Letters I had published in comic books (Daredevil Big Bang Comics & Aster)

Are you one of those comic book fans who reads the notes of the creators and the letter columns? I am one of those who read the books from cover to cover. 

I love the interaction of between creators and the fans. You earn a lot. Furthermore, you get a pulse or an idea of how others feel about the stories.

For years, I would send letters to the X-Men but never got one printed.  Not until Aster #1 but that was because its publisher Billy Lim-It was a friend. I based my letter on the ashcan edition of Aster #1. Had I read the dialogue after actual issue came out, I would have changed my letter as the writing was terrible and disrespectful to a point with the in-jokes. You'll find that letter below.

Then came a series of letters I had printed in Daredevil #358, Big Bang Comics #7, Nexus: The Wages of Sin #2, and an issue of the Fantastic Four. Will track down the Nexus and FF issues then post them here.

Goodbye to my comic book collection

I have a total of 45 comic book boxes (excluding the trade paperbacks/graphic novels).

Goodbye to my comic book collection

(and hello to the start of a new one)

by rick olivares

Ever since I was four years old I have read, loved, and collected comic books. I am now in my 40s yet for the second time in my life, I find myself selling almost my entire collection. For a song.

So if I am such a comic book geek why sell?

For the same reason why I sold them the first time around – losing a huge number of them was heartbreaking.

I am getting ahead of myself.

As a kid, I remember visiting a favorite uncle of mine. I knocked on his door and jumped all over him. I nearly crumpled some comic books on his bed. Luckily, he didn’t really care for their condition so he didn’t go all Defcon on me.

I sat down and read every single one of those comic books (Fantastic Four, Avengers, Thor, and Hot Stuff the Little Red Devil). I was transfixed for hours and my parents and relatives were all relieved that the human tornado and pest was quiet for the day.

If they only knew that it would go down as a very expensive hobby years later, they would have confiscated them.

From that moment on, I always asked my grandfather or my uncles for comic books as pasalubong.

Eventually my parents decided that comic books were a poor choice of reading material and thrust Hardy Boys books in front of me. I enjoyed that too but comic books were king.

I saved my allowance and gathered the deposit from soda bottles in Ateneo to be able to buy my comics books.

Back in the pre-specialty shop age, it was difficult to get monthly issues. You got what there was. If you got them in sequential order that was a bonus.

There were several places you could get comic books – at the grocery (before national Bookstore reprinted a number of them), at Mercury Drug Store (only at the Delta, QC branch), and Dau in Pampanga where American servicemen sold the stuff they didn’t want anymore.

Later on, there were comic books available at the Manila Bank Arcade in Greenhills and at Christhareth (second hand comics sold at premium prices – unbelievable!).

One time, I asked my grandfather to buy for me this hardcover collected edition of Spider-Man stories (The Jackal, the Spider-buggy, the Punisher) that I saw at Unimart. It cost something like P20 that was a princely sum back then. My parents were upset that it cost too much but I was insistent. My grandfather bought it much to the chagrin of my parents who stared daggers into me. If they had heat vision they would have bored holes right through me. The ride home was agonizing as I could feel their anger. When I arrived, I ran up the room and began reading. My mom chased me and admonished me.

I let everything out of my ears. And Spider-Man and Peter Parker became my hero.

That is until I visited another uncle of mine who lived in Novaliches. He had the most awesome collection of comics I had seen. I had never seen a X-Men comic book before. And he had a lot of them. These were the Neal Adams issues where the artwork contained a lot of power in them.

They held the same power over me as the first time I entered my uncle’s room all those years ago. I badgered that other uncle of mine if I could have one or two. He said no and quickly hid them away. Every time I visited that uncle of mine, I made it a point to ask about reading his X-Men books. It was something I would understand later on – to tell white lies. Besides, lending is forbidden because you don’t know how others would take care of your books.

When I was in Grade 3, a comic book would change my life forever – X-Men #94. A classmate of mine had that. I must have promised my classmate the moon for that issue. He eventually relented (I did his homework for one week) and I had my first X-Men comic book.

The love affair that began with Neal Adams’ X-Men stories was finally consummated. And I began to collect (I was only able to get the sequel to that issue years later) in earnest – Fantastic Four, Avengers, Captain America, Thor, Daredevil, and Devil Dinosaur. Hahaha. Go figure on the last entry.

By the time I reach college, I had amassed quite a collection – the original Frank Miller Daredevils, Walt Simonson’s run on Thor, the second coming of Jack Kirby on Captain America that coincided with America’s Bicentennial, and Roger Stern’s stirring run on Amazing Spider-Man. Of course, there were X-Men comic books.

I was finally able to get them with regularity because Filbar’s had finally opened shop at the corner of EDSA and Aurora Boulevard.

In my second year in college, I lost all my Miller Daredevils, Claremont Excalibur’s, and a few other titles to a theft. Yes, it was a weird theft. The thief stole comic books, a new pair of top-siders, and my brother’s silver dollars. He didn’t take the P2,000 in cash, the two cameras, and other expensive items in our apartment.

I was devastated. It was very difficult to get back issues during this time. I was despondent. In a moment of sheer lunacy, I sold my entire collection to Fil Barbasa. For a song.

I had switched all my attention to music at that time and didn’t seem overly concerned about what I had lost.

That is until a Philosophy class where a classmate of mine was reading a X-Men Annual that saw the mutants go up against Horde. The villain was a stupid figment of Claremont’s imagination. But this issue featured Havok, the wimpy version of Psylocke, Dazzler, Longshot, Megan, and Captain Britain.

While reading that issue in class, my professor noticed I wasn’t paying attention and asked me a question. Luckily, I had read the assignment and answered the question letting me off the hook. I finished Uncanny X-Men Annual #11 in class after that.

I loved Havok and seeing him reminded me of those Neal Adams issues. I was hooked all over again.

That very weekend, I went to Comic Quest that had taken up residence in Greenhills. I got myself a copy as well as the latest issue of Uncanny X-Men. Before I knew it, I was back collecting.

Years later, I picked up my first Batman comics with A Death in the Family that was making the news because of the death of the Jason Todd ‘Robin’. My collection grew as I now began to get DC titles along with a smattering of indie titles.

Moving to New York was a dream as I was in comic book central. I worked a few blocks from Midtown Comics that I frequented twice a week (aside from Forbidden Planet, Jim Hanley’s Universe, and those small stores in Greenwich Village). I attended comic conventions, stalked Joe Quesada (with a pair of scripts for a proposed X-Men and Quasar story), and lined up for autographs and pictures of everyone from Alex Ross to Jim Lee to Mark Millar to Phil Jimenez to Todd McFarlane.

My comic book collection became a prized and treasured one.

Obviously with a huge number (at that time 45 boxes and counting), I was going to have maintenance problems (read: costly). But no matter, they made me happy.

When I moved back to the Philippines, I shipped over many of my comics from the US. The others I left behind.

Then came Typhoon Ondoy that flooded my home, destroyed my collection of books, CDs and DVDs, and comics. I was devastated in every which way – emotionally, physically, and financially.

I didn’t lose all my comic books as many of them remained in my parents’ home. But I had lost most of my best and favored titles. I stopped collecting for a few months before I began to pick up the odd issue here and there.

Unlike the first time when I sold my collection to Fil Barbasa, this one was more damaging. Literally. I had lost whole boxes. Boxes of great stuff. Many of them autographed.

Although it has been several years since Ondoy, I have lost my taste for the individual issues. To replace much of what I lost, I began to purchase trade paperbacks and collected versions. That made it more palatable to let go of the remainder – of what was left.

So today, January 9, 2014, I finally let go of a lot. About 12 boxes of titles that I had collected during my college and early professional years. I kept very little of them. I know I will probably regret it one day but the inability to maintain them over time really hurt my collection and sapped my will.

I kept the indie titles (that filled up an entire box) and a few of the mainstream ones. Of my treasured X-Men collection, I only have a few left – reprints of Neal Adams’ arc and the Uncanny X-Men post-Schism (I have the others via TPB). I also kept the Daredevils arcs of the creative teams of Denny O’Niel and David Mazzuchelli, Dan Chichester and Lee Weeks, Karl Kesel and Cary Nord, and Mark Waid and Paolo Manuel Rivera. The Alex Ross’ Marvels and Kingdom Come issues.

I hope to get the Roger Stern and John Romita Jr. run on Amazing Spider-Man and a few others.

Do I feel bad about letting go of two prized collections?

Not at all.

I remembered in the character of Andy in Toy Story 3 who reluctantly lets go of his toy collection. But he finds solace in the fact that they will find a new home.

So that is how I feel. My old and treasured comic books will find a new home.

It’s time for me to build a new collection. And this time, truly take care of them.

Buried treasures: Finding Dale Keown's Dragonforce in the bargain bins years ago

In an entry the other day, I mentioned that I found Pacific Comics Presents #2 that featured The Rocketeer on the cover in the bins of Booksale. Sometime after that, I picked up these books on whim. They are Dragonforce from Aircel comics. I have to admit that the covers piqued my interest even without knowing anything about the books or even the creators. Furthermore, all the books are in black and white. What makes it even better is they are without the tags that are normally pasted onto stuff that is sold on Booksale's bins. How did this happen? I have no idea.

Anyways, years later, this artist shot to stardom with Marvel's The Incredible Hulk and that was Dale Keown. When I read in a magazine that he once drew Dragonforce, I immediately pulled out those back issues that had been forgotten. And yep, Dale Keown all right.

I am glad I held on to these books more so now since I have a better appreciation for the independent titles. 

On Dave Stevens' The Rocketeer

Below: VHS copy of the film, the pirated DVD, the paperback novelisation, the VCD and the original DVD.

In 1989, I went to Booksale for my regular book and comic book hunt. More often than not they had unlikely buried treasures in their bins. This one hunt at the old Rustan’s branch in Cubao netted a particularly huge find.

At this point, I collected largely Marvel Comics with a smattering of DC titles. I spotted some Starslayer issues from First Comics. They were written and drawn by Mike Grell who I became a fan of during his run drawing Legion of the Super-Heroes for DC. Then he began to do Green Arrow: The Longbow Hunters that set the comic world on fire. It was amazing.

Bunched among the Starslayer finds (I still have all of them) was this comic book.

The cover of Pacific Comics Presents #2 featured a man in a flight jacket holding on to some contraption. His shadow revealed him to be in another form – that of some hero with a helmet that looked way cooler than Magneto’s bucket head.

So I picked up the book (cost me about five bucks that was a bargain more so they were without that dreaded Booksale tag) along with the Starslayer stuff. When I got home, instead of reading Grell’s books, I opened Pacific Comics’ Presents. There were 13 pages of story and art by one Dave Stevens featuring a cool looking pilot named Cliff Secord who was the hero of the book, The Rocketeer, and a Bettie Page look-a-like model named Betty.  

Bettie Page was a pin-up girl during the 1950s. And I grew up reading my grandpop’s Life magazines seeing pictures of Bettie Page.

Stevens’ story was set in the post-World War II years with Secord as a barnstorming pilot who loves Betty but has so many problems trying to keep up with her. It was like Peter Parker only in a 1950’s setting. Cliff battles saboteurs to Nazis to gangsters. And more often than not, he wins the day by sheer dumb luck. Who cannot love a story like this? And he doesn’t have any powers. He’s not even good at fisticuffs.

I loved the story and tried to go back and hunt down other issues of Pacific Comics Presents. It took a while before I found a few more issues.

Years later, I picked up the graphic novel – Cliff’s New York Adventure that paired him off with a character that resembled The Shadow who became popular in the 1930s.

I have this thing for stories from the 1920-50s. I wasn’t born during that time but I have loved a lot of the pop culture that came up from those decades. The moral compass of the world was different at that time. Lines were very clear on what was good and bad. It was a simpler time. Sometimes, I yearn for that as well.

The Rocketeer, like Mike Baron’s and Steve Rude’s Nexus, became a favorite of mine rivaling only my love for the X-Men. And Steves’ art is gorgeous. The way he draws women – only Frank Cho (of Liberty Meadows) can draw them as dreamy.

In the years since and even after Stevens’ death from leukemia, I remained a fan and tried my best to amass a bigger collection of Rocketeer material.

Thus far, this is what I have (you’ll find them in the picture): The Rocketeer Jetpack Treasury Edition, The Rocketeer – Cliff’s New York Adventure, Dave Stevens’ Covers and Stories, The Rocketeer – The Complete Adventures, The Rocketeer Adventure Magazine, and The Official Movie Adaptation.

When the film by Joe Johnston came out in 1991, it was a dream come true for me. Bill Campbell was Cliff Secord come to life. Ditto with Jennifer Connelly as Betty! I also got the novelization by Peter David (The Incredible Hulk, X-Factor) that is now turning brown with age.

Since then I acquired the VHS tape and VCD that I purchased in Hong Kong years ago. The DVD that I bought in the United States and the pirated DVD that I bought in Manila. If there's a laser disc, heck, I'd have it too!

In recent years, I have been happy to see IDW’s new publications of Rocketeer Adventures Volumes 1 & 2, Hollywood Horror, Cargo of Doom, and The Rocketeer & The Spirit limited series. The closest that is faithful to Stevens’ works is Cargo of Doom and the limited series with The Spirit. The others have been nothing short of disappointing.

Hopefully, one day I’ll get to write a story featuring Stevens’ famous character and put all my love and care into it.

Whilce Portacio signs my copies of The Legion of Night and Uncanny X-Men in different manners

In 1992, Whilce Portacio signed my copy of The Legion of Night complete with the Japanese way of spelling his name (kinda cool, don't you think). In 2014, Whilce signed my third copy of Uncanny X-Men #281 albeit in a different manner. Not so bad but I miss the Japanese signature. 

Back in time: Whilce Portacio's first trip back to Manila as a comic book pro circa 1992

When Whilce Portacio returned to the Philippines, he got in touch with former Filbar's owner Fil Barbasa. In a letter dated October 1991, the plans were laid out for his return. And more...

Fil gave me the original letter that I kept all these years. Luckily, I had the foresight to make a copy of it as I lost the original during Typhoon Ondoy.

This photocopy survived along with the plot for Uncanny X-Men #286 that Whilce co-wrote with Scott Lobdell and Jim Lee. 

Here's my article on his 2014 return, 22 years later, that will appear in a website.

Whilce Portacio: The return of a Filipino superhero

Shaking hands with Whilce Portacio

This appears on abs-cbnnews.com

The return of a Filipino superhero

by rick olivares

Last Saturday, January 4, Whilce Portacio walked into Comic Odyssey at Fully Booked Promenade much like he did in January of 1992 when he first made his triumphant return to the Philippines as a comic book superstar – quiet and unobtrusive.

During that first promotional appearance in 1992 at the old Filbar’s branch in Cubao, Portacio wore a black long-sleeved shirt, jeans and cowboy boots. He may have been Americanized in his fashion sense but when he spoke, it was in the vernacular and everyone hung on every word that emanated from him.

Sure there were other Filipinos who drew comics for DC and Marvel, the top two publishers in the world, but Portacio was a part of a time when comic books began to sell in the millions. The Sangley Point, Cavite native was likewise at the crest of the Image Revolution that brought the medium to greater awareness.

Portacio’s ascendance into comic book royalty and his return to Manila is watershed moment in Pinoy pop culture because it inspired a generation of Filipino artists and opened the world to their talent and ingenuity.

Fast forward 22 years later, Portacio, now at the halfway century mark pretty much looks the same except for the white lines in his hair. He entered Comic Odyssey in his first promotional appearance on home soil in ages and he wore a Francis Magalona shirt, jeans, and brown shoes that are close to the cowboy variety.

He didn’t wade in like some superstar. Rather he entered quietly and without fanfare never mind if several dozens of eyes all lit it up at his arrival. But during the subsequent interview, what was supposed to be a 15-minute interview went up to 40 minutes as Portacio talked endlessly about the comic medium, Filipino talent, and his career. You would have thought that he was the fanboy.

The man simply has a lot to share. And the whole room brightened up. Everyone hung on to his every word.

Every one (I am not about to limit this to comic book geeks) has their own favorite superhero but for a generation of young Filipinos, Portacio is their hero.

In January 1988, I walked into Filbar’s along New York, Cubao to get my weekly stash of four-colored delight. On the shelf that day was The Punisher #17 with good ole Frank Castle leading a charge of vigilantes.

I never liked the character. In fact, I enjoyed Spidey kicking his ass so much.

However, this Punisher looked different. The art had a Japanese manga feel to it with unusual panel structures. In fact, the artist signed in Japanese. Later on, I discovered The Punisher magazine that were black and white reprints of the regular issues along with The Punisher War Journal and the art looked so much better.

The Punisher Magazine first reprinted stories from The Punisher then The Punisher War Journal. The line art of Whilce Portacio then Jim Lee got highlighted.

When I picked up The Punisher #17, I remember thinking aloud, “What kind of Japanese name is ‘Whilce Portacio’?” Clearly, there is more to this than meets the eye.

In this bygone age of snail mail and news via newspaper and the monthly Marvel Age, I didn’t know anything about this artist. All I knew was his was a fresh and dynamic style. More so when you check out stuff on X-Factor that was a quantum leap in

By the time he got to Marvel’s mutants, word spread that he was as Pinoy as taho.

When he replaced Jim Lee on Uncanny X-Men and drew Colossus wearing a bomber jacket with the Philippine flag on it with the word “makulit” clearly written above, I raved just as any fanboy would. Yes, Whilce Portacio was Pinoy!

I get goose bumps to this day just remembering that moment!

When he released his own creative project, Wetworks, one of the major characters was a Filipino named Grail!

In a second project titled Stone (for Avalon Studios), Portacio brought creatures from Philippine folklore to a wider audience.

The creator of Wetworks, however, refuses to take credit for anything. Instead, he defers to those who came before – Romeo Tanghal, Ernie Chan, Alfredo Alcala, and Danny Bulanadi to name a few – who blazed the trail. “Proud din ako na indirectly nag-inspire ng iba. Seriously, the only real thing that I did was to show that, ‘Pinoy ako at Pinoy din ako.’ Kung kaya ko kayo niyo rin. And we’ve seen the effects of that. There are also the dozens and dozens of talented but nameless Pinoys who are animators for DreamWorks, Disney and others,” enthused Portacio. Then you look at all the people who are still here…”

In 1992, Portacio established Balete 55, a studio located in New Manila where then young and unknown artists like Leinil Yu and Gerry Alanguilan practiced their craft. The two have since made a name for themselves drawing comic books from Marvel to DC to Image to IDW.

Their ascension opened the floodgates for other local artists like Stephen Segovia (Thor and Batman), Harvey Tolibao (Danger Girl), Edgar Tadeo (Wolverine and the Silver Surfer), the Luna brothers (The Sword), Carlo Pagulayan (The Incredible Hulk), and Jerome Opeña (The Avengers) to name a few.

The artist also believes that now is the right time for Filipino culture to spread itself all over the world. “The world is hungry for something different,” related Portacio. “Years ago, it we’d see in pop culture Godzilla, manga, anime, ninjas etc. The world just gobbled it up because it was new. Then the world wanted something knew and that became Korea with their K-Pop and whatnot. But it is slowly changing again.”

“We have to stand up right now,” he declared after which he paused for effect. “We can take that spot that will be vacated by Korea. Everyone knows what a Filipino is and what we stand for. Who from abroad doesn’t have a Filipino friend? Aside from Manny Pacquiao there are a lot of other things Filipino making itself known abroad.”

“We can actually outdo Japan and Korea because we speak and think English. And that is still the international language. We can give them our culture.”

In this homecoming, Portacio is going to be talking to a few people about revisiting the Balete 55 studios. “You have to practice what you preach,” he said. “What I said about making a stand now? We should make it happen. Hollywood and the world are listening.”

The interview drew to a close and Portacio stood up to talk to a few people. Outside, a crowd had now filled up Comic Odyssey. Some with their eyes ablaze with excitement, some with hope that lightning will strike twice. And that they too can contribute to modern mythology.

Whilce Portacio looked at the crowd and smiled. The buzz had built to a crescendo. The man drew the freaking X-Men, Iron Man and Spawn. The man proudly proclaimed his Filipino heritage on the printed page. The man is a Filipino superhero not in spandex but in a Francis Magalona shirt, jeans, and cowboy boots.

He looked at the crowd and smiled broadly. The next Yu and Alanguilan could be among them. He then sat down to sign his comic books.

The man simply has a lot to share. Everyone should hang on to his every word.