Something twisted this way comes

What's scarier, global warming or zombies?
EMOTIONAL WEATHER REPORT By Jessica Zafra (The Philippine Star) June 11, 2010

Alexandra Trese, the graphic novel series written by Budjette Tan and illustrated by Kajo Baldisimo, is set in that other Manila, the one on the fringes of your consciousness, where the criminal underworld really is from the underworld. Aswang run kidnapping rings, kapre are crime kingpins, and tikbalang drink and drive. When crime takes a turn for the weird, the police call supernatural detective Alexandra Trese. When we ponder the undying popularity of the horror genre, we talk to our friend Budjette Tan.

YOUNG STAR: In Alexandra Trese you offer an alternative explanation for the crime rate: supernatural creatures. What’s scarier, ghosts and ghouls or corrupt politicians?

BUDJETTE TAN: I think corrupt politicians are scarier. At least with ghosts we can exorcise them and make them leave this plane of existence. With some politicians, there’s just no getting rid of them, no matter what kind of exorcism you perform.

READ THE COMPLETE INTERVIEW AT:
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=583176&publicationSubCategoryId=84

babbling about media, Trese, and Batman's briefs

meanwhile...
at Powerbooks-Philippine Star Supreme Ideas Alive Seminar...
i babbled about...
Trese, comic books, and the importance of a strong, unique idea
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofw0h4z2hN8


my babbling continues...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGAR4Q920wY


I shared the stage with Jomike Tejido, creator of the Foldabots and Robotars. 

Jomike's talk was more organized and fun and he didn't babble.

Powerbooks-Philippine Star Supreme Ideas Alive: 

Jomike Tejido on Foldabots
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYrTpQx8LxA


Jomike Tejido on Robotars
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bb4zhXD8UH8

Thanks to Jan Vincent Ong for organizing the IDEAS ALIVE seminar.

And many thanks to Supreme Philippine Star, Powerbooks, K-Zone, and Jack N Jill Pretzels.

And I would like to thanks Bruno's for my hair and nobody for my make-up.

TRESE in Supreme/Phil.Star

Lucky 13
READ NOW By J. Vincent Sarabia Ong
Philippine Star, SUPREME, August 1, 2009
http://tr.im/v1r9

The number thirteen doesn’t need to be unlucky. This is true for Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo’s comic book Trese that has gained an occult following and sold over 8,000 copies in Powerbooks alone. Trese follows the adventures of private investigator Alexandra Trese and his bodyguards, the Kambals, who investigate the not-so-friendly aswangs and tikbalangs in your neighborhood.

Although this column has already spotlighted Trese last October, I was able to catch up with its writer Budjette Tan in his National Book Development Board (NBDB) talk about his creature creations at Filipinas Heritage Library last Saturday. The number 13 has been good luck for its creator as Trese has goose-bumped its way into many readers’ nightmares. This includes being the first comic book to be reviewed by the NBDB. For those who missed the talk, Budjette revealed many things for fans to scream about, including clues about book 3. Enjoy the 13 sacred elemental facts about Trese below that will keep you up at night.

READ THE COMPLETE ARTICLE AT:
http://komix101.blogspot.com/2009/08/trese-in-supremephilstar.html

TRESE in Philippine Star

‘Trese’ comics are a worthy homage to Monsters, Mythology and Metro Manila.
by J. Vincent Sarabia Ong
Philippine Star : SUPREME

The spell both Budjette and his partner Kajo cast comes not from their influences mentioned in past interviews like the comic book “Planetary” or “Twilight Zone” but rather from Neil Gaiman’s “Sandman.” The heroine Trese calmly interrogates a rich dragon man who is heir to a Chinese mall empire and in another panel seeks help from a Quiapo merchant who can talk to cats. The world of “Trese” is a place where you must suspend your disbelief and accept that crime has taken a weird turn as the authors describe it.

Read the complete review at:
http://supreme.ph/2008/11/01/trese-a-haunting-homage/