I just finished reading the two most popular novels of Dan Brown: The Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons, and I find the latter more interesting in terms of story and relevance.

Although both novels are fictional, for me Angels and Demons has more potential of being a true story. Thus, for me, making it a better read than The Da Vinci Code. The plot of Angels and Demons too is very much admissible because the issue was raised against the vulnerabilty of the Catholic Church, an institution made by men. Whereas, in the Da Vinci Code, Christ divinity was challenged by the main characters, making it more fallacious to most of us.

I find Angels and Demons more relevant too in terms of its 'current events' and social appeal. What with the ongoing challenges that the Catholic Church is experiencing. Questions against morality, faith revival and competition from Islam. I would say that they are undergoing one of the most critical stages in their history.

The novel's scientific presumptions about "the creation" also appeals to many of us because of the advancement of cloning research. Although, some might say that Angels and Demons in this case, would be more abominable in terms of its issue in the ability of men to be like God, because the story narrates that one of the main characters was able to duplicate the Big Bang theory in a lab. I would infer that the Big Bang theory for now is still nothing but a "theory" as science accepts.

But as crappy as it is, this is more welcome than the woman disciple Mary Magdalene being equal with Jesus Christ as the Da Vinci Code portrays her to be. In the story, Mary the redeemed Harlot became the wife of Christ as narrated by the characters. Because of this, Dan Brown suggests that being a wife she became co-equal claimant of the same divine status as the Christ. Thus, we now have a Godess in the headship of Christendom. A somewhat illogical conclusion. A president's wife does not make her the head of the state. Mary mother of Jesus does not make her the Mother of God..., Oooops, this would be another discussion altogether.

However, despite the debatable issues I still commend both books. If you want your senses to be stirred, intrigued and your imagination to take one of the most educational tours in Europe's historical sights (good for art lovers like us) then these are must reads.

By the way, another thing that interests me about these two books is the "cover art." And, I will discuss it on my next post.

These two pages done by no other than Nar Castro, lettered by Bob Turda and colored by yourstruly are fine examples of the 'later' traditional method of comics illustration.

For sure Nar Castro, who I call Tito Nar before when I was still half his size, had no idea that my father and I did this, with his work. This for sure was commissioned to him as it was to us, way back 1994.

A nice, clean black and white xerox copy of this project was given to us by the client with its original Tagalog texts. That's why my father had to cover it (the texts) and retouch the balloons and captions to adapt it with the Visayan dialect that you see now. A copy of the translated manuscript was given also. After the lettering, I had to copy another good set of it for me to apply the colors. I also had to choose a good copy paper to minimize the crimpling when colors are applied. I used Prang watercolors with a fine No. 2 brush for these. I did a very light application of flesh tones and hair colors so as not to cover "Tito Nar's" excellent brush strokes and lines.

Hope my father and I did justice to Tito Nar Castro's work.