Leonito Goto’s field trip to hell

Hey bloghoppers, avid readers and fans,

My apologies for not being able to attend to your requests for x-links and all. I am very illiterate when it comes to those things. I have my guru/blog-god Mr. Chitgoks who omnipotently keeps an update on these thingies. Many thanks to Chitgoks, my guru/blog-god. All hail to the mighty Chitgoks of CDO fame.

I just write nonsense; that’s about all I know how to do.

Oh, and below is a picture of when the GOTOKIDS claimed top prize at the Sun-Zu Treasure Quest Challenge 5!

Hmmm…

My initial post yielded zilch, nada, nil, zero!

And so I desperately searched around deviantart.com for Cebu based talents, listed down their email ads, and then realized that they only do projects or commissions. Meaning: they expect to be paid! Had’nt thought about that part initially. I bemused the fact that I am doing this for the love of art, hence I should be able to find like-minded individuals who do it for art’s sake. I am such a dweeb!

There were also those who did not post any contact details. I bet they would accept commissions/projects for the love of it. But I got too shy leaving them a message. Then I scoured istorya.net and learned about a defunct comic book club called “Sukol Mo!”. I decided I would not want to mess with people who call themselves “Sukol Mo!” (take note that they punctuate it with an exclamation point, not a question mark or an interobang).

Curse my luck!

The search goes on… One day, I know I’ll find you. Like Stan the Man found Jack Kirby, or was it the other way around?

All aspiring artists/illustrators, I am in need of your services.

I am currently working on a comic book (probably manga style, still mulling it over) about everything and nothing (ala friends and seinfeld) set in Cebu. As you can see, nothing has been set to stone yet. So everything is still flexible as of the moment. But I assure you it is gonna be kick-ass! Think of this project as a cross between Slam-Dunk, Cromartie High School, Scott Pilgrim, Peanuts and Calvin & Hobbes. I tell you, it’s gonna be awesome!

So I have done some character sketches already. And I’m about to write the script for the first few panels. I would have loved to illustrate it myself. But I just don’t have the discipline. I’m more of a doodler than an illustrator.

Therefore, I need your help, whoever you are…

Qualifications:
1. A preference towards Cebu residents (but those from outside Cebu are also welcome to apply)
2. Can draw consistently for hours, days, weeks and months
3. Can tolerate taking crap from me
4. Not judgmental (I’m a virgin when it comes to comic book writing)

That’s it! All interested parties please email me: ano.tio@gmail.com or leave a comment. Attaching a portfolio would help.

I came across this story when I was in my final year in high school. It was in the middle of my English class text book. We never got to read it in class because our teacher taught us something else. But I went ahead and read it anyway. I read it without any expectations and pre-conceived notions, as I only chanced upon it, and it totally blew me away.

The story is called ‘Just lather, that’s all’. And if you were led to my blog by chance then have a go at it. Here’s the link: http://www2.ups.edu/faculty/velez/LAS100/tellez.htm

The Dark Knight was 2 hours and 30 minutes long. And the whole time I was at the edge of my seat. I forgot to breathe at one point and almost fainted. I had a nightmare about a homicidal, serial-killing maniac when I slept that night. I got OWNED! by the Dark Knight…

But it’s no surprise, really. I’ve been a Batman fan ever since I started high school. It was after I bought an issue of Legends of the Dark Knight by Matt Wagner. In that issue there was no Robin. No silly sound effects like *WHAM* or *KAPOW*. It was just honest-to-goodness hard-boiled crime suspense action.  And people actually died on that issue. So I says to meself, “Holy sh*t-a-moley, Batman! This rocks!”

Here are some other Batman titles I’d recommend:

Batman: Year One-Frank Miller upped the ante on how comic books, in general, should be–bold, imaginative and mature.

The Dark Knight Returns-who ever thought about superheroes getting old? Frank Miller did.

Night of the Beast-KGBeast put a lot of hurt to Ron Ron’s cabinet! Batman spoiled all the fun…

Legends of the Dark Knight: Faces
Legends of the Dark Knight: Terminus
Legends of the Dark Knight: Storm

Laughing Joke-Alan Moore turned the tables around with this tale. The joke is actually on the reader. Pretty heavy stuff.

Now I’m reading Batman: the Long Halloween.

Sidetrip

If The Dark Knight is the ultimate Batman movie then a close second is the comedy spoof: Batman en Robin-starring Joey de Leon.

In one of the scenes, Batman brings to his Batcave the movie’s love interest, Dawn Zulueta. He makes an effort to make her feel welcome.

Batman (to Dawn): gusto mo ba ng Bat-coffee, Bat-tea… or Sala-Bat?

Cracks me up all the time!!!