Comics Review: Crime Fighting Call Center Agents #1

Comics Review 

  Hello everyone! Like I said in my previous post, I wanted to do some reviews on the local comic books I've seen around the conventions. I must say it's been quite a new experience for me since I'm usually too broke to buy comic books. I still am. It's just that my lovely girlfriend now shares the same vice in comics as I do. So hurray for that!

  But let's get down to it. Time for a review!

  Today I'll be talking about the comic book: CRIME FIGHTING CALL CENTER AGENTS #1. It's a serial comic book from Kowtow Komiks and created by Noel Pascual and AJ Bernardo.

  I wanted to start it off from the beginning like I do most of the comic books I read. So I got the 1st issue which was subtitled: Psycho Killer on a bike! Jumping right in, I found the art pretty cool. It's in black and white and the design is reminiscent of old comics with heavy line work and dark shadows all around. The shadows actually do a good job presenting the eerie darkness of the night while the characters are being chased around and do a great contrast when the lights are on. The framing puts you in the middle of the action which adds more effectiveness in creating the scene. 

  As for the story, I tend to get lost. The story is about a group of characters named Charlie Sandra, Koontz and Noel. Throughout the story, I don't think the 4 main characters have been established as Call Center Agents or Crime Fighters. They seemed like hapless victims of a rotund psychopath who rides a tiny bicycle. I'm not sure where the title fits in the story.

  I'd also like to add that the book is written in TAGALOG which is pretty cool since it does so in the way everyday people use it. I don't think a lot of people in this city speak in Tagalog as purely as we're "portrayed" in local TV shows. Which means we do tend to use a lot of phrases from different languages, mostly English.

  Another thing is the story starts in the middle so it leaves a lot of open questions like "Where did they get the severed arm?" and "Did the psycho kill someone and steal his bike?" They did show how the team and the psycho killer managed to connect themselves in a pretty funny way. 

  By the middle of the book, we see the team holed up in a seemingly abandoned but hospitable house in the middle of the woods. All the while arguing with each other, brainstorming ways to survive and of course BINGE DRINKING (which puts them in a Call center agent image the most, more in this issue than anything)

  The book also ends openly with a giant "What will happen next?" hanging in the air. So I'm gonna be looking for some continuing strings in the story line next issue when I get my hands on it. Either that or a shadowing of the origins of the team as actual Call center Agents and how they wound up being Crime Fighters. Either way I'm gonna be reviewing it then too.

  Overall, the book is a good read. It's fun and fast paced and makes a great homage/parody on classic slasher films and references on local culture is a nice treat. The visuals are great with awesome poses and framing. The story is still pretty messy but I hope the following issues will help me straighten it out. 

  With that I'm giving Crime Fighting Call Center Agents #1 a rating of: Looking forward to unraveling the story line out of ten.

Quest Start!

My Journey Through the Comic Cons (well the ones in PH anyway)...

    To my readers, Sorry I've been away for a while but I've got a pretty awesome reason. I tried my hand at comic book conventions here in the Philippines and I'm happy to say things look bright for independent comic book creators up in here. We're no longer a "closeted species for niche markets". A lot of people are opening up to sequential art as a medium this including animation and video games which my geek trifecta. There are more events catered for local comic book creators such as TokyoPop, Cosplaymania, H3 and the like.

    I'd like to thank the people who ran the convention I was able to afford: Komikon, Komiket and Indieket. So a shout out to these folks.

    I have to say it was quite the learning experience. But it was soooooooooo much fun. I met the most awesome people. I love that we all seem like those kids by the playground trading comics. You know the stereotype: Glasses, Bowl Cut, Allergies :D (well I'm a 27 year old that can't grow much hair... on my head anyway... so I can't have a bowl cut) The artists there are oh so welcoming. They just love to find more people like them. :D

    This all started last May. It was FREE COMIC BOOK DAY and me and my lovely girlfriend (who would pout if she wasn't mentioned here), Marisse were lining up at Fully Booked BGC Area to get our fill of comic books. Fortunately there was a mini convention of artists available at the place so we decided to stop on by. There was plenty of talent around that place so much so that you could cut it with a knife. We lined up to get our free comics autographed by one of the more popular local artists: Manix Abrera of KikoMachine fame. He was such a nice guy and I asked him to make doodle on my sketchpad. He fanned through my sketchpad and encouraged me to join a convention. He started sharing more information about the upcoming cons that I could join... Needless to say, from then on I was hooked!

Me and Marisse with Manix (right) Yes the light in the background are aliens trying to abduct us

   I started selling my comics last August and people were open to them. I guess that would make me a professional now... :D I was able to make something out of all the doodles I made and that feeling for an artist is just a whole new world. It's great. You can see a sort of community there. Readers and Writers and Artists all in one place.

Me at my Table last October Komiket. I don't look very flattering :D

   One of my favorite things about the cons is the freebies. I'm lucky enough to be able to get some free stuff from all the conventions I went to. That is just awesome! From Comic books to art supplies to full novels. The rewards are big on this quest.

And with that I bid you a "Til next time!". I'll be posting more about my comics soon as well as talking about the other local comics I was able to procure at the con so I hope everyone will be looking forward to that. :D