Where were you born? Where did you grow up?
I was born in Manila and grew up in Pasay city.

Schooling? Art training?
I took up Fine Arts major in Advertising at the Philippine Women's University.

How long have you been working professionally in comics?
Professionally, since 2001.

What things -- both in art and otherwise -- have you worked on, besides comics?
I did some skin art (Temporary Tatoo) and I'm also into photography, specifically sports photography.

Are comics a full-time gig for you or part-time?
Yup, full-time.

Talk about how you broke into the business --was it easy? Hard? Ups? Downs?
I enrolled in a comic course workshop run by Whilce Portacio in 2000. And after that, they noticed my coloring and Gilbert Monsanto (my instructor at that time) offered me some training. It took 1 and a half year before I landed my first comic job.

Any interesting anecdotes? When you held your first published work in your hands, how did you feel?
I can't describe the feeling. I think I felt proud, glad, happy and at the same time I'm in-doubt thinking did I did a good job, do the readers of this comic like my coloring? Those sort of questions buzzed on my head.

Did you work as an assistant to any other artists? If so, please talk a bit about those experiences.
No. I didn't.

How did your parents take to the idea of working in comics?
At first my mother, although she supported me, she doesn't trust me that comics is a very profitable job. But when she saw my first paycheck that changed her perspective of comics.

How would you describe your workspace? Is it part of your home, or do you go "to the studio"?
I seldom go to our studio. My workplace is at my bedroom. Just a simple setup. Desktop, a table and a chair.

What job are you the proudest of? What's your most embarrassing?
The project that I'm proudest of is Taleweaver. Its a creator-owned comic published by Wildstorm. My embarrassing project is some of my Captain America works. I'm not fully satisfied on my work on that.

What are you currently drawing? Comments on that project?
I've just finished Contagion#1 for Trepidation comix

Talk about your Family: Parents, siblings, home situation. Are you Married?
I got 5 siblings, 4 sisters & 1 brother. Typical Filipino family, very close...Nope, not yet married.

What projects do you hope to work on in the future?
I really want to create and write my own comics.

Where do you see yourself in five years? ten?
Still working in comics, Old, Hopefully married.

What is the interest in comics where you live? Do friends and neighbors know you draw comics for a living? How do they react?
Honestly I live in one of the worst cities here in the Philippines. Most of my neighbors know I'm working in comics especially my peers and they think I'm filthy rich.

What's 1 thing you'll always find in your refrigerator?
Water and pineapple juice

What's your favorite food?
Kare-kare (native cuisine).

What are your favorite interests --Movies? Music? TV? Any hobbies? Sports?
Photography, PC games, Card games, Rap-metal music, War movies and miniture games. I play a little of basketball and I'm into badminton and table tennis.

Have you ever thought of writing your own stories?
All the time

Ever been in a gang?
Yes

What's an average day in your life like? Walk us through a typical day.
It depends. If there are tons of work I start my day around 12pm or 1pm work until the next morning and sleep. Then, just repeat the process.

Any humorous or interesting anecdotes to tell about the comics business?
Nothing I can think of.

Do you have any great, unsold projects in your files that nobody's gotten to see published?
None

If you weren't a comic-book artist today, what would you be?
Architect maybe or a graphic artist for an advertising company. Or a photographer. Or a bum!

Have you taught comic-book art or had any assistants? If so, talk about that.
I founded a comic group in our university and I taught some comic art essentials that I know in that group.

The single thing you'd most like to be remembered for in your life is...?
That comics was just a childhood dream once and now I'm living it.

Any closing words for your fans?
Don't stop reading comics!

 

LIST OF CREDITS

• Captain America
• Taleweaver
• Iron-Man
• Cable
• Aria: Soul Market
• Everquest: Transformation
• The Hood
• Alpha Flight
• SpyCraft Collectible card game
• Dogeaters #1/ #2
• Rostam: Tales from the Shahnameh
• Feedback