Allright, the BIG DAY is just a couple of days away and hopefully, all will be set by then. Because now, it still ISN'T! Arrggh! I just finalized a CD of music that will be played on the ceremony itself. We decided to ditch the choir because we can't deal with that added detail now and plus, we've been slowly taking out expenses that we really don't really need. I'm STILL doing the souvenir which will hopefully be a surprise to those who will be attending. Everybody says its a nice idea so I'm really excited about being done with it and having people see it.

Really, I'm not nervous at all about being married to Ilyn. If I can marry her right now, I would, it's not what worries me. What makes me nervous is the thought that something might screw up during the ceremony or the reception, brought about by some minor detail we missed and overlooked. I'm really trying hard to see it doesn't happen. See the kind of thing one has to put up with because society demands certain things from you? People are already pissed for some reason or another and my thoughts on this is this: It's about ME and ILYN. It's the day WE get married. It's OUR occasion, OUR happening, baby. Certain formalities and societal conventions tend to blur this fact and make it more about OTHER PEOPLE than what this is all about: ME and ILYN.

It's the "OLD WOMEN" syndrome once again. Just because old women say so, we gotta do it. And that just sucks. Me and Ilyn don't want a conventional wedding, but traditionalists have been beating us down. Everyone from the photographer, to the barong fabric seller, to the tailor, etc, they have been telling us how things SHOULD be instead of how WE want it to be. I can't believe how narrowminded people can be in times like this, but its something one has to put up with for being a "member" of society.

Me and Ilyn have made the best of it though. Everything is still traditional, as much as we would wish otherwise, but its all right. Ganun e. We're creating our own photo album, our own guest book, our own unique souvenirs and our own unique hand made invitations. We really work well together personally and creatively. I really think this is the start, or rather, a continuation and an affirmation of a beautiful relationship. I think 2003 will be a great year. And I'm sure it will get better each year after that. :):):)

Last night was Gilbert Monsanto's wedding. I had inked him in HELLCOP for Avalon Studios and he's helped me filling the inks on many of the books I worked on. I lived with the guy for at least a couple of years at Whilce's studio. For some reason, he made me best man, which I find really flattering. Thanks man. I didn't realize you considered me in that way. It's a real honor.

It went great, there was a setback or two, but nothing serious. For the most part, it all went smoothly. My mind drifted to my own wedding a few days from now. Although mine won't be as grand as this one, I just hope nothing goes wrong. I have a lot of things to work out this week like make the map, talk to the photographer, make the souvenir, talk to the music people, print out misalettes and my God I wish I have enough ink, send one last invite, talk to the people coordinating the venue of the reception. Arrrgh.

I'm not pushing the panic button yet, but I'm just about to.

The PHILIPPINE COMIC ARTISTS PORTFOLIO

Comics have flourished over the years in large part due to the variety of styles and interpretations put forth by an international cast of artists. The Philippines became a recruiting ground for the larger publishing houses when DC Comics discovered the amazing work being done there by men like Nestor Redondo and Alex Niño.

This shows the work of 10 men, who from the 1950s through the end of the century have found work for DC, Marvel and Warren, as well as Disney and various production companies as storyboard and inspirational artists. The works presented here range from comic covers to stand-alone art pieces, depicting barbarians, monsters, fantasy women and men and Tarzan.

Includes works by Nestor Malgapo, Steve Gan, Gerry Talaoc, Nestor Infante, Arturo Geroche and Dante Berreno, Jr. The back cover contains biographical information on each artist. Printed on heavy stock. Most of this appeared only in the Philippines and is collected here for the first time. Excellent, top-notch artwork beautifully reproduced in large size. Pyramid Publishing. 18 plates, 12x15, b&w.Text from Bud Plant's Site. It is available there for sale at this page:
http://www.budplant.com/prod.itml/icOid/10559

NOTE!

You all in the Philippines will be pleased to know that this portfolio is available at Filbar's for only 300 pesos. I was in Megamall yesterday and bumped into Johnny, one of the denizens of the message board and he told me about it. Thanks man! Filbars says they've got only 10 copies so hurry!

But I wouldn't worry though since I think this is published locally and just distributed abroad. Pyramid Publishing is I think owned by none other than STEVE GAN who himself has works in the portfolio and has done remarkable work for Panday and Mekanizmo. For sample of art, check out the OFFICIAL SITE of the portfolio:


THE PHILIPPINE COMIC ARTISTS PORTFOLIO
http://pyramid.topcities.com

For those of you who are interested in discovering or rediscovering or is just plain interested in the best Filipino Komiks artists have to offer, its worth checking out this collection of art.

DECEMBER!!

Wow, busiest month so far. I've been slowly moving house the past couple of weeks. I'm moving to my own apartment and I'm having the place fixed. I bought furniture and had it delivered. Believe it or not, my sala set and bed cost me 2,800 pesos delivery included! And that's all brand new. Amazing huh? Now I'm having the place painted. Every wall, every ceiling, every cabinet, the gate, everything. I'm also having the floor vinyl tiles replaced, have the garden done and have a canal dug to prevent possible flooding. I gotta admit the place needs a lot of work but I can see the potential and I think I'm going to really like living there, and for several years, I'd gladly call it home.

If I haven't mentioned it yet, I'm getting married at the end of this month. I've been busy with the preparations, taking care of the reception place, flowers, the church, the cake, wedding car, the photographers (no video coverage for me because those people tend to intrude on the proceedings rather than staying inconspicuously in the background as they should). No stupid cables everywhere and bright hot lights shining on people's eyes, carried by horrendously dressed people in what is supposedly a formal occasion.

My fiancee Ilyn is handmaking each and every invitation. Which is really amazing. She's quite an artist. We've been busy distributing them. Some of them I'm handing directly, some I have to courier. I still have half of them with me so I really have to get them out there. The invitation thing has been a big pain to be honest. I'd love to invite everyone, but Ilyn and I can invite only 100 people between the two of us (and that already includes ourselves and our immediate family). So deciding who to invite is really tough. You're bound not to invite people who would really feel bad at being left out. If you're reading this and you didn't get an invitation, then you gotta know that I would have loved to have you there if not for my own limited resources. Hope you guys (and gals) understand.

In the middle of all this, I'm inking Superman: Birthright. I'm trying really hard to work on the pages every day but I'm moving not as fast I normally would, which is understandable I guess, under the circumstances.