Announcing a new Ottonium project!

I started my little publishing company out of necessity. Ottonium Comics was started because I did not want to follow the rules and schedules of other publishers. From the mouths of my fellow comic artists, some publishers publicized my friends' works poorly, others did not pay the artists their dues. "I was made to think that my work was bad, even though the books were sold out," said one of my friends, "and up till today (the publisher) did not pay me a cent."

We move forward on our journeys with only our hearts and passions as guide. We often do not understand why we have to take these paths in life. But as I am finding out gradually, if we follow our hearts and learn from our experiences, life helps in mysterious ways. When we are ready, life will take our hands and lead us to our dreams.

After publishing Sir Fong's Adventures In Science Book 1 with Ottonium Comics, I realised that the little company has some really exciting potential. So, without further delay, i decided my company will take on a different kind of project: MONKEY KING BLACK + WHITE.


The seeds of this project was planted more than ten years ago. See the picture above? A grand set inside Beijing Film Studio! The gorgeous palace interior was built for a planned movie Uproar In Heaven, an adaptation of a Monkey King story. I was assistant to the director.


Hundreds of beautiful storyboards were drawn - a sample is shown above, as drawn by my ex-colleague Ye Feng. Hundreds of costumes made. An army of artists worked for a year to prepare the filming of the most ambitious and expensive live action China movie in to be released in 1998.


The director, Zhang Jianya, was a classmate of Zhang Yimou and Chen Kaige. His vision was great, and he lead us into the studios week after week, month after month. We were all happy to follow, because we believed that this movie would make film history.


It was during the filming that I rediscovered my love for drawing comics. Simply by participating in the project, life gifted me with the reawakening of my passion. It also gifted me with the publication of my first comic book Buddy Buddy (pictured above).


But life also said, "you are not ready to do the Monkey King." For after a year and a half of hard work, our hopes were dashed when the investor went bankrupt. The movie folded before filming could go into full swing, and the crew went on to other projects. I returned to Singapore, and would languish in an uncertain future for quite a few years during the Economic Storms of 1997. I shelved my Monkey King dreams, and told myself over and over, "I am not ready!"


In 2007, exactly ten years since coming home to Singapore, I put my foot down and decided to fear no more. I imagined myself as the Monkey King - like so many fans of the Asian mythical hero - and he has just been freed from Buddha's imprisonment for 500 years.

So, without further delay, I declare to you all I am ready. My dear friends, announcing the brand new project by Ottonium Comics. Thank you all for reading!