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Mythspace #1
Mythspace, Volume 1
MONSTERS ARE MYTHS. ALIENS ARE FICTION.
That's what young Ambrosio believes, not his crazy Lola's stories about robot-riding Nuno, and Kapres from space. But now she's dead, and Ambrosio's about to learn that she wasn't so crazy after all...
EVERY STORY HAS ITS OWN TRUTH.
Mythspace vol. 1 is a collection of six stories, each exploring a shared universe where Philippine folklore creatures -- Tikbalangs, Kapres, Manananggals -- were inspired by alien civilizations. Each creature is re-imagined and used to populate a science fiction universe that is rooted in Philippine oral tradition.
From Ambrosio's journey, to a Kapre war, to a Manananggal coming of age, Mythspace will take you on a journey both strange and familiar.
SPACE OPERA.
PINOY STYLE.
That's what young Ambrosio believes, not his crazy Lola's stories about robot-riding Nuno, and Kapres from space. But now she's dead, and Ambrosio's about to learn that she wasn't so crazy after all...
EVERY STORY HAS ITS OWN TRUTH.
Mythspace vol. 1 is a collection of six stories, each exploring a shared universe where Philippine folklore creatures -- Tikbalangs, Kapres, Manananggals -- were inspired by alien civilizations. Each creature is re-imagined and used to populate a science fiction universe that is rooted in Philippine oral tradition.
From Ambrosio's journey, to a Kapre war, to a Manananggal coming of age, Mythspace will take you on a journey both strange and familiar.
SPACE OPERA.
PINOY STYLE.
267 pages, Paperback
First published November 14, 2014
10 people are currently reading
165 people want to read
About the author
Paolo Chikiamco
34 books55 followersA lawyer by training and a writer by inclination, in 2009 Paolo resigned from one of the top law firms in the country to establish Eight Ray Sun Publishing Inc., driven to take advantage of the burgeoning ebook market to allow Filipino Speculative Fiction authors a chance, not only to reach an international audience, but to eventually make a living from writing.
Paolo’s articles have appeared in the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Philippine Online Chronicles, and Code RED Magazine. His stories have appeared in the Digest of Philippine Genre Stories, A Time for Dragons, and the Farthest Shore. He won third place in the 2009 Carlos Palanca Awards in the Short Story for Children (English) category. His greatest escapade was sneaking in to watch Total Recall when he was 12 years old. It was totally not worth it.
Paolo’s articles have appeared in the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Philippine Online Chronicles, and Code RED Magazine. His stories have appeared in the Digest of Philippine Genre Stories, A Time for Dragons, and the Farthest Shore. He won third place in the 2009 Carlos Palanca Awards in the Short Story for Children (English) category. His greatest escapade was sneaking in to watch Total Recall when he was 12 years old. It was totally not worth it.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
January 20, 2015
Mythspace, Volume 1 is an anthology of related stories in the vein of science fiction mishmashed with Philippine folklore creating a new genre of its own. Currently, it is the only work of its kind, so its classified as speculative fiction but I really like the promise of local comic books that doesn't use folklore in a horror setting but instead blazes a trail into a new frontier. The writer promotes this a space opera; I think a better description would be Star Wars and Folklore.
I decided to review the stories in this collection individually because it has utilized a different artist with different sensibilities and needs to be taken and enjoyed on its own.
Lift-Off
Storytelling isn't the strongest suit of the artist. The art is manga-inspired so I could understand why it doesn't follow Will Eisner's process. Really though, the artist could benefit from reading Eisner's Sequential Storytelling. Though I must admit, the artist's design sense is impeccable. I really like the cover of the first chapter; I've seen it in color and it is instantly an iconic image.
Black Mark
The artist of the second story isn't as good as the one on the first story. A whole lot of room for improvement. I wish the artist here had a more technical leaning, to better illustrate the various mecha and render it in detailed glory. The story is actually good; as it asks the question, how good is revenge in the face of imminent apocalypse. One would be surprised at lengths one would take for the taste of a little justice.
Devourers of Light
The art is a departure from the other stories. It appears to be computer generated and supposed to be in color. The greyscale pages does it no favors as it muddied up the details.
Uncommon Ground
The writer likes to mix and match genres and gives us and police procedural here, It is really well done and the art tries to match the quality of the story and almost succeeds.
Humanity
This is my favorite story in this collection. The art is quirky and hints of whimsical but has strong storytelling chops. The story is really good and I wish I thought of it first. Basically, it asks: "if Nazis save you, would you allow yourself to be saved? The protagonist in the story is female miner who has known slavery all her life but was a uncompromising as Rorschach.
Unfurling of Wings
This story has the perfect match of writer's vision and ability of the artist. The lines are clean, crisp and detailed.
Overall, the art has a lot of room for improvement but I'm excited for this new take on Philippine folklore. Bring on the next volume!
I decided to review the stories in this collection individually because it has utilized a different artist with different sensibilities and needs to be taken and enjoyed on its own.
Lift-Off
Storytelling isn't the strongest suit of the artist. The art is manga-inspired so I could understand why it doesn't follow Will Eisner's process. Really though, the artist could benefit from reading Eisner's Sequential Storytelling. Though I must admit, the artist's design sense is impeccable. I really like the cover of the first chapter; I've seen it in color and it is instantly an iconic image.
Black Mark
The artist of the second story isn't as good as the one on the first story. A whole lot of room for improvement. I wish the artist here had a more technical leaning, to better illustrate the various mecha and render it in detailed glory. The story is actually good; as it asks the question, how good is revenge in the face of imminent apocalypse. One would be surprised at lengths one would take for the taste of a little justice.
Devourers of Light
The art is a departure from the other stories. It appears to be computer generated and supposed to be in color. The greyscale pages does it no favors as it muddied up the details.
Uncommon Ground
The writer likes to mix and match genres and gives us and police procedural here, It is really well done and the art tries to match the quality of the story and almost succeeds.
Humanity
This is my favorite story in this collection. The art is quirky and hints of whimsical but has strong storytelling chops. The story is really good and I wish I thought of it first. Basically, it asks: "if Nazis save you, would you allow yourself to be saved? The protagonist in the story is female miner who has known slavery all her life but was a uncompromising as Rorschach.
Unfurling of Wings
This story has the perfect match of writer's vision and ability of the artist. The lines are clean, crisp and detailed.
Overall, the art has a lot of room for improvement but I'm excited for this new take on Philippine folklore. Bring on the next volume!
March 18, 2015
With Mythspace, I can imagine reaching for the stars, while digging into my own Filipino roots.
Mythspace is not your typical Filipino graphic anthology. It presents 6 stories of a similarly connected vein, 6 stories that share the same kind of odd universe. This is a universe where kapres own starships, where manananggal can be among the most respected thieves, and where the dwende, tikbalang, and bakunawa have their own high places in the galaxy. Oh, and it mostly takes place in outer space, so there's that, too.
It sounds crazy, but the story-craters of this volume have delivered quite an experience. Not only did I look at alien tech and different planets through their eyes, but I was also brought back to the stories of old that my own generation has now forgotten. They were able to mesh well old mythological creatures with their possible intergalactic personas, highlighting their old strengths while giving them powers that suit their personalities.
Moreover, the stories themselves are rich with detail and thoughtfulness. These are stories not just of glorified heroes and weird plots, but also of poverty, of longing, of strength, and of character. Their mythological/sci-fi backdrop is merely a vehicle for them to portray complex stories that can be funny, sad, or even surprisingly real, but they all do have heart.
So read Mythspace to find out about daring adventures and curious tales. They may touch you, interest you, and surprise you in the most unexpected ways. After all, this is space opera, Pinoy style.
Mythspace is not your typical Filipino graphic anthology. It presents 6 stories of a similarly connected vein, 6 stories that share the same kind of odd universe. This is a universe where kapres own starships, where manananggal can be among the most respected thieves, and where the dwende, tikbalang, and bakunawa have their own high places in the galaxy. Oh, and it mostly takes place in outer space, so there's that, too.
It sounds crazy, but the story-craters of this volume have delivered quite an experience. Not only did I look at alien tech and different planets through their eyes, but I was also brought back to the stories of old that my own generation has now forgotten. They were able to mesh well old mythological creatures with their possible intergalactic personas, highlighting their old strengths while giving them powers that suit their personalities.
Moreover, the stories themselves are rich with detail and thoughtfulness. These are stories not just of glorified heroes and weird plots, but also of poverty, of longing, of strength, and of character. Their mythological/sci-fi backdrop is merely a vehicle for them to portray complex stories that can be funny, sad, or even surprisingly real, but they all do have heart.
So read Mythspace to find out about daring adventures and curious tales. They may touch you, interest you, and surprise you in the most unexpected ways. After all, this is space opera, Pinoy style.
December 26, 2016
Actual rating: 3.5
I thought this was a collection of a single story but it wasn't. It's a collection of different stories in the same universe.
Individually, each story is great, interesting. But as a whole, I'm still disappointed since I expect more, I expect a single story. My bad.
I thought this was a collection of a single story but it wasn't. It's a collection of different stories in the same universe.
Individually, each story is great, interesting. But as a whole, I'm still disappointed since I expect more, I expect a single story. My bad.
November 17, 2014
Apparently this is a collection of short stories that have been published individually and sold in summer Komikon. I have no idea if I actually made it to summer Komikon, because I sure as hell would have remembered Mythspace if I've seen it then.
Anyway, the blurb at the back says, 'Space Opera. Pinoy Style.' And that's exactly what it is. And then some.
I'm not really sure how I feel about space operas. All my sci-fi reads usually has to do with virtual realities and disenfranchised people with tattoos and facial piercings (not really, but you get the idea). But of course when you look at space opera movies (Star Wars, and even Guardians of the Galaxy) you see that they ARE about disenfranchised people as well. But probably with less tattoos and facial piercings. And more outer space shenanigans.
I picked this up during winter (naks, as if) Komikon because the cover art attracted me. It looked fun. The colours especially looked fun. Then I read the back and it promised me Filipino lower mythological creatures in outer space and I NEEDED TO HAVE IT. Forget the fact that I've never voluntarily read anything related to space operas in my life. This is something I can get behind.
And it delivers. You get that somewhat cheesy heroics (which everyone loves, come on) during life or death moments. You get kids trying to survive. You get wars between different races. And sometimes wars between people from the same race. You also get kapres, tikbalangs, manananggals, segbens, and the like. And characters you actually give a fuck about. This is probably my most favourite graphic novel purchase this year and I hope there's gonna be more.
Anyway, the blurb at the back says, 'Space Opera. Pinoy Style.' And that's exactly what it is. And then some.
I'm not really sure how I feel about space operas. All my sci-fi reads usually has to do with virtual realities and disenfranchised people with tattoos and facial piercings (not really, but you get the idea). But of course when you look at space opera movies (Star Wars, and even Guardians of the Galaxy) you see that they ARE about disenfranchised people as well. But probably with less tattoos and facial piercings. And more outer space shenanigans.
I picked this up during winter (naks, as if) Komikon because the cover art attracted me. It looked fun. The colours especially looked fun. Then I read the back and it promised me Filipino lower mythological creatures in outer space and I NEEDED TO HAVE IT. Forget the fact that I've never voluntarily read anything related to space operas in my life. This is something I can get behind.
And it delivers. You get that somewhat cheesy heroics (which everyone loves, come on) during life or death moments. You get kids trying to survive. You get wars between different races. And sometimes wars between people from the same race. You also get kapres, tikbalangs, manananggals, segbens, and the like. And characters you actually give a fuck about. This is probably my most favourite graphic novel purchase this year and I hope there's gonna be more.
November 23, 2015
I will admit that I am no fan of sci-fi but I saw this on Facebook and felt a really strong urge to grab a copy. Well, I'm glad I did. Not only do I get six stories that make for good reading on their own but here is this entire mythos to marvel at and you get to glimpse the bigger story of what this universe is all about. Like, here. Have a go and take me apart, you nerd. More, please ー is what I'm trying to say.
I really, really liked everything but I'm particularly fond of Black Mark, Uncommon Ground, Humanity, and Unfurling of Wings. Also, it needs to be said: Marta should be everyone's spirit animal. I love her lots, okay?
I really, really liked everything but I'm particularly fond of Black Mark, Uncommon Ground, Humanity, and Unfurling of Wings. Also, it needs to be said: Marta should be everyone's spirit animal. I love her lots, okay?
December 9, 2014
Whoever thought of taking Pinoy mythology into space was completely brilliant! Kudos to the Mythspace team for putting together this initial volume of fantastic art and compelling story. What a way to put a different spin on local folklore! The only thing that kept me from giving this a 5-star review was due to a few confusing moments in some stories where the text placement were a bit off. But it didn't take the shine off this wonderful compilation. I'm already looking forward to volume 2!
November 17, 2017
4 stars!
This is the first time I've seen Philippine folklore interpreted as science fiction. In Mythspace, the creatures your Lola told stories about when you were a kid--the Kapre, the Tikbalang, the Manananggal and others--are actually different alien races. It makes for an interesting premise that gives and lends a bigger stage to our local folklore, so to speak. Okay, so on to my mini-reviews for each story:
Lift Off - 3.5 stars
Ambrosio discovered that his Lola's stories about the Kapre and other creatures are real when he was abducted by alien bounty hunters. The premise is good but I found the art a bit confusing especially the action sequences. Still, this is a solid opener for the anthology.
Black Mask - 4 stars
This focuses on the Nuno society. It's a bittersweet story of grief, justice and sacrifice. I just wish the mecha is a bit more distinguishable from each other to make the action easier to follow. Also, I'm not sure what that ending means and I hope the next volume explores more of this world and the Black.
Devourers of Light - 2 stars
I didn't like the story nor the art of this one. Basically, the Laho commits genocide, ostensibly in the name of peace, and gets away with it. To be fair, I suppose this is to set up future stories, but I still don't like it and besides, there isn't much here in the way of plot. The art could've been great if it were in color, but in black and white format, it just comes off as dark and monotonous.
Uncommon Ground - 3 stars
I love the idea of a Kapre detective! Stylistically, he looks like John Constantine, but with a pipe instead of a cigarette. This can actually work as a series: a Kapre detective fighting crime and uncovering truth. It would be awesome! This is much too short tho and the mystery was easily solved. But I think the concept has promise.
Humanity - 5 stars
My favorite in this volume. It shows the strengths and frailties of humanity. I love the community of miners, their camaraderie and their positivity deapite their circumstances. The ending was sad and also hopeful. This feels like a complete story despite its length and the art is clean, easy to follow and works well with the story.
Unfurling Wings - 4.5 stars
My 2nd favority story and my favorite in terms of the artwork. This follows the (mis)adventures of orphans from different races. The ending is obviously set up for future sequels but the story is satisfying enough in itself.
Overall, Mythspace is an original take on local folklore and I would love to explore more ofthis world and revisit these characters. Highly recommended.
This is the first time I've seen Philippine folklore interpreted as science fiction. In Mythspace, the creatures your Lola told stories about when you were a kid--the Kapre, the Tikbalang, the Manananggal and others--are actually different alien races. It makes for an interesting premise that gives and lends a bigger stage to our local folklore, so to speak. Okay, so on to my mini-reviews for each story:
Lift Off - 3.5 stars
Ambrosio discovered that his Lola's stories about the Kapre and other creatures are real when he was abducted by alien bounty hunters. The premise is good but I found the art a bit confusing especially the action sequences. Still, this is a solid opener for the anthology.
Black Mask - 4 stars
This focuses on the Nuno society. It's a bittersweet story of grief, justice and sacrifice. I just wish the mecha is a bit more distinguishable from each other to make the action easier to follow. Also, I'm not sure what that ending means and I hope the next volume explores more of this world and the Black.
Devourers of Light - 2 stars
I didn't like the story nor the art of this one. Basically, the Laho commits genocide, ostensibly in the name of peace, and gets away with it. To be fair, I suppose this is to set up future stories, but I still don't like it and besides, there isn't much here in the way of plot. The art could've been great if it were in color, but in black and white format, it just comes off as dark and monotonous.
Uncommon Ground - 3 stars
I love the idea of a Kapre detective! Stylistically, he looks like John Constantine, but with a pipe instead of a cigarette. This can actually work as a series: a Kapre detective fighting crime and uncovering truth. It would be awesome! This is much too short tho and the mystery was easily solved. But I think the concept has promise.
Humanity - 5 stars
My favorite in this volume. It shows the strengths and frailties of humanity. I love the community of miners, their camaraderie and their positivity deapite their circumstances. The ending was sad and also hopeful. This feels like a complete story despite its length and the art is clean, easy to follow and works well with the story.
Unfurling Wings - 4.5 stars
My 2nd favority story and my favorite in terms of the artwork. This follows the (mis)adventures of orphans from different races. The ending is obviously set up for future sequels but the story is satisfying enough in itself.
Overall, Mythspace is an original take on local folklore and I would love to explore more ofthis world and revisit these characters. Highly recommended.
June 7, 2017
Worth reading for "humanity" alone, but I really enjoyed all of it!
Read
November 6, 20174.5 stars
June 25, 2021
i liked some of the stories and i had no idea what was happening in the other ones. sci-fi really isn't for me :( i'm just glad i finally read this as it's been sitting on my bookshelf since 2015 D:
November 18, 2015
I ABSOLUTELY IN LOVE!! I pray they make the second volume.
March 17, 2020
man i feel like such a traitor to the komik community with this rating HDJSJHDK TRUST ME I WANTED SO MUCH TO LIKE IT MORE THAN I DID
First, what I liked: the concept is super fucking cool. PH mythology but sci-fi? YES PLEASE. The worldbuilding is clever and creative; the reinterpretations of folklore creatures to make them more alien and sci-fi were so smart. Just... really, really solid ideas. Also, all the artists are top-notch. (A bunch of pages in "Dark Mark", though, seem to have been printed with the sketch layer still visible.) Wild that my favorite stories, "Lift Off" and "Unfurling of Wings", also had my favorite art and ALSO were drawn by Koi Carreon and Borg Sinaban, both artists I was already familiar with.
But.
The exposition... was not handled well. It would either come in unnatural info dumps or terms and concepts and names being thrown around without pause. I already have passing knowledge of PH engkantos, and I was still super confused throughout the entire volume; I can't imagine how the experience will be for someone who doesn't know engkantos at all. So, if you don't understand the worldbuilding, you won't understand the stories; if you don't understand the story, you'll drop it. That's why it took me almost a whole year to finish it, and really it was just the thought of checking this off on Goodreads that made me do it. And I'm SO disappointed because all six stories are pretty solid and tackle a cool different angle, but YEAH the exposition's THAT confusing it kind of dragged all of them down. (Which made "Devourers of Light" the least compelling story; the others at least had character relationships to latch onto amidst the confusion, while this was almost entirely just COUNCIL and KAPRE PLANET[??] and GENOCIDE because HUH??? WHAT?? WHAT JUST HAPPENED?? WHO??¿) I nearly kicked a wall when I discovered the folklore glossary in the back because IF ONLY all of it was explained better IN-STORY, this would very easily be a 4- or even 5-star volume I'd highly recommend!
First, what I liked: the concept is super fucking cool. PH mythology but sci-fi? YES PLEASE. The worldbuilding is clever and creative; the reinterpretations of folklore creatures to make them more alien and sci-fi were so smart. Just... really, really solid ideas. Also, all the artists are top-notch. (A bunch of pages in "Dark Mark", though, seem to have been printed with the sketch layer still visible.) Wild that my favorite stories, "Lift Off" and "Unfurling of Wings", also had my favorite art and ALSO were drawn by Koi Carreon and Borg Sinaban, both artists I was already familiar with.
But.
The exposition... was not handled well. It would either come in unnatural info dumps or terms and concepts and names being thrown around without pause. I already have passing knowledge of PH engkantos, and I was still super confused throughout the entire volume; I can't imagine how the experience will be for someone who doesn't know engkantos at all. So, if you don't understand the worldbuilding, you won't understand the stories; if you don't understand the story, you'll drop it. That's why it took me almost a whole year to finish it, and really it was just the thought of checking this off on Goodreads that made me do it. And I'm SO disappointed because all six stories are pretty solid and tackle a cool different angle, but YEAH the exposition's THAT confusing it kind of dragged all of them down. (Which made "Devourers of Light" the least compelling story; the others at least had character relationships to latch onto amidst the confusion, while this was almost entirely just COUNCIL and KAPRE PLANET[??] and GENOCIDE because HUH??? WHAT?? WHAT JUST HAPPENED?? WHO??¿) I nearly kicked a wall when I discovered the folklore glossary in the back because IF ONLY all of it was explained better IN-STORY, this would very easily be a 4- or even 5-star volume I'd highly recommend!
May 30, 2019
Fun graphic novel of Filipino mytho-futurism written (and signed to me!) by a friend of the family! Each of the six stories is done by a different artist, and it's fun to see the difference each of their styles makes to the story being told. My favorite one, both in terms of the art and the story itself, was "Uncommon Ground," which is a detective story (my Trese fandom may be showing through here). In general I thought the art in the last three stories was more "legible" than in the first three, perhaps because they feature less action (which can be confusing to portray in black & white).
I love the crew of Ri-en, Books, and Zu from "Unfurling of Wings," and badly want to play a one-shot RPG with the three of them as the party.
I love the crew of Ri-en, Books, and Zu from "Unfurling of Wings," and badly want to play a one-shot RPG with the three of them as the party.
October 2, 2020
this one surprised me good. it took me a long time to finish it because the start felt really slow and i kept losing hope and putting it down. but the more it went on the better it got and by the last quarter i was super impressed. “devourers of light” had amazing artwork and the last 3 stories were the most well written in my opinion. though i’d say the writers pretty much knew what they were doing throughout the whole book. plus all the filipino mythology was an amazing touch. more like this please.
April 13, 2024
I've been looking into different culture's myths and folktales and found this book. How could I resist. Each of the six stories varied from good to meh, whether it's the story or the art. I think part of the reason was the translation to English had some grammatical errors and the paneling was incoherent on some pages.
I would still recommend anyone interested in Filipino folklore.
I would still recommend anyone interested in Filipino folklore.
January 30, 2019
With manga, DC and Marvel, as my standard for good graphic works, this Volume made me realize that our Filipino artist could compete with other internationally known comics/ graphic novels.
The story as well is worth sharing with other cultures.
The whole world should know about Mythspace.
The story as well is worth sharing with other cultures.
The whole world should know about Mythspace.
June 18, 2017
Interesting take on Philippine mythology. I never imagined it working for a space opera but it strangely does.
January 19, 2020
Wish there was more
March 19, 2015
First ever 'Pinoy comic' I bought. We'll I've read "Trese" but I always do so with the help of my old housemate, he loved the "Trese" series.
Anyways, "Mythspace". I'ts plot, artwork, packaging are top notch. The mix of old and new, the mythological and technological points, the real world and the alien culture are what made me think that I bought a "gem". I love how Pinoy mythology was put in high regards when the stories were drafted, penciled, and published. The authors (story and artwork) are force to be reckoned with, and I hope they wont disappoint the readers (like me) who are drooling for volume 2. :)
To Conclude: If you haven't bought "Mythspace" you have missed a seat on a "Intergalactic Adventure". So, find one now and lets all blow-up some Laho ship :)
Note: The book was interesting enough that my niece got curious and borrowed it, 'till now she hasn't returned it. *I'm so gonna pinch her cheek when I see her again :D*
Anyways, "Mythspace". I'ts plot, artwork, packaging are top notch. The mix of old and new, the mythological and technological points, the real world and the alien culture are what made me think that I bought a "gem". I love how Pinoy mythology was put in high regards when the stories were drafted, penciled, and published. The authors (story and artwork) are force to be reckoned with, and I hope they wont disappoint the readers (like me) who are drooling for volume 2. :)
To Conclude: If you haven't bought "Mythspace" you have missed a seat on a "Intergalactic Adventure". So, find one now and lets all blow-up some Laho ship :)
Note: The book was interesting enough that my niece got curious and borrowed it, 'till now she hasn't returned it. *I'm so gonna pinch her cheek when I see her again :D*
Want to read
January 5, 2015WHAT IS THIS AND WHY HAVE I NOT HEARD OF THIS BEFORE
YOU HAD ME AT "SPACE OPERA. PINOY STYLE."
How to patiently wait til payday to find this in a bookstore lmao
YOU HAD ME AT "SPACE OPERA. PINOY STYLE."
How to patiently wait til payday to find this in a bookstore lmao
October 2, 2017
As a fan of sci fi graphic novels, I was a little disappointed by this one. The stories had great plots but the executions were quite poor. The illustrations were a bit confusing with regards to the dialogues. I am saddened that I didn't like this more.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews