Where were you born? Where did you grow up?

I was born in Manila, and grew up in Tondo. I'm currently living in Sta. Ana but I'll be moving to a new place near Manila Bay soon.

Schooling? Art training?

I studied in Philippine Cultural High School, the very first chinese school in Manila. It's a shame I never learned to speak Chinese well, though. After that I took up Fine Arts and majored in Advertising in the University of Santo Tomas, where I graduated in 2000.

How long have you been working professionally in comics?

I've been in the business for around 8 years.

What things -- both in art and otherwise -- have you worked on, besides comics?

Well, I used to do illustrations for textbooks part time, then I also helped out doing album covers for local bands.

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

I work at home, and I'm always at home, so yeah, it's a full time gig.

Tell us how you broke into the business --was it easy? Hard? Any interesting anecdotes?

It wasn't easy as I thought it would be, I had to rethink and relearn almost everything for more a than a year before I landed my very first job. I didn't had a PC then, I had to commute back and forth from Tondo to the old office in San Juan(a 1 hour trip)everyday for checking and follow-ups.

When you held your first published work in your hands, how did you feel?

I was grinning from ear to ear, I proudly told the saleslady at the comic shop that I drew that. She didn't believe me, of course.

How did you settle on the style(s) you're currently using?

I was heavily into manga at first, but then I couldn't make any decent facial expressions so I tried out several styles and mixed in different elements until I came up with something that did the job, with all the facial expressions and body language.

Did you work as an assistant to any other artists?

No, but I worked with and was influenced by a whole lot of them.

How did your parents take to the idea of working in comics?

My parents were very supportive, but they thought it wasn't worth all the trouble. That changed when I got my first pay, though.

Please describe your work space. Is it part of your home,or do you go "to the studio"?

I work at home. Everything's laid out in a row for easy reach, with the drafting table at the center, two tables and a file cabinet. I also have my little stereo/cd/vcd/mp3 player close so I can listen to the radio or play cds while working. I just recently bought myself a Mac and I'm loving it!

What job are you the proudest of?

I think it would be working with Alex Ross on Battle of the Planets, it's a dream come true!

What's your most embarrassing?

That would be my first job, a backup story for Exposure:2nd Coming. I was so late for my deadline and I had rush it.

What project are you currently drawing?

I'm currently working on the 2nd volume of the manga Wolverine: Prodigal Son for Del Rey.

Tell us about your family and home situation. Are you married with kids? Anecdotes about married life, how it relates to your busy schedule, etc. If you have kids do they understand your job? What do they say about it? Do they read comics?

Still single, so I don't have too much to think about. Yet. My folks have gotten used to my job, and thankfully we were finally able to get a house of our own here in Sta Ana, which is just big enough for the six people in our family, plus my uncle, his wife and two kids. I'm actually in the process of moving out to a studio-type condo in a newly erected triple tower complex just beside one of the big malls in Manila.

What projects do you hope to work on in the future?

Well now that I've worked on Wolverine, I'd like to take a crack at the other X-men, plus hopefully more manga projects in the future.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

I love drawing, so I think I'll still be working in the business for the years to come.

Do friends and neighbors know you draw comics for a living? How do they react?

Yep, they think it's a dream job. I agree!

What's 1 thing you'll always find in your refrigerator?

Instant noodles

What's your favorite food?

Noodles! They're the key to long life, you know.

What are your favorite interests --Movies? Music? TV? Any hobbies? Sports?

I love New Wave 80's music, I love anime and manga especially those with super robots and lots of yelling. I love watching everything on the Cartoon Network and Discovery Channel. I love window shopping, and I also love attending anime, toys and comic conventions and dressing up in costumes once in a while.

Have you ever thought of writing your own stories?

Yeah, If I could write, that is. So I'll stick to a pencil for now.

What's an average day in your life like?

Well, I usually wake up late, so I grab whatever breakfast is left and maybe walk around the neighborhood for an hour or so. I spend a few hours on cable after lunch, then go online around 3 PM, then go to work for the rest of the day. I stay up till around 2-3 AM.

Any humorous or interesting anecdotes to tell about the comics business?

Back in 2007 My friends and I dressed up as Transformers during one of the comics and toys conventions to sort of poke fun at the designs of the new Transformers movie.(I was one of the Decepticon Cassettes). We ended up getting hired by the movie and merchandise distributor as mascots for the events and had the chance to go to the press screening for free, and in costume!

Do you have any great, unsold projects in your files that nobody's gotten to see published?

I don't know if tons of sketches count, but I've got lots of those lying around everywhere...

If you weren't a comic-book artist today, what would you be?

Noodle vendor with a very eye-catching sign.

Any closing words?

Just keep on drawing!

List of Credits

13-page backup story for Exposure:2nd Coming(Avatar)
Jade #2-4 4-issue miniseries(Chaos)
Jade: Redemption #1-4 4-issue miniseries(Chaos)
Co-artist for Banzai Girl #1-4(Sirius)
Battle of the Planets #1-12 maxiseries(Top Cow)
Battle of the Planets: Princess miniseries #1-6 (Top Cow)
Tomb Raider (started at #38) (Top Cow)
City of Heroes #4-6 (Top Cow)
Lego Exo-Force Webcomic (LEGO)
Shadowcast Vol 1-5 (Impact Graphic Novels)
Couplers Vol 1-2 (RealBuzz Studios)
Echobase (Jan Kjaer, Gyldendal)
Wolverine: Prodigal Son Vol 1 -ongoing (Del Rey)

Links

Jazma Online Interview