Rally Point

21/12/2025

Here are the finalists for the 43rd National Book Awards.

02/12/2025

Comics as a powerful tool for education.

21/11/2025

HEAR YE! HEAR YE!

09/09/2025

RALLY POINT REVIEW #5

ELLA ARCANGEL: MAGIC OF EARTH AND BLOODWRITTEN AND ILLUSTRATED BY JULIUS VILLANUEVA.

A fantastic commentary on the struggles of urban Filipinos.

WAZZIT ABOUT?

Ella Arcangel is a horror-fantasy komiks series set in the slums of Barangay Masikap, where a young girl confronts paranormal horrors and social injustices.

ZE STORY

Julius Villanueva is a master of komiks pacing. His command of narrative tempo takes readers on a thrilling journey through mythology and social commentary. The story reveals a past government's failed drug war and its consequences, weaving Filipino mythology into the dark recesses of our cultural inadequacies.

ZE AHRT

Villanueva’s art is simple and concise. The genius of his aesthetic design doesn’t aim to inspire awe, but it grips and endears as the story deepens. His characters are easily identifiable, and the world he illustrates offers a glimpse into the darkness Ella must navigate.

FINAL NOOTS

Stories rooted in Filipino mythology are abundant in the komiks community, and comparisons are unavoidable. Julius Villanueva’s Ella Arcangel stands as the dark queen of Filipino mythos. Its weaving of stark realities and grim fantasy makes it truly stand out. It strikes and stings where it matters most, the hearts of Filipino readers. Villanueva reveals the power of culture and how it can save people in their darkest moments. This is a true masterpiece. A TOP-TIER KOMIKS CLASSIC!

DETAILS:
PUBLISHED BY: JULIUS VILLANUEVA (2023)
PAGES: 191

27/08/2025

RALLY POINT REVIEW #4

ALANDAL
WRITTEN BY J. PHILIP IGNACIO
ILLUSTRATED BY ALEX NIÑO

A living archive of our creative cultural legacy.

WAZZIT ABOUT?
A girl named Sabina is abducted by Iranun pirates and uncovers her heritage as royalty of Sulu. She meets the mysterious swordsman Alandal, whose presence impacts Sabina’s journey of self-discovery.

ZE STORY
Jay Ignacio takes us on a travel back in time where sultans and pirates ruled the Philippine shores. The writer gives us a glimpse of a culturally rich historical fiction full of fast-paced twists, turns, and swashbuckling action.

ZE AHRT
The legendary Alex Niño’s art never disappoints. His command of form and silhouette orchestrates the rhythm of the story. The interplay of blacks, grays, and whites comes together to create a surreal, enchantingly haunting piece of fiction.

FINAL NOOTS
The komik’s titular hero, Alandal, wields two swords, the saber and the bolo, a representation of our mixed cultural heritage. Alandal becomes a metaphor for how we make the most of what is given to us, both as a nation and as individuals. The book offers a short, sweet story, but its roots and meaning run deep, and its ethnic relevance echoes through the illustrator’s beautifully woven visuals.

This might be Alex Niño’s final komiks illustration. If true, the story stands as a fitting piece of cultural legacy, a passing of the torch to a new generation of komiks creators, calling out and beckoning aspirants to be bold, brave, and uniquely original. I imagine a Tagalog version of this would be fantastic! Visit your local bookstores and online shops... this book is a MUST-HAVE!

DETAILS:
PUBLISHED BY: KOMIKET (2021)
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
WINNER OF THE 40TH NATIONAL BOOK AWARDS
96 pages

18/08/2025

RALLY POINT KOMIKBOOK REVIEW #3

GODHARK: THE SANGUINE STORM BY SEAN KYLE MANALOTO

WAZZIT ABOUT?
A high-octane feat of world-building brilliance.
An epic story of gods and heroes set in a fantasy world of magic and metal.

ZE STORY
Set in the fantastical year of 416, deicide and chaos fill the land. A party of heroes' journeys to harness godhood. The book engulfs the reader in a blistering pace of an action-packed adventure. Bonds are tested, and bloodline is revealed. When you think the story is about to slow down, a plot twist picks it up and throttles the reader into more mythological frenzy and fantastic divine chaos.

ZE AHRT
Sean Kyle Manaloto’s illustrations are glorious. The colors are rich, crispy, and loud like a Sepultura song. The intricacies in his character design span a vast ocean of references from the elegance of feudal warrior armors to Art Nouveau futuristic ships.

FINAL NOOTS
Sean has taken the time and effort to create a colorfully diverse and layered world brimming with magical elements. The art is dynamic and flowing. Still, one might wish the characters paused now and then to breathe, to reflect, and to smell the roses amid the chaos to create more weight and depth in the protagonists’ motives. Overall, it was an enjoyable read from start to finish. Get your copy! IT’S WORTH IT!

DETAILS:
PUBLISHED BY: KOMIKET (2022)
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

09/08/2025

RALLY POINT KOMIKBOOK REVIEW #2

IN HIS UNIVERSE BY Chocnut-san

Komik’s triumph in revealing possibilities through visual introspection and quiet courage.

WAZZIT ABOUT?
A story of Joanne, a girl quietly unraveling the depths of her emotions for a longtime friend. She weaves her way through universes, each one revealing a different possibility born from the choice to finally tell Noel what her heart has long held in silence.

ZE STORY
Chocnut-san artfully weaves a tapestry of scenarios, each rooted in a singular action. From that fabric, she skillfully pieces together honest narrative arcs into a concise tale of unrequited love. The fictional mosaic laid out by the komiks creator is enough to blanket the reader, drawing them into their multiverse of what-ifs.

ZE AHRT
The manga-style art this book presents is not perfect, but Chocnut delivers aesthetics with meticulous detail. Every artistic transition between universes is controlled, deliberate, and deeply felt. This masterpiece was published in 2022; I'm sure the creator has artistically grown since then.

FINAL NOOTS
In reality, we are mostly enveloped by an ever-present fog of our whims, impeding our vision and blinding us from the lies that surround us. One thing I love about komiks is that it has the power to show you possibilities you haven’t seen before. And In His Universe sincerely does that. It has a story that can make one look back on all the risks taken, empowering the reader to take that leap of faith. It’s a short and sweet story with beautifully rendered art. This komikbook deserves to be on every shelf. Worth it!

04/08/2025

Pre-Order Now: Ang Manguulam Chapter 1 — Sinigang

CLICK HERE: https://bit.ly/SinigangCh1

A simple pot of sinigang. A child in danger. A manguulam’s skill put to the test.

Ang Manguulam Chapter 1 (Sinigang) is now open for pre-orders!

Be among the first to read this complete first chapter, where everyday cooking becomes a battle against the unseen.

Next: Dinuguan - SOON.

04/08/2025

RALLY POINT KOMIKBOOK REVIEW #1

WINDMILLS: BEARINGS by Josel Nicolas

A perfect example of why komiks still matter.

WAZZIT ABOUT?
An anthology of slice-of-life autobiographical komiks told through the eyes of an anthropomorphic bear.

ZE STORY
Nicolas bears himself in this masterpiece, pun intended. Josel’s writing carries readers through waves of gloom and quiet sorrow. A dead relative, a late-night trip to a massage parlor, a breakup, and the slow, aching process of moving on... these are just fragments of the stories stitched into the pages. Woven throughout is a haunting glimpse into the komiks creator’s reflections on su***de. Each piece is crafted with poetic precision, and by the end, I found myself mourning alongside him.

ZE AHRT
Windmills begins with boxy, closely spaced panels, where every line is a silent battle and every square is a restriction. As though the words themselves are reluctant to communicate, the typography is crowded and frequently challenging to read. However, the grid occasionally breaks with purposeful timing, giving the artwork a chance to breathe.

A faint hope starts to flicker as the pages flip and the story takes us further into the author's innermost thoughts. The visual language becomes less rigid. Intentional spacing takes on a meditative quality. The words become more clear. Line weights change, now bearing stress in both form and emotion.

FINAL NOOTS
In an age of instant entertainment, endless doomscrolling, and ai generated art, one might ask: “Why read a komikbook?” Windmills: Bearing offers a quiet, resounding answer. It reminds us of the value of solitary reading, of sitting still long enough to hear the undertones, to reflect on our own tangled experiences.

The visuals whisper rather than shout, offering subtle clues that demand attention, just as life does. A testament of why the komikbook medium remains to be a true baring of an artist’s soul. This is a komikbook to collect, to show off, to treasure. A radiant gem of Pinoy komiks. A Top Tier choice!

DETAILS:

Published by: The University of Santo Tomas Publishing House

Language: English

03/08/2025