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    WITH their outstretched wings scarring the fictional sky and their scales mimicking shades of blood and ice among other elements, dragons are an integral part of western folklore. But what do dragons have to do with Filipinos, a people of the east and endless shores?

    Plenty, according to Vincent Michael Simbulan. “We are exposed to the concept of dragons through almost all forms of media—from television and movies to books and video games,” he explains. “Even the Chinese zodiac, which is popular thanks to the local Chinese community, has the dragon as the only mythical creature in the roster of animals.”

    That explains why the 37-year-old Simbulan is the editor of “A Time for Dragons: An Anthology of Philippine Draconic Fiction” from Anvil Publishing, a book that gathers stories about dragons from Filipino authors. “The anthology is Filipino because the stories are written exclusively by Filipinos. Many of the stories are filled with references that are Filipino and I would argue that the sensibilities of the authors inevitably mark their stories as Filipino.”

    Growing up, Simbulan was a voracious reader as well as a daydreamer. His parents, Redentor and Milagros, founded the comic book store Comic Quest, where he helped out. Simbulan enjoyed comic books as well as fantasy writing. “Among my favorites were Anne McCaffrey’s Dragonriders of Pern series, the Magician series by Raymond Feist and of course, JRR Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings.”

    It thus makes sense that Simbulan would savor writing fantasy, aside from editing comic book anthologies such as the Siglo series. “Dragons” is his first solo flight as an editor. “I’ve always felt that dragons are the most majestic and iconic of all fantasy creatures,” he says. “Unfortunately, because of their widespread appeal, they have been abused and reduced to a stereotype. What I really want to do is revitalize the concept of the dragon, as well as prove that Filipinos can write stories about dragons that are as good as anything else out there.”

    He posted an announcement on his blog (viniquest.blogspot.com) and soon had a surprising squadron of stories to choose from. The anthology boasts of an impressive cast of contributors: Nikki Alfar, Cyan Abad-Jugo, Elyss Punsalan, Alexander Drilon, Alexander Marcos Osias, Paolo Chikiamco, Elbert Or, Apol Lejano-Massebieau, Joseph Nacino, Gabriela Lee, Kate Aton-Osias, Oscar Alvarez, Angelo R. Lacuesta, Dominique Cimafranca, Yvette Natalie U. Tan, Dean Francis Alfar and Charles Tan. The anthology also brandishes the evocative art of Andrew Drilon. The dragons harnessed by the book are of brilliantly eclectic variety as are the methods arrayed in telling their tales.

    “There is a wide range of stories in the anthology, from adventure to humor to horror, so I think it should appeal to a wide audience. The stories are written in such a way that they are accessible to the young adult as well as the adult crowd.”

    “A Time for Dragons” is now nesting in bookstore shelves near you after an eventful journey of four years. Says its editor: “I am extremely happy of course, but it’s also a relief! Many of the delays were caused by the difficulties of real life. I am very lucky to have gotten the support of Anvil and my circle of friends who encouraged me to keep going even though things were getting difficult.” Simbulan continues to work on short stories and is trying his hand at a novel. “I’m also trying to complete a collaborative work with my best friend Dean Alfar. It’s called ‘Forlorn,’ and it’s a series of short stories that are snapshots of a world coming to an end. I know it seems quite dark, but I am actually exploring the themes of hope and heroism in the face of overwhelming odds, so it’s not as depressing as it seems.”

    Simbulan, who teaches creative writing at Xavier School, believes that maintaining a sense of wonder is important. “Yes, we all have to grow up,” he says. “But I believe that it doesn’t mean we have to be consigned to a life devoid of fun and wonder. I’ve been very lucky because the things I’ve chosen to do and the life I lead allow me to engage in flights of fancy and encourage the people around me to experience wonder even as they grow up and face the challenges of adulthood.”

    It is the kind of fang-sharp ideal borne on the strongest of daydreamt wings into the infinite sky, wherever you may be.

A Time For Dragons Various