Top 10 Fictional Spooks

For the sake of those who aren’t familiar with the term, “spook” is a slang that pertains to a spy, secret agent, or any operative of the intelligence/espionage/black ops community.  In fiction, just like detectives, spooks are heavily romanticized.  They seem to have exciting and secretive everyday lives.  Sometimes, they have double lives – their friends and family don’t know what they really do as a living.  They can coolly think and act under intense pressure.  They can endure horrific tortures.  They are one-man armies, extremely proficient in weaponry and close combat.  They enjoy the use of high-tech gadgets in their trades.  Fiction presented them as the “best of the best” people having the most badass and kickass jobs in the world.  Among these cool spies in fiction, here are my ten picks…

10.) PAUL SHEPHERDSON a.k.a. CASSIUS

When I was drafting this list, the tenth spot was meant for Evelyn Salt (the Angelina Jolie-portrayed sleeper agent in the movie “Salt”).  And then I saw the movie “The Double”.  In that movie, Richard Geere plays retired CIA operative Paul Shepherdson.  Shepherdson was a legend in the Company, making his reputation by taking down Cassius Seven – an infamous and very deadly Soviet assassin squad trained and led by a faceless man codenamed “Cassius”.  When an assassination of a US senator was committed a la Cassius, he was brought out of retirement to help out in capturing the assassin who was presumed to be Cassius.  However, Shepherdson refused to acknowledge that it was Cassius, insisting that Cassius was dead and that the assassin was a copycat.  Later on, in a twist revealed early on the movie, we learned that Shepherdson was actually “Cassius” and had been a double agent while working for the Company.  However, he decided to turn against his Soviet comrades after they decided to kill the family that Cassius secretly started (he fell in love).  Thus, his last kills as “Cassius” were on those involved with the killing of his family (and, probably, those who know his true identity).  “The Double” might be a mediocre movie at most, but I really liked Geere’s character here.  I like the character’s background and buildup (though, I had to agree with most critics’ observations, that the twist’s revelation was early).  I like how he adopted his fabricated Paul Shepherdson identity to become his actual life, and then using this identity to kill two birds with one stone: establishing the Shepherdson identity’s authenticity and legend and exacting and executing revenge.  The best thing about this character is his main method of killing, he has a wire hidden in his watch which he can quickly pull out to garrote his targets swiftly.  He can do it in such fast fluid motion that he can even kill someone in broad daylight on a sidewalk without anyone noticing, his target just falls to the ground with throat already slit.   

9.) NATASHA ROMANOVA a.k.a. BLACK WIDOW

Natalia "Natasha" Alianovna Romanova, a.k.a. Black Widow was a Soviet agent but defected and joined the Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D.  Though she is not my most favorite superheroine, I find her the most interesting among “femme fatale” comic book superheroines.  She is a graceful and athletic combatant, having the skills of a gymnast and ballerina along with her extensive martial arts knowledge.  Her main weapons are pistols and bracelet-gadgets, which fires “Widow’s Bite” (an electro-static energy blast), “Widow’s Kiss” (knockout gas), “Widow’s Line” (grappling hooks with lines), and others.  She also has micro-suction caps in her gloves’ fingers and boots that allow her to stick on walls and ceiling a la Spider-Man.  Black Widow is a real hottie, and being played by Scarlett Johansson in the big screen increases this reputation.               

8.) SOLID SNAKE 

Solid Snake is the video game icon from the stealth game “Metal Gear”.  He is described as a combination of spy, special operations soldier and mercenary commando of FOXHOUND (a fictional black ops and espionage unit).  By this description alone, we can presume that Snake is one hell of a badass and highly-skilled spook.  The main gameplay of “Metal Gear”, being a stealth game, is to creep on opponents and take them out quietly.  This had been Snake’s bread and butter for most of the game and is his main charm.  His kickass costume is a bonus point, too.      

7.) JOHN CLARK

John Clark is one of the main characters in Tom Clancy’s “Ryanverse” (Jack Ryan books).  Clark is a former Navy Seal and was a Vietnam veteran.  After his stint from the military, he was hired by the CIA to be an operative and would eventually become one of the best in the business.  Jack Ryan trusts John Clark so much that whenever there are operations his hands are directly involved in, his first choice to send is John Clark, along with his protégé and eventual son-in-law Domingo “Ding” Chavez, to ensure success.  Clark has been both decorated by the military and by Langley, with plenty of successes under his belt.  He’s an excellent field operative, and his experiences allow him to be smart and knowledgeable on what to do in given situations.  Though they both have principles, John Clark is grittier and more ready to “break the rules” than Jack Ryan.  Tom Clancy even stated that John Clark is the “dark side” of the Jack Ryan.  He was played by Willem Dafoe in the “Clear and Present Danger” movie.               

6.) NICK FURY 

The first time I encountered the term “super-spy” was with Nick Fury.  He is best known as having been the leader of Strategic Hazard Intervention Espionage Logistics Directorate or S.H.I.E.L.D, Marvel Universe’s fictional super espionage agency.  He was a WWII war hero, but due to a medication called Infinity Formula, his aging halted.  Thus, he can still function in a high level even though he’s about a century old.  Fury is in this list because he is one of the premier leader figures in the superhero community (in Marvel Comics) even though, technically, he’s not a superhero.  Oh, also, again, “super-spy”. ‘Nuff said.             

5.) BRYAN MILLS     

Liam Neeson has a knack on playing interesting and badass characters, or, at least, picking such roles.  One of Neeson’s best characters is Bryan Mills, the protagonist in “Taken”.  Bryan Mills decided to retire from being a CIA field operative to build a closer relationship with his teenage daughter, Kim.  When Kim went on an unchaperoned trip with a friend to France to follow a tour of the band U2, they were targeted by kidnappers who sell girls to a sex slave ring.  While Kim was talking to the phone with her father, the kidnappers broke in the house she and her friend were staying.  Kim panicked, but Bryan coolly gave her instructions on what to do while recording the conversation to gather as much data as possible so it will be easier for him to come after them and rescue Kim.  After Kim was abducted, one of the kidnappers picked up the cell phone, to whom Bryan Mills delivered this memorable badass line which summarized the badassery of the character: “I don’t know who you are. I don’t know what you want. If you are looking for ransom, I can tell you I don’t have money. But what I do have are a very particular set of skills; skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you. If you let my daughter go now, that’ll be the end of it. I will not look for you, I will not pursue you. But if you don’t, I will look for you, I will find you, and I will kill you.” 

4.) JASON BOURNE 

I’ve never read the books yet, but have watched the Bourne Trilogy.  I don’t know if which Jason Bourne is better, the movie’s or the book’s.  Nonetheless, I found the movie Jason Bourne awesome enough for this spot.  The amnesiac assassin with the cool lethal fighting skills, know-how, field craft, and rich trade skills is – hands down – among the top fictional spooks ever created.  Even if the character is played by a non-badass dude like Matt Damon in the movie, the badassery and coolness of the character overflows.  

3.) SHELDON SANDS 

Portrayed by the talented actor Johnny Depp in the movie “Once Upon A Time in Mexico”, Jeffrey Sands is a CIA agent in Mexico.  He is portrayed as having the wit and charm that goes with the typical coldness of a spook.  He can switch from charming to ruthless as situation demands, and can kill without hesitation.  He is a brilliant planner and manipulator.  But the most special thing about him is his general coolness and detachment, which is not dependent on a situation but it’s actually his usual character.  Maybe he has this kind of coolness and detachment because of being a borderline sociopath.  This characteristic of his was perfectly displayed when the bad guys gorged out his eyes, living him blind.  But Sands never lost a beat.  Usually, the loss of a body part or function – especially the eyes and sight – will depress somebody.  But not Sands.  He maintained his usual demeanor.  He never lost his cool along with his eyes.  It’s as if losing his eyesight was merely a minor annoyance to him.  Such display of badass coolness puts him at this high spot on this list.         

2.) JOHN “JACK” RYAN

Jack Ryan is the hero of several popular novels by Tom Clancy.  As a contrast with John Clark (discussed earlier in this list) and all of the other spooks in this list, Jack Ryan is a “desk job” spook rather than a hands-on field operative (though he had experienced and was successful in some important field work, too).  He’s very smart and vey accomplished and successful in his life.  After graduating from college with a degree in economics (and minoring in history), he joined the Marines but left after an injury.  He would make his fortune in the stock market, earn a doctorate, and would become a historian and professor in a naval academy.  He was even knighted after saving the Prince of Wales and his family from assassins.  He would mightily impress the Deputy Director – Intelligence (DDI) of the CIA after he did some consultancy for the Company, and eventually, he would be recruited.  He would prove to be a very sharp and intelligent analyst for the Company and his career rise was swift.  As a spook, he would be instrumental in several successful operations and missions including major coups against the Soviet Union.  He would eventually become the Deputy Director of Central Intelligence (DDCI) of CIA.  Then, he became the National Security Advisor after retiring from the CIA.  Finally, he would become Vice-President, but only for a short while, since he would immediately become the President of the United States just after being sworn as Vice-President due to the death of the incumbent president.  He would serve a second term afterwards.  On the big screen, Jack Ryan has been played by Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford, and Ben Affleck.                       

1.) JAMES BOND (007)

Was there any doubt?  This is a no-brainer.  No other fictional spook has come close of being as iconic as 007.  There are different characterizations of 007.  Aside from being played by different actors, there are also different authors who wrote Bond stories aside from the creator Ian Fleming.  Thus, each interpretation of Bond by the various actors and authors adds different facets to the character.  My favorite characterizations are of Pierce Brosnan and, of course, the original Bond in Ian Fleming’s novels.  In Fleming’s novels, being the original, the core of most of the 007 identity – the cold, womanizing, pleasure loving, talented, and effective spook – is established by this characterization of Bond.  Moreover, the book Bond is grittier and more prone to commit mistakes than the movie interpretation, making him more human and easier for the audience/readers to like and feel a connection with the character.  As for movie Bonds, for me, the best is Pierce Brosnan.  Aside from the fact that the Pierce Brosnan 007, being a movie Bond, carries the Bond movie tradition of enjoying high-tech gadgets (this element lacks in the original books), this Bond is also the freshest, most suave, and most “superhero  perfect” among all the Bonds.  Though plenty will say that Sean Connery is the best Bond ever, and there are valid arguments for this, still, for me, Brosnan is the best.  Because he was the Bond of my time and the Bond that made me love the character.      

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Top 10 Anime Protagonists & Top 10 Anime Antagonists

Initially, I intended it to merely be a Top 10 anime characters list – regardless of being heroes, anti-heroes or villains, like what I did with my top 10 comic book characters list.  However, I decided to try something new, to make a respective 10 for protagonists and antagonists.  Note: Though the main factor is the depiction of the characters in the anime, I also give some consideration to those parts of the character’s characterization and performance which have been omitted in the anime but are in the manga in my evaluation of the characters for the top 10 lists.

Let us start first with the protagonists… Making this list, I realized that I’m drawn to anime characters that are cool, smart, have swords, or/and have guns.

10.) TOKIYA MIKAGAMI (“Flame of Recca”)

Shinichiro Kudo a.k.a. Conan Edogawa has all the right to get this spot since he’s one of the greatest fictional detectives in my book.  However, the ridiculous and unnecessary “turning into a child” thing about the character annoys me greatly.  Also, I’ve already analyzed Kudo/Conan before in my top 10 fictional detectives list.  So, I have to give this spot to the character that follows closely behind Kudo in my personal fave anime characters list; if Kudo is 10A, Tokiya Mikagami from “Flame of Recca” is 10B.    So number 10 goes to Mikagami.  Mikagami, or Dylan in the Filipino dub, possesses my most favorite Madogu (psychic or elemental weapons that powers most of the combatant characters in “Flame of Recca”), the Ensui – a sword handle that forms its blade by the use of water.  Mikagami’s character is a perfect fit for Ensui.  With the technique of Hyomon Ken, Mikagami is able to manipulate Ensui well, utilizing the water and ice abilities of the Madogu.  Among the members of Team Hokage, Mikagami is definitely the smartest and most cold-blooded.  In a fight, Mikagami is a calculative tactician and treats opponents equally, thus, he has no reservations on taking down a female opponent.         

9.) VASH THE STAMPEDE (“Trigun”)

At face value, Vash has one of the coolest get-ups or appearances found in anime.  Just one look at him and you can easily tell that he’s one kickass, badass dude.  And the appearance is not at all deceiving.  At the first episode, we learn how awesome he is when the fact that he’s a guy with a high bounty on his head was presented.  And then we got acquainted with his superhuman agility, reflexes, and eyesight, which are combined with his superior gunslinging skills.  More than that, the reason the anime is titled “trigun” is because Vash has three guns in his disposal: his revolver, a cybernetic left arm that turns to a machine gun, and his “Angel Arm” – his right arm, when activated by his revolver, turns into a powerful cannon that can level cities with a single blast.     

8.) LEORIO PALADIKNIGHT (“Hunter X Hunter”)

Leorio has one of the coolest names I’ve ever encountered in fiction.   Though he’s probably the weakest in spite of being the oldest among the four main characters of “Hunter X Hunter”, I still like him the most.  Maybe because I’m a sucker for guys with sunglasses.  Or maybe because he doesn’t balk or give up even when faced with overwhelming odds in battle (like when he boldly faced Hisoka, earning the murderer’s respect).  He is also very loyal to his friends, and being the oldest, acts like a big brother to them.  He has some skills in weapons and is a talented haggler.         

7.) HIEI (“Yu Yu Hakushu”)

Yu Yu Hakushu or Ghost Fighter, as it was entitled when I first encountered it, is the first anime of its kind that I have watched.  Hiei or Vincent (in the Filipino-dub) was my favorite character from that anime.  His charm was probably having characteristics – black spirit power, monster background, etc. – that were more usual in a villain than a hero.  But that clicked.  When I first saw Vincent’s body covered with eyes, I found it cool and appealing of the character.  Moreover, I really loved Vincent’s swordmanship.  I would encounter plenty of “fast skilled swordsman”-type of anime characters, but Vincent was the first.        

6.) ROROANA ZORO (“One Piece”)

Zoro is the unofficial first mate of the Straw Hat Pirates.  It is presumed that Zoro is the second strongest among the Straw Hat Pirates, Luffy being the strongest.  What makes him unique among swordsman characters is his ability to use three swords at once – with the third one being held by his mouth.  That’s one totally badass dude.

5.) YOICHI HIRUMA (“Eyshield 21”)

Hiruma is the quarterback and leader of the Deimon Devil Bats.  Though Kobayakawa Sena – the Eyeshield 21 – is the story’s main character and team MVP, it can’t be denied that Hiruma is the reason of the team’s success.  He is the brains of the Devil Bats and the one who assembled such unique, diverse, and talented team.    Though Hiruma is not exceptionally athletic, his main asset is his tactical and cunning mind.  He loves using psychological warfare and running trick plays, and more often than not, his plans and manipulations work to the advantage of the team.  He knows well how to analyze and evaluate the talents and abilities of both his teammates and opponents, thus, he knows what plans to draw up to both perfectly utilize the strengths of his teammates and to attempt to exploit the weaknesses of his opponents.  During the last story arc, when Japan created an all-star team, Hiruma was the undisputed leader/mastermind/coach of the all-star team, having the freedom to run the plays and use the combination of players he wanted.  Being able to operate like a chess player with the other players willing to be his chess pieces showed how much the other players acknowledge his genius.              

4.) HATAKE KAKASHI (“Naruto”)

Kakashi has probably the richest arsenal of ninja techniques in the anime Naruto.  Having a Sharingan eye (gifted by his late friend Obito to him), he was able to copy around one thousand techniques.  He’s also an intelligent tactician (rivaled probably only by Shikamaru Nara and his father) and calm combatant.  His personality is that of a cool and detach one, but still cheerful.  But being versatile is not the only reason for me to like the character.  What’s special about him is his character.  Though he has a great reputation and plenty of talents as a ninja, he remains modest.  Moreover, he highly gives importance to teamwork and loyalty to friends and teammates above anything else.  Usually, a very talented or powerful anime character prefers (or is preferred by the creator or/and audience) to fight his opponents alone.  But in Kakashi’s case, even though he has the qualities of the powerful/talented anime character stereotype, because of his value for teamwork, he makes us appreciate the idea that there is more glory and appeal in fighting opponents as a team.             

3.) HIMURA KENSHIN (“Samurai X”)

Not only is he my most favorite samurai in fiction, but he’s my most favorite fictional character that wields a sword.  For most of my childhood, Kenshin is my most favorite anime character.  At that time, he was the deepest anime character I’ve ever encountered.  And his convictions are very admirable.  The way he fights is such a joy to watch, there’s a beautiful mix of grace and lethality in it.  But he does it in a way without having to kill his opponents.  After being known as a legendary and dangerous assassin “Hitokiri Battosai” during the Meiji Revolution, he grew weary of killing and found appreciation of life, thus, he vowed never to kill again.  In his personal path for self-redemption, he now uses his skills to help those in need and fight for the weak that are oppressed by wicked people.  With the use of a “reverse-edged” sword, Kenshin manages to fight utilizing his awesome sword skills without having to break his vow of non-killing.       

2.) LELOUCH LAMPEROUGE a.k.a. ZERO (“Code Geass”) 

The greatest anime series I’ve ever encountered (so far) is Code Geass.  Lelouch Lamperouge, or Lelouch vi Brittania (his real name), is one of the most compelling fictional characters ever created.  Donning a cape and a mask, Lelouch takes the identity of Zero.  He’s just a mere teenager but he has such a genius tactical and manipulative mind that allows him to formulate mindblowing and brilliant plans and strategies and execute them efficiently.  Not all his plans work, but he is able to make a comeback from his failures until he actually wins.  Though Lelouch has shown some motivations for noble reasons, his main motivations remain selfish and vengeful (although, we might be able to say that he has redeemed himself in the end), making his noble reasons seem insincere and mere guises.  He is very manipulative; and though he has a conscience, his desire for revenge is stronger than it, thus, he is ready to use anybody for his own purposes.  Through his alter ego Zero, Lelouch has created the Black Knights to be his “chess pieces” for taking on the mighty Brittanian Empire.  Dependent on Zero’s leadership, the Black Knights had successes and slowly but steadily grew in power.  Lelouch also possesses a Geass which grants him the power of mind control, enhancing the extent of his manipulations.  

1.) GENJO SANZO (“Gensomaden Saiyuki”)

When I wrote a list of my favorite fictional characters years ago, the “most fave anime/manga character” went to Genjyo Sanzo.  Having encountered several animes and anime characters since then, Sanzo remained as number one to me.  Gensomaden Saiyuki’s four main characters are the coolest foursome ever in fiction.  There’s an overflowing amount of swag in them.  And the best among them is the leader Sanzo.  Genjyo is rational, indifferent, and cold (though quick-tempered when he’s annoyed by Goku and Gojyo), and, reflecting the general attitude of his group, has the confidence that all opponents and obstacles can be overcome no matter how difficult (even gods!).    Possessing a revolver and the Maten Sutra, which neutralizes demons thoroughly, Sanzo is one mean, badass monk you don’t want to mess with.   

* * * 

At the case of antagonists, the villains that appeal to me are a pretty diverse bunch.  Common things among them are pretty small.  Some are totally evil.  Some are antagonists, but only because of the context of the story.  Some have been able to aid the protagonists.  Anti-hero-type antagonists and competent deep villains interest me.  But I don’t like the type of villains that, though perfect as villains, are too disgusting already (like Koran Mori from “Flame of Recca”, especially after he bonded with the Tendo Jigoku) to be fascinating. 

10.) KUREI MORI (“Flame of Recca”)

Kurei was introduced as the main bad guy, with his foster father Koran Mori, at the start of the story and was the prominent main villain during the first half of the story.  Though Kurei would progress on to become more of an anti-hero later on, he still remained vengeful, dangerous, ruthless and callous.  In fact, he’s only an ally to Recca in the sense that they now shared a common enemy (Koran Mori).  But as Kurei promised, he would deal with Recca after he’s done with his foster father.  Still, there always remain a respect and sense of brotherhood between Recca nad Kurei.   I actually find Kurei’s flame more fascinating than Recca’s.  Kurei’s takes the form of a phoenix, which is able to absorb souls and make them his flame as what he has done with his lover Kurenai and his ally Jisho.  I like Kurei with a full mask on, since it makes him more sinister.    

   

9.) FLEET ADMIRAL SAKAZUKI, formerly ADMIRAL AKAINU (“One Piece”)

Even when he was first introduced as an admiral, I found Akainu (I’m still not used with “Sakazuki”) to be the most ruthless and has the makings of a perfect main villain among the three Navy admirals (while Kuzan has the most potential of favoring Luffy and crew).  Akainu’s Spartan disposition leads him to commit harsh acts like killing the fan favorite Portgas D. Ace and destroying a ship of refugees because of the small possibility that a target is hiding on board.  Akainu is also the only one who was able to break Luffy’s spirit (after killing Ace), as well as giving Luffy an X-shaped scar on the chest.  His volcanic power is a perfect fit for his character.   Hands down, among all the One Piece antagonists, he’s the best.

8.) OROCHIMARU (“Naruto”)

Even if you don’t know a thing about Naruto, just one look at Orochimaru and one can see he’s the villain of the story.  His appearance is first class villain material: pale skin, malicious snake eyes, and a dark dangerous smile.  Even his hissy voice is perfect for a villain.  And, moreover, his ninja techniques are evil, as he has such techniques like summoning snakes and manipulating the dead.   He greatly lusts for personal power and doesn’t care whoever or whatever he needs to destroy to get it.  He commits dastardly things with no hesitation to get what he wants which include but not limited to performing evil experiments on people (even children!), murder, slavery, and treachery. Personally, I find Orochimaru a more interesting villain than Tobi though the latter is filled with mystery and twists.  Orochimaru has a straight-on, hard boiled pure evil in him.      

7.) EVIL BUU/SUPER BUU/KID BUU ("Dragon Ball Z")

No doubt that the most powerful and most interesting villain in Dragon Ball Z is Super Buu.  As the product of Evil Buu eating Good Buu (Majin Buu), Super Buu would go on causing great devastation – more than any other Dragon Ball villain before him has done – on the planet with his tremendous power.  He is greatly empowered by his anger and destructive nature, and he’s very cunning as well, being able to find ways to turn the tide against his opponents when the fight is not going his way.  He has a wide range of powers and abilities which includes different kinds of ki or energy attacks, manipulation and regeneration of his body due to his physical make-up, turning people into food, and absorption.  With his ability to absorb people, by either turning them to food or by using a part of his gooey pink composition, he is able to grow stronger with each absorption.  He was able to absorb Goten and Trunks (Gotenks), Piccolo, and Gohan during his run.  Though Vegeta and Goku managed to free the absorbed ones from Super Buu, turning him to Kid Buu, he remained completely dangerous and powerful.

 

5.) & 6.) TOGORU BROTHERS ("Yu Yu Hakushu")

The 5^th and 6^thspots go to the Togoru Brothers.  Who's 5th and who's 6th?  Either way will do.  Though they have different motivations and personalities, their notoriety is enhanced as a package.  Both brothers have very interesting abilities.  The Elder Togoru has total control of his body that he can manipulate and shape-shift, thus he can sharpen body parts, elongate, create a dummy of himself, regenerate, and even move internal organs around his body.  The Younger Togoru can manipulate how much percentage of his power he will release, ranging from 0% to 120%; as percentage increases, his muscles thicken and enlarge and his appearance proportionately change to be more demon-like.  Remember that Yu Yu Hakushu was the first anime that I had followed, and after having watched plenty of animes since then, the Togoru brothers charm as villains are rarely surpassed.       

4.) GIN ICHIMARU ("Bleach")

“Bleach” has several solid villains.  Ichigo and the other Shinigamis taking on Hallows and Arrancars are fun to see (yep, I don’t like the Bounts).  Sosuke Aizen is an intriguing antagonist due to the character’s awesome 180 degrees turn from kindly and nice brotherly figure to being the ruthless and cunning main villain as a twist.  But, still, in spite of that, I still find Gin Ichimaru a more fascinating character.  To be fair, maybe indeed Aizen is the better villain objectively and I just really like the Ichimaru character so much.  Nonetheless, I would still give this spot to Ichimaru (it’s my list after all.  I can do what I want!).  Prior to the revelation of Aizen faking his murder and actually being the manipulative mastermind behind the conspiracy, it was being suggested that Ichimaru was the traitor inside Gotei 13 and is going to be the main antagonist in the story.  Aizen would eventually turn out to be the main villain and Gin merely a subordinate, but still, there is a nagging feeling in me that there could be something more to Gin.  He’s such a rich and interesting character since he was introduced, because of the sense of mystery wrapped around the character.  And then in Bleach’sbiggest twist (so far), it is revealed that Gin only joined Aizen so he can kill him.  Yes, for years, Gin pretended to be Aizen’s ally and lackey so he can get his trust and learn his weakness.  So when the perfect opportunity arises, he can have the pleasure of killing him.  It was for the sake of avenging what Aizen did to the only person he cared for, Rangiku Matsumoto.  It’s not completely revealed what Aized did though, but it was enough to make Gin Ichimaru vow revenge and formulate such elaborate plan to take down Aizen.  Gin would fail in killing Aizen, but, still, what he did is a proof that he’s an awesome character.   If that’s not a good enough reason for you, let me add the fact that his Shikai’s ability is to extend its blade like a boss.    

3.) AGON KONGO ("Eyeshield 21")

In a story with a sport context, usually, antagonists are only “antagonists” in the sense of being competitors and opponents of the main character/s or main characters’ team – “antagonists” only because they play against the “protagonists”.  In fact, the word “antagonist” seems to be too much to describe them since they are merely competing and not antagonizing.  But, indeed, there are competitors who are jerks and dirty in their games, so having the word “antagonists” fits them.  One such in “Eyeshield 21” is Agon Kongo.  He’s not a dirty player, since he doesn’t need to be so because his talents are more than enough.  But he is vicious, and delights in overwhelming and destroying his opponents.  Agon is a genius, in which he finds it easy and natural to learn skills and be athletic.  He possesses natural athleticism, speed, intelligence, and strength, and though he’s lazy and doesn’t train, his skills are still far better than those who train extensively (like his twin brother Unsui).  He possesses an innate talent called “God’s impulse” which allows him to understand and learn difficult physical movements and activities in a short span of time.  “God’s Impulse” also gave him a superhuman muscular memory and reaction time that allows him to move and react against opponents with great haste.  Because of these natural talents that he possesses, Agon is extremely arrogant and has a strong superiority complex and treats everyone as mere “worthless trash”.  However, this arrogance is not of overconfidence but just based on the fact that he’s actually superior.  Nonetheless, after his team got defeated by the Deimon Devil Bats, Agon began training profusely everyday in his desire to beat them next time, which would be considered a progress with Agon’s attitude.  Agon also started showing some signs of ability to care for a team (though, maybe, still selfish in motivation) and his teammates during his stint with the All-Japan team.  At the end of the manga, Agon is showed to have joined Hiruma, Akaba, Yamato, and Taka in college to form a powerhouse team.                      

   

2.) SHISHIO MAKOTO ("Samurai X")

Shishio could be the most popular and most iconic villain from Samurai X.  Being burned alive and surviving it, Shishio covered his entire body with bandages to hide his disfigured appearance, which gave him a badass mummy look.  Shishio is a ruthless, coldblooded sociopath and believes that the weak only lives for the benefit of the strong.  He is crafty, intelligent, and a very talented swordsman.   However, he can only fight for a maximum of 25 minutes because of the danger of overheating due to having no sweat glands.  He is shown to have the ability to neutralize his opponent’s abilities after seeing it in action.  What makes him more badass than he already was is that though he failed in his attempt to take over the Japanese government, he seems to have continued his aspirations in the afterlife, by deciding to take over Hell (seriously, it was implied in the anime).     

 

1.) HISOKA ("Hunter X Hunter")

Hisoka is a very fascinating character.  His personality is that of a jester, cheerful killer.  He’s very cruel, deceitful, and dramatic.  He’s completely egocentric and would only do something if it interests him.   He’s an extremely strong combatant who delights in killing.  However, he obtains his greatest pleasure from fighting and killing powerful fighters.  He has great instinct in judging somebody’s strength and potential.  Therefore, when he perceives someone having the potential to be a powerful fighter someday, he would allow them to live even though he can easily kill them, and will wait until they reach their full strength to challenge them.  He calls these potential targets as “unripe fruit” and such was the case with the four main protagonists of Hunter X Hunter.  What I like most about Hisoka is his uniqueness from other villains.  While typical villains have motivations of revenge or lust for power or “taking over the world”, Hisoka’s motivation is mainly based on his self-interest and lust for the thrill of fighting and killing (especially strong opponents).             

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Why the LinSanity Approach of Playing Basketball is Better Than the Kobe System

In my recent essay about Jeremy Lin, I’ve mentioned that his approach of playing the game of basketball is the best way, therefore even better than Kobe Bryant’s.  Let me be clear that I am not saying that Lin is the better player.  Of course not.  Kobe is.  Just the approach or philosophy in playing basketball… Lin’s is better than Kobe’s.  The reason was already given and can be derived and understood from the past post already, but I think it’s better if I elaborate. 

I’m a big Kobe Bryant fan.  He’s my favorite player ever.  More than that, I look up to him because of his mentality and attitude.  The brilliant and rich set of skills, extensive knowledge and understanding of the game, accomplishments, and success that Kobe has now can be traced to this mentality and attitude, which –as I mentioned many times before – is Batman-like.      

The similarity between Kobe and Batman is the approach in which they totally give their all.  They obsessively drive themselves to improve as much as they can (thus, the skills) and pour out all that they can out of themselves during execution and performance.  My favorite Kobe quote sums it up:

“I’ve always been comfortable as a kid growing up to think that when my career is over, I want them to think of me as an overachiever despite the talent that I have.  To think of me as a person that’s overachieved, that would mean a lot to me.  That means I put a lot of work in and squeezed every ounce of juice out of this orange that I could.  Hopefully, they perceive me as person who did whatever he had to do to win above all else.  Above anything.  Above stats. If they say that about me I’ll be happy.”    

Kobe also once said that he’s “chasing perfection.”

That is what’s admirable about Kobe (and Batman), he wants to give it all his got for perfection.  He wants to “squeeze every ounce of juice out” from what talent he has, regardless of its amount. Therefore you can expect Kobe to give all his got in the hardcourt – and it shows.  Combine this mentality and attitude to his game, ruthlessness, and focus (which could still be somehow by-products of his mentality and attitude) and Kobe excels.  He wins. 

Kobe’s attitude and mentality is definitely admirable.  Way beyond admirable.  You can’t ask for more from his work ethic and work philosophy.  However, his approach on playing the game is still imperfect – still incomplete – because his end purpose is flawed.  Kobe is giving all he’s got for the sake of winning.  And it all ends with winning.  Winning becomes the fuel, focus, motivation, and the main purpose why Kobe gives his all.  Winning for personal satisfaction and glory. 

Like Kobe, Jeremy Lin also gives it all his got and strives for perfection and winning.  However, Lin sees the bigger picture than Kobe.    

Jeremy Lin is a Christian.  And his Christian faith is what dictates his approach on playing the game.  The Westminster Shorter Catechism states that the chief end of man is to glorify God.  This is something basic that a Christian believes.   His life is not his, but God’s and it should be used for God’s glory.  Thus, all his actions should ultimately give glory to God (“Whatever you do, do it for the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31). Aside from that, a Christian believes that doing one’s best in what he does is not optional, but a command from God (“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all of your might.” Ecclesiastes 9:10).  So if we connect these two truths, it means any Christian’s action or work deserves the best out of a Christian because  the action or work is meant as worship to God.   

      

These truths are very real to a Christian like Lin.  Thus, he put them into application.   

Jeremy Lin loves to win as much as Kobe.  But unlike Kobe, for Lin, it doesn’t all end with the winning – it goes beyond that.  Rather, winning is just part of the means.  As mentioned already, for a Christian like Lin, giving glory to God is the ultimate end.  Therefore, to win is for the glory of God, not for himself.  Lin knows that personal glories are perishable, that the happiness that can be derived from them is temporary.  So, he doesn’t chase for such perishable things, but rather, is aiming for an “upward prize”… a joy and glory that never ceases.  A joy and glory that can be found in God alone.  The Westminster Shorter Catechism also states that the chief end of man, along with giving glory to God, is to enjoy God.  As a matter of fact, enjoying fellowship with God goes hand-in-hand with – synonymous to – living by glorifying God.  For Jeremy Lin, winning is nice but full joy is found in God alone.
         

When the result is a loss and not the desired win after giving it all he’s got, Kobe would still push himself even harder, to seek revenge in a next clash.  This type of avenger-type mentality is very appealing to this world’s view.  But through heavenly eyes, we can see that Lin’s approach is still better. Lin’s philosophy frees himself from unhealthy pressure of getting the win no matter what.  Again, for Kobe, the win is the end, thus it is the most important thing.  For Lin, the win is valuable but it isn’t the end or the most valuable, giving glory to God is.  Thus, if he accomplishes the “giving glory to God” part, win or lose, Lin is victorious!  In Lin’s own words: 

“I had to learn how to give my best effort to God and trust him with the results. I have to learn to have enough faith to trust in his grace and to trust in his sovereign and perfect plan. I had to submit my will, my desires, my dreams — give it all up to God and say, ‘Look, I am going to give my best effort, go on the court and play every day for you, and I'm going to let you take care of the rest.’” 

For Lin, if he wins a game, glory to God, and if he loses a game, still, glory to God.  His part is just to give it is all in worship of God through playing ball.  The result is up to God, and whichever way it goes – a win or lose – the purpose of glorifying God is done already.  Lin may lose a basketball game, but he’ll always be a winner in the eyes of God and will receive the praise of “Well done, good and faithful servant” in the end.

And that’s the best approach, not only on playing basketball, but for all aspects of life as well.        

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God's Glory Displayed Through LinSanity

“LinSanity” is the most surprising and, probably, even the best story in the NBA this season.  Game after game, he proves that the hype is real.  Game after game, more and more notice and become believers of LinSanity (in my case, it took me till that game with the Lakers to be convinced this Lin is special).  Sure, 6 games is still a small sample size, but, nonetheless those 6 games weren’t insignificant at all.  Prior to the explosion of Linsanity, the New York Knicks were struggling badly (had a record of 8-15) as their stars Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire were sidelined because of injuries.  Now thanks to this 6’3 American-Taiwanese point guard who was nearly at the point of being cut by the team before becoming an overnight sensation, new life is breathed to these Knicks, as they won those 6 games thanks to Lin.

Lin’s meteoric rise is fascinating.  After playing for and graduating from Harvard University, Jeremy Lin entered the 2010 draft but was ignored and left undrafted.  However, the Dallas Mavericks – the eventual champions that incoming season – offered him to participate in their mini-camp and to play for their NBA Summer League team.   Lin got noticed during the Summer League when during a game against the draft’s first pick John Wall, he outplayed and stole the cheers from him.  Afterwards, teams offered to sign him (including my beloved Lakers) and he chose to join the Golden State Warriors – his favorite team to watch while growing up.  Lin would experience getting assigned to the D-League three times during his rookie season, but would be recalled by the Warriors each time. 

During the first day of training camp for the current season, Lin was waived by the Warriors.  The Houston Rockets would pick him up but would waive him before the start of the season.  It was the New York Knicks that would pick him up next.

Lin – being a third-string point guard – would once again be assigned to the D-League by the Knicks.  During that season, the Knicks were actually considering releasing Lin before his contract become guaranteed so they can make room for a new player.  But fate has other plans.  Lin would be given a chance to play by coach Mike D’Antoni.  On a game against New Jersey, teammate Carmelo Anthony (who was and still currently sidelined due to injury) suggested to D’Antoni during the half time to give more minutes to Lin.  Lin had 25 points, five rebounds, and seven assists – all career highs at that point – in that game as the Knicks won the game.  Prior to that game, Lin only played a total of 55 minutes through the Knicks’ first 23 games.  In the next game, which was against the Utah Jazz, Lin had his first career start and would finish with 28 points and eight assists and a win.  Then in the Knicks’ next game, with the Washington Wizards, Lin had his first double-double of 23 points and 10 assists. 

Leading the Knicks to a 3 game winning streak, Lin would face his greatest challenge against my favorite Kobe and the Lakers.  And in that game, it made me believe that the hype is real (and made me annoyed that the Lakers weren’t aggressive enough to recruit him when they had the chance).  Kobe, who is known to perform some of his best stuff in the big stage of Madison Square Garden (remember the 61 points a few season back?), was set on dismissing the rising legend of Lin as a mere myth.  Kobe intended to make Lin bow down to basketball royalty.  But Lin was never intimidated, he never backed down.  He rose to the challenge on clashing with a basketball god.  

And he was victorious.  Jeremy Lin outplayed Kobe (who had 34 points) and demolished the Lakers with 38 points, seven assists, four rebounds, and two steals.  Prior the game, Kobe was a bemused unbeliever.  During the game, Kobe would finally acknowledge Lin as a worthy challenge when he started guarding him.  

Afterwards, stubborn as Kobe may be, he does give props when it is due, and acknowledged that Lin is no fluke.  “Players don’t come out of nowhere,” Kobe said.  The Black Mamba would go on complimenting him and showing his brand of respect by recognizing Lin as someone worth seeking revenge on.  “Enjoy it.  They’ll receive judgment next year,” he said, obviously looking forward for the next duel.    

Lin’s legend continues after it.  He had 20 points and 8 assists over the Minnesota Timberwolves, as he made a game-winning free throw that lifted the Knicks.  Lin would be named Eastern Conference Player of the Week.  And a game after earning that honor, he had 27 points and 11 assists and made the gamewinning threepointer against the Toronto Raptors.  LinSanity fever gets hotter and hotter.   

Being an underdog and a nobody who became successful through hard work, he is a hero, model and inspiration for everybody (especially to Asians).  As Kobe Bryant pointed out, “A great story.  It’s a testament to perseverance and hard work. A good example for kids everywhere.”                        

But more than that, there is one thing about Jeremy Lin that makes him really special (and once I learned of it, it made me to finally root for him).  He is a Christian.

Thanks to a video of his testimony that is getting viral around Christian circles, we learn of Lin’s motivation and attitude towards the game.  The highlight of that testimony is when he quoted John Piper’s book “Don’t Waste Your Life”:

“God created us to live with a single passion to joyfully display his supreme excellence in all the spheres of life.” 

Lin would elaborate:

“When Paul wrote in Philippians to press on for an upward prize, he was living for that, and it made his life meaningful (Philippians 3:15). And I realized I had to learn to do the same. I had to learn to stop chasing the perishable prizes of this earth, I had to stop chasing personal glory, I had to learn how to give my best effort to God and trust him with the results. I have to learn to have enough faith to trust in his grace and to trust in his sovereign and perfect plan. I had to submit my will, my desires, my dreams — give it all up to God and say, ‘Look, I am going to give my best effort, go on the court and play every day for you, and I'm going to let you take care of the rest.’ This is something I struggle with every day.  Playing for great stats is nice, but that satisfaction — that happiness — is only from game to game. It's temporary.”                

For me, the perfect NBA player would be something of a combination of LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Jeremy Lin.  LeBron has the raw talent, athleticism, and physique that allowed him to overwhelm opponents by those alone.  Kobe has the obsessive competitive fire, mental and physical toughness, and the rich skill-set.  Lin has the strongest motivation to give his all in everything (better than Kobe’s competitive fire) since he is doing those things for God.  Mix them all together and that would be lethal.  Still, these three types of players standing alone, Jeremy Lin would be still my pick, not necessarily as the best player, but as the player that knows the best way of playing the game.  Jeremy Lin isn’t pouring out this much effort in his game because he wants personal glory.  No, he is pouring out his best because he wants to glorify God.  “Whatever you do, do it for the glory of God” is a cliché in a Christian.  And Lin is living it out.  He is seeking his joy in God – a joy that is eternal and complete.

Now, God is blessing Lin for putting Him first in his life.

A Christian, because his life is dedicated to God, then even his life activities are dedicated to God – there are no longer activities that are trivial or without eternal significance.  Again, as what Piper has worded perfectly, “God created us to live with a single passion to joyfully display his supreme excellence in all the spheres of life.”  Yes, even in the hardcourt, God’s excellence should be displayed.

If indeed God will be glorified most through this, then surely, Lin’s legend would continue to rise.  I pray that Lin would continue to play basketball for God’s glory and that he wouldn’t lose his focus on why or for Whom he’s playing.  I pray he will be able to fight off the temptations that go with such lifestyle of being on top.   I pray he’ll be a greater role model and testimony than David Robinson (who was a prominent Christian NBA player) and enjoy greater honors than what David had in his career.  I pray he’ll even be a bigger star than LeBron or my favorite Kobe.  All for the glory of God.                     

(Also, I pray he'll become a Laker next season... please, Lord? ^__^)

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Some Thoughts on the Upcoming "Avengers vs. X-Men"

This coming April, Marvel will release their biggest crossover storyline this year with “Avengers vs. X-Men” or AvX.  The premise is very promising, plenty of potential epic moments with Marvel’s two top superhero teams pitted against each other. 

Of course, an awesome premise doesn’t assure us that it will meet our high expectations in its delivery.  The Civil War event years ago is an example.  It had an awesome premise and the elements of a brilliant and classic story.  It had its dramatic moments, but it failed to meet the high expectations brought by the premise’s awesome potential.   Civil War ended too soon; it was too short.  The conclusion wasn’t satisfactory.  It failed to divide the fans to two sides as it did the characters (Seriously, was there anybody who rooted for the Pro-Registration side?).  It made Iron Man a hated character (only thanks to Robert Downey, Jr. for bringing back the love to the character).  And, worst of all, it had terrible aftermaths: the assassination (and eventual “resurrection”) of Captain America, Spider-Man making a deal with the devil (ugh, how “One More Day” makes my blood boil), etc.  Good thing for Marvel, they made up for all the bad taste left by Civil War to everybody’s mouths by having the epic “Secret Invasion” a few years later.

In the case of AvX, I have a gut feeling that, this time around, it would meet what is expected of it.  There is no perfect time to have such war between these two legendary teams than now.  We see the 2000’s brought a lot of significant changes to the teams.  Both now has deep, diverse, and exciting rosters than ever before.  The Avengers now have heroes like Spider-Man, Daredevil, Dr. Strange, The Thing (of Fantastic Four), and Luke Cage –who were before were merely allies or reserve members of the team – as regulars.  New Marvel characters (2000’s created) like Red Hulk and Venom (Flash Thompson as host) are members.    

The 2012 X-Men also enjoys a dramatic augmentation with former opponents like Magneto and Juggernaut joining them, as well as the newly retconned “first mutant” Namor and the popular Deadpool.  They also have plenty of new interesting characters like Fantomex (a human mutant/sentinel hybrid) in their roster.  Most of the mutants from the X books we had enjoyed in the past are members.

Indeed, it’s going to be an epic clash.

What confuses me is the status of Wolverine, Beast, and Storm, who are members of both the X-Men and Avengers.  Which side will they stand?  According to what the promo art and covers suggests, they will side with the Avengers.  Still, let’s not forget that the X-Men now are divided into two camps (after the X-Men: Regenesis storyline), between those loyal to Cyclops and those loyal to Wolverine.  If Wolverine sides with the Avengers, will those X-Men loyal to him side with Wolverine and the Avengers, too?  But basing again with the promo art, there are X-Men in the Wolverine team fighting Avengers!  Really confusing how will this turn out.  Just have to wait and see.

One thing that’s bothering me is that Cyclops seems to be getting a little bit darker due to the past harsh experiences undergone by mutants and the X-Men (I.e. the depowerment of most mutants after M-Day).  Magneto warned that Cyclops is already sounding more like him.  Will this event ultimately lead Cyclops to the extreme side?  Will the moral Cyclops we know cease to be?  Will he be another Civil War Iron Man?  Let’s wait and see.             

Lastly, Captain Marvel is set to return during the event!  What is the purpose of this return?  How will this affect the conflict?  Will he be the key in stopping the war between the Avengers and the X-Men?  Again, let’s wait and see.

Oh boy, can’t wait.

               

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Top 10 Comic Book Publishers

I love comic books.  I credit comic books as one of the reasons I started loving literature since it is the first form of literature that ever caught my interest.  As far as I can remember, comic books have always been part of my life.  Thanks to my father who was fond of them, I was introduced to comic books.  Before I was able to purchase comic books on my own, he was the one who made the purchases (reading them before handing them to me).  I grew up loving comic books – loving them more than my father ever did.        

In my years of reading and collecting comic books, I’ve come across a variety of genres, titles, and styles of this literary medium.  Listed below are the top 10 comic book publishers that have produced the most beloved characters, stories, and titles that have given me great delight in my comic book reading.  By the way, this list didn’t consider the publishers that have printed compilations of newspaper cartoon strips in paperback or volume form; only traditional publishers of such in the form of comic books, magazines or digests, and graphic novels are considered.

10.) HARVEY COMICS ENTERTAINMENT

Harvey published stories of kid-friendly characters like Felix the Cat, Casper the Friendly Ghost, Richie Rich, and Hot Stuff, to name a few.  Aside from their original characters, the company also published comic books depicting other characters from other properties like Stone Protectors, Beethoven, Hanna-Barbera characters, Alvin & the Chipmunks, Popeye, Beetle Bailey, and even Ultraman.  I have enjoyed Harvey so much because you can find in it most of the immortal children cartoon icons outside of Warner Bros. (Bugs Bunny and friends) and Walt Disney (Mickey and Friends).

9.) THE BRUCE HAMILTON COMPANY (GLADSTONE IMPRINT)

This company was popular for publishing beloved Walt Disney stories – most prominently adventures by Donald Duck and Uncle Scrooge.  Though this wasn’t the publisher in which I got the most Walt Disney comic books (see no. 6).  My most favorite was the well-written mini-series chronicling the early days of Scrooge McDuck as he builds his business empire.    

8.) ISLAS FILIPINAS PUBLISHING CO., INC. (PILIPINO FUNNY KOMIKS)

It was my father who introduced to me and bought for me most of my early childhood comic books.  However, these comic books were American ones.  It was my mother who introduced me to Filipino comic books.  She was the one who would buy me the weekly Filipino-made children comics such as “Bata Batuta” and “Pilipino Funny Komiks”.  The latter – which was published by Islas Filipinas Publishing Co., Inc. – was my favorite.    

The Filipino comic book industry, in the present, is more or less extinct.  If there are still Filipino-made comic books out there, it is published by indie publishers and does not enjoy wide distribution around the entire Philippines.  But back in my childhood, Filipino comic books – romance, horror, or children – can be purchased easily from newsstands.  During those glory days of Filipino comics, I would excitedly wait for each new issue of “Funny Komiks” that comes out each week.  I would bug my mother to buy it for me. 

Each issue of “Funny Komiks”, though had included some one-shot stories once in a while, contained serial titles like “Bananaman”, “Tomas En Kules”, “Combatron”, “Tinay Pinay”, “Eklok”, “Bamper”, “Dragon Force” and “Planet Opdi Eyps” to name some.  Each issue is cheap but the art quality was mediocre.  The humor and stories, however, were very special and Filipino.  I have collected it and enjoyed it very much because of, probably, merely due to the sentiment of it being a Filipino children’s comic book.  

7.) ARCHIE COMICS

The charm of Archie Comics is its interesting gang of characters – especially Jughead – and its timelessness.  It follows no concrete continuity, thus, it is free to evolve with the time, without a change of age or setting.  Writers were able to enjoy the flexibility of depicting Archie and friends in different creative adventures, not only in the traditional way, but also in alternate settings like “Archie 1” (cavemen), “Little Archie” (when the gang were still kids), and “Archie’s Weird Mysteries” (supernatural events in Riverdale).  At the present, there is even this mindblowing series where the scenarios of Archie being married to Veronica and Archie being married to Betty are explored side-by-side – plenty of mysteries and heavy drama. 

Aside from Archie and gang, Archie Comics also have “Josie and the Pussycats” and “Sabrina the Teenage Witch”, and it’s implied that they are in the same universe with Archie and friends.  Archie Comics also ventured with superheroes (Mighty Crusaders) and published stories featuring other properties like “Sonic the Hedgehog”. 

6.) UNIVERSAL RECORDS PUBLISHING

During the 90’s – the decade which I spent most of my childhood – Universal Records ventured into licensing American comic book properties and re-publishing them here in the Philippines, selling them in more affordable prices. 

The first comic book series they published that I encountered was the “Mickey Mouse & Friends Comics”, which – as the title suggests – contained stories featuring Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy, and the rest of the Disney gang.  I think I was able to get all of these comics as published by Universal Records.  I would buy (or rather, my parents would do so for me) as soon as a new issue comes out.  Universal Records would go on publishing other Disney comics as well, like comic book novelization of some Disney movies.  (Aside from Universal Records, another publisher – A-Z Group – republished Disney comics during those times.  Got a few comic books from that publisher also, but most of my Disney comics are from Universal Records).  Then, Universal Records started publishing “X-Men Adventures” (based on the hit 90’s X-Men TV show) next.  And as time went on, more and more titles by Marvel Comics, Dark Horse, and Wildstorm were licensed and republished by Universal Records. 

         

Though Universal Records doesn’t license and republish American comic book titles anymore, I am grateful of their run during the 90’s, allowing comic book fans like me to get exposed to more comic books in an inexpensive way.

5.) CULTURE CRASH COMICS

I thought CCCom would be the savior of the Filipino comic book industry.  But in the end, like other Filipino comic books, it ended up dying. 

But during its run, boy, it was glorious.  Its titles – “One Day, Isang Diwa”, “Pasig” (my favorite), “Cat’s Tail”, “Solstice Butterfly”, and, later on to replace a “Solstice Butterfly” in hiatus, “Kuburi Kikiam” – were compelling and well-written.  The art was beautiful.  And though the art was manga influenced, the stories and cultural identity remained to be very Filipino.

CCCom’s run of 2000-2004 was plagued with economic and schedule issues for the creators.  That’s why they were always late in their release schedule and were only able to publish 15 and a half (a special, non-continuity collector’s edition issue 5.5) volumes in their four years.  I have all but one and a half of the volumes; I wasn’t able to get issue 14 and that special 5.5 (though I have read them through friends). 

The financial problems were too much for the creators that they had to cease publishing CCCom.  It was terrible since all of the stories never had conclusions (they were probably never even half-way yet!), thus, I wasn’t able to know how the stories turned out to be.            

 

4.) CROSS GENERATION ENTERTAINMENT (CROSSGEN)

Too bad the company got bankrupt.  I really believed they have something special.  Instead of having a universe or multi-verse occupied with superheroes, Crossgen’s multi-verse had sci-fi and fantasy elements.  Crossgen’s universes, which Crossgen’s various titles explored, were exceptionally different from each other but are still somehow connected.  The common theme among the universes/titles is the Sigil-bearers, special and gifted individuals powered by a Sigil (the Crossgen logo).  However, though the titles (universes) shared this common factor, they rarely crossed over with each other. 

My favorite Crossgen title was “Ruse” which featured Simon Achard, a Sherlock Holmes-esque detective in a Victorian fantasy setting.  “Ruse” was finely written and Achard was a finely created character, making him one of my mostfavorite comic book characters ever.   

3.) DARK HORSE COMICS

Living up to its name, Dark Horse Comics is indeed the dark horse among comic book giants.  Dark Horse’s titles were great alternatives to the usual superhero-themed titles by DC and Marvel.  Dark Horse doesn’t concentrate much on superhero titles, though they have Hellboy and the Mask – if you would like to consider them as traditional superheroes (they aren’t). 

Dark Horse is well-known for licensing TV or movie properties and printing comic book stories out of them.  Their most popular of such were Star Wars, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Alien, and Predator comic books.  Aside from these, Dark Horse also published manga (translated and flipped) and indie or creator-owned comic books, the most popular being Sin City (by Frank Miller).        

2.) DC COMICS, INC.

DC is the home of Batman and Superman.  That reason alone is enough for putting DC in the no. 2 spot.  But aside from that, it can’t be denied that DC created some of the most popular comic book characters out there.  Moreover, DC printed Alan Moore’s “Watchmen”, one of the greatest stories in literature ever written. 

Right now, as an attempt to make their comics more accessible to newer readers (and, also, to beat Marvel in comic sales), they did a major overhaul of their universes, continuity, and timeline, informally calling this event as the DCnU.  Origins were changed.  Costumes were redesigned.  Massive retcons were made.  And the Wildstorm universe was formally merged with the DC universe.  All titles started with no.1.  Personally, I still can’t judge if this is an awesome or disastrous move for DC (though they were able to finally beat Marvel in sales).  I’m still in “wait and see” mode.       

1.) MARVEL WORLDWIDE, INC. (MARVEL COMICS)

Since DC was number two, it’s obvious already that Marvel will get the top spot.  More than half of my comic book collection is made up of Marvel comic books.  In general, I find Marvel Comic’s characters, history, and storylines richer and more fascinating than DC’s.  Thanks largely to the legendary Stan Lee, Marvel created such iconic characters as Spider-Man (my most fave), the X-Men, the Avengers, and the Fantastic Four.  Though DC’s Superman and Batman are still the most iconic comic book characters, Marvel’s quantity and quality (in general) of iconic characters are more than DC’s (in my opinion).  

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