The Fox and The Cat

Finally, I am posting my works on "The Fox and The Cat" for the comic book Silverbook / Image Comics' "Fractured Fables". I'd love to share my story with you guys. In 2009, I received an interesting email from my friend Gerry Alanguilan's pal Whilce Portacio (Image Comics co-creator) for participating the contribution comic book. I was super thrilled & happy that Image Comics co-creators Jim Valentino and Kristen Koerner Simon liked my art. So they asked me if I'm interested.. Yes, I said "Heck yessss!" Please read the full article about Fractured Fables on Newsarama.

In the beginning, I chose the story "The Fox and The Cat" from Aesop's Fables. Because they are my favorite animals, hehe. Then, I was worried about the writer. I must admit that I'm not excellent at writing skills. So I got idea to contact my friend Nikki Dy-Liacco, who wrote her winning story "Yellow Paperclip with Bright Purple Spots" (that's my first winning children's book). So Nikki was super thrilled to participate the comic book and create a revised story about the Fox and the Cat.

Nikki was so busy when I waited for her story longer, I was worried about the deadline. Then I got a story from her and I made rough sketches quickly. I submitted my sketches to Jim & Kristen before they gave me critiques. Indeed, my first rough comic panel sketches / texts were so confusedly crowded and they had lack of extra spaces. I know I'm not a good comic artist because I rarely do comics.

Then I asked my friend Jordan Santos (who is a comic geek & Adarna House product development officer) to check Nikki's prose story & my sketches. He said "Wow, it's a prose story & no page or panel instructions!" He said I should do a comic script, just like a movie script & add more panels. So I got it. I made my panel instruction and revised sketches.

Jim & Kristen finally approved my sketches, I was hurried to prepare my traditional stuff in November 2009.

Then Nikki asked me if she could add more stories. I said I wished but I can't. I didn't start painting my final comic panels before the 14-days deadline (hahaha, stress stress)! So I thought of myself "Mall! do one comic panel per day without doing errands! Go go go!" So I created 8 comic panels for 8 days and sometimes I missed my food schedules. Then the next day, I scanned them and added them with Photoshop traditional textures (I didn't have time to add textures with my small paintbrush!) Then next day, I sent my high-res images to Image Comics before the deadline! WHEEEWWWW! After that, I was totally dizzy and pale. Mhmm, I didnt eat well so my super hungry belly got mad at me. I know, I was super stressed.

After 7 months, Image Comics have launched copies at the Comic Con, hoooray! Sadly, I wish I could attend Comic Con in States... Anyway, I grabbed images from Image Comics site.

I finally received my copies past few days ago. The book looks friggin' awesome, I really love it! I must admit... When I looked at my illustrations, they made me wanted to revise them hahaha! But it's okay. I really enjoyed doing my challenge and learned from it when I was crazily frustrated and stressed. :) Please click to view the large image.

More amazing artists Camilla d' Errico, Paul Fricke, Doug TenNapel...

You can see more preview images of many talented artists on Shadowline Comics page. Thank you very much for everything, Image Comics, Nikki & Jordan! If you're interested in buying copies, please order it on Amazon. In time, I really hope I'll be good at doing comics. This week, I have finished my commissioned mixed media painting for my client Vin & Shine. I'll post the whole image in September.

And I'll be ready to paint my Yoka custom toy soon for my client Brenda.