Proud Callboy in Comic Odyssey

Yesterday, I dropped copies of Proud Callboy in Comic Odyssey Galleria. The price will be the same low price which I will be selling in the Komikon. So if you want discounted copies, you can buy a copy in Comic Odyssey.
Thanks to Sandy for supporting the local comic artists.

Proud Callboy

Dumating na kahapon yung Proud Callboy matapos ang halos isang buwan na paghihintay. Siyempre, excited na akong ipa-approve ito sa bookstores dahil gusto ko nang magbenta. At lalong excited na akong ibenta itong mga ito sa Summer Komikon itong April. :) Masarap talagang magbenta lalo na kapag gawa mo ang sarili mong produkto. Iba yung satisfaction na nakukuha mo na hindi mo nakukuha kung nagtatrabaho ka lang sa isang kumpanya.

Ayan, reading ready na ako. Di na ako magpapanic sa April.

Andrew's Ambush Book Launching

On April 10, 2010 at 6 p.m., Mag:net Café will launch “Ambush: Parents Trapped” by Andrew Villar at Mag:net Café Katipunan. The event will feature an exhibit of original artworks and reprints of “Ambush”. Singers and musicians Cookie Chua and Lito Crisostomo, among others, will grace the event. Artists from Samahang Kartunista ng Pilipinas (SKP) and Manila Bulletin will also be present at the event in full of support of “Ambush”.
But the real highlight of the night would be the “Meet-and-Greet Ambush”, where fans and friends will be able to shake hands and meet their favorite comics heroine—in the flesh. The teen super hero, who epitomizes the new-generation Filipina, defending the good and crushing the villains of todaywill don her battle suit, not to fight evil for one night, but to mingle with Pinoy comics fans and supporters.
The comic launch is brought to you by Mag:net Cafe and glyphwall.com.

How to Publish your Own Comics

Here are the following steps you need to take to have your comics published. Since Gio already has "how to make indie comics", I might as well post some more for those who want to pursue publishing.

1. Ok so you now have your comics on hand. Regardless if it's photocopied or printed in printing press. Think of a company name. Go to DTI office in Makati, get a form to apply for a business name. You may check sole prop. Bring birth cert. for those who have Chinese surname. Once they approve your business name, (take note, they will require publishing in the business name if you plan to be a publisher) You may put a minimal amount of capital regardless the mock you will get from the assessor. You will see the benefit in the end. Once they approve your business name, pay Php300. You may have to take a 1 day off from work. Be there as early as you can. Usually the whole process takes until the afternoon.

2. Get your copyright and ISBN/ISSN in National Library. For Copyright, bring 2 copies of your book, 3 copyright forms, which can be downloaded in the website of national library. Check the box as unpublished, classification: book. Use manual typewriter in filing up the forms then go to an Atty. for notarization. That will cost you Php150. National Library will get 2 forms of this notarized copyright and 2 of your books. Pay Php300 at the cashier.

3. To get the ISBN or ISSN, download also the form in the website of national library. Then bring a copy of your DTI permit and the original one. Pay around Php200 stamps included. The national library application for both copyright and ISBN will take like 1-2 hours. Be there early.

4. Go to your barangay and ask for a barangay business permit. Bring your DTI permit again. Pay around Php250 to Php500.

5. Get your current x-ray in your company nurse. Or you may take your own xray in clinics. That is just Php300-Php1500.

6. Bring your DTI, Barangay permit, x-ray result (with photocopies) to your city hall. Ask for the form for business permit. Fill it up. Put there no office or warehouse. Tell them your office is just your own room min your residence. Put the initial capital you have in your DTI form (make sure this is minimal. Do not put millions ok? Or you'll end up crying). Then they will just direct you what to do. You will go through fire, sanitation, etc. Tell sanitation that you have no employees. Once done, pay around Php5-6000. (see? it's cheap when you out minimal capital)Then go back to sanitation, they will approve and then pay Php250. Then viola! You may now claim your business permit and plates. This will take half day.

7. Then go to BIR. Bring your business permit and DTI forms. Get form 1906 (application for printing receipts). Fill it up with your printing press agent. I got mine printed up to number 1000 for delivery receipts, sales invoice and official receipts. That costs me Php8000. Register your business to BIR. If you are sole prop, you may use your existing TIN in your workplace. To be able to get your official BIR form and Ask for receipt plate, it may take 3-7 days. Printing your receipts may also take a week.

8. Good job! You can now officially sell your comics to bookstores!

Ask me anything!

Ask me anything http://formspring.me/hazelmanzano

All questions will be entertained. ;)

Updates.. wala lang

Ano ba masasabi ko mga dear readers? Kundi ang saya saya saya. Wala nang sasaya pa sa ginagawa ko ngayon. Kung gusto niyo malaman kung ano nafeefeel ng isang kagaya ko na nagresign after seven years in the call center night shift, mababasa niyo sa last story ng Proud Callboy.
Natutulog ako ng mga 10:30pm dahil inaantok na mata ko then gigising ako ng mga 7am dahil gising na ako. At hindi lang yon... katabi ko na matulog ang aking anak. O di ba? Bonga? Tapos nakikita ko palagi ang araw sa labas ng bintana at kapag umaalis ako ng bahay, nagshishine na ako kagaya lang nila Edward sa Twilight. Nasanay na rin akong hindi nagaabang ng sweldo kada kinsenas dahil yung payroll ko naman noon sa Genpact ay checking account so madalas nagsusulat lang ako ng cheque kapag kailangan na bayaran ang credit card. Maraming nagtatanong kung saan na ako, well, hindi po ako nagaaply sa mga ibang kumpanya. As in ayoko pa talaga. Ngayon ko lang nafeefeel na ang healthy healthy ko at kung kumain ako ng Mcdo, hindi na araw araw... paminsan minsan na lang. Kahit hindi ako uminom ng vitamins, on the go pa rin ako.
Osha cge na. Till next post.

Malapit na! New Comics in Komikon!

1 month to go before the Summer Komikon and before the releasing of Proud Callboy.
I hope to see you there since I will be selling once again discounted copies of Proud Callboy and Callwork. With me are Andrew Villar selling his "Parents Trap" Ambush 2 (Andrew will be loacted on a separate table beside us. He will be with Anvil Publishing), Julius Villanueva selling his "Life in Progress" Volume none, Freely Abrigo selling Kapitan Tog 2, Greco Milambiling "Aha Hule" and Stong Franco "Quipino". These are all cartoons and humour except for Ambush, a action hero thingee. Btw, Proud Callboy has some drama inside this time so hindi lahat humor hehehe.

Kaya yung mga taga-call center sa north, daan muna sa UP Diliman before your shift at mnagchikahan tayo ok?

Other comics to be released this Komikon are Astigin Boy Ipis 2, Guwapoman 2, Bayan Knights 4, Umlauts and Atom Bombs, Punnx 2, Windmills 3, Servant, School Run 1, Unstoppable 2, Phil. Adventure and Romance Stories, Love Stories and hopefully Kalayaan 9.

Mag komikon tayo sa April 17!

This strip was made by Julius Villanueva of Life in Progress. Naks, Villanueva, Villar... mga presidentiables 'tong mga kasama ko sa Komikon heheh. Kita kits tayo ha sa April 17 Sabado sa UP Diliman Bahay ng Alumni!

Mga anik anik ni Clover

Callwork on Kwatro Khanto

"... Matatawa ka sa mga kakaibang lines at kung anu-anu kaya ang librong ito ay aking bibigyan ng rating na 4.5 out of 5! wagi!" Read more here: http://khantotantra.blogspot.com/2010/02/khanto-pick-callwork.html

Thank you Kwatro Khanto!

Who is this Callwork?

I think it's about time to do this write up since I've been seeing some assumptions here and there about who this Hazel is of Callwork from different centers. Some say that I worked in this or that company. I only had 3 call center companies in my entire career. Not counting McCann Erickson Ad Agency where I had my internship.
I started working in Sykes Robinsons Summit building Ayala in 2002 as a customer service rep in American Express Brokerage (Wall Street) , which is now Ameriprise. I moved to ACS or Advanced Contact Solutions in Allied Bank building Ayala in 2004 working as an operations supervisor in MCI account. In 2007, I moved to Genpact in Alabang working as Portfolio Control Manager in GE Money Collections. Take note, there are no gaps in between the transitions I made. I have been working on night shift for a little more than seven years straight. Few months ago, I made the most important decision in my life and resigned (some would call it retired) as Workforce Manager effective Feb 2010. I gave up what could have been a great career there, but I felt I could make more of a difference as a comic artist.
No, I'm not totally closing the door to my call center career. Making money and saving money is easy in the call center. It made me able to support my family, and my own family since I am a single parent. My job has allowed me to do comics and self publishing. Which is an expensive hobby. Making money in the local comics industry is hard. Maybe I am comparing it to my income as a call center manager but it really is barya to be honest.
I'm now focusing in my distribution which was the major challenge back when I was still working. Yes, part of me got really tired working in a call center but to the people out there, who kept asking themselves whether to resign or stay in their call center, do not resign just because you are tired. I have been many times tired but I just kept on working. If I had stopped in those days I was tired, I wouldn't have the money to retire and start something I really wanted.
To those who have been assuming that I'm from that or this company, who knows? I might work there in the future once I'm done with my task list. But right now I wanted to invest on some stuff. Let me sleep at night muna. I missed it so much. Like one of my friends said, "Your career will always be there. You can always go back to your career but once the passion is gone, it won't come back anymore." True.

Updates on me! http://callworkcomics.blogspot.com/2010/12/goodbye-2010-hello-2011.html