If I've been quiet about books, that's not because I haven't been reading. It's because I've been reading, not books, but comic books of late. Been backtracking on DC comic books for about three weeks now since I ended Path of the Sun, I think.
I've missed a big chunk of what's happening in the DC Universe (and the whole of comic-dom) since early college. Even back then, the focus of my interest was the then newly-launch Image imprint which saw the rise of such talents as Jim Lee, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri, Whilce Portacio, and Erik Larsen which introduced new characters to follow such as Spawn, WildCATs, and Stormwatch. While I kept a peripheral on DC (by casual looks at the covers of new issues over at comic shops), I didn't really get into the details of whatever happened to DCU after Crisis on Infinite Earths series.
My interest in DCU got back when new media allowed for a more cost-effective and practical way of reading comics in the late 2000's. Graphic novels and collected editions entered the market and with these, you no longer had to shell out hundreds of pesos monthly to follow a story arc. The collected editions did this for you. The internet was also a viable source of information on what was happening in the comics world -- just go over to Wikipedia and search for "Superman" or "Infinite Crisis" and you'll get an entry for those searh queries and you can brush up quickly on your DC storylines. And like I said, new media -- digital media allowed prodigal readers like myself to get back into comics.
I've still got several books to read. As of today, I'm still working the 52 series where I'm now on Week 29.
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This is not yet the full late review for the Smart Netphone 701.
I just want to say that I'm starting to like this phone. The best bit being that it runs on Android. And that just means I have access to gazillions of apps on the Android Market which I can download until I use up my 2GB storage (upon which I will have to upgrade the micro-SD card to a 16GB-er).
I've also managed to get the SmartNet services running by linking my Facebook and Twitter accounts to my phone (although that required spending some internet-minutes at Php 10 per 30-minute internet access). This just means I can browse FB feeds and Tweets for free via the SmartNet service which will be free until the end of the year. According to unverified reports online, after which my Php 800 per month bill will be jacked up to Php 999 if I wish to continue availing the SmartNet services.
Back to the Android thingy ... being a newbie smartphone user, I still have to fully grasp the relevance of the need to upgrade the system but at Froyo 2.2, my phone can handle just about anything that can be downloaded on the Android Market. Of course, since I'm a sucker for free stuff, I've already added several apps (mostly games) -- FB and Foursquare apps, the MyFitnessPal Calorie Counter, and games -- Angry Birds (of course) and just this morning -- Slice It!, Kids Doodle (for Ikai, promise!), Jewels, Greedy Spiders, and Ninja Jump.
More apps (hopefully, more practical and useable ones) to be downloaded :P
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The only drawback with the SmartNet free FB and Twitter services is that the service isn't real-time. I've got my actual FB open but it's not in sync with the one shown on my Netphone. But I do think the sync with Twitter is faster.
Nevertheless, the free social network service is still a great service -- social networking on the fly and I don't even get to consume internet minutes with it. But only until December 31 though.
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This might seem a bit dated given the launch of DC's New 52 but after reading 28 issues of the old 52, it's kind of refreshing to be in a world where the big three -- Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman -- aren't around to kick asses. Although Clark Kent is seen in several issues, he isn't changing into his Superman costume anytime soon. Even the Flash isn't around while the Hal Jordan-Green Lantern isn't making too much waves in this series (he'll get it later on in Blackest Night and Brightest Day though).
It's quite refreshing to see DC's 2nd and 3rd tier heroes see action. We've seen them grab more prominent spotlights in the previously-related series Infinite Crisis (and in the preludes) but to see them takeover in the 52 series gives you a better insight into these other heroes and heroines who usually play second fiddle to the bigger players.
A major arc in this series involves the Question and Renee Montoya team-up as they go against Intergang. We also see that in this series, Victor Sage aka Question is getting Renee ready to take on the faceless mask. Black Adam also takes a big role in the series in his capacity as dictator of Khandaq. Booster Gold is a lovable yet total jerk in this series and his downfall and ultimate death is chronicled in here. The unlikely trio of Adam Strange, Starfire, and Animal Man lost in space and trying to get home is also a refreshing idea. John Henry Irons aka Steel also explores his relationship with his neice, Natasha, who is being played by Lex Luthor with his Everyman project. 52 also serves as a setting for the continuing story of Ralph Dibny, the erstwhile Elongated Man, still searching for closure on the death of his wife, Sue, from the pages of Identity Crisis.
There's a bit of naughtiness in the series as well, naughtiness in the sexy sense but not too overt (as this is still general patronage reading). And this is thanks to the following -- Renee Montoya who is a lesbian and her F-to-F bed scenes (nothing vagrant, just hinting), the new Isis who's Egyptian frock hides little to the imagination, and we've got Starfire -- yes, the Tamaran Princess -- who bathes and dresses in front of Buddy Baker (who's married by the way) while marooned in a far away planet. She also gets her top yanked away by a leering Lobo but sadly, no frontal, folks.
It's 1-year worth of comics that'll take a while to finish and I'm liking what I'm reading so far. Never knew I missed comics this much.
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The deadline for submission to the Philippine Speculative Fiction Volume 7 is this Friday, at midnight (Manila time).
Read the guidelines here if you think 4 and half days are enough to craft a spec-fic tale that'll capture the fancy of co-editors Alex and Kate Osias.
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I would like to submit my entry to PSF 7 but unfortunately, I'm just somewhere 1/4 into the material I'm thinking of submitting. I'll see if I can still work on it this week.
I was supposed to work on it last week but have been busy at the Desk. There was an inauguration last Friday in Baliuag and got home beat and no energy left to make the gray matter work. Last Saturday was Family Fun Day, a much-awaited event by our school-going daughter, Ikai.
I was pretty beat as well after that and slept through Saturday and much of Sunday as well.
Let's see, let's see if I can make the cut this Friday.
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It was tiring, yes, but fun. Seeing your child smile and enjoy is already rewarding, no matter how tiring the Family Fun Day was.
Family Fun Day finally arrived last Saturday. Like I said, Ikai was highly-anticipating the day and had been asking about it since two months ago when it was first announced. Her Auntie told us Ikai was all-giggly the night before FFD, no doubt excited by the idea of attending what promised to be a happy day.
The FFD was scheduled 7AM, starting with a mass. We decided we wanted to skip the mass but we still had to wake up before 6am to prepare the kids (Issa was going along as well, it was Family Fun Day, after all). Ikai woke up at 4AM and Elvie and I promptly shushed her to sleep for another hour.
When she did awake, she uttered she didn't want to go to Family Fun Day -- and then seconds later bursted out she was only joking. She was quite, quite excited.
We got to St. Paul Makati in time for the start of the Mass and after an hour or so, the actual program started -- presentations, dances, and of course, the games. Since there were over 200 kids in attendance, the games had to be divided to give all kids a chance to play. Ikai got numbers 3 and 6, meaning she was scheduled to play Game 3 and 6. She only got to play one game, unfortunately, due to lack of time. There were disappointments for Ikai during the event like only playing in 1 game and not 2 as she knew, and not winning a prize during the karambola and free-for-all "Bring-Me" games but she took them in stride. She contented herself with the loot bag she took home, the bag of candies she got as a consolation prize, and the free ice cream that I got for her.
As for me, her Mama, and her Auntie -- tired but otherwise, happy for Ikai and Issa. As for Issa, well, she just loved being in a different environment with lots of other kids around. And she truly enjoyed the loot bag, not taking her eyes off it when Teacher Paula handed her her own.
Photos of our Family Fun Day over at Elvie Facebook if you're her friend.
