The origin of the name Zero was born from the idea that when I was asked about my favorite number, I had nothing in mind. Thus, zero being none, was the primary reason zero became my favorite number and also represented me in stories I imagined.

The first Zero, or Version One or the Root, as I call him, first made his debut in 2003. He was inspired mainly by Elmer Damaso‘s Butler character from Cat’s Trail, from the pages of the Culture Crash Comics, a personal favorite and source of inspiration.

Zero is a 19-year old boy who usually wears a shirt with torn up sleeves, baggy shorts and rubber shoes. Unlike the later Versions, the Root did not have any special abilities, nor did he come from a fantasy world. In fact, he is only a normal person with his own normal, personal set of problems.

He is the main protagonist of the story Siopao (not this version of Siopao) which came about from my personal experiences and feelings back then. The series of events in that story were based from a series of events at one point in my life, making Zero myself, and myself Zero.