A Time for Graphic Novels

It’s a time for graphic novels. That might come off as an odd thing to say in the midst of awards season, and yet, I can’t help see it everywhere I go.

Anyone who is in tune with comics and graphic novels already know how structurally, they are page-turning storyboards to film and shows waiting to happen. While we’ve seen that a lot akin the superhero franchises, it’s the one-offs, the standalone graphic novels, the visual stories tapped into communities, and worlds even, apart from what we’re already familiar with that are starting to manifest into something more than what their bookworm audiences already know them for.

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9 Years of Lola By the Bay and 2022 Year in Review

It all comes down to this. The fanfare of the holiday season is winding down as champagne is slowly but surely being stalked up for the stroke of midnight tonight. Resolutions are being jotted down and vision boards are being crafted together, with the hopes of some of them actually manifesting by this time in a year. 2023 is now less so of a concept and now hours away from becoming our reality.

But before 2022 bows out altogether, I wanted to make sure I had my retrospective for this ninth(?!?!?) year of my website written down and ready to ponder for those who  may have missed any of what happened, or to read and go, “That happened this year?”

What Did I Miss?: October 2022

Published Works

Review of Blackmail and Bibingka by Mia P. Manansala – For Goodreads, I dive into my impressions on the latest installment from Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery series.

New Documentary ‘Rising Against Asian Hate’ Captures An Unprecedented Moment – For the Center for Asian American Media, I spoke with the filmmakers of this very important, upcoming documentary.

Background and Filler Stories Unfold in ‘Tales of the Jedi’ – For The Nerds of Color, I discuss my thoughts about this new anthology series set within the “Star Wars” universe.

Appearances

ShoPowSho 104: ‘Dasig’ Creators Kristian Kabuay and Lauren Lola! – My collaborator and I chat with host Patrick Michael Strange a.k.a. Kuya P on the making of our graphic novel-in-progress.

What Did I Miss?: August 2022

Published Works

New Looks and Release Date for ‘Andor’ – For The Nerds of Color, I share the new glimpses and news of the postponed release date for the upcoming “Star Wars” live-action series.

Samantha Futerman’s ‘From Here’ Explores Anti-Asian Hate From Korean Adoptee’s Lens – For The Nerds of Color, I spotlight this thoughtful and important short film from this Korean American actor and filmmaker.

Review of The Dawn of Yangchen by F.C. Yee – For Goodreads, I give a brief rundown on my thoughts about the latest novel set in the world of “Avatar: The Last Airbender.”

Dino-Ray Ramos Looks at Favorite Shows Through Fresh Eyes in New ‘Problematic Fave’ Podcast – For the Center for Asian American Media, I speak with the host of this new podcast about how it came to be, the discussion held in each episode, and long-term goals for it.

Livestreams

“Dasig” IG Live with Kristian Kabuay – Due to technical difficulties from last month, Kristian and I redo our conversation about our graphic novel-in-progress, this time for Instagram.

“Dasig” IG Live with Mixed Asian Media – I talk about the making of “Dasig” and the significance it holds for me with my friend and MAM chief editor, Alex Chester.

Final Hours of the Kickstarter for “Dasig”

As quick as it began, we are now nearing the endgame. As of this writing, we have just about a day and a half remaining of the Kickstarter campaign for Dasig; a Filipino martial arts graphic novel I am writing about a young warrior-in-training who’s struggling to focus on her pursuits when invaders from an unknown land threaten to take over.

What Did I Miss?: July 2022

Crowfunding Campaigns

Dasig – Philippine Martial Arts Graphic Novel – The graphic novel I’m writing is seeking funding. Please consider being a backer for its Kickstarter campaign.

Published Works

From Kyoshi to Yangchen, F.C. Yee on Chronicling Stories of the Avatars – For the third time for The Nerds of Color, I speak with this New York Times Bestselling author about continuing to tell stories set within this beloved universe.

Livestreams

“Dasig” Discussion – Kristian Kabuay and I discuss the process of writing “Dasig,” my process, my inspirations, etc.

Video Interviews

Interview with Ken Cheung – In a press line interview conducted on behalf of the Center for Asian American Media, I speak with writer Ken Cheung about setting the upcoming comedy movie, “Easter Sunday,” in his hometown.

Interview with Joy Koy – In a press line interview conducted on behalf of the Center for Asian American Media, I speak with actor/comedian Jo Koy about starring in the upcoming, Filipino American-centered comedy, “Easter Sunday.”

Kickstarters, Anniversaries, and Reels (Oh My!)

At a glance, it’s been a minute since I’ve made several announcements at once – since the early days of the pandemic, to be precise. There’s a lot that’s going on and a lot to go over, and I’m just going to go right ahead and dive into it:

Currently In-Progress: “Dasig”

I’ve been mentioning for a while now that there’s a writing project that’s been taking up quite a bit of time as of late, and if you follow me on social media, then you know that I finally revealed just what that is within the last week. However, for those who don’t, here’s what’s up:

I’m writing a graphic novel!