LOLA: A Ghost Story

Got hold of a hardbound comic book entitled "LOLA: A Ghost Story" at Comic Odyssey in Robinsons Galleria.

I searched for it at Comic Alley and Comic Quest in Megamall last Sunday, but the people there were clueless. You should've seen their faces. Perhaps I should've been clearer when I asked...

"Merong po ba kayong LOLA?" (Do you have a grandmother?)

They clearly did not know about the comic book, and probably thought me strange for inquiring about their grandma. I could almost hear the hesitant answer in their minds: "Oo, nasa bahay siya, nagpapahinga." (Yes, she's at home, resting.)

Anyway, I got LOLA (published by ONI Press) at Comic Odyssey for P825. The back of the book says $14.95 (or about P695 at today's forex rates), but I suppose they have certain costs to cover.

LOLA (written by J. Torres and illustrated by Elbert Or) is a 102-page cartoon book (in sepia) that tells the story of Jesse, a young Filipino boy who flies back to the Philippines from Canada with his parents, because his maternal grandmother passed away.

It turns out that lola has certain supernatural powers, and that Jesse has inherited certain "gifts." You'll also learn about events that happened during Jesse's childhood, and how he helps provide closure at the end of his visit to the Philippines.

I was hoping to find more information in "LOLA: A Ghost Story" that share facets of Philippine culture, particularly in the area of myth and folklore. What was in the book, however, were quick mentions of the manananggal, kapre, and tiyanak. Perhaps there'll be more tidbits in the sequel? :-)

I found out about LOLA because of message posted in Twitter by @jonasdiego, while lead me to Inking LOLA: A Ghost Story.

Yes, Jonas Diego shares a behind the scenes glimpse of the inking that was done for LOLA. He shares his process, and that made me want to go out and buy the comic book. Of course, I met Jonas several years ago at iBlog, so that also plays a role in my buying decision.

So, to my internet marketing friends, please note of what happened here:

1. Jonas blogs about what he did for LOLA, complete with images and an engaging tutorial.

2. He then tweets about it.

3. I see the tweet (because I caught a conversation between @sassylawyer and Jonas), and I find my way to Jonas Diego's blog post.

4. I like the drawings that I see, along with the interesting description, so I go out and buy LOLA.

Here's the internet marketing tip to help you make money online: Network with other bloggers by attending blogger events, share behind-the-scenes info about your product on your blog, interact with other bloggers in Twitter, and attract buyers thanks to the power of the internet.

And please get your copy of "LOLA: A Ghost Story" at Comic Odyssey in Robinsons Galleria today! :-)

[ First posted on 02/10/2010 by Manuel Viloria ]