top of page
Search

Tired Body, Hungry Spirit

Storytelling Across Comics, Games, and Faith


When Everything is mixed up and looks original!
“When your body is tired, but your spirit still wants to tell stories — that’s not burnout. That’s your calling whispering back.”



Setting the Stage


With the piling weight of work, bills, and the growing fear of an uncertain creative future… I won’t lie — I feel like I’m aging faster than I should.


And yet, my passion for storytelling refuses to grow old. It’s still hungry. It’s still curious.


When the world outside feels like it's falling apart, I dive deeper into single-player games — not for the action or dopamine, but for stories that provoke thought, spark introspection, and challenge the way I see the world. That’s what I look for now — stories that mean something.


As an artist, father, and storyteller, I’ve learned that the more I live, the more I return to what made me love storytelling in the first place.


And lately, I’ve found that spark again — through deep dives, through analysis, through quiet reflection with my daughter by my side… and through the expanding world of Zamora.


Zamora Poster
Zamora Poster

Why Lore and Worldbuilding Matter More Than Ever


Zamora wasn’t born out of an effort to be “original.”

I’ve stopped chasing that. Originality isn’t the point anymore — realness is.


Zamora was born from where I live: in a low-income, deeply religious city in the Philippines — where Christianity seeps into every street corner and decision. It made me wonder…


“What if cosmic monsters and religious dogma collided in a place just like mine?”


That’s how the lore of Zamora started.


As I wrote the script and visualized the panels, I found myself falling into the same rabbit holes I love so much — watching lore deep dives, dissecting story breakdowns, analyzing how creators like Hideo Kojima, FromSoftware, and even Studio Ghibli build their worlds.


And as I developed Zamora, I didn’t just want a story. I wanted a universe.


With Zamora Standee
With Zamora Standee

Creating Worlds That Bridge Mediums and Realities


Let me show you the backbone of Zamora’s worldbuilding — not because it’s “the best” way, but because it’s what worked for me as a multi-medium artist:


1. The Cosmology of Zamora


It begins with Darkness — eternal blackness. Then comes Light, which births three realms: Heaven, Hell, and the Material World. Between them lies the In-Between World, a spiritual realm that binds them all. And beyond everything is the Void, where all things end.

Here’s how it connects:

  • Prima Materia, the first matter, spawns eldritch gods and chaos.


  • Heaven and Hell rise with their respective rulers — God the Father and Satan.


  • The Material World emerges through Earth, Wind, Water, and Fire — the world of mortals.


  • The In-Between World acts as a gateway — where magic, spirits, and energy pass through.


  • The Void is the place of true death.


Mortals like us? We’re the only ones with spirit, body, and soul — that’s what makes us unique… and that’s why we’re caught in the cosmic war.


2. How It All Connects Through Story Structure


I follow the classic three-act structure:

  • Setup: Establish setting, characters, and conflict.


  • Confrontation: Escalate the stakes, deepen the mystery, and challenge the character’s beliefs.


  • Resolution: Deliver the payoff — emotionally and thematically.


This framework works whether I’m doing a comic book, a short animation, or a game mechanic. Every piece of the Zamora franchise plays like a standalone, but at the end of the day — they’re all tied together. Like episodes of a larger puzzle you didn’t know you were solving.


Unspeakable Horror Awaits
Unspeakable Horror Awaits!

TAKEAWAYS FOR ARTISTS

If you’re a creator struggling in a noisy, saturated world — here's what helped me:

  1. Don’t chase originality. Chase authenticity.


  2. Build stories from your life, your hometown, your pain, your wonder. That’s what people feel.


  3. Let your passions intersect.


  4. I mixed my love for lore, horror, games, and theology. The result? A universe that feels deeply personal — and still entertaining.


  5. Bridge your mediums with purpose.


  6. Whether you’re drawing, animating, or coding — every piece can live on its own while feeding into something bigger.


  7. Build your world with questions.


  8. “What if monsters invaded my city?”


  9. “What if souls had to cross a spiritual freeway?”


  10. “What happens when magic taps into borrowed power?”


Let your curiosity guide your mythology.



FINAL THOUGHTS

In a time when content feels cheap and AI-generated, your real-life stories — the ones born from struggle, joy, and deep reflection — will always matter more.


So whether you’re building a comic, a short film, or just trying to stay creative in a broken system — keep your hunger alive.


Even when your body is tired.


Especially then.


Because that’s where the real stories begin.








Subscribe to our newsletter:




Product Links:



















Comments

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • TikTok

© 2021 The Scribble Media

bottom of page