary Beatles died. John Lennon, coming home in night of Dec. 8, 1980 was shot in the back by a fan named Mark David Chapman.

The lyrics from Cranberries (with the haunting voice of Dolores O' Riordan) sums it all:

"I JUST SHOT JOHN LENNON"
(Cranberries)

It was a fearful night of december 8th
He was returning home from the studio late
He had perceptively known that it wouldn't be nice
Because in 1980, he paid the price
John lennon died...
With a smith and wesson 38
John lennon's life was no longer a debate
He should have stayed at home
He should have never cared
The man who took his life declared:

He said, "i just shot john lennon,
I just shot john lennon"
What a sad and sorry and sickening sight
What a sad and sorry and sickening night...


Mugshot of Chapman


The gun that killed Lennon

How to draw and make it big in comics!

I saw this strip at digital Webbing, abd thought it may good to share it all to other people out there especially artists( would- be comic artists) who dream it big in the comics industry, and wanted to be the next Kubert or Lee. The best thing i like with this strip is that its humour is intelligently placed like a sleeper, almost non- existent comedy. But i ended up having a laugh. Try it yourself. (Image originally from: http://www.geocities.com/Ian_Thomas_Graphics/)

Christmas in Singapore

It's December and Christmas is fast approaching. Here in singapore, if you want to see and feel the Christmas spirit thru the manifestations of bright lights and extensive decorations, there's no other place to go but the city's shopping Mecca-- Orchard road. Below are pictures taken last saturday night while Jean, Fergus and I strolled along the busy district.

One of those days

It's one of those days when your son discovers there's more to dad's reading materials than superhero comicbooks and heavy hardcovers... :)

Revival of Philippine Comics

For some years now there has been a revival of the Philippine 'Komiks' scene as independent and rising publishers like Mango, Alamat, Nautilus and Pscicom publishing medias has breathed life unto the sleeping(since i dont really believe Philippine comics was dead in the first place even after it crashed down in the late 90's) pop culture that used to be the main form of entertainment of every filipino. Notable books has been launched since then, including Siglo, Lastikman, the ever-popular ZsaZsa Zathurna, The critically acclaimed Wasted, and the new anthologies Fantasya and Siglo.

More and more Filipino creators too, all over the world has been informed of this revival, and are keen on giving their share to this renaissance of Philippine comics. This information has been mainly due to the site put up by comics creator and fellow architect Gerry Alanguilan, (creator of Wasted and Humanis Rex). infact, Alanguilan has been tirelessly putting up the Philippine Comics Art Museum that houses art pieces from the great filipino artists of yesteryears like Alcala, Redondo, Niño,coching, Carillo, and others. And still putting in new entries as he uncovers more art-tifacts from these masters.

Alanguilan's site, Komikero was actually made in the first place to become a showcase of his personal work but has since evolved into a melting site where filipino creators from the four corners of the globe visit and exchange thoughts.It has proven to be too popular that it exceeded its bandwith quota sometime last month. Nowadays its very common visiting his site and seeing popular filipino artists and creators (then and now)names logged in the Message board and Guestbook.