Trese

Kriss. Claws. Bats.

2012-01-13T00:41:00.000+08:00

"This is another fine mess you've gotten us into, Logan!"

"Don't call me Robin."

A year or so ago, I asked Kajo if he was ever going to make a new portfolio to show to DC and Marvel editors. He said he wanted to do a story where Trese teams-up with Batman and Wolverine and all the action will happen in Manila. So, in one of my notebooks is an outline for that very short story, but we got busy with our dayjobs and finishing Book4, and I forgot all about it.

Today, Kajo sent me these sketches based on a story he's never read and yet he drew one of the scenes that was in my head. (But, as usual, Kajo comes up with an even better idea and he dressed up Wolverine in a barong tagalog!)

So, here's a sneak preview to that unwritten story.

Happy Friday the 13th!

Thank You 2011

2012-01-09T02:57:00.000+08:00

the sun has set on 2011

we are a week into 2012

we take a cautious look at what we’ve left behind

to make sure there’s no one following us

to see the mysteries that have baffled us and we have solved

to check on the mysteries still left unsolved

to review the clues that we have and hope to figure it allout in the next twelve months

and where we give thanks to the people who helped us alongthe way

Thanks to the Komikon Krew who never fail to invite us to their great events

Thanks to the National Bookstore Super Team for organizing the best Trese launch ever!

Special thanks to Mike Carey, Paul Levitz, and Neil Gaiman for taking the time to email and give feedback about the book.

Thanks to Nida and Visprint, who remain to be our willing accomplice

Thanks to the diabolical denizens of the Trese Facebook page! LIKE! I am amazed and amused at how active our readers can be in this page. They never stop asking questions about Trese, they've deciphered our plans for the Trese covers, and they never stop asking for more Trese stories, which just pressures us (in a good way) to keep on writing and keep on drawing.

Thanks to the bloggers, news reporters, and book reviewers who helped promote Trese.

Thanks to all my fellow comic book creators -- your work continues to inspire me and urges me to improve my work and tell better stories

And to all our readers who made this possible

my Trese Christmas Gift

2011-12-26T18:56:00.000+08:00

It's been quite awhile since my brother Brandie has drawn an art piece like this. The last time he did something that came close to a comic book was something he did for their RE:VISION exhibit in 2010.

The very first comic book collaboration we ever did was the story PAYASO, which we did back in 1994!

So it was great to get this original artwork from him this Christmas :-)

Hoping to see him draw more in the new year!

Trese in Inquirer's TOP 10 Books for 2011

2011-12-19T21:58:00.001+08:00

“Trese Vol. 4: Last Seen After Midnight” by Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo (Visprint)
The newest installment of the wildly successful “Trese” comic-book series carries its trademark spooky inventiveness proudly as Alexandra Trese and her bodyguards, the Kambal, look into the truth behind comatose dorm mates, missing monsters, and even a certain world-famous prizefighter. Tan writes and Baldisimo illustrates with poise and polish. Like the best of its earlier incarnations, “Last Seen Before Midnight” lures readers into looking at their surroundings and finding the weird as well as the amazing.(from Our Top 10 books for 2011 by Ruel S. De VeraPhilippine Daily Inquirer, December 19th, 2011)

Trese climbs National Bookstore Bestseller List

2011-12-15T09:41:00.000+08:00

Thank you very much to all our readers who made this possible! From ninth place, TRESE: LAST SEEN AFTER MIDNIGHT has now climbed to the number two selling Philippine Publication.

And it's also great to see a fellow Visprint author on the list. Congrats to Manix Abrera! Kikomachine Komix Blg 7 is now No. 10 on the list.

Trese wins in 2011 Komikon Awards

2011-11-21T03:04:00.001+08:00

Thank you very much for everyone who voted for us! Thank you very much to all our readers, to everyone's who's every drawn Trese-fan art and shared it with the world, to everyone's who's ever written a review about Trese, tweeted about us, or clicked LIKE on the Trese Facebook page. Thank you for all the support and love and magic!

Best Comic Creators Award : BUDJETTE TAN and KAJO BALDISIMO

Best Cover Award : TRESE: MASS MURDERS

Santelmo

2011-11-13T03:30:00.001+08:00

A teen-aged Trese unleashes three Santelmo towards some aswang or enkanto who will probably regret crossing paths with Alexndra.

"Santelmo" is the third Trese Night Gallery print by Kajo Baldisimo.

This will be made available at the 2011 Komikon, November 19, at the Bayanihan Center, Pioneer Street, Ortigas. More info at : http://www.komikon.org/map-to-bayanihan-center/

Take a look at the other Night Gallery Prints:

HANNAH AND AMMIE
http://tresekomix.blogspot.com/2011/04/hannie-and-ammie.html

MALIKSI
http://tresekomix.blogspot.com/2010/11/trese-night-gallery-limited-edition.html

Alexandra hangs out with Morpheus

2011-11-09T10:13:00.000+08:00

Art by Kajo Baldisimo

GMA News' Guide to Philippine Ghouls

2011-11-03T01:13:00.000+08:00

ASWANG

BATIBAT

DIWATA

KAPRE

MANANANGGAL

MINOKAWA

NUNO

SIGBIN

TIKBALANG

TIYANAK

WAKWAK

Read the complete article at:
Know your ghouls, from aswang to diwata
CARMELA G. LAPEÑA, GMA News, 10/28/2011
Art by Kitt Lapeña
http://m.gmanews.tv/story/236892/know-your-ghouls-from-aswang-to-diwata

FHM Pinoy Horror Death Match

2011-10-31T15:04:00.000+08:00

In the October 2011 issue of FHM, they feature a Halloween Death Match that pits several creatures from Philippine myth and folklore against one another. They even matched up characters from Pinoy pop culture and legends against each other.

Below are sample of the creatures that fought to the death! Makes me wish there was a real video that featured all these characters!

Tikbalang vs Sigbin

Undin vs Sirena

Bungisngis vs Nuno sa Punso

Kapre vs Babae sa Balete

TikTik vs Tiyanak

Words by Anton Umali and Gelo Gonzales
Art by Mervin del Mundo (Robot with a Smile)

Neil Gaiman emails about TRESE

2011-10-25T20:10:00.000+08:00

I was so happy to find out that TRESE 4 was on National's Bestseller List that I just had to send a Thank You note to Neil Gaiman, one of my big inspirations for Trese. His Sandman stories and his novel America Gods prompted me explore our own myth and folklore; made me also ask, "Where are the old gods of the Philippine islands hiding these days?"

So, I sent him a message saying how our little comic book, that once sold only 50 copies, is now in the bestseller list of the country's biggest bookstore chain.

This morning, I found this message in my inbox:

So ridiculously proud of you! When I came out all those years ago for the first time, that was what I wanted to see happen...

I feel like you and all the smart Filipino writers and artists out there are doing something really brave and powerful, making a whole new wave of Filipino art and story.

Well done!

Neil

So far, the week has been great! The year has been great! Feel so blessed and so lucky to have reached this far, to have reached this chapter of my ever-changing graphic novel. We have more stories to tell. I am so excited to tell you all these tales!

p.s.

The last time Neil Gaiman was here, this is what he wrote on my copy of Sandman :-)

Trese on National's Bestseller List

2011-10-25T00:16:00.003+08:00

When we sold the very issue of Trese (in all its Xeroxed glory) at the Komikon in 2005, we sold a grand total of 50 copies. I was so happy that we got sold-out two hours before the event ended.

When we sold TRESE:MASS MURDERS in 2009 at the Komikon, we were surprised that we got to sell 300 copies in one day.

So, imagine my surprise when I found, that two weeks after we launched TRESE: LAST SEEN AFTER MIDNIGHT we had already sold 1300 copies.

Barely a month after we launched this fourth book, we've sold nearly 3000 copies and have landed in National Bookstore's Bestseller List for Philippine Publications.

This was definitely a great way to start the week. All of which would not have been possible, if it wasn't for you, our wonderful, magical, diabolical readers.

Thanks for all your support and your most generous feedback!

Exclusively available at all branches of National Bookstore, Powerbooks, and Bestsellers.

Win an iTresePad for Halloween

2011-10-23T03:01:00.001+08:00

TRICK OR TREAT!!! Get the chance to win this one-of-a-kind iPad with orginal TRESE art by Kajo Baldisimo.

Just buy TRESE:LAST SEEN AFTER MIDNIGHT and you'll get a raffle stub so you can enter and get the chance to win the Trese-fied iPad.

Books with raffle stubs are only available in National Bookstore, Powerbooks, and Bestsellers.

Deadline for entries for the TRESE iPad Raffle is on October 31, 2011.

By the way, if you buy a copy of ELMER (The 2nd Edition) from the same bookstores, you can enter the raffle and win this ELMER-fied iPad with original art by Gerry Alanguilan. Deadline for entries is November 15, 2011.

Trese 4 special edition

2011-10-05T13:08:00.001+08:00

Watched the video?Ok... let's review...Here's the variant cover / dustjacket:

And here's the regular cover:

The edition with the dustjacket will only be available in branches of National Bookstore, Powerbooks, and Bestsellers.And if you buy from those bookstores, you can to join the raffle and win an original TRESE artwork by Kajo Baldisimo. Here's a sneak peek of Kajo's work. Can you figure out what makes it so special? :-)

See you at the book launch!

TRESE: LAST SEEN AFTER MIDNIGHT
October 8, Saturday, 5pm
Bestsellers bookstore
4F Robinsons Galleria, Ortigas

TRESE: LAST SEEN AFTER MIDNIGHT

2011-09-30T04:06:00.000+08:00

Foul play. Magic spells. Supernatural criminals.When crime takes a turn for the weird, the police call Alexandra Trese.This graphic novel contains the following cases:

CADENA DE AMOR

In a neglected area of Luneta Park, where the grass grows untended, a man is found strangled by vines; which have started to grow outwards, killing anyone that gets in its path.

A PRIVATE COLLECTION

A manananggal has been found, tortured and murdered. The Manananggal Clan declares war on the Aswang Clan. Trese must find the real murderer before more blood is shed, before Manila gets in the crossfire of a supernatural gang war.

WANTED: BEDSPACER

A strange illness has affected the students living along Katipunan Avenue. The doctors are clueless on what’s driving these people mad with despair. Can Trese trace the source of this growing paranormal epidemic?

FIGHT OF THE YEAR

Once a year, in General Santos City, the demons and creatures of the underworld converge to watch a most awaited event, where the country’s greatest boxer fights for his very soul.

TRESE: LAST SEEN AFTER MIDNIGHT

by Budjette Tan and KaJo Baldisimo

Winners of the Philippine National Book Awardfor Best Graphic Literature

TRESE Book 4 will be exclusive available in all branches of National Bookstore, Powerbooks, and Bestsellers until the end of the year.

BOOK LAUNCH : October 8, 2011, 5pm at Bestsellers, Robinsons Galleria

Visprint WIT 2011

2011-09-08T10:53:00.001+08:00

See you this Saturday (September 10) for Visprint's WIT: The 1st Annual Readers Day.

All of the Visprint authors and comic book creators will be there sharing their stories, their secrets, and upcoming projects.This is also your chance to see preview art from Trese Book 4.

Me and Kajo will be talking about the "13 Things that Possessed us to do Trese".

Kajo will also give "13 Tips for Lazy Artists Like Kajo"

Afterwards, we will hang out at the Visprint booth to sign, scribble, and doodle on your copies of Trese.

Agimat vs Aswang

2011-08-30T14:51:00.000+08:00

If you were around during the early years of Alamat Comics, you might have heard about this much-awaited comic book called LAKAN.

The story was set in a post-apocalyptic Philippines, where aswang pillaged the cities and countryside, where Filipinos once again banded together as tribes and fought back the aswang using swords and their agimat.

Here are the preview pages that first appeared in COMICS 101:

I put together those preview pages using my dad’s laser printer and his office’s Xerox machine. (Thanks dad!)

LAKAN must have been the first comic book I wrote as a work-for-hire guy. It was 1994 and my friend Ma-an told me about some friends of her friend that were going to publish a comic book and they needed a writer.

At that time, I didn’t have any published comic book work, so I just printed out a scifi story I wrote and brought it to the meeting with Ian Orendain and Chris Bernardo, the editors of the book.

They read my short story and considered me good enough to be brought on board as the new scriptwriter of the comic book. Ian and Chris explained to me the plot of Lakan and what they wanted changed.

They showed me pages and sketches of LAKAN artwork by guys named Gerry Alanguilan, Oliver Pulumbarit, and John Toledo. Little did I know that, later on, we’d eventually meet and become the founding members of Alamat Comics. I saw Gerry’s fantastic and insanely-detailed pages and asked if we were going to retain those pages. Because all the artists were getting reshuffled to do other scenes, all those original pages would never be used. I actually felt bad that those pages wouldn’t see print.

Here are links to Gerry’s blog where he talks about LAKAN and shows us those pages:

Lakan: Kings and Queens
http://gerry.alanguilan.com/archives/550

Lakan: Bloodshed and Tears
http://gerry.alanguilan.com/archives/551

The Hive
http://gerry.alanguilan.com/archives/2571

From my point of view, LAKAN was the result of our many years of reading X-Men, Teen Titans, Crisis on Infinite Earths, and growing up at the time when Francis M rallied the youth with “Mga Kababayan Ko” while wearing his ethnic-inspired clothes. It felt like the sort of story that would be produce during such a time.

Unfortunately, because of so many reasons, the book was never published.

But, I guess, the idea of “man vs aswang” is something that will forever be told by the Filipino storyteller and it will just take on different forms in the years to come.

PAYASO

2011-08-10T00:22:00.000+08:00

(click the pages to enlarge)

PAYASO must be the first horror story I wrote in comic book format. I got my brother Brandie to draw it. As you can see, he was still in his Vertigo phase, when he emulated Dave McKean, Bill Sienkiewicz and Kent Williams.

I was channeling Stephen King when I was writing this story, which was inspired by that evil clown from King's "IT".

I really didn't know where this story was going. All I knew was that there was going to be this clown, who would magically appear, saving children from abusive parents, siblings, neighbors, etc.

This story came out in COMICS 101, the first comic book me and my barkada self-published. We rushed this comic book because I was on my way to the 1994 San Diego Comic Con.

At the comic con, I gave a copy to Dave McKean. I flipped open the comic book to PAYASO and asked him what he thought of the art. He looked at it for a bit and said, "It's good."

When I told Brandie what Mckean said, we joked that when the second issue comes out we'd have a blurb on the cover that says, "It's good!"-Dave McKean

When we started planning the second issue, I turned over the reigns of writing to Mark Gatela because I wanted to focus writing The Flying Phantom. When Mark asked me what's supposed to happen next, I said, "I don't know. Just have the clown kill more child abusers."

So, when Mark and Brandie started to brainstorm about the next issues of PAYASO, Mark decided to focus on the detective who appeared in the last panel of the story. That's Michael Andara. Brandie patterned him after the actor Michael Williams -- pony-tail, five o'clock shadow, and all.

So, instead of putting the spotlight on the evil, magical clown, Mark fleshed out the character of Detective Andara and began to build this whole backstory about the detective getting involved with unsolved crimes with supernatural origins.

Mark's PAYASO scripts made me realize that there was an entire supernatural underworld to be explored, right here in Metro Manila.

Which is why, in one of first drafts of the Trese script, I made Anton Trese a tabloid reporter and he would go to Andara, trying to get the scoop on the latest unusual, unearthly murder in town.

Of course, you already know how I took Trese down a different route.

As for Detective Andara and the mystery of the Payaso, you might still get to see them in the future. Mark's still working on this massive Andara graphic novel when he's not busy being a dad and being snarky on Twitter.

One final note to all writers and storytellers out there: as you can see, from this first story that I wrote, which I thought as a masterful masterpiece, you don't also get it on the first try. Which is the reason why you need to keep writing. Get published. Get rejected. Get great reviews. Get really bad reviews. Write some more. It's the only way you'll get better.

Blade fights aswang in Manila

2011-08-06T18:49:00.003+08:00

In episode 3 (Vampire Hunter) and episode 4 (Juvenile Days) of BLADE the anime, he travels to Manila and encounters a type of aswang that's rarely seen in Philippine literature / pop culture. Keep reading to find out what it is.

Check out the setting and background of the next couple of frames. I liked how they researched and illustrated a very realistic looking Manila.

Blade vs mandurugo
The mandurugo is a variety of the aswang that takes the form of an attractive girl by day, and develops wings and a long, hollow, thread-like tongue by night. The tongue is used to suck up blood from a sleeping victim. --Wikipedia

Take a look at the mandurugo in human form. Does she look familiar to you? Is that... nahhh... no way... maybe she just goes to the hairstylist?

Screenshots from the episode where Blade fights a manananggal in Siquijor:
http://tresekomix.blogspot.com/2011/08/blade-battles-aswang-in-siquijor.html

in an alternate reality, TRESE was nominated for a Hugo Award

2011-08-05T01:01:00.000+08:00

What I Would Have Nominated for the Hugos If I Weren't Such a Goober
by Andrew Wheeler

In the end, though, these five books below are the ones I should have nominated, and, in some better world, I have to hope that I actually did so. Some are pretty obscure, but all are distinctive, powerful works of imagination that both entertain and provoke thought, and all are, in my humble opinion, entirely worthy of the Hugo award:

Trese: Mass Murders by Budjette Tan and KaJo Baldisimo. Yes, I know that it's probably impossible to find in North America, and that it could never have gotten on the ballot. But it's some of the very best urban fantasy I've ever seen, set in a distinctive culture I don't already know everything about, with wonderfully atmospheric art from Baldisimo.

Andrew Wheeler has toiled in book publishing for 20 years. He spent 16 years as a bookclub editor (for the SFBC and others), and is now a Marketing Manager for John Wiley & Sons. He was a judge for the 2005 World Fantasy Awards and the 2008 Eisner Awards. He also reviewed a book a day for a year. He lives with The Wife and two mostly tame sons (Thing One, twelve; and Thing Two, ten) at an unspecified location in suburban New Jersey. He has been known to drive a minivan, and nearly all of his writings are best read in a tone of bemused sarcasm. Antick Musings’s manifesto is here. All opinions expressed here are entirely and purely those of Andrew Wheeler, and no one else.

Blade battles aswang in Siquijor

2011-08-03T00:31:00.004+08:00

There's an episode of BLADE (Episode 5 : Island of Lights), the anime series by Madhouse, where Blade travels to Siquijor, Philippins and fights manananggal. He also meets a tribe of aswang hunters named Lupit, Cimarron, and Hagibis. (Thanks to Ace Enriquez who sent these screencaps and promised to lend me a copy of this episode.)

UPDATE: Just confirmed it-- yes, the outline for this series was written by Warren Ellis . This isn't the first time Warren Ellis has written a story set in the Philippines. His graphic novel STRANGE KILLINGS was set in the Hundred Islands.

(La! La! La! La! La! La! Laaahhh! Nanggigigil kami...!!!)

The Verdugo Guardians in action

Blade vs the Manananggal

See screenshots from the episode where Blade fights a mandurugo in Manila:
http://tresekomix.blogspot.com/2011/08/blade-fights-aswang-in-manila.html

13 panels from Book 4

2011-07-13T01:57:00.000+08:00

an email from Mike Carey about TRESE

2011-06-15T12:08:00.000+08:00

Last October, while I was in the UK, aside from getting to meet Alan Moore, I also got to meet Mike Carey, writer of THE UNWRITTEN, and Vertigo editor Pornsak Pichetshote. They were attending the British International Comics Show and they were in the audience of Yuko Shimizu's talk, the cover artist of THE UNWRITTEN.

After the talk, I tried to find the best opportunity to introduce myself to them. But a lot of other people were talking to them and I didn't want to be rude and just butt in their conversation.

I finally saw my chance when they broke away from the crowd and went into the men's room. (No! I did not follow them in there!)

I waited for them to come out and quickly blocked their way and blurted out: Hi!I'mBudjetteTanfromthePhilippines!AndIjustwantedtogiveYOUacopyofmycomicbookTRESE!ThankYOU!

I gave them copies of TRESE and said thanks again. As soon as I walked away, other people came up to them greet them and talk to them. I looked back and saw that they were flipping through the pages of TRESE and that just made me smile.

Before I could take another step, someone tapped my back. I turned around and saw Mr. Carey and Mr. Pichetshote holding TRESE and one of them handed me a pen and they asked me to autograph their copies.

At first I didn't know how to react and panicked, thinking, "What the hell should I write? If I make a typo in my autograph, will this ruin my chance of getting into Vertigo?"

As I scribbled down things that resembled words, I said: OhMyGod!ThisfeelLIKEsomethingthatwouldhappeninTHEUNWRITTEN!

(ugh, hopefully, I didn't sound like some valley girl when I said that)

Anyway, the experience got me all buzzed and I was smiling on the train ride back to Macclesfield.

The other day, I got this email from Mike Carey:

Hi Budjette.
And here I am, more than six months later. I'm sorry it's taken me so long to get back to you.

I finally got around to reading TRESE. I was very impressed, by the storytelling, the concepts and the high-contrast art. Trese herself is a very convincing and engaging protagonist, and I very much enjoyed your handling of magic in the story - both for scary and for humorous effect. All in all, a lovely read with a very strong sense of place.

Thanks again for the free copy. I very much enjoyed reading it, and I hope it's been a success for you both in sales terms and in getting your name known and getting further commissions.

Best,
Mike

And I'm buzzed all over again! Dizzy! Feels like vertigo!

your history, your myths, your folk beliefs

2011-06-12T00:21:00.000+08:00

“Remember your history, your myths, your folk beliefs no matter how meaningless or demeaning these may appear. It is with these that you create a new totality, the identity without which you will be formless, inchoate.”
–F. Sionil Jose, “Letter to the Next Generation.”

the Tres Komikeros interview

2011-06-02T00:47:00.001+08:00

Last Monday, despite having a bad cold and cough that made me sound like a muppet, I got on Skype and chatted with John Amor and Migs Santos of TRES KOMIKEROS about how Trese started, how Trese was inspired by my favorite TV shows and how it was actually based on a rejected story I pitched to Marvel, and about how I got rejected by DC Comics and Atlas Komiks, and about how I really, really hate horror movies.

So, if you'd like to hear me babble for an hour and overshare details of my life, download the episode at: http://treskomikeros.wordpress.com/2011/06/01/tk-73-budjette-tan/

Here's the blurb from their blog: In this episode of Tres Komikeros, John and Migs are joined by National Book Award Winner, Budjette Tan. Join us as he talks about the inspiration and research behind his hit noir-horror graphic novel, Trese. In this hour-long interview, we shed light on strange and amusing factoids such as Budjette’s writing process, his “technique” for writing action sequences, his slowly growing case against Brian Michael Bendis, and much much more. Enjoy, folks!

The Real HANK D’ BARTENDER

2011-05-27T01:13:00.012+08:00

Hank, me, and Kajo

Back in the mid-90s, I met Karen Kunawicz because I sent her a copy of my comic book. In return, she became our guide and gatepass into the wonderful world of Pinoy rock bands. She was our Alice and Mad Hatter rolled into one. She invited us to gigs at 70s Bistro, poetry readings at Club Dredd, more gigs at Clud Dredd, and raves conspired by Consortium. So, down the rabbit hole we went and met this other Mad Hatter (or is he the Cherish Cat mashed-up with the Caterpillar?). During one of those gigs, in one of the smoke-filled clubs, we met Hank Palenzuela.

Around that time, Hank was the bassist of Electrickool-aid, a band which Karen managed.

Sometime later (it was all a blur), Hank became the bartender of the Verve Room in Malate. We always got a free welcome drink from Hank. He never told us what was in that neon-orange concoction, but it always got us started on the right foot.

One of Hank’s classic story from the Verve Room was the night he got Bill Pullman drunk. Legend has it, Bill Pullman was here, filming Brokedown Palace. He arrived at the Verve dressed in a white polo and wearing a necktie. Hank started to serve him his special drinks and by the end of the night, Pullman had his polo ripped open and his necktie ended up around his forehead; and every time Pullman went to the bar, he’d yell, “Hank! You’re the best bartender in the world!” (Or so the story goes.)

So, when me and Kajo were putting together TRESE and we needed a bartender for The Diabolical, we thought it was only appropriate to call him Hank.

He ended up being called Hank Sparrow, because the real Hank lives a double life. When he’s not serving you his special drinks, he’s a pirate. Yup, he and Karen are part of the Black Pearl Philippines where he cosplays Cap’n Jack Sparrow.

At the Metro Comic Con, Hank told us how he usually has people come up to the bar (he’s been the bartender of BigSkyMind past couple of years) and they’d start off to say, “Hey! Aren’t you…” (And he’d half expect them to say, “Jack Sparrow”) But they end up saying, “Aren’t you that bartender from the Trese comic book?” (I guess Kajo drew “Hank d’ Bartender” too much like Hank.)

In every draft of Trese, Hank would usually have a line or two, or he’d do something to help solve the case; but when the time comes to edit the story down to 20 pages, Hank’s scenes would usually be the first to go. Which is one of the reasons why I started writing STORIES FROM THE DIABOLICAL, to give Hank d’ Bartender a chance to strut his stuff and serve his drinks.

At the Metro Comic Con, I asked Hank, if he could come up with a special drink list for The Diabolical. A smirk crawled on his face and he said, “Yeah! We could have a drink that uses the buntot ng butiki! Or how about a drink that uses the bulbol of a tikbalang! If getting a hair from the tikbalang’s mane lets you control it, can you imagine what you’ll get with a strand of its bulbol?!”

Right.

Okay.

And we’ll just have to reserve that story for another day.

So, the next time you’re in The Diabolical, tell Hank that you know us and you can be sure he’ll serve you one of his special drinks. Just don’t ask what’s in it.

Trese at the Metro Comic Con

2011-05-25T03:10:00.000+08:00

And now, my very delayed post about the Metro Comic Con 2011

Since me and Kajo are trying to finish the fourth case of Book 4, in between all our usual work, let me just recap the highlights of MCC with these pictures I stole from other people’s Facebook accounts (Hello Ner and Carlo and everyone else who tagged us on Facebook!)

wherein Xandra Ramos of National Bookstore and Ernest Hernandez of Sketchpad Inc. cut the ribbon and official open Metro Comic Con 2011 (and I thought it was line to the buffet table)

With Karen, Vince, the real Hank, Kajo, Wella "The Accountant", Ian Sta. Maria, and Ace Enriquez

And we just want to say thanks to everyone who got copies of Trese, Precinto 13 by me, David, and Atan, Bathala: Apokalypsis by David Hontiveros and Ace Enriquez, the Skyworld series by Mervin Ignacio and Ian Sta. Maria, and The Filipino Heroes League by Paolo Fabregas

That's David Hontiveros on the left and Paolo Fabregas on the right and that's what I look like when I haven't had my first cup of coffee in the morning.

That's Paolo Fabregas on the left and Invisiboy on the right.

Getting a little kickback from Mr. David Lloyd

Philip Tan, the other Tan, and Heubert Michael Khan-- hatching a plan!

Jay Tablante, Wilson Tortosa, Czari Flores, and Carlo Pagulayan

THE KAMBAL COSPLAYERS

Me and Jay Tablante wanted to give away this wonderful poster of Bianca King’s cosplay Trese and all people had to do was come to the MCC dressed up like Trese or the Kambal or any other character from the comic book.

Well, only a couple of brave souls dared to dress up and here are the lucky winners.

We also got to play around with actual Kambal masks that were made for Jay’s shoot. So, yes, these are one-of-a-kind masks and they are not for sale. (But don’t worry, we’re trying to figure out if we can find a way to make more masks at a more affordable price.)

Mikey Bustos' Guide to Filipino Mythical Creatures

2011-05-16T01:13:00.000+08:00

Singer, actor, and now YouTube celebrity Mikey Bustos presents to us a guide to Filipino Mythical Creatures. In this video, he talks about how his parents scared him as a kid when they told him about the "moomoo". He also talks about the sirena/mermaids, the duwende, aswang, the White Lady of Balete Drive, and what to do to protect yourself from witches / mangkukulam.

PRECINTO 13: Premeditation

2011-05-14T00:55:00.000+08:00

PRECINTO 13: PREMEDITATION

Story by Budjette Tan

Art by Atan

Trese Metro Comic Con Exclusive

2011-05-05T02:52:00.004+08:00

a young boxer is given the deal of a lifetime

but before he signs the contract

Trese offers to become his guide

showing him the dire consequences of

not reading the fine print,

revealing the secret arena found under the city

where the country’s greatest champion

fights for his very soul

TRESE: FIGHT OF THE YEAR

Story by Budjette Tan

Art by Kajo Baldisimo

Exclusively available at the

METRO COMIC CON 2011

Megatrade Hall 2,

5th Level Bldg B, SM Megamall

May 7 and 8, 10am to 9pm

Free TRESE cosplay poster

2011-05-01T12:54:00.001+08:00

We will be giving away this limited-edition TRESE cosplay poster by Jay Tablante at the Metro Comic Con.

Here's how you can get this poster for free:

1
Come to the Metro Comic Con on May 7 and 8 dressed up as Trese or the Kambal or any of the characters from the comic book. (If you want to cosplay Capt. Guerrero or the Nuno or Maliksi the Tikbalang, that's also fine with us!)

2
Go to our booth and have your picture taken.

3
Get a free poster!

It's that easy!

We will only have 30 posters and it'll be given away on a "first come, first served" basis. (So, if 30 people come and cosplay Trese on the first day, then we won't have any posters to give away on the second day.)

See you at Metro Comic Con 2011!

METRO COMIC CON 2011
Megatrade Hall 2,
5th Level Bldg B, SM Megamall
May 7 and 8, 10am to 9pm

Cosplay Credits:
Photography: Jay Tablante
Make-up: Kris Bacani / Bianca King
Styling: Hannah Kim
Costume Production: Badj Genato
Production Design: Raffy Tesoro
Art Director: Angelo Lico
Digital Imaging: Angelo Lico
Models: Bianca King, Tiffany Alejandro, Philip Arca, Sassan Shohouki

wizard detectives and magic procedurals

2011-04-29T22:03:00.001+08:00

NBC recently announced their new TV series called 17TH PRECINCT and it’s been dubbed as a “magic procedural” show.

Here’s the premise as reported by io9:

17th Precinct takes place in the city of Excelsior, which is basically San Francisco with a few noticeable differences. Like Alcatraz doesn't have an old prison on it, and the Golden Gate Bridge doesn't have cables on it. Cars drive themselves. Instead of Christmas, you celebrate the Equinox. (And yes, there are "gods" instead of "God.") Houses have "power plants" — which are actual plants that supply the energy for devices inside the house. Moore has always been a master of world-building, and this show is no exception. It's a really richly described setting, with lots of odd little details.

And the show takes a lot of pleasure in delving into the ways that the existence of magic changes police work. Instead of a forensics team, you call in the necromancer when you have a dead body. Instead of an autopsy, you do a necropsy. The police station's resident necromancer, Morgana, can summon the spirit of a recently deceased person and ask him/her questions. Instead of photographing the crime scene, the cops create magical "etchings" that show them every angle.

This reminded of the other movies that involved a “wizard detective”, which later served as inspiration for the cases and mysteries that Trese had to solve.

I think one of the first times I ever encountered the “wizard detective” was in the movie “Cast a Deadly Spell”

The movie starred Fred Ward as a private detective named Harry Philip Lovecraft. Set in the 1940s, where magic was used on an everyday basis. “…monsters and mythical beasts stalk the back alleys, zombies are used as cheap labor, and everyone — except Lovecraft — uses magic every day.”

The character of Lovecraft was seen again in the movie "Witch Hunt", where he was portrayed by Dennis Hopper.

Then there was the movie “Lord of Illusions” which starred Scott Bakula, as Harry D'Amour, a private investigator who specialized in occult cases. He wasn’t really a magician or wizard, but he did have tattoos that gave him protection from magic spells and curses.

Talking about “occult investigators”, we might as well toss in Karl Kolchak and Fox Mulder in that list of characters that inspired Trese.

One of the driving ideas behind Trese was trying to figure out the mystery behind urban legends and childhood ghost stories. It always nagged me how all the White Lady stories end with her disappearing. I wanted to know who was she, why does she hang out on Balete Drive, is a she a ghost, a diwata, or a CIA agent dressed up and designed to distract the public from more important issues (which was one of the theories about the White Lady).

Trese’s methods of detection were heavily influenced by my watching too many CSI shows. I thought that our local detectives would’ve have access to all those hi-tech CSI toys, so I thought Trese would be able to piece together clues by using magic spells to see the last thing that the victim saw and use her underworld contacts to track down the suspect.

I guess, Trese has always been a “magic procedural” type of serial, but I just never thought of coining that term.

So, if 17th Precinct becomes a hit, will “magic procedurals” become the next CSI and we’ll start seeing 17th Precinct: New York and 17th Precinct: Miami? Will we see more spellcasting detectives on TV soon?

And now that Constantine is back in the DC Universe, is it possible that the WB will have a Teen Constantine TV show in the works? Hopefully, they won’t do such a thing.

Team TRESE at Summer Komikon

2011-04-19T02:31:00.000+08:00

Thanks to every one who came by to visit us at the Alamat / Visprint table!

Thanks to every one who got copies of Trese, Precinto 13, the Trese Night Gallery Prints, as well as Paolo Fabregas' THE FILIPINO HEROES LEAGUE!

And thanks to the Komikon crew from picking such a great venue and organizing such a great comic con! What a great way to start to the summer!

How I looked like at the start of the Komikon...

... and this is how I looked 5 hours later (trying to hide the pain)

Team TRESE: Wella, Kajo, and me

Fujipic courtesy of Hub Pacheco

This is the first time anyone's asked me to sign their shirt!

Paolo with his brand new baby!

And this should give you a good idea of how fun it was...

Art by Omeng Estanislao

Thanks to Hub and Kitty and all the other people who took our pix and I just swiped them from your Facebook page! Hehehe! Thank you!

Precinto13 at Summer Komikon

2011-04-16T01:27:00.001+08:00

PRECINTO 13 No.1
Contains two stories: "A Domestic Disturbance" and "Premeditation"
Story by Budjette Tan and David Hontiveros
Art by Atan http://atanbz.deviantart.com/
16-pages, black-and-white

3rd Summer Komikon 2011
Bayanihan: Komiks Moving Onwards
April 16, 2011 (10am to 7pm)
Bayanihan Center, Pasig City
Entrance Fee: Php 100

Click here to see map of the venue:
http://www.komikon.org/map-to-bayanihan-center/

Trese Summer Komikon Exclusive

2011-04-13T03:20:00.000+08:00

A murdered manananggal…

Starts a gang war…

Trese must solve this mystery…

Before more blood is spilled…

Before the gangs of the underworld claim

the streets of Manila.

TRESE: A PRIVATE COLLECTION

(A Summer Komikon Exclusive)

Story by Budjette Tan

Art by Kajo Baldisimo

22-pages, black-and-white, P50

This new Trese case is part of Book 4 which will be launched later this year.

3rd Summer Komikon 2011
Bayanihan: Komiks Moving Onwards
April 16, 2011 (10am to 7pm)
Bayanihan Center, Pasig City
Entrance Fee: Php 100

Click here to see map of the venue:
http://www.komikon.org/map-to-bayanihan-center/

Hannah and Ammie

2011-04-12T11:56:00.001+08:00

Here's the updated version of Kajo's "Hannah and Ammie" Trese print.
This will be available at the Summer Komikon for P130.
See you this Saturday at the Komikon!

Click here to see the map to the venue:
http://www.komikon.org/map-to-bayanihan-center/

TRESEgg

2011-04-10T13:08:00.000+08:00

Lyndon Gregorio's advanced Easter treat which you'll find at the Summer Komikon on April 16. See you at the Bayanihan Center, Pioneer Street, Pasig City.
http://www.beerkada.net/2011/04/10/tresegg

a Page from TRESE Book 4

2011-04-07T21:09:00.001+08:00

More preview art from this case at:
http://tresekomix.blogspot.com/2011/04/trese-summer-komikon-exclusive.html

See you at the Summer KOMIKON
April 16, Saturday
Bayanihan Center, Pioneer Street, Pasig City
10am to 7pm
For a map and directions to the Bayanihan Center, click:
http://www.komikon.org/map-to-bayanihan-center/

Trese and Kambal art by Ed Tadeo

2011-03-28T06:34:00.000+08:00

TRESE and THE KAMBAL pin-ups by Ed Tadeo
See more of Ed's art at : http://www.edtadeo.com/

The Kambal at Komikstrip

2011-02-28T01:49:00.001+08:00

Seems like I missed all the fun that happened at this year's Komikstrip. For some strange reason, when the Kambal traveled all the way to UPLB, they got caught under the spell of some enkanto or salamankero and they were transformed into... girls!

Mignonne Yap as Happy Kambal and Erika Thea Hernandez Ajes as Gloomy Kambal

HaLe Starship Black with Erika

Mignonne, Gloomy Kambal unmasked

Simeon from EL FILIBUSTERISMO meet the Kambal?! Did he time travel?

Manix Abrera protects himself when the Kambal came along. Astig!

Gerry shows no fear when he gets surrounded by the Kambal

Happy Kambal with a very happy Manix

a very strange team-up

this is like Vertigo-Marvel-team-up

So, I wonder, were the girls inspired by this Kambal pin-up made by Ian Sta. Maria.

Art by Ian Sta. Maria

Pictures from the Facebook pages of:HaLe Starship Black and Amado Aparentado

TRESE: LES FEMME FATALES

2011-02-22T00:40:00.001+08:00

This Trese photoshoot by Jay Tablante is part of his exhibit...

LES FEMME FATALES
A cosplay photography exhibit by Jay Tablante
Feb 22 - March 6, 2011
The Crucible Gallery
4F Mega Building A, SM Megamall

Proceeds are for the benefit of the Vincentian Missionaries Social Development Foundation.

See more of Jay's photographs at:
http://jaytablante.deviantart.com/

See behind the scenes photos at : http://tresekomix.blogspot.com/search/label/Jay%20Tablante

Spot.ph reports on the exhibit : "Solenn Heussaff, Alodia Gosengfiao, Rhian Ramos featured in Les Femme Fatales exhibit" http://www.spot.ph/gallery/905/solenn-heussaff-alodia-gosengfiao-rhian-ramos--more-in-les-femme-fatales/article/47664

Manila Bulletin report about the exhibit: "Kapuso beauties masquerade as comic book characters for photo exhibit" http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/305876/kapuso-beauties-masquerade-comic-book-characters-photo-exhibit

Credits:
Make-up: Kris Bacani / Bianca King
Styling: Hannah Kim
Costume Production: Badj Genato
Production Design: Raffy Tesoro
Art Director: Angelo Lico
Digital Imaging: Angelo Lico
Models: Bianca King, Tiffany Alejandro, Philip Arca, Sassan Shohouki

Trese and the Kambal cosplay

2011-02-21T00:13:00.001+08:00

Bianca King as TRESE

casting a spell over you

you don't really want to mess with us, do you?

Photos by Wella Balagtas

These pictures were taken during Jay Tablante's TRESE photoshoot, which will be part of his exhibit "Les Femmes Fatales".

LES FEMME FATALES
A cosplay photography exhibit by Jay Tablante
Feb 22 - March 6, 2011
The Crucible Gallery
4F Mega Building A, SM Megamall

Proceeds are for the benefit of the Vincentian Missionaries Social Development Foundation.

See more of Jay's photographs at:
http://jaytablante.deviantart.com/

scene of the crime

2011-02-18T00:13:00.007+08:00

JAY: tee hee! yezzz! we did it! WE DID IT! MWAHAHAAH!

i am such a fanboy

me and my cousin Oliver lurking in the shadows

BUDJETTE: And this is how I draw the Kambal...

TRESE: Now, how did I cast that spell again?

group hug!!!

Photos by Wella Balagtas

These pictures were taken during Jay Tablante's TRESE photoshoot, which will be part of his exhibit "Les Femmes Fatales".

Kambal cosplay

2011-02-15T22:37:00.003+08:00

Philip Arca and Sassan Shohouki

HAPPY: We make this look good.

GLOOMY: Are you looking at me? Are YOU looking at ME?!

Photos by Wella Balagtas

These pictures were taken during Jay Tablante's TRESE photoshoot, which will be part of his exhibit "Les Femmes Fatales".

A Diabolical VDay

2011-02-14T06:00:00.004+08:00

As a VDay treat, here are some romantic scenes (as romantic as we can get in the world of Trese) from Heubert Michael Khan and from Kajo.

Art by Heubert Michael Khan

Art by Kajo

And here are some old stories from the Diabolical about love, lost, and magic.

I CARRY YOUR HEART
http://diabolical13.blogspot.com/2010_02_13_archive.html

COFFEE BLACK
http://diabolical13.blogspot.com/2009_04_13_archive.html

THE USUAL SPOT
http://diabolical13.blogspot.com/2009_02_13_archive.html

Enjoy!

THE FEAST (complete story)

2011-02-11T03:23:00.001+08:00

click pages to see larger version, please

THE FEAST

Story by Budjette Tan

Script by Alex Arellano and Budjette Tan

Art by Kajo Baldisimo

First appeared in UNO Magazine

This story was inspired by Neil Gaiman's Epicurian Club from the "Sunbird" story, by Luis Katigbak's review of the restaurant called Kagat, and by the many meals I've shared with Alex, Maricel, and Dino (Harrison's Top Foodies).

I actually asked Alex to help me out with the recipes and with the dialogue.

So, in case you do find some fresh manananggal in the market, here's how you can cook it...

Recipe for sisig na mananggal

Prepared by Alex Arellano

Step 1 – boiling
Ingredients
• 1 head ng manananggal.
• 1 kilo - liver of manananggal.
• 250 ml pineapple juice
• 3-4 cups water, should be enough to cover the pork pieces
• 1 tbsp salt
• pepper

Step 2 – grill and mince and mix
Ingredients
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp lemon or kalamansi juice
• ¼ cup vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp knorr seasoning
• optional sili – depends on how hot you like it

equipment needed:
pot
griller, uling
sizzling plate or kawali /wok/pan

Step 1
• remove skull of manananggal, shave off hair.
• To remove remaining facial hair, eyebrows etc, pass a blow torch over the meat.
• Cut meat from head into smaller pieces.
• Put pork, liver, pineapple juice, water, 1 tbsp salt and pepper in pot. Bring to a boil. Let simmer for 1 to 1.5 hours.

Step 2
• Remove liver and meat and drain. discard the stock in the pot.
• Set aside liver.
• Grill meat pieces until skin becomes crispy.
• On a chopping board, using cleavers, mince pork and liver.
• Add onions, vinegar, lemon or kalamansi juice, knorr seasoning, salt and pepper to taste. Mix ingredients well.

Step 3
Get a hot plate and put over stove until plate is sizzling hot.
Add sisig, do not stir or mix. Allow a crispy crust to form. Serve.
(maybe the chef can just roast them while they’re in the skull and then take them out of the skull and serve them on the side with the sisig)

Songs of the Lewenri (complete story)

2011-02-10T02:19:00.000+08:00

They were named lewenri by the people of Romblon.

For those who have claimed to have met or seen a lewenri, they were described as tall, handsome men with fair skin. These creatures make frightful, shrill-like sounds, but also play sad or joyful music. They’ve also been known to help the humble and punish the proud. This was the description given by Maximo D. Ramos in his book “The Creatures of Midnight”.

In 2008, Mark Torres invited me to collaborate with him on a comic book anthology based on Ramos’ book. Editor Miggy Escano asked the contributors to pick one of the creatures from the book and speculate where would these characters be now found in modern society; where can we find them in this busy, bustling city.

At first, I was at a lost on what to do with the lewenri. I just kept re-reading its description: tall, handsome, fair skinned, and can sing. And it just suddenly occurred to me that if one had all these qualities, then the next best thing to do would be to form a rock band and enter Philippine showbiz. (Well, that’s what I’d do!)

And so, next time you tune into one of the music channels on TV, be careful who you send your request to. They might just come true.

SONGS OF THE LEWENRI

Story by Budjette Tan

Art by Mark Torres

http://mytymark.deviantart.com/

Dan Matutina's Illustrated Guide to the Underworld

2011-02-09T01:36:00.001+08:00

MANANANGGAL. Literally means “one that removes”. This creature is usually an attractive woman by day. At night, especially when there is a full moon, her upper body detaches from her lower body; it utters a special demonic prayer and applies some kind of oil on all of its body parts before the ‘detachment’. Bat-like wings sprout out from its back, and it uses its long tongue to feed on human blood and flesh (usually that of unborn babies). Before the sun rises, it goes back to where it left its lower body and attaches itself again, ready to blend in with the human crowd for another day.

KAPRE. This mythical creature is often considered as a tree demon with human-like characteristics. Often described as giant-like and hairy, wearing loincloths (or bahag) and smoking tobaccos, Kapres are not particularly evil. They just love playing pranks on people, and would sometimes look for friendship with mortals.

TIKBALANG. Usually depicted as a very tall creature with a head of a horse, tikbalangs are famous for leading travelers astray by scaring them. They play tricks on humans, making them return to the place where they are trying to get away from. There are some superstitions stating that tikbalangs are guardians of the forests.

TIYANAK. Tianaks are evil creatures taking the form of babies in order to lure unwary travelers to their trap. They frequent forests and woods, and they imitate the cry of an infant to catch the attention of passersby. When picked up, the tianak would revert to its true form and attack the victim. They also play pranks on people. Some sources say that tiyanaks are the souls of unborn children who were killed in an abortion, or of those who died with their mothers during childbirth.

DUWENDE. They are goblins or dwarfs who can either provide good fortune or bad fate to humans. They are often thought as mischievous little beings who love to play tricks on humans. Usually, people mutter “tabi-tabi po” to excuse themselves whenever passing by supposed homes of duwendes (usually small mounds of earth or trees) so as not to disturb them.

SIRENA. Philippine version of mermaids. They love hypnotizing people, usually fishermen, by their sheer beauty and enchanting singing voices. Some say that they pull humans to the water and offer them to ocean deities; some accounts said they just love to distract humans while working (though sometimes it still lead to death, i.e. shipwrecks)

These illustrations and descriptions originally appeared in ROGUE magazine, October 2008.
Images taken from : http://twistedfork.tumblr.com/post/3031150507/philippine-folklore-creatures

"I submitted [this] for the We Are Not Aimless Exhibit. I made fake posters for my fake movies. Hence the series: Movies in My Head. LEAP is about the journey of 5 engkantos to the moon in search of a less chaotic life. I made a 3d model of this for the exhibit as well, a fake toy line for a fake movie. I also made a fake OBB of LEAP that’s coming out soon."-- Dan Matutina

http://twistedfork.tumblr.com/post/2883334386/movies-in-my-head

And this is Dan's Trese art which was included in Book 3. Thanks Dan!

Studio 4 is now a crime scene

2011-01-30T22:46:00.000+08:00

a dead body is found

a spell is cast

a kambal comes out to play

TRESE: Masquerade (complete story)

2011-01-30T22:38:00.001+08:00

TRESE: MASQUERADE
Story by Budjette Tan
Art & Letters by Mark Torres

Forbidden Planet reviews TRESE

2011-01-15T00:46:00.000+08:00

Trese – dark mysteries on the streets of Manilla
a review by Richard Bruton

Trese is a supernatural series starring a female investigator who steps in to protect the streets of Manilla when the police can’t deal with the supernatural weirdness that appears. Produced by Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo, this Filipino book does so much right it’s practically scandalous we haven’t heard more about it here in the UK.

...Trese is definitely from the same mold as Hellblazer, just as it’s writer Budjette Tan is channelling equal parts Jamie Delano and Warren Ellis and artist Kajo Baldisimo does some impressive black and white work somewhere on a scale of Frank Miller and Eduardo Risso. But there’s a lot of other influences in there as well – is it just my prejudices or can I see Alan Davis as well?

But the most important thing is that it’s a very impressive take on the whole mysterious magical investigator. Its’ a very original take on an old genre idea. A hugely entertaining series of 13 stories across the 3 volumes.

READ THE COMPLETE REVIEW AT:
http://forbiddenplanet.co.uk/blog/2011/trese-dark-mysteries-on-the-streets-of-manilla/

Grand Plans and Sidetrips

2011-01-02T03:54:00.001+08:00

We had a grand plan for 2010. We planned to release Trese Book 4 and 5. Along the way, we distracted ourselves with other things and thought we were supermen and could juggle all these worlds simultaneously and still deliver the books on time. We were not as super as we thought.

So, while working on Book 4, we also tried to start TALIS, a new Pinoy superhero title and got to finish one issue.

Then I wrote that Trese Valentine’s Day story “I Carry Your Heart” where we revealed the secret of the bangungot.

We also worked on the script and storyboard for a Trese short film (which is now officially on hold and not so sure how soon this will get the green light again).

And then I collaborated with Brandie for his RE:VISION exhibit piece,which was a six-panel Trese story that you switch around and revise and it will still tell you a story.

Towards the end of the year, Erwin Romulo and the crazy crew of UNO lured us into, what he promised to be, “a whole lot of fun”. Well, he did deliver on the “fun” part and we cooked up THE FEAST (It's an 8-page, full color, all original story from me, Kajo, and Alex Arellano.) Read it in the least issue of UNO. You can't miss it. It's the one with Iza Calzado on the cover.

So, we didn’t exactly slack off and that’s why we missed our deadlines. We just kept ourselves busy. Too busy.

During the Metro Comic Con, we released TRESE: Cadena de Amor.

During the Komikon, Kajo released the first pin-up for the Trese: Night Gallery. Expect more of these pin-ups this year.

Oh, and TRESE: MASS MURDERS won Best Graphic Literature of the Year in the National Book Awards. Thank you very much!

So, what’s the grand plan this year?

To finish Book 4 (and maybe Book 5)!!!

As of this writing, Kajo is finishing the pages of case#2. If all goes well, then Book 4 should be ready by the Summer Komikon and Metro Comic Con.

New Year's Resolution: DO NOT PISS OFF TRESE!

Well try to avoid getting distracted and finished what we promised we’d finish.

And maybe we’ll get more TALIS done, with a little help from our friends.

Talking about our friends, here’s sneak preview of what you’ll see in the third and last issue of SKYWORLD by Mevin Ignacio and Ian Sta Maria

Also coming out this year is Paolo Fabregas’ FILIPINO HEROES LEAGUE

And then there’s the third issue of BATHALA: APOKALYPSIS by David Hontiveros and Ace Enriquez

As you can see, it’s going to be a great new year filled with great new stories! Thank you for sticking around and liking the stories we tell!

abracadabra

2010-12-28T15:45:00.000+08:00

This charm was used throughout the Middle Ages. 'One only had to write it down in the triangular pattern shown below and wear it round one's neck as a sort of phylactery or charm to be protected from various diseases and to be cured of fever':

ABRACADABRA

ABRACADABR

ABRACADAB

ABRACADA

ABRACAD

ABRACA

ABRAC

ABRA

ABR

The word derives from the Hebrew abreg ad habra meaning to 'strike dead with thy lightning.' In Hebrew it comprises nine letters. 'Placing aleph on the left side of the triangle - and its ninefold repetition - is the magical element.' By arranging the letters in a reverse triangle, the celestial energies which the charm claims to entrap are directed downwards. According, the figure should be seen three-dimensionally as a funnel. Like amulets, talismans and pentacles, this charm seeks to give the individual a sense of protection through communication with the higher powers and with the mysterious laws which govern the universe.

from THE PENGUIN DICTIONARY OF SYMBOLS

found via http://www.jonathancarroll.com/

Underworld Creatures Gallery 5

2010-12-21T01:13:00.003+08:00

Here's the last set of pictures from Ian Balba's thesis about creatures from Philippine mythology. All of these sculptures and pictures were made by Ian. (And how I wish this wasn't the last set!)

tahamaling

tiyanak

tikbalang

Underworld Creatures Gallery 1:
http://tresekomix.blogspot.com/2010/12/underworld-creatures-gallery-1.html

Underworld Creatures Gallery 2:
http://tresekomix.blogspot.com/2010/12/underworld-creatures-gallery-2.html

Underworld Creatures Gallery 3:
http://tresekomix.blogspot.com/2010/12/underworld-creatures-gallery-3.html

Underworld Creatures Gallery 4:
http://tresekomix.blogspot.com/2010/12/underworld-creatures-gallery-4.html

Underworld Creatures Gallery 5:
http://tresekomix.blogspot.com/2010/12/underworld-creatures-gallery-5.html

See more of Ian Balba's work at:
http://iaaaaaaaaaan.deviantart.com/

Trese in Spot.ph TOP 10 PINOY BOOKS OF 2010

2010-12-20T16:34:00.000+08:00

The 10 Best Pinoy Books of 2010 You Should Read—and Give Away
http://www.spot.ph/top-list/47219/top-10-books-by-pinoy-authors/1

As 2010 comes to a close, SPOT.ph asked Andrea Pasion-Flores, executive director of the National Book Development Board and herself an author and fictionist, to pick the most noteworthy Pinoy reads released this year that were penned by some of the most creative and controversial storytellers of our time. Check out the page-turners that deserve a place on your bookshelf--or under the Christmas tree.

CSI meets kapres, duwendes, tikbalangs and other mythical creatures of the Philippine underworld in Trese. Tan and Baldismo have created a series just as suspenseful and entertaining with strange murder suspects and a girl-sleuth named Alexandra Trese and her aswang sidekicks. Set in contemporary Metro Manila, the crimes are horrendous, with no violence, blood, or gore spared, and depicted in black-and-white illustration that show unearthly crime in all its gruesome glory. Would you believe this graphic lit series won a National Book Award? It’s that good.

Trese's Victory in the Inquirer

2010-12-18T14:05:00.000+08:00

Two articles about Pinoy comic books came out in the Philippine Daily Inquirer today.

The first one reprints our Trese interview by Paolo Chikiamco of RocketKapre.com

For fans of komiks, Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo need no introduction, and neither does “Trese”, their komiks collaboration, now published by Visprint, which is one of the most popular and most successful komik series’ in recent memory. While komiks still remains, at this point, a niche market, “Trese” continues to make inroads into mainstream consciousness, its most recent success being recognition in the National Book Awards in the category of Graphic Literature. In their first post-award interview Kajo and Budjette talk about the success of “Trese”, the importance of their fans, transmedia storytelling, and the future of Philippine komiks:

READ THE COMPLETE INTERVIEW AT:
http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/super/super/view/20101218-309565/Treses-victory

The second one is an interview by Oliver Pulumbarit, where he talks to me, Gerry Alanguilan, and Carlo Vergara about the potential and future of the Philippine comic book industry.

The local comic book industry has evolved dramatically in the last couple of years. The weekly newsprint “komiks” are gone, but the number of independent comic book creators who bring their vision to their own publications continues to grow.

Filipino-made comics are alive, kicking, and here to stay, according to three of indie movement Alamat’s most successful creators, Gerry Alanguilan (writer-artist of the acclaimed “Elmer”), Budjette Tan (author of 2009 National Book Award-winning “Trese”), and Carlo Vergara (creator of the multimedia sensation “Zsazsa Zaturnnah”).

READ THE COMPLETE INTERVIEW AT:
http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/super/super/view/20101218-309544/Pinoy-comics-pride-and-possibilities

THE FEAST in UNO magazine

2010-12-17T01:13:00.006+08:00

It was December, when four friends went on a road trip in search of the best tasting dishes in the province.

Unfortunately, in their quest for the most delicious meal, they may have driven into a town where someone eagerly awaits to have them for dinner.

THE FEAST

Story by Budjette Tan

Script by Budjette Tan and Alex Arellano

Art by Kajo Baldisimo

Exclusively available in the December issue of UNO magazine. (Look for the one with the delectable Iza Calzado on the cover)

Underworld Creatures Gallery 4

2010-12-16T01:13:00.005+08:00

And we're back! With more of Ian Balba's sculptures depicting creatures from Philippine mythology, some of which I've never heard of. Would be great if these were all compiled in a book with accompanying stories about each beast and being.

mahomanay

mameleu

manananggal

mangkukulam

marcupo

minokawa

Underworld Creatures Gallery 1:
http://tresekomix.blogspot.com/2010/12/underworld-creatures-gallery-1.html

Underworld Creatures Gallery 2:
http://tresekomix.blogspot.com/2010/12/underworld-creatures-gallery-2.html

Underworld Creatures Gallery 3:
http://tresekomix.blogspot.com/2010/12/underworld-creatures-gallery-3.html

Underworld Creatures Gallery 4:
http://tresekomix.blogspot.com/2010/12/underworld-creatures-gallery-4.html

Underworld Creatures Gallery 5:

http://tresekomix.blogspot.com/2010/12/underworld-creatures-gallery-5.html
See more of Ian Balba's work at:
http://iaaaaaaaaaan.deviantart.com/

Underworld Creatures Gallery 3

2010-12-14T01:13:00.004+08:00

Gawigawen

Kibaan

Lampong

nuno

Underworld Creatures Gallery 1:
http://tresekomix.blogspot.com/2010/12/underworld-creatures-gallery-1.html

Underworld Creatures Gallery 2:
http://tresekomix.blogspot.com/2010/12/underworld-creatures-gallery-2.html

Underworld Creatures Gallery 3:
http://tresekomix.blogspot.com/2010/12/underworld-creatures-gallery-3.html

Underworld Creatures Gallery 4:
http://tresekomix.blogspot.com/2010/12/underworld-creatures-gallery-4.html

Underworld Creatures Gallery 5:

http://tresekomix.blogspot.com/2010/12/underworld-creatures-gallery-5.html
See more of Ian Balba's work at:
http://iaaaaaaaaaan.deviantart.com/

Trese and Kambal Snowflakes

2010-12-11T02:22:00.001+08:00

Some Trese-Christmas decor hand-made by Wella :-)

Underworld Creatures Gallery 2

2010-12-10T05:17:00.003+08:00

Here are more of Ian Balba's sculptures, which are all part of his creatures of Philippine myth college thesis. This set of pictures have the sculptures in different settings. Again, very beautiful, very detailed, very freaky work! Reminds me of those dioramas in the Ayala Museum. How I'd love to wander a dimly-lit gallery and just get lost in this fantastic, dark underworld.

aswang

baconaua

balbal

batibat

BATIBAT: Typically described an obese woman. They are creatures who live in trees and when these trees are cut down and used as posts in house, they continue to stay in the wood. They forbid anyone to live near their domicile. They will sit on people who sleep near their post, causing them to have nightmares or a bangungot. To drive them away, you are supposed to bite your thumb or wiggle your big toe.

bungisngis

cafir having a smoke

cafir

calanget

Underworld Creatures Gallery 1:
http://tresekomix.blogspot.com/2010/12/underworld-creatures-gallery-1.html

Underworld Creatures Gallery 2:
http://tresekomix.blogspot.com/2010/12/underworld-creatures-gallery-2.html

Underworld Creatures Gallery 3:
http://tresekomix.blogspot.com/2010/12/underworld-creatures-gallery-3.html

Underworld Creatures Gallery 4:
http://tresekomix.blogspot.com/2010/12/underworld-creatures-gallery-4.html

Underworld Creatures Gallery 5:

http://tresekomix.blogspot.com/2010/12/underworld-creatures-gallery-5.html

See more of Ian Balba's work at:

http://iaaaaaaaaaan.deviantart.com/

Underworld Creatures Gallery 1

2010-12-04T07:59:00.002+08:00

Welcome! Welcome! Welcome to this spine-tingling collection of sculptures of creatures from Philippine lower-mythology. The creator of these gory works of art is Ian Balba. He made them for his college thesis.

I discovered Ian's work through Melvin Arciaga. Ian, Melvin, and David Hontiveros are working on a not-so-secret project and I can't wait for them to done with those pieces.

For the moment, come into the gallery and don't be afraid to get close to the exhibit. Just don't touch them. Please.


aswang

baconaua

balbal

bangungot

bungingis

mamaleu

mangkukulam

mantahungal

marcupo

nuno

pugot

segben

Spot.ph recommends TRESE

2010-12-02T06:08:00.001+08:00

Here's a list from SPOT.PH on 20 Hottest Books to Give Away this Christmas and they were nice enough to include TRESE and Manix Abrera's KIKOMACHINE!
http://www.spot.ph/gallery/684/20-Hottest-Books-to-Give-Away-this-Christmas/article/47064#pid=8838

RocketKapre inteviews Team TRESE

2010-12-01T02:38:00.000+08:00

Trese (and Komiks) After the Award: Budjette and Kajo Interview
by Paolo Chikiamco

For fans of komiks, Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo need no introduction, and neither does Trese, their komiks collaboration, now published by Visprint, which is one of the most popular and most successful komik series’ in recent memory. While komiks still remains, at this point, a niche market, Trese continues to make inroads into mainstream consciousness, its most recent success being recognition in the National Book Awards in the category of Graphic Literature. In what I think is their first post-award interview, Kajo and Budjette talk about the success of Trese, the importance of their fans, transmedia storytelling, and the future of Philippine komiks:

READ THE COMPLETE INTERVIEW AT:
http://www.rocketkapre.com/2010/trese-and-komiks-after-the-award-budjette-and-kajo-interview/

Trese available in Fully Booked Online

2010-11-27T06:00:00.001+08:00

All three TRESE books are now available at http://fullybookedonline.com

CLICK THE LINKS BELOW TO ORDER ONLINE

Trese Book 1
http://fullybookedonline.com/productdetails.asp?id=8615

Trese Book 2
http://fullybookedonline.com/productdetails.asp?id=8616

Trese Book 3
http://fullybookedonline.com/productdetails.asp?id=8620

postcards & bday cards

2010-11-24T03:20:00.000+08:00

We recently got these Trese artwork, some of which are cards congratulating us on our winning the National Book Awards, some we got during Halloween, and the last one is a birthday card. Thank you for all these wonderful and funny artwork.

Michael David

Heubert Michael Khan

Melvin Arciaga

Gilbert Monsanto

Rommel Joson

Mark Torres

my speech for the National Book Awards

2010-11-15T10:01:00.000+08:00

When TRESE: UNREPORTED MURDERS was nominated in the 2008 National Book Awards, I wrote this speech, thinking we had a good chance of winning since we were the only finalist. As most if you already know, we didn't win last year.

When were told that TRESE: MASS MURDERS was a finalist for the 2009 National Book Awards, I felt happy and excited, but tried not to get my hopes up. And yet, I couldn't help up but dig up that speech I wrote, thinking that maybe November 13 (the day of the awards) would be our lucky day.

Since I knew I'd still be in the UK during the night of the awards, I emailed my speech to Nida Ramirez, our publisher and asked her to read it in case we won.

As it turned out, November 13 was our lucky day as TRESE: MASS MURDERS got awarded the National Book Award for Best Graphic Literature of 2009.

Here's the speech I would've wanted to read on the night of the awards:

To the National Book Development Board and the Manila Critics Circle, thank you very much for recognizing our work and giving us this award.

To Ruey de Vera, who has shown support to local comics since 1995, writing reviews and interviewing local comic book creators, introducing them to Pinoys through his newspaper articles.

Thanks to Bow, Taps, Arnold, and Mark --the skeleton crew who conjured The World of the Unknown, a radio show about ghosts, aswang, and witches and most especially to Mark who thought of the name Trese.

Thanks to…

My dad, who told me all those stories that start with … There’s aswang outside the window!

My mom, who told me all those stories that ended with “happily ever after”

My brother Brandie, who drew my first horror comic book story and made me want to write more

Ka-Jo, my partner-in-crime, who asked me to do the impossible

Nida, our publisher and willing accomplice

Wella, who stands by my side during those days that seem like nightmares

Let me just take this opportunity to make an appeal to all the publishers in the room, to all the writers and artists in this room, to consider creating one comic book next year, to publish one graphic novel next year. (Although I’m not sure if my publisher will agree with me, that I’m encouraging you to become our competition.)

We once had a golden age of komiks, when supposedly it sold in the hundreds of thousands and reached millions nationwide.

We once had a golden age of komiks when it was the source material of many TV and radio programs -- and movies as well.

But maybe the age of the 10-peso newsprint komiks magasin sold at the bangketa is over.

Maybe this new age of comic books will flourish in the bookstores, sold at the price of a value meal.

I understand that as publishers, you have an editorial line to maintain. So, maybe aswang-hunting kick-ass women are not your thing and maybe gay beauticians swallowing giant magical stones that turn them into superwomen are not your thing-- but please do consider, the next time you plan a book about Rizal, why not tell it as a comic book – he was our country’s very first comic book artist after all.

The next time you do a biography of Ninoy or Cory, why not tell it as a comic book?

When I picked up Dolphy’s autobiography I thought, “This should’ve been told as a comic book!”

The next time you do a cook book about paella – maybe it the instructions can be told using comic book panels.

We once had a golden age of komiks.

I invite you to take the leap – to take a super human leap and bring back that marvelous age, that wondrous age, that fantastic age.

Thank you and good night.

Trese wins National Book Awards

2010-11-15T07:14:00.002+08:00

(UPDATED WITH PICTURES FROM THE NIGHT OF THE AWARDS)

The Official Citation from the 2009 National Book Awards : Powerful, iconic characters comic book characters Darna , Zuma and Captain Barbell, among others, emerged fully-formed from the mind of Filipino comic creators. That creativity continues to this day, in all directions, in different ways. But in Trese, Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo have a stunningly original idea, swathed in the irresistible spookiness of our folklore and the edged mythology of our urban legends. Alexandra Trese, the enigmatic paranormal investigator and her lethal bodyguards the Kambal helps the police when encountering cases that just don’t make any sense of the normal kind. In the process, Tan and Baldisimo offers us a peek into the supernatural embedded into Metro Manila’s badly lit corners.

In the first volume, Trese: Murder on Balete Drive, we are introduced to Alexandra and her team, and the second volume, Trese: Unreported Murders, showed us one peculiar procedural after another. But it is in this third volume, Trese: Mass Murders, where we find out where and how Alexandra Trese came to be who and where she is. Instead of hemming us in, Trese: Mass Murders actually opens up another world of narrative possibilities.

The rabid fan following Trese has earned is impressive, and that only adds to the fact that in Trese, Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo has crafted a testament to the limitless capacity of the Filipino imagination, as well as one of the best Filipino comic books of all time.

It is for those reasons that Trese: Mass Murders is given the National Book Award for Graphic Literature.

the 2009 National Book Awards Trophy

Nida tries to lift the award as Ruey de Vera reads the citation


Nida, reading our acceptance speech / challenge to the publishers to make more comics

thanks to Ruey de Vera for sending us a copy of this citation

thanks to Nida for the pictures

SKYGODS preview pages

2010-11-12T06:39:00.001+08:00

SEVEN GIFTS OF THE SKYGODS
Words by Mervin Ignacio
Art by Ian Sta Maria
Graphic Design Elements by Rizza Garcia
P200, 16-pages, full-color

NOTE : This will be available at the Komikon, Nov13, Starmall, EDSA. http://www.komikon.org/

the man with the plan

2010-11-11T05:51:00.001+08:00

This is Talis and he's got a plan to save the world.

I’ve been itching to do a Pinoy super hero story for the longest time. So, early this year, when I was supposed to be working on the Trese Book 4, I ended up scribbling this story and pitched it to Kajo.

We had a grand plan to juggle working on Talis on one month and working on Trese on the other month. Well, our dayjobs and other projects got into the way, so we ended up getting delayed with both books.

So far, this is the only finished TALIS story and we’ve decided to focus on the very delayed Trese Book 4, so it might be sometime before we can get back to revealing the other people who’ve crossed paths with Talis.

We hope to release Trese Book 4 early next year and if we’re lucky, we’ll get the chance to do another Talis book soon after that.

That’s the end of my intro and this link http://tresekomix.blogspot.com/2010/11/talis.html leads you the first issue of TALIS. Please do give it a read and tell us what you think.

Enjoy!

TALIS #1
Story by Budjette Tan
Art by Kajo Baldisimo

Minda needs to do a lot of things today, like study for her exams, take care of her ailing mother, and when the world needs her help, swallow a magical gem and transform into the high-flying super-hero Minakawa.

Minda was chosen to receive this magical gem because of her brave heart and kind soul; chosen by the man only known as Talis.

So, just when Minda thinks she’s done saving the day, Talis shows up to ask for one more favor. How can Minda say refuse the man who gave her all this power?

Read the complete story at:http://tresekomix.blogspot.com/2010/11/talis.html

TALIS

2010-11-11T05:45:00.002+08:00

TALIS #1

Story by Budjette Tan

Art by Kajo Baldisimo

Minda needs to do a lot of things today, like study for her exams, take care of her ailing mother, and when the world needs her help, swallow a magical gem and transform into the high-flying super-hero Minakawa.

Minda was chosen to receive this magical gem because of her brave heart and kind soul; chosen by the man only known as Talis.

So, just when Minda thinks she’s done saving the day, Talis shows up to ask for one more favor. How can Minda say refuse the man who gave her all this power?

TRESE Night Gallery: limited edition prints

2010-11-09T04:55:00.000+08:00

Ladies and gentlemen! Aswang and enkanto! Come in! Come in!
The TRESE Night Gallery is now open!

The TRESE Night Gallery is a series of limited edition art prints illustrated by Kajo Baldisimo.

The artwork will depict characters and scenes from the TRESE universe.

Only 1300 prints will be made of each artwork. Each copy will be signed and numbered. The first in the series is entitled 'MALIKSI'. It will be sold first at the 2010 Komikon at a special 'convention-only' price of P100.

Print Specs: 16.5 x 11.7 inches (A3). Black and white.

Please check every 13th of the month if you are interested to preview the next artwork in the series.

Thank you!

Note: if you can can't attend the Komikon, we will announce at a later time how you can order/where you can buy these limited edition prints.

TRESE TRICK OR TREAT Winners

2010-11-07T05:08:00.000+08:00

Thanks to everyone who joined! It was fun to see all your different interpretations and ideas for Trese and the Kambal in costume. I asked Kajo Baldisimo and our publisher Nida Ramirez to help me pick the top 13 trick or treaters. Congratulations to the winners!

Chris Costello

Luis Oliveros

Norby Ela

Charmaine Joy Cabarle

Dexter Wee

Mica Chua

Eunice Gamboa

Wilson Tortosa

Enel Lawrence Villegas

Tennille Tan

Ayo Yupango

Kitty Almazan

Cathryn G. Trinidad

You all get this limited edition TRESE print by Kajo. Only 1300 will be printed and signed. Congratulations!

URBAN ANIMAL preview pages

2010-11-06T02:01:00.003+08:00

"Morpheus Etsip, Genus Animale!" With those words, the mysterious manong who sells banana-Q casts a spell on the the boy named Joe. The next day, Joe discovers that he has gained the ability to channel animals and their feral, or at times, voracious traits. Whether this is a curse or blessing, he must learn to harness and control his newfound powers if he is to survive -- for even stranger things are coming.

URBAN ANIMAL (1 of 4)
Story and art by JOHN AMOR, www.johnamorartist.com
P60.00, Published by Big Ape Design Studios.

URBAN ANIMAL will be launched at the upcoming Komikon, Nov 13, at Starmall, EDSA. Go to http://www.komikon.org/ for more details.

TRESE: Cadena de Amor

2010-10-30T00:13:00.033+08:00

Happy Halloween! Here's a treat from me and Kajo! It's a brand new TRESE case called "Cadena de Amor". Some lucky readers were able to buy advanced copies of this at the Metro Comic Con.

In case you're wondering, yes, this is the first case in upcoming TRESE Book 4.

Let me now demonstrate my mind-reading skills!

I can see... I feel that...

That you're about to ask me the question...

"When is Book 4 coming out?"

Did I get it right?

Well, here comes the bad news.

We really, really wanted to get the new book in your hands as soon as we could, but we're still working on it. So, most probably, the new Trese book will be available early next year.

For the moment, we hope you enjoy this new Trese story.

Thank you!

TRESE: The Association Dues of Livewell Village

2010-10-29T06:48:00.000+08:00

"The Association Dues of Livewell Village" is included in TRESE:UNREPORTED MURDERS.

This story was partly inspired by Typhoon Milenyo and one of the anecdotes I heard after that storm. One of my officemates emailed that he overheard the conversation of a family who were in the mall because they didn't have any electricity at home. The father turned to his son and said, "Okay, we still don't have electricity, so we're going to check in a hotel. They don't have Disney Channel over there, so you'll have to bare with that for awhile." So, while there were other families out there who had to deal with not having no roof above their heads, some families had to deal with not being able to watch their favorite cable channel. It made me wonder what were people willing to do to keep the lifestyle they currently have.

The idea to have Bagyon Lektro, a lightning elemental, be in charge of the electric company was inspired by The Shinra Electric Power Company from the game Final Fantasy. Actually, I've never played the game, but Marco Dimaano played it a lot and raved it about whenever we got together back then. I thought it was a very interesting idea: to have a corporation, men in business suits, invade and take-over this land that has fantasy elements in it. The collision of of those two concepts was something I always wanted to use in a story.

Lastly, the story was inspired by another real-life event: the explosion of the Rockwell Coal Plant in the 1960s. The coal plant was destroyed and area where it used to stand is now called Rockwell, where you will find the Powerplant Mall.

Hope you liked the story!

Kurt Busiek's THE WITCHLANDS

2010-10-28T04:59:00.001+08:00

Kurt Busiek recently uploaded the cover and some preview pages of his new series THE WITCHLANDS. He talked about this at the San Diego Comic Con in 2009. The premise was exciting and intriguing. When I read about Wildstorm being shut down, I got worried that we wouldn't get to see this series anymore. So, I was happy to read that it's finally pushing through.

Here's the transcript from the Wildstorm Panel, where Busiek talked about the series, before it was renamed The Witchlands.

KURT BUSIEK: It’s called Kurt Busiek’s American Gothic. We were going to call it Bill Willingham’s American Gothic, but there were trademark problems with the title.

It’s a hard series for me to describe, but I’m encouraged by that because the other series that I’ve done that was difficult to describe were Marvels and Astro City. So, I think we’re in good company.

It’s a fantasy series set in the United States --it’s contemporary fantasy, urban fantasy, historical fantasy.

You might see stories in it ranging from the story of a long haul trucker whose wife died when he was on the road so he never had the chance to say goodbye, who finds himself driving her ghost on to her final reward.

The story of girl in an economically depressed fishing town in Rhode Island who discovers that the Norse God Thor is living in exile in coastal island nearby

The story of some college students who accidentally resurrect the Ninkasi, Sumerian goddess of beer

The tale of a voodoo priest called in to deal with the unquiet ghost of a murdered business.

The story of a washed-up cooking show host whose quest for the perfect burger leads him out of the real world and into the borderlands of hell

You understand why, I think, it’s a little difficult to describe.

There will be some recurring characters but like Astro City, they’re not the lead characters. They’re a recurring cast that will appear when we need them and fade away when we don’t

What happened with American Gothic was the whole time I was writing Trinity, I had this year long story all outlined, so the part of my brain that thinks up new stuff kept coming up with new stuff and I kept writing them down.

…when I was done I realized I had a whole bunch of fantasy stories set in the U.S. and I said, well I could try sell all of these as mini series and I’d have to sell each one independently or I could come up with a title, jam them all together, and have to get people to yes only once.

Once I did that, the title American Gothic kind of swam into place, and I started to thinking of the interconnections and think of what else could be done and the series became a lot more about American mythology.

Most fantasy is rooted in European mythology and European mythology is… it’s old. It’s been around for a long time. We don’t know the roots of a lot of it, but America has only been around for a few centuries and we can see the pulling mythology there, stuff that we borrowed from other cultures, or in some cases, enslaved and dragged over with other cultures. Stuff that was here when we got here, stuff that has happened along the way, like, to somebody like me, the idea that, when the silver spike was hammered in and when the transcontinental railway was built, we had built a line of steel all along across the entire country. There’s got to be great mystic symbolic power in that. We’re exploring a vast and mysterious world.

It’s not quite accurate to say that this does for fantasy what Astro City does for superheroes, but they would very much like me to say that. So, I’m saying it.

It’ll be good. The first arc will be drawn by Connor Willumsen, who was in the anthology series Pop Gun and other places. His work is stunning.

Check out Willumsen's art for THE WITCHLANDS in http://busiek.com/site/2010/10/an_advance_look.php


the original cover