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17. They called that a cellphone.

Fact: I set the scene with the early cellphone sometime in 1994 but hand-held mobiles were already in the market during that time.

The first time I saw the briefcase phone (like the one in this panel) was in 1990 and back then, I thought the future had arrived. The techie saying goes "if it works, it's already obsolete". I guess this is the fate of all gadgets so it's not too far-fetched to think that in a few years time, we'll probably see some of today's latest "must-have" devices looking as ancient as this one.

18. Mount Pinatubo

I was on my way home from UP when I kept getting stung in the eye. Beforehand, I noticed that the sky was really dark but I didn't really pay much attention to it. Later that evening, I saw the most surreal sight - outside, ash was falling and for a moment, it gave the illusion that it was snowing in Manila. The following morning, my entire street was covered in grey dust. These are my memories of the Mt. Pinatubo eruption. The year was 1991. Just a few months earlier there was a huge earthquake and desert storm was all over the news. I really thought the world was coming to an end back then.

19. Ultraelectromagneticpop

In a time when Ariel Rivera and Regine Velasquez love ballads dominated the airwaves, it was refereshing to see (and hear) a band tell it like it really is. The Eraserheads ushered in a new era in the local music scene and changed the face of Pinoy rock as we now know it. Their reunion concert was held this year, 2008, on August 30.

20. Ikabod

I'm a big fan of Nonoy Marcelo's. I even brought his books with me to Germany when I stayed there for a year during my teens. Decades later, reading his works again, his humor still feels fresh and original. I just had to pay tribute to one of the country's most celebrated cartoonists.

From the book "Ikabod: Sooo Pinoy" copyright 1985 Nonoy Marcelo published by Atis Palimbagan
From the book "Ikabod: Let's Make Baka, Don't Be Takot" copyright 1987 Nonoy Marcelo published by Solar Publishing Corporation

21. Cover studies

Below are early concepts for the cover done in 2005.

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