The semester has almost ended, and I feel like rubbing a pile of dirt in my face and roll around like a stack of hay - if only.
It’s been a wild ride, from joining acad and non-acad organizations, to meeting new friends (shout out to King, Paler, Kirstein, Maegan and Juvffe!) and also struggling from certain subjects that I find myself - troubling. Though a shock absorber also!
Studying in UP is hard HARD. Even in virtual spaces, it is relevant that the iskolar ng bayan life should be balanced. It even intensified when I started doing commissions from international clients, which made the tasks even harder to manage (IF you don’t know how to manage! ;) ). From crying and laughing, to achieving small wins and experiencing small losses. Though I may have not set foot to the UP Campus yet, it is best to prepare myself if ever face to face classes are to be resumed in the next academic year.
I can’t wait for more opportunities to come, I can’t wait to just travel around and live independently, I can’t wait to showcase my skills, and I just can’t wait to do everything that is most importantly being with the masses.
I can’t wait to serve the people.
I was always a virtuoso -- I listen to A LOT of music. I even remember back when I was in 6th grade, I was literally sleeping with earphones on, not even concerned on the possibilities that my phone will literally blow up in an instant. I shrugged it off, and continued on until 8th grade.
Most of my favorite songs situated in genres that most people aren’t acquainted with. A girl who listens to punk rock, pop rock, heavy metal, heavy rock, and rock in general? Well, for now, it is already accepted, but before, not so much. Living with three boys in the household is already enough for me to be influenced by their music tastes. My father loves listening to KISS, a rock band originated from New York, with different personas and different costumes. My brothers, on the other hand, likes listening to Nickleback, Paramore, Blink 182, Linkin Park, and so on. Literally any music that can have the tendency to just headbang anywhere, anytime. But with me, I got stigmatized, a LOT.
“Oh, you listen to Linkin Park? Name all of their songs then?”
“Oh, you listen to this *artist*? Well, name their albums!”
Yeah, I get that everytime. It mostly feels like I am disconnected in the society (Which I’m not obviously). A good time to begin anarchy it is!
Haha, kidding. Because of this, everything is just made simpler along the way. Most of my songs are for motivation, inspiration, and even incorporation to some of my academic works for the past few years, and I didn’t regret a single thing. This also motivates me into pursuing the arts -- music, singing, and drama. It was tough at first, but I proceeded anyways. I started doing covers since High School, so of course I get well acquainted with different genres, and I don’t discriminate!
Moral of the story is, mind your business. Music has no gender to begin with.
Fear/Love - A Piper Mclean and Reyna Arellano poem piece
As a Percy Jackson and Heroes of Olympus reader/fan, It’s been a while to just binge-read all of them and just stack some books and read them later. But hey! The Percy Jackson fever is back, as Disney+ will finally give justice to the first series “Percy Jackson and The Olympians”.
Since it was Piper McLean’s birthday a few days ago, I made this sketchy, yet cringey poem piece dedicated to Jason Grace, one of the main characters of Heroes of Olympus. If you read the five Heroes of Olympus books completely, you might know the context, which I won’t be spoiling for you either!
Piper Mclean:
For once I’ve known, how beautiful your eyes are
Falling and was grasped by your arms feeling the warmth of the endless abyss Lacking love, treating hard trying not to break the passage that mother blurted on her wrists
Camp Jupiter might be your place I hope you won’t break my trust and my phase The mist might have controlled all of it But I hope your love is not fake.
Reyna Arellano:
I’ve known you for years and you’re suddenly gone, Why did I do to deserve all of this monstrosity?
Fighting is my deed, but fighting alone is my weakness I’ve felt empty and damned and I don’t know how to start over
Maybe it was already late for me to say this, my love is not broken but in silence and shame the son of Jupiter, my partner praetor my endless worries, my love forever.
I’ve been writing a few poems here and there since the start of the Pandemic, and most of them are supposed to be song lyrics, but then I don’t have the luxury to just focus on creating the harmony due to time constraints, and also the lack of motivation to do so. I had them pieced together from playing the piano, but as usual, I’m not good at it. Nevertheless, I made them, so I’m already proud of it. Here are some of them:
Wounds on the tv
Wounds on the tv,
deathbeds sprawling into the abyss.
the fear of being captured in the strongest of void,
rekindled the hopelessness of bruises and defeat.
The year would end in a desperate note
crying for anger, striking for the better
students empty-handed with courses to spare,
Coping and praying that all will be fair.
Wounds on the tv,
Along with the least of the strong,
spirits mighty as a sword,
wishful thinking that all will be cared.
One of the reasons why I made this piece is because of the horrendous amount of anxiousness that I felt once the COVID-19 cases surged in 2020. I had to let things go away from time to time, and writing them is one of the ways I can do. You can’t blame someone who is actually surviving in a pandemic, and it’s really hard to cope around it.
Eyes painted with cool shades
encrypted with a tired face
A hold of warm tint
that brightens, the day
Why’d you paint them?
with rainbow like patterns?
If you don’t want to spare your life, watching them glow?
oh I’m scared,
that one day, I’ll remember
the times were rough, as the colors varied down, to shame
Pastel veins pumping in my heart,
Just walk with me in pain,
And drag my worries away,
Iridescent.
We’ve come in a long way,
I swore the time that you left me, in the blue haze,
Make me a reminder,
To just smile, and laugh,
as the hue starts to disappear
Why’d you paint them?
If you don’t want to live in sorrow?
But I’m scared, I moved my brush just splatter all the colors
But it’s dull.
Pastel veins pumping in my heart,
Just walk with me in pain,
And drag my worries away,
Iridescent.
Well, the context of this is pretty peculiar. I was experiencing one of the toughest times during the pandemic, and I think it’s also pretty common to most people who are trying their best in making themselves stable, while working hard at the same time. Since it’s also Pride Month, this poem is also dedicated to people who are yet to come out of their closets and finally embracing their true colors. Yes! True colors!
Is working hard at a young age really that necessary?
This might be a genuine question, and I would really want to know how people like me, or even younger than me, are starting to earn money even without having a degree yet. I understand that most people do this because they are still struggling in the pandemic, but prior to it, I know a lot of people are starting to earn financially -- and there’s nothing bad about it.
However, sometimes it might be getting toxic. Well thank God, I haven’t reached that point yet, but some or even most students tend to lean on the toxicity just to earn money. Others can now be pabaya with their studies, or even deteriorating their mental and physical health, which it shouldn’t be in the first place if you know how to manage yourself with your tasks. Being a hustler can be a hit or miss, but it definitely has more hits than misses.
Reading a few articles here and there about the topic, it lead me in to some takeaways that I might baggage forever. In a governmental system like this, and how corrupt and rigid the people who are in position of instead helping the masses, we are only equipped with alternatives in order to sustain ourselves with good income, and coping with it comes the struggles that are packaged with it.
My mind is just rotting as I’m writing this. This is how my mind functions after I wake up :)
Came a time, when the both of us are blessed to have the fondest memories that the universe can store for us. Came a time when most of our time is allocated for each other, spent, and not taken for granted by each other. Came a time when the world isn't as rough as we thought, yet. It's been so long.
It's been long overdue, we haven't formally met for a year and that it's no surprise that you're present in social media. I remember how sensitive and fragile you are in terms of personal space, yet you didn't complain about me asking how your day was, or that if you already finished the assignments assigned to us when we were still in High School. I've been waiting patiently, for you of course, and that if you are ready to meet me, I'm all ears.
I know you are busy, from all of your RETDEMs, laboratories, and studying in general. I know how diligent you are when it comes to learning, how competitive you are in the battlefield of academics, yet you humbled yourself by not being envious from everything that I did, and I appreciate that. It wasn't a matter of competition after all, we fought the good fight and that we are always enlightened from our morals and learnings in both academics and in life. You are always a charm for me, and atleast you'd feel the same way for me.
Yet sometimes I felt one-sided; Well, it shouldn't be a problem, yet sometimes it's getting lonely. Though I still have a good company on my side at the moment, with the best of friends from Cebu and Luzon, yet sometimes it feels lonely. Our spark was just different, and I can proudly say that.
I know you'd share the same sentiments for me, and that your excuses will be always reasonable. You're busy, you're struggling, you're fighting, but if you wish to relive and relieve your senses, with me, I'll gladly accept that offer.
It's been a while, old friend. We can meet again real soon.
During election day, me and my mother only voted in the afternoon due to time constraints, considering I also have meetings with my clients in the morning. As we go on with our respective precincts, it is inevitable to hear sentiments from voters who are 40-50+ older than me. “Leni? Wala manay klaro?” One voter said. Not surprised, forgot to mention that he’s also a man. I expressed disgust towards them, while hearing them mock the candidate felt inhumane. I did the deed, voted peacefully, and quite shock to see how I am the only student, or a voter who is less than 20 years old inside the precinct, but I didn’t budge.
My mother, who is assigned to another school and another precinct, since she didn’t transfer yet to my registered address, went on and vote. I waited for her, but then, the line didn’t move because it was announced that the vote counting machine was broken. We waited for hours, 3 hours specifically, until the VCM was back and running. My mom had to move faster and vote, considering that the line is really packed. My stomach was grumbling, unable to endure the hunger that I am holding in. I had to contact my father, telling him to bring a packed dinner for us to consume while I am waiting and after my mother already casted her votes.
Tons of chismis circled through the area, talking about how vote buying is very rampant in the precincts, and in the municipality that we were registered in. My ninang and ninong, who ran for Governor and Representative respectively, was very much concerns my mom, considering she also works for them as the Municipal Assessor in the municipality. She even lit candles the night before the elections, praying for a safe and fair elections and for them to win of course. By then, it was rumored that other candidates, especially in the Governor position, was accused of vote buying, giving 2-5 thousand pesos to voters. A commotion happened before we went to the precincts, where a sudden incident happened while voters are waiting in line, causing a distraction.
Mindanao is shockingly, not a Leni-supported region. Most of the voters are UNITeam supporters, even from Cagayan de Oro City alone. Including some of them are my batchmates, highschool peers, Student Body Officers, Citizen Advancement Training officers, and even my teachers in Highschool, which I don’t have a fond relationship with anymore. Most of them are living in middle to upper class households, showing reeks of privilege, misogyny and internalized misogyny over assessing what candidate they are in favor to. Throughout the campaign period, some of them are constantly mocking other candidates, sharing misinformation regarding such topics, especially the history of the Marcos dictatorship and Martial Law.
Now, if I remember vividly, we did had a Araling Panlipunan subject on our last year in Junior Highschool, specifically about Contemporary Issues, and Martial Law is one of the topics discussed in the course. It is a disgrace seeing the people that I know disregard such information from school, and I am emphasizing this deeply, applauding for their ignorance and pettiness. It is a slap in the face, that even MY AP Teacher is also a BBM-Duterte Supporter. I just can’t help it. It’s depressing. Sad. Bitter. Disappointing. Outrageous. Disgraceful. I can insert tons of negative words here for better emphasis.
As an individual born after Martial Law, it might be unbeknownst to me, that the past events can mentally scar the vicitims of that era. With my very upscale empathy, supporting a dictator is also a red flag. Fast forward, the unofficial results were in, and it was deeply shocking, to the point where I had to cry silently in my room and hear judgements from both of my parents which are also dismayed in the tallies. Robin Padilla as a Senator? Jesus Christ. If only I know that I’m still living in the dream, I’d consider that. But now? For the love of God, people are just-- unbearable.
Is this, Doomsday? A cycle of horrors? I’m not sure, and I hope it won’t be.
I do really want to express how I heavily miss my sister. She’s currently in Spain, working as an Elementary English teacher for a few years. She might be back next year, but at the same time, I would be moving out for college. The timing is very off, considering how we haven’t seen each other for months. I do love to talk with her as much as possible, but the time zone really cut it for us, making it harder for us to communicate. Though we send text messages, but it’s much better if we’re just calling it out, or she can just simply come home and talk with me face to face.
COVID, COVID, COVID. The same old rona has been morbid and devastating for the past two years, and in this post, I would like to share what I wrote about COVID two years ago. Give my grammatical errors some slack!
The Global Struggle - By Maybelle, circa 2020.
“I thought I knew struggle all my life, but nothing could’ve prepared me for what I went through last year. Everything that happened has stretched me into a hundred different ways that I feel like I’ve been made new. It took me a while to get here, but now it’s safe to tell the story. So let me start from the beginning.
On January last year, news started to arise about the newest virus that was discovered and contaminated in Wuhan, China. I just lived a normal day at that time, thinking that it wouldn’t reach far and infect our country. I nagged it off, continued my business, not until a few days later, when the news already circulated that the virus already reached Luzon. Therefore, it will be attacking us like ants swarming and escaping in the anthill from the blazing fire. My classmates’ reaction were the same as mine, complaining our butts off because of the recklessness in our incompetent government. Who am I to judge? I’m not even a politician in the first place, yet we had to use our freedom of expression to complain on social media–because we have the every right to.
On March 2020, cases continue to increase, day by day. My anxiousness started to double up every minute. ‘What if it reached to our city?’ ‘I can’t believe I’m actually living in a soon to be pandemic.’, not to mention the Spanish Flu or the Black Plague were the infamous pandemics of all time, killing millions of people, especially the rich and the poor. I was already frustrated before the lockdown, because I get to take my exams first than the others. But when the big bell rang, a lockdown will be implemented in the city. Now that’s where the horror starts.
Lockdown
I desperately needed to go outside. But we can’t, and I think it’s not possible, yet. Families are already struggling with their jobs, and it may seem advantageous to teenagers (because of the suspension of classes), yet they can’t go out, the same as me. In my perspective, it was hard and easy. Sure, I am exaggerating the oxymoron here, because it happens everyday, and all day. During the first months of the first wave of lockdown, I act like a sloth. I only read books, eat, sleep, read books, surf the net, surf the net and of course, surf the net. I had no plans of doing something productive because it also made me feel astonish with little things. But little did I know, I also gained weight, my sleeping schedule is ruined, and I had breakouts for months!
Staying at home has its pros and cons. The pros about it are the following: you will not get infected. Yes, Corona would never had the chance to infect you in such way, because you’re out of the infested zone. You cannot interact with too much people, if you hate people. Well, this advantage is merely beneficial for introverts. But for me, as an ambivert, I felt happy and devastated at the same time, knowing that I cannot talk with my friends compared to the old normal, and virtual calls are exhausting. But to shed light to the most glorious thing of all, the internet, it made us reconnect in our old habits, but with distance. The lockdown also made us discover new hobbies and of course, to clean our house with a euphoric mood without being told. The pandemic really made us experience making dalgona coffee, binge watch classical movies and listening to Nirvana, ACDC, Emo rock and punk rock bands, flooding YouTube’s algorithm for nostalgic purposes. From watching to reading, who knew I finished reading all of the books in my bookshelf? You guessed it, I did. It was frightening yet satisfying.
Okay now, for the cons. We’re literally stuck in our homes and sometimes it enable us to feel paranoid. I’m not claustrophobic, but to think about it, it also triggers my fears of being alone, because even if we’re still on a lockdown, a lot of people are still going outside just to work and receive hard cash. Also, services that are well known in the old normal are limited. Our everyday chores drastically changed because some of the services are restricted because of human interaction. It forced people to lose their jobs and find another one. But how? at this point of time? If only I can help them with what I have; but it is also not right to invalidate people’s efforts. We can’t go back to the old normal, because we all started a new chapter in our books: to actually spend our lives living in this horrendous pandemic. Now that I said it, we all can’t just wind back the clock and do the things that we normally do. We always need to adjust, whether we like it or not.
Online classes
In all honesty, I kind off like the idea of learning things through the internet. Don’t get me wrong! We all admit that it’s pretty comfy, at the same time, we can actually eat a lot while listening to virtual classes (Oh well, I confessed haha!) and that’s one of the factors why I gained weight in the first place. But in the long run, it gets really tiresome and lonely. Emphasizing the word lonely, I can’t actually just chat with my friends and classmates while classes are still going on since my attention span is also deteriorating, so I have to focus. Going back to the word tiresome, it is. Imagine sitting your butt off for 12 hours, staring at the laptop screen and waiting for updates from class group chats and doing school work, that’s how repetitive my schedule is when school started last August in the same year as COVID-19 dominated most of the countries’ fatalities.
What I can only say about online classes is, you really have to use your extra spirit to move forward. My work ethics are still the same as before, but I also adjusted for the sake of my welfare and my mental state. I kept hoping for better results, better days and for better grades even if we’re not actually on the old normal of learning.
Overall…
2020 was one hell of a ride. I garnered the worst and the best experiences in the span of 12 months. The pandemic gave me certain ways to uplift myself but it also has its own takeaways. Last year was heavy, super heavy, and dreadfully heavy. I am always praying, that better days are coming. Not only for this pandemic to officially end, but also to remove our masks and throw it happily in the air, knowing that in that time, all will be well. Many died fighting, many died surviving, and many are still dying. My prayers are always for everyone, because we all deserve to live and to live with a better life.
This year should be the one, and I’m claiming it. I am claiming things to be over, specifically the pandemic.”
*Sighs* COVID-19 is still present, and it’s still not over. Judging from what I wrote two years ago, the tone of my essay is pretty privileged. It’s not always sunshine and rainbows in the context of just staying inside the house, and I can also say that the essay is toned-deaf. Online classes are still utilized, which is a nightmare. Yes, I should always check my privilege for some time. But I am also taking the time to just check on the difference between now and then, and with this piece of evidence, it’s still relevant.
Ah yes, the bats. Bob Kane and Bill Finger’s most beloved legacy that set foot on earth, The Batman. One of the most well-known fictional characters in the world has dedicated his life to a never-ending crusade against all criminals in memory of his murdered parents, who were taken from him when he was a child. He has trained his body and mind to near physical perfection in order to become a self-made Super Hero since that tragic night. He's amassed a technological arsenal that would put most armies to shame. He's also put together teams of his fellow DC Super Heroes, such as the Justice League, Outsiders, and Batman, Inc. By day, Bruce Wayne is a playboy billionaire, but at night, he lives in the ancient network of caves beneath his family's sprawling estate, where he has a loyal butler-turned-guardian and the ideal base of operations. By night, he abandons all pretense, dons his signature scalloped cape and pointed cowl, and takes to Gotham City's shadowy streets, skies, and rooftops.
In this segment of Elle’s Comic Spills, I will be focusing on the latest feature film that happens to be one of my favorite movies for this year. The anticipated movie, The Batman, featuring Robert Pattinson, received a mixed reaction amongst the audience, specifically those who doubt Pattinson’s cinematic performance. A seasoned actor, who is obviously a good one, is often dubbed as the frozen reflection of everyone’s mocked franchise -- The Twilight Saga series. Pattinson happened to be one of the leading characters of the series, thus he’s still developing his acting skills by acting as a vampire teenager who happens to be not burnt when in contact with the sun, but instead shines like diamonds. The movie series has its hits and misses, specifically from the directing and the writing of such a franchise, but still an acknowledged culture amongst tweens. Though I haven’t really read the books nor completed the movie series, it’s just sad to see Pattinson as a patent resemblance of such ridiculed cultural reset. In this spill, I will be featuring Pattinson’s other talents and performances, and how he nailed as Bruce Wayne in the recent Batman film.
The plot structure and buildup are consistent
When a sadistic killer leaves a trail of cryptic clues, Batman ventures into Gotham City's underworld. He must forge new relationships, unmask the perpetrator, and bring justice to the abuse of power and corruption that has long plagued the metropolis as the evidence begins to lead closer to home and the scale of the perpetrator's plans becomes clear. Riddler isn’t an ordinary villain in Gotham, nor a weak one. His clues, and his ruthless mission in revealing who Batman really is, gave off an intense feeling to the point that his plans are almost successful. It challenges Batman’s mental and psychological state, knowing he is also known as a brilliant tactician in all of Gotham. The psychological warfare between both of the characters diminishes a rough patch towards handling the situations properly by only talking it out, and obviously solving each riddle given from the clues.
Commissioner Jim Gordon, Batman’s trusted ally, is also one the important roles in the story. As they were finding the Riddler, his stoic, productive charisma managed to influence Batman’s inner consciousness by just focusing on the mission. Everything is astonishingly alive and new in Reeves' skilled hands. He's taken a familiar story and turned it into something huge, even operatic, as director and co-writer. His "Batman" feels more like a grim 1970s criminal thriller than a soaring, thrilling blockbuster. With its kinetic, unpredictable action, it recalls films like "The Warriors" as well as "The French Connection," one of the greatest of all time in the genre. With a series of high-profile murders driving the plot, it occasionally feels as if the Zodiac killer is terrorizing the citizens of Gotham.
In summary, there are no annoying loopholes that will generate more questions, I said what I said!
The characters are not hollow
What I mean about hollow, is that all of the characters are not just a facade, but rather they have interesting backstories, and some of those are even revamped. An example of this is Silena Kyle, a.k.a Cat Woman, who has been a favorite anti-hero in Gotham. Catwoman, originally known as "the Cat," first appears in Batman #1 (spring 1940) as a mysterious burglar and jewel thief, later revealed to be a young, attractive (unnamed) woman who had disguised herself as an elderly woman and been hired to perpetrate a crime. In the film, Selina Kyle would go on to become the secretive and acrobatic cat burglar "Catwoman" after her mother died, befriending several stray cats. To supplement her income, she would occasionally distribute drugs. Selina accepted a job at the Iceberg Lounge to track down her roommate when she went missing, working under Falcone's mob lieutenant, the Penguin.
Other characters, like the main villain himself, The Riddler, also spared a few shots highlighting his life from being an orphan, to a master-planned killer. Although it is not fully accurate in the main plot of the comics, with which some of the audiences can agree, it shines in the movie the most. Although I can also argue that it is best to stay in the comics, a fresh start can also work. If I were to compare it to Val Kilmer’s Batman Forever, The Riddler is played by Jim Carrey, who is obviously a comedian. With The Riddler’s personality - I mean, he is pretty cheeky and jolly, but in Matt Reeve’s The Batman, oh boy, It gets intense. If you’re into angsty, detective movies, this one’s for you.
Overall, the characters are indeed whole. Backstories are top-notch for a DC film like The Batman, and I’m glad to see the bats once again, and Pattinson’s performance is phenomenal, a redemption arc also.
The movie's ambiance might be dark, but it has a purpose
Now, in the cinematography of the movie, we can actually say that’s it really dark. The atmosphere has grunge, orange-ish tones from the foreground to the background, and the environment is expectedly dangerous for a feeling. Gotham is supposed to be like that. Gotham is a place where normal, random citizens are afraid 24/7. Crime rates are spiking every year, and Batman’s most notable enemies are still residing there. Gotham is supposed to be feared.
Greig Fraser's job as Batman's cinematographer was to bring Gotham City to life. Rainy nighttime scenes in Gotham, the recurring use of black and red, and the alternation of light and shadows all contributed to a noir-like representation of Batman's world that has captivated fans all over the world. Gotham City is one of the most well-known fictitious cities ever constructed, and it has been shown in a variety of ways. Greig Fraser expanded on the blend of real-life New York City and a fantastical realm. The Batman's Gotham, like Times Square, is brightened by advertisements and neon lights in the midst of a dreary, rainy night. The place appears modern without losing the old-fashioned elegance of the original '30s look, which is neither too futuristic nor too retro. This first glance of Gotham City appears to be a panel from a Batman comic book, which effectively sets the tone for the film.
The color palette of Batman contains a large presence of a brilliant red, which appears in many contexts throughout the film, from the Iceberg Lounge to glimpses of Batman's suit, producing a striking red-and-black blend. Because of the red light shining on the mask in this view, the visible stitching in the Dark Knight's attachment can be seen more clearly. The brilliance of this sequence derives from the fact that the color joins Batman in his inner conflict between facing the world with vengeance or choosing hope, which is the core concept of the film. One of the features that make The Batman one of the best movies of the 2020s so far is the attention to detail in the photography.
One of my favorite moments of the film also highlighted the phenomenal shots in the film. DC has been playing with angles, and the results have been nothing but brilliant, from The Suicide Squad's fighting scene to an upside down-Penguin seeing Batman coming to get him. As Batman approaches the car, this shot alternates with the terrifying look on Oswald Cobblepot's face. The rain flowing "upwards" and the explosion in the distance add to the ominous atmosphere of the scene, making this photo exceptional due to its unusual perspective. Furthermore, it has been pointed out on Twitter that Batman's pose is similar to that of a bat hanging down. This combo provides crucial confirmation of the project's great cinematography.
The cinematography of Greig Fraser adds a fresh dimension to the world of the Caped Crusader. Greig Fraser's job as Batman's cinematographer was to bring Gotham City to life.
The Revamped Detective Classic with a fresh start
As a geek myself, it is a treat to be gifted by such a movie especially when I did read the comics myself. It felt new, it felt fresh, and it felt rewarding to see how the cast and the crew really managed to make Batman The Batman. From the cinematography to the plot, the character designs to the character backstories, Pattinson’s performance gave justice to the most iconic superheroes of all time. Batman isn’t naturally gifted with superpowers, but with his strength, his wisdom, and his intelligence, he is already a part of a team, a team where people are safe from their hands. With its detective classic feel, the atmosphere is truly engaging to what Batman really is, who is the brain and the brawl of Gotham.
Archie Comics: Snapping back from the Fictitious Turn-about of Adolescence to a Mundane Reality
(Elle’s Comic Spills #1)
Archie Comics have been around since the 1930′s, and I bet you also have heard of it. I wouldn’t be talking about this if I don’t have digest copies of books around (that are still alive today!) that highlight the story of Archie Andrews, an American Teenager who is the protagonist of the comic franchise. I remember the time when I got a surprise from my mom for my 10th birthday in which she gave me The Best of Archie Comics with over 400 pages, reprinting the earliest copies of the comics up until the recent year in 2013. Truth be told, I’ve been reading up tons of digests from my sister’s bookshelf ever since she finished high school. Actually, she really started influencing me into reading it also. The first thing I noticed before actually reading such digests is that it’s just that colorful. The graphic tones are vibrant and not a single frame is not splashed with color. The characters, also shown above in this article, are also the main characters of the comic empire. Veronica Lodge, Jughead Jones, and Betty Cooper are Archie’s best friends. With that, they journeyed together from having ups and downs, having fun, interacting with other peers in Riverdale High, being conflicted with arguments and sometimes fallouts, and finishing Highschool together.
What I really want to emphasize about this is not the entire nostalgia and how I miss reading the comics, but I really wanted to write about such a franchise when it comes to its thematic concepts and its targeted demographic. Considering that Archie and the gang are all teenagers, we assume that all of their experiences are tied to the reality of actually becoming a teenager. Finally, all of my thoughts from the comical domain will be expressed here.
Experience wise, it kept evolving
Without any cost, Archie would be able to determine his dreams and goals by presenting as the optimistic yet confused teenager who’s willing to risk everything that goes along with his way.
Taking into consideration, Archie Comics started in the 1930′s, a decade when global economic and political crises culminated in World War II. The founders of the publishing house wanted to reach the arms of children by creating graphical issues of such stories. To be fair, Archie lived a normal life as a young redhead teenager. His father is a middle-management executive, and his mother, who started off as a stay-at-home mom, eventually gets a job at a real estate agency. In the "Little Archie" stories, he had a dog named Spotty in his younger years, and Archie attends Riverdale High School and resides in Riverdale. This teenage premise denotes a direction to targeted teenagers at that time, where their experiences are reflected in how people are living in that decade.
Fast forward, The franchise was diversified (along with DC and Marvel Comics) and it gives the room a more authentic and more teenage like issues that don’t make us feel left out (what I mean is with us as young adults, because we already witnessed how relatable these issues are). The stories of Veronica Lodge, Betty Cooper, Jughead Jones, and the others are already established with how they also live their lives as teenagers, and how this hinders serious possibilities of breaking their teenage spirit right after high school. With more artists and comic writers coming in, it’s inevitable to just stay on the original plot without a visible direction for continuing it. It must move on and evolve.
Graphic novels or even graphic snippets tend to have a carefree aspect it, where such artists can just dump everything to them. Archie Comics already has supernatural issues, and collaboration issues with different franchises (Scooby-Doo, Kiss, Even The Beatles!). As an avid reader myself, it’s not considered as an excuse to just deny and stick to the original plot, because you just have to be creative sometimes!
With its teen demographic, explicit scenes are a no-go
If we were to differentiate the franchise with different graphic contents available in our reach, most teenage dramas and even teenage books are already drowning with explicit and even sensitive themes. Not to mention the TV adaptation of this franchise (Which is called Riverdale) is already horrible by the way; from the script to the dynamic and the backstories of the characters on screen with the same names, it’s cringe in a way, and I don’t even recommend you to watch it, as I always experience second-hand embarrassments just from how they are developed by the showrunners. The first season was kind of, modest. You know, I would like to argue that the following seasons are already unacceptable for my taste but it did good on the first season, so I think I can recommend you to watch it, but only and if only you’re going to watch the first season and you’re done, because this is what I actually did when the TV show first aired and streaming on Netflix.
Themes such as drugs, sex, killings, and even mafias are already present in the show, ON THE FIRST SEASON. Pretty baffling amirite? With how morbid and how dark the tone of the show is, and considering how it’s done, the original teenage demographic for the franchise is already not as what it seems to be from ages 10 up to 17. It would be really triggering if minors would be exposed to the given concepts showcased in the show. Although it’s not our responsibility to stop them, instead, we should educate them on how to deal with certain situations reflected in the show. But, on the original site of the franchise, quality control is secured for both the writing and the designs that will be made by artists and generally, how Archie Comics tolerates such situations. With hundreds of story premises and even spin-offs from the comics, it is evident that such serious themes are not explicitly mentioned nor shown. The integrity of the comical empire is still standing strong, and by starting here, my all-time favorite comic series is still one of my favorites up to this day.
Now, snapping back from the fictitious turn-about of Adolescence to Adulthood...
Ah yes, it never hurts to accept the truth and become an adult huh? Because unfortunately, it is. You can’t wind up the clock, turn it back to 3 PM, where reading comics while eating some merienda is already enough for me to satisfy my insides and my hobbies. As time passes by, the direction of the original plot will never linger to Archie’s amazing, most memorable high school years in Riverdale. One concrete example is Archie’s The Married Life, one of my favorite comic series yet from the franchise, is a table turner, where I get to read and witness the original cast, several years after attending Riverdale High. A simple synopsis follows Archie and his existential crisis: the reality of adulthood, and the decisive circumstances on who to marry, either Betty Cooper or Veronica Lodge. As a Betty x Archie shipper since the beginning of time, my heart and soul dedicated time to reading through such spin-offs. Readers can choose what to read, either Archie Marrying Betty or him marrying Veronica. Though it is obviously difficult if he chose both, the series divided such a dilemma into split volumes.
Personally, it gave Archie the time to actually decide what he wants, either in the Betty X Archie universe or in the Veronica X Archie universe. Knowing how these girls have different backgrounds (Betty is a middle-class blonde girl with productive tastes either from work or in her personal life, and Veronica is a rich, spoiled brat who also dedicates time to her family businesses, and also for becoming a fashion designer and an influencer), Archie determines his way of choosing them without judging their background. It gave the readers an essence of how relationships work, either platonic or romantic.
This doesn’t end the message of how Archie Comics also dominated the adult life scene. Clearly, High School isn’t just enough to make their stakes and ratings higher over the course of 50+ years, rather, it gives us the motivation to just be real from the society all of us are living right now at this point in time. All of the characters have experienced serious and even life-threatening issues while living the normal mundane life as an adult, and this dissipates the time when most of them are just having fun, and becoming teenagers again. Some of them have corporate jobs, are already married to their high school sweethearts, already started a family for themselves, and so on. This also reflects how our life, and us as general, could go through the same thing as they did, only to find out that the mundane reality of working and only living for the sake of our own families wouldn’t differ.
I would like the end this spill here by saying how much I adore this franchise, not only did it complete my childhood, but also grew attached to some dreams and aspirations that I got from just reading them. I was technically lying that this spill is not a trip down memory lane, but it definitely did. I wonder how 10-year-old Maybelle would react to this. I hope she agrees with all the things I wrote about it, even the bad ones!
Tune in for more spills!
Why hello there! Starting today, Aprill 11th, I will be posting a personal, opinionated overview of certain comic franchises (even the big ones!) Fun fact, I am a geek myself, exposed to different fan bases or fandoms during my childhood years. From reading comics, it gave me a deeper understanding toward Graphic Novels, and how I am inspired to also write for my own in the future! As a communicator, our imagination is not only limited to textual ways of telling our story -- rather, it is a privilege for us to not only understand texts, but also color and graphics!
The list above shows the comic list that I will be writing about starting today! From Archie Comics to the DC Universe, a vast knowledge of characters and plot will soon commence! If you wish to suggest more comics that I can talk about, send me a question in my blog site!
As a young adult, a lot of adjustments are to be put in place. Turning 19, and moving out for College, is a big shock absorber and a challenge for me. I’ve been in the same place all of my life, not wanting to go somewhere new; or rather, not getting out of my comfort zone. Though I also thought about it as a practice; a practice where I get to be independent with my own choices, doubting with my own decisions, or better, to be oneself, and not to drag other people down if my problems would be tiring to bear. I could pick anything I like from groceries, kitchenware, to bedsheets and school supplies, the controlling atmosphere will no longer eat my insides.
It’s pretty ideal to become a carefree, independent adult, but that’s what all people say. I thought I knew struggle all my life, but nothing could’ve prepared me for what I went through last year. Everything that happened has stretched me into a hundred different ways that I feel like I’ve been made new. It took me a while to get here, and good thing I managed to survive even though I’m already barely breathing. The accomplishment of mundane but necessary tasks is already fulfilling, and juggling academics with my part time job is gradually suffocating. Though I love my job, as it is also created with passion, sometimes it just goes off you know? Like blowing a fuse.
The world has no right to my heart
The world has no place in our bed
They don't get to know what I said
I'm burning the memories
Burning the letters that might have redeemed you
"Burn" is the fifteenth song from Act 2 of the musical Hamilton, which premiered on Broadway in 2015 and is based on the life of Alexander Hamilton, one of the founding Fathers of America. Eliza Hamilton sings the song, which was originally performed by Phillipa Soo. As a musical junkie myself, I took the chance to cover the song which is posted here in this blog post! Yes, I sang that song myself!
What’s even more fascinating about the track and act is not that because it’s filled with high notes or such, but it also focuses on the dramatic aspect about how Eliza, Hamilton’s wife, is suffering from grief or should I say, the death of the love for her husband. Through Adultery, Eliza managed to find out the truth through Alexander’s letters, thus trying to keep the scandal a secret to herself and enduring it at the same time. The loss of her husband’s loyalty and faithfulness gave off the meaning of the song, wherein Eliza felt the urge to leave him while burning the letters.
The musical guided the protagonist Alexander Hamilton his victories and downfalls from his personal and work experiences that will soon aggrevate the man’s desire to just end it all.
Disney Pixar’s new feature film, Turning Red has been one of my favorite films for this year. With the title above, I think it’s pretty obvious why I’m kind of biased with regards to the subject matter -- it’s because the plot, especially the characters, hits close to home. This post is spoiler-free, and of course, serves as a trip down memory lane.
Meilin Lee, the protagonist of the film, is obviously a very optimistic, bubbly, determined young woman who wants to prove everyone that she can juggle everything in her hands: academics, social life, family, and most importantly - her fan-girl life. A little bit of hustle, amirite?
Boy oh boy, I can definitely see myself with this character; Not because we are both asian, but because of the energy that we give off. It signals something special about the film! I mean, I kid you not, almost all girls (especially in the tween demographic) and adults that are kids at heart would definitely relate to the obstacles and the ambitions that the characters face in this film. Apparently, Meilin’s family and ancestors have this mysterious feature where some of them will have the power of Red Pandas, and will transform as one if they experience extreme emotions. The line, release the panda is relevant in the plot, thus Meilin would face this peculiar family feature while venturing in the outside world, where it can become a blessing and a curse.
Now, breaking down to Meilin’s personality and quirks, she’s no stranger in the Fan-girling scene. Boy bands, TV shows, Cartoons -- she’s at it! Her friends, Miriam, Abby and Priya, is also immersed with their own quirks and interests. Thirteen-year-olds are unstoppable when it comes to fandoms and fan-bases, where they can just showcase fun facts, collecting figurines or posters and even squeel along to fan clips and later be identified as introverts in school. I, for once, was also in the same shoes as them. I also have geeky, nerdy friends back in Elementary and High School! (And I assume everyone has one atleast once!), and I had a lot of fandoms before with Gravity Falls, Creepypasta, KPOP (Korean Pop), and more!
As I was saying in the first few sentences, the film totally generates early 2000′s and 2010′s vibes, where everyone is just drenched with iconic pop cultures as we try to reminisce such experiences. As a person internalizing her inner Mabel Pines, this movie is definitely one for the books, and one for repeating what might have been a good ideal life for a fan-girl like me.
As I was reading a chapter in Angie Castillo’s Not On Our Watch: Martial Law Really Happened, We Were There, I had a few sentiments and reactions in mind regarding Jay Valencia-Glorio’s life as an artist, and an activist at the time during the infamous years of the Marcoses; A raw reaction paper about someone who deserves a healthy life after all that she had been through, and the battles she faced as a student activist fighting for people’s rights.
“It is certain that the First Quarter Storm imbued us with courage, patience, and faith against all odds. We must continue to nurture each other, that we may remember our ideals and dreams. I think I am not alone in feeling that sense of “fearlessness” we all felt strongly then. Surely, we all have it still.”
After reading the story, I relapsed from non-existing memories of the days that I wasn’t even born yet. The tense, tight sentiments surged through such memory that it brought me back to the ’70s, where people were craving social justice and freedom. Judging by the atmosphere the story gives, it gave me a sense of fear and anger, knowing that hundreds and thousands of student activists and journalists like Glorioso are fighting for their lives; even in death, they are still inbounded from a merciless dictator. The premonition of courage and determination gives us hope; Filipinos are not cowards, nor a wuss, but lions who cannot be tamed with injustice. The Betrayal that Glorioso felt when their cook took the bullet to report Glorioso’s schemes against the regime was a harsh, foul play because that is just not being a traitor. However, it is already as dangerous as someone telling the authorities to kill. Significant comparisons from the Salem Witch Trials is very uncanny.
It perceives like you are the main villain of everyone’s story. “Petty journalists!” “Mga salot sa lipunan!” is what dubbed them in the 70’s. Just because they were students does not mean they cannot uphold their rights to shout what is right or dictate what is fair. “Fearless, we sang with our hearts burning and our spirits high: “Makibaka, huwag matakot! Makibaka, huwag matakot!” is still relevant like it was just yesterday; All of it still feels like yesterday. The feeling of grief and vengeance is still fresh as a daisy. The Martial Law survivors are still looking for justice that the Marcoses stole from them. Before understanding deeply, the history of the tragic years, I am still on the same spot after I knew the shallow parts of it; damned, guilty, mortified, and disgusted. How can someone be this cruel, stealing the humanitarian aspect of this already cruel world? Innocent people, innocent students are tortured and murdered for being truthful and standing tall for their rights I remember the time when I was still sitting and studying for our Araling Panlipunan class when I learned and knew about the tortures that were used during Marcos’s regime. I even flinched when I knew that there are hundreds of women who got abducted, raped and murdered, because of doing the same stance: Protesting and defending press freedom.
Glorioso is a very talented woman, I must say. I admire her for her passion for the arts and music. The First Quarter Storm made her realize that she is needed, considering
that her family is against protesting and being involved in lavish political affairs. What made me admire her the most is that she doesn’t hold back to educate people; from renting a room to print flyers, magazines, and brochures to give it to people in the streets that are concerned about the government’s motive, joining protests against her mother’s will, making excuses about going to ballet or dancing classes just to be with her friends at the Theresian Register; it makes her whole. If I were on the same spot as her, of course, without a doubt, I would also do it.
Music and the arts are universal. Whether it revolves around politics or not, it manifests a substantial impact for showing off various contemporary issues and resolving them through art for theatre arts communities in the Philippines and the whole world. Plays with such a genre are already incredible, with spot-on emotions and drama, costuming and sweet but strong voices echoing in theatres; it is truly a moment to not miss.
The haunting music of people yearning for freedom, the haunting music of people screaming for their lives to be saved, the haunting music of people fighting for their lives is priceless during this moment in time. Glorioso is one of many who struggled and fought to achieve press freedom, and overall, the equity of all Filipino people. She and the others learned from what they experienced, thus generating a widespread influence for equality and justice. Defending press freedom is just the beginning, and we, the next generation of Filipino artists and student-journalists, will continue fighting.
“I always felt that I had a lot to do and little time to waste. Activism is always the fuse for change. It is universal. It is an inner call to be a change agent, to act and create events according to our beliefs and desires. It is the only value I feel is most satisfying to give to my children and grandchildren as a legacy—to be always active in changing things around us, our family, our community, our country.”
You read that right, Chasing Cars by the Snow Patrol? An iconic song from Grey’s Anatomy? The popular early 2000′s jam along with Coldplay’s The Scientist and Yellow, and Five For Fighting’s Superman? Yes, that song. The moment you hear the guitar ringing in the beginning, you get to feel the sensation of the approaching bass rumming in your eardrums, as it unlocks the deepest memory that you could possibly find in your vast, still expanding universe.
We'll do it all
Everything
On our own,
We don't need
Anything
Or anyone
The deepest memory that I could find is the time where we get to celebrate our highschool prom. Not the traditional, American prom where they literally changed the event name as Home Coming, but the Cottilion prom; the Hollywood prom, the find yourself a date prom. Although my ex-boyfriend is a senior at that time, I tagged along with my best of friends instead. Just, a night where we tend to forget all of the deadlines and temporarily dismissed anything academic related. I had the privilege to edit the invitations, edit the backdrops, and even wrote and read the Batch Prophecy. Curse my grammar, but this is what I literally wrote four years ago:
Everyone wanted to become anyone. We want to be someone that most people expect us about. For better or for worse, through thick and thin, we still manage to make a crowd, and receive the most bountiful achievement in our lives.
I got to prophecize everyone’s ambitions, dreams, ideals and even the smallest of goals. Some wanted to become actors, some wanted to become chefs, some wanted to become engineers, and some, including me, wanted to become doctors. Maybelle Aton, a neurosurgeon residing in New York, is already satisfied as she ventured into a journey where every day, she save lives. A classic.
I don't quite know
How to say
How I feel
Those three words
Are said too much
They're not enough
I also editted our batch’s video tribute. With this, of course, the title is already obvious, I used the song as the theme song of the video. There I collected videos from my classmates who were just having fun. I collected messages from different people and especially teachers, and just let the magic flow from my fingertips. It was just a three-minute video, but my high school journey was already summed up in that timespan. Loving the batch is not enough for me, everything just feels carefree; something that I have been longing for ever since I completed Junior High School, and that I frankly, honestly, miss it. Turn of events happened: Most of us still continued, but some changed paths, paths that were supposed to be true from my prophecy. Well, I guess my prophecy skills weren’t that tight, so there might be a disjunction from the spell. And also, with what happened a few weeks ago, everything feels ill-lit. A sudden loss of a friend really measured my sensitivity, and that, I would not always be so hard on myself.
Forget what we're told
Before we get too old
Show me a garden that's bursting into life
Let's waste time
Chasing cars
Around our heads
Suddenly, the DJ changed the beat of the music. Justin and his closest friends recognized the song, and it was Budots. Good old times. They immediately went in the dance floor and executed vulgar and rather funny, dance steps that they still remember from our highschool days. Rafael and Clive dominated the dance, and it was funny to see them again dancing like that for 16 years. Everyone enjoyed the night. We had photo offs in the stage and clearly we were reminiscing the glory days where everyone is young and in hopes to be becoming someone that they are now. Everyone is successful to reach their dreams, and there what is left is to become happy until the time runs out. We rein acted the last photo of our Graduation and we nailed it. We were still the same, only 16 years later. And this is the glimpse, of our future. -- An excerpt from the Prophecy (Batch 2018-2019)
After four years, the biggest take away from all of this is that I should probably just, live and be free. Wasting time with your loved ones, finding the solitude that we all deserve, and at the same time, to find our own. From the prophecies to the reality that I am living right now, the memories still linger, and whatever happens, it will remain in people’s lives and will eventually turn into a life lesson. A reminder that all of us, achieved things, struggled from things, and free from things. Things that we might always cherish, suffer or overall, remember.
If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?
Maybelle 🎨 @wanderingdreamer2 - Tumblr Blog | Tumgag
