How Hot Tropiks Licensed Its First Award-Winning Graphic Novel from the Philippines

Hot Tropiks started as an importer and distributor of books from the Philippines, with a focus on Filipino pop culture. At the beginning, the goal was simple: get great Filipino books into readers’ hands in the U.S.

This year, that goal pushed us into something bigger.

Why We Took the Leap Into Publishing

Over the past year, importing books became increasingly unpredictable. Trade wars, tariffs, shipping delays, and rising costs made timelines unreliable and planning difficult. Instead of waiting for things to stabilize, we decided to try something new.

That meant exploring licensing and publishing books locally in the U.S.

We were not starting from zero. We had already worked closely with creators and collaborators on titles like Maharlika by Rexy Dorado, Mythica Obscura by Karl Gaverza, and original releases like Maloles by Ebony Soy and Suspicious Activity by Nathan Cayanan. Those projects helped us learn the basics, build relationships, and understand what it actually takes to bring books to market.

Still, this next step mattered.

This was our first time licensing and publishing an award-winning graphic novel from the Philippines.

Enter Josefina

Josefina is a graphic novel by writer Russell Molina and artist Ace Enriquez. It blends Filipino folklore with World War II history, telling a story of Filipino monsters fighting during the Japanese occupation. The concept alone is striking, but what really stands out is the execution. The storytelling is grounded, emotional, and bold. The artwork is powerful and confident.

When I first read Josefina, it stayed with me.

It later won the Philippine National Book Award, which felt completely earned. I still keep a copy nearby and reread it often. It is the kind of book that reminds you why stories matter.

Being Ready When the Moment Comes

Earlier this year, Russell Molina reached out and mentioned he would be attending San Diego Comic-Con. I have been a fan of his work for years, including 66, a graphic novel about a lolo who gains superpowers at the age of 66. We invited him to our booth and hosted a signing for his latest book, Lunatics, marking its U.S. premiere.

During that Comic-Con weekend, I asked him a straightforward question: what was happening with Josefina in the U.S.?

That question opened the door.

Russell connected me with the publishers at Adarna and Anino, who we already had an existing relationship with through our distribution work. Conversations followed. Emails went back and forth. Terms were discussed, clarified, and refined while we balanced back-to-back events and daily operations.

Then the contract was signed.

Nothing about this happened because we waited for the perfect moment. It happened because we asked, followed through, and were ready to take the next step when the opportunity showed up.

Where We Are Now

We are currently deep in production. We are working with Edge Book Printing Solutions, and I want to give a huge thank you to Jenebeth and Robin for guiding us through the printing process. Printing is one of the most challenging parts of publishing, especially when you are doing it for the first time at this scale. Having experienced partners has made a real difference.

Right now, we are finalizing files, coordinating schedules, and moving toward print with the goal of having books delivered before the end of the year.

Why We’re Documenting This

We are planning to release Josefina at WonderCon, and this is the first place we are sharing that.

Everything we are doing right now is being documented in real time. Not after the fact. Not once everything looks clean or successful. But while we are still figuring things out, solving problems, and learning as we go.

That is intentional.

Too often, stories about publishing or building something creative only get told once the outcome is guaranteed. This is about showing the process as it happens. The uncertainty. The decisions. The work behind the scenes.

If there is one takeaway from this story, it is simple: try. Do not hesitate. Ask the question. Take the meeting. Be ready when the moment shows up.

And if you want to be part of deeper conversations around Filipino books, sci-fi, and pop culture, join the Bawal Book Club on Facebook.

We will keep documenting from here.