GMA NEWS : The Aswang Diaspora

The Aswang Diaspora: Why Philippine lower myths continue to endure

September 4, 2015 6:04pm - See more at: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/535657/scitech/technology/the-aswang-diaspora-why-philippine-lower-myths-continue-to-endure#sthash.k7h65xjE.dpuf

The Aswang Diaspora: Why Philippine lower myths continue to endure

By BEA MONTENEGRO, GMA News

September 4, 2015 

Read the complete article at: 

Why do writers and artists decide to go back to supernatural beings for story source material? One reason is because no one’s writing the stories they want to share.

 

“[N]o one else was making stories about aswang in the city,” said Budjette Tan, writer of the Trese series. “In my case, I’ve always loved

- See more at: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/535657/scitech/technology/the-aswang-diaspora-why-philippine-lower-myths-continue-to-endure#sthash.k7h65xjE.dpuf

Why do writers and artists decide to go back to supernatural beings for story source material? One reason is because no one’s writing the stories they want to share.

 

“[N]o one else was making stories about aswang in the city,” said Budjette Tan, writer of the Trese series. “In my case, I’ve always loved

- See more at: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/535657/scitech/technology/the-aswang-diaspora-why-philippine-lower-myths-continue-to-endure#sthash.k7h65xjE.dpuf

The Aswang Diaspora: Why Philippine lower myths continue to endure - See more at: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/535657/scitech/technology/the-aswang-diaspora-why-philippine-lower-myths-continue-to-endure#sthash.k7h65xjE.dpuf

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/535657/scitech/technology/the-aswang-diaspora-why-philippine-lower-myths-continue-to-endure

“[N]o one else was making stories about aswang in the city,” said Budjette Tan, writer of the Trese series. “In my case, I’ve always loved writing ghost stories and have always wanted to write a detective story. So I ended up creating Alexandra Trese as my occult investigator, as the reader’s guide into Manila’s supernatural underworld.”

“It's the most natural subject to draw, really,” said Kajo Baldisimo, Trese’s artist. “As young as three years old, these creatures were already a part of my and most of our generation's subconscious thanks to our parents and grandparents who have a great way of disciplining us by making us believe in these stories and these creatures.”

“It's in the DNA of every Filipino,” said Baldisimo. “It’s one of the few things we can clearly say is very Pinoy, something that’s ours,” Tan said. “I think telling aswang stories is something we’ll always want to tell. There are so many variations on their story, depending on how tells the story. Someone will always have their own version to tell.”

Art Republik Interview

Many thanks to Betty Regala for including me / interviewing me for their show ART REPUBLIK.
My bit starts at 16:35 into the interview. http://youtu.be/7hvuONdJmY4?t=16m35s

Art Republik's Episode 9: Skin, Street and Comics is part of the First Season of the show aired on Knowledge Channel, SkyCable 42. For more information on Art Republik, like them on Facebook, www.facebook.com/artrepublik

where it all begins

This is my desk at home, where I do most of the writing for Trese. This picture was taken by Mitch Mauricio and it's part of her Anik-anik Love project.

You can see more pictures of my work space, my comic book collection, and read a short interview at : http://anikaniklove.blogspot.com/2012/02/budjette-tan.html

the Tres Komikeros interview

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!

Trese's Victory in the Inquirer

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

RocketKapre inteviews Team TRESE

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/

Philippine Horror Panel (UST talk)

Thanks to ROCKETKAPRE for recording and uploading the Horror Panel from “Literature From Shakespeare to Bob Ong: Bridging the Divide Between the Popular And the Canonical” conference, held at the UST on August 18, 2010.

In the panel are authors Bart (G. M.) Coronel (Tragic Theater), David Hontiveros (Penumbra novellas, Pelicula, Bathala Apokalypsis) and me.

Part 1



Part 2


Part 3

a High Profile feature

The latest issue of HIGH PROFILE magazine just came off the press and if you can somehow stop staring the fantastic Georgina Wilson photo-spreads and the "Land of Legend" fantasy pictorial, you'll get read three geeks (i.e me, Mark Torres, and Paolo Fabregas) talk about comics and making comics.


Many thanks to the High Profile-crew, headed by Marco Venditti, Carmena Moura, and Chad Rialp.

Flip through the digital version of HIGH PROFILE magazine at:
http://www.vegamedia.com/pagcor/issue6/pageFlipper6.html

Or better yet, go to the bookstore and grab a copy!

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

Do you believe in ... ?

Yvette Tan, author of the horror anthology WAKING THE DEAD, has started a new segment in her blog, where she interviews people about their beliefs and encounters with the supernatural and paranormal. I am honored to be her first victim.

Click on the link below to read about the time we lived in a haunted house, the time we got caught between two warring tribes of duwende, and the time we tried to look for the 13th house on 13 Street.



From Yvette's blog : This is the first post in an experiment I am conducting where twice a month (hopefully), I post a short interview of a person whose work have a tinge or more of darkness about them (although I may branch out later), not about their work (because you can easily google those), but about their beliefs and experiences in the supernatural.

I am honored to have Budjette Tan, one of the country’s best known comic book writers and whose well-crafted works of dark fantasy I admire.

CLICK THE LINK TO READ THE COMPLETE INTERVIEW:
http://yvettetan.com/2010/01/05/interview-budjette-tan/

Alexandra vs Ketsana

This is our contribution to the Renaissance project -- the benefit project organized by Whilce Portacio, Philip Tan, and Ernest Hernandez of Hobbylink.

Whilce recently did an interview with USA TODAY about the project / event which will happen on January 9, 2010 at the Megatrade Hall:

Whilce said, "We're working on an event right now called Renaissance. It's a charity auction that's going to be held on Jan. 9 that will provide money to some of these artists who have fallen on tough times. I got the top Filipino artists together to create pieces for this auction. Their mission was to create a Filipino superhero. I told them, 'You're world-class artists, make a character that kids in the Philippines can look up to, can be inspired by.' I want these kids to see artists creating heroes that look like them and that live and interact in local places that they recognize. It's a key part of establishing that sense of history, pride and legacy. If we can do that while providing support for artists in need, then we're accomplishing two worthy goals at the same time."

More details about the event in the coming weeks!

READ THE COMPLETE INTERVIEW AT:
Filipino comic book artists unite for heroic cause
By John Geddes, USA TODAY
http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/2009-12-14-filipino-artists-unite_N.htm

my FHM interview

Q&A with comic writer Budjette Tan
INTERVIEW BY: GELO GONZALES
October 18, 2009
http://www.fhm.com.ph/entertainment/interviews/article/1797/

Ever had a comic book to movie adaptation offer?
Trese has had an offer or two, but we’ve been holding them off because we wanted to finish book three. So maybe now it’s a good time to start talking to those guys again.

We’ve told people we made Trese episodic, so it might be good to adapt it to TV. The thing I’m worried about though is the production quality of our TV shows. A producer asked me once: “Wala bang love interest si Trese? Baka pwede naman natin siya bigyan ng boyfriend.” I told them I’d think about it. (Laughs)

Would you really compromise?
As long as it doesn’t involve giving our characters a talking cat or dog just because it’s cute, sure.

After Underpass, what’s next for you?
We’re hoping Underpass does really really well that readers will ask for more. Definitely, there’s more to the dark side of Manila and the Philippines to explore. So more of Underpass, we hope. And definitely more of Trese.

I would love to do a superhero book, given the chance to try again because I’ve been a big fan of the Avengers and the Justice League since I was little. It’s something I never really got to do. I’ve never been able to write specifically about guys in tight outfits hitting each other. It would be great to do a superhero comic book in the future.

If you could be any comic book superhero, who would you be?
Bruce Wayne, for his money and his great looks. (Laughs) But my high school answer would have been Martian Manhunter from the Justice League because he can turn invisible, read minds, change shape, is invulnerable, has laser vision, and heat vision. So he’s like Superman and Professor X combined. From Marvel, Wolverine is another favorite character, because he gets to say the stuff you can’t. He can get into trouble, and it doesn’t really matter because he can heal quickly. From any other book, Sandman comes to mind, but I don’t exactly want to be him, or someone from the Dreaming.

You can be Desire.
No! (laughs) I look more like Despair. So yeah, no. (Laughs)

How about a supervillain?
Good question, I’ve never though of that. I’m not too sure if I want to be Magneto or Doctor Doom because they’re like full of themselves. They really think that “I know the answer to life, and I will rule you…” That sort of thing.

I’d choose The Kingpin I think, because he was so powerful he’d just order villains around, and he was fat too. So I said, hey I could be this guy, I don’t have to learn karate, and I can just sit around and just order people around. He’s shrewd. He’s cunning, and the last thing he would do is get his hands dirty. He has everything set up around him.

READ THE COMPLETE INTERVIEW AT:
http://www.fhm.com.ph/entertainment/interviews/article/1797/
http://komix101.blogspot.com/2009/11/fhm-interview-budjette-tan.html

TRESE in the Manila Times

"Alexandra Trese’s Full Hands"
by Karen Kunawicz, Manila Times

In an often crazy and absurd city like Manila, with 11 million souls pounding its grimy streets, I’m pretty sure within the endless stretches of tightly packed buildings, behind secret passageways and unmarked doors, a slew of strange things are going on Alexandra Trese is going to have her hands full for a long time.

READ THE COMPLETE ARTICLE AT:
http://tinyurl.com/lxwurp

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

Exposed!!!

In the June issue of FHM, if you manage to not get distracted by the pretty pictures of RR Enriquez...


... and you manage to get yourself to this page...


...you'll get to read the interview conducted by B.A. Borleo
...wherein he talked to Arnold Arre, Gerry Alanguilan, David Hontiveros, Carlo Vergara, and me about the past and possible future of Philippine comic books


...and if that isn't enough reason to get this issue of FHM, then I must tell you that this issue also contain the first ever picture of Zsazsa Zaturnnah in the nude!!!

...which is accompanied by one of the funniest interviews I've ever read!!!

...Zsazsa Zaturnnah should be given a regular advice column in FHM!!!


Itutuloy... :-)


Trying to track down copies of TRESE?
This lead might help: http://tresekomix.blogspot.com/2009/01/tracking-down-trese.html

TRESE in Manila Bulletin

Trese gets lucky
by Ronald S. Lim

Manila Bulletin, Youth & Campus Section

In the world of Alexandra Trese, heroine of the comic book series "Trese," there are many things that go bump in the streets of Manila whenever darkness falls, and the city’s enthusiastic club-goers only make up a small portion of it. Manananggals, tiyanaks, tikbalangs, and duwendes make their presence felt when the lights go out, and it is Alexandra Trese’s job to keep them in line.

This alternate Manila where the creatures of Philippine mythology roam free and wreak havoc on the lives of ordinary Filipinos is the creation of the team of writer Budjette Tan and illustrator Kajo Baldisimo. Members of opposing ad agencies who knew each other because of their shared love for comics, the two decided to start "Trese" in June 2005.

Read the complete interview at:

http://www.mb.com.ph/issues/2008/11/01/YTCP20081101139546.html

TRESE in Sindak

MEET THE `TRESE` CREATORS
By Athena Fregillana, Pictures by Paul Del Rosario
This interview originally saw print in the SINDAK Horror-Thriller Magazine(April 2006 issue). Originally written in Filipino, I translated it into English for our international readers.

Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo are part of a new generation of comic creators who are trying to save our almost lifeless comic book industry. How did the TRESE series start and why is this being considered one of the famous Pinoy komiks today?

Read the compete interview at:
komix101.blogspot.com

TRESE in Sunday Inquirer Magazine

Supernatural Storytelling
By Ruel S. De Vera, Philippine Daily Inquirer, October 12. 2008



MANILA, Philippines -Almost from the very beginning, Budjette Tan has been surrounded by the unusual. “When I was a newborn baby, my parents moved into what turned out to be a haunted house,” he explains. “The ghosts were seen by my yaya and my uncles. My parents didn’t believe in such things, until one summer day after my mom gave me a bath. She said the right side of my face suddenly wrinkled up—that it looked like the face of an old man. She prayed over me until I became normal again.” Psychics were summoned and a séance held. “The psychics told the spirits that they had to move on to the next plane. The haunting stopped after some time.”

Even Tan did not know that something similarly spooky would redefine his life later on. With him doing the writing and Kajo Baldisimo providing the art, Tan came up with “Trese,”a comic book series that follows mysterious investigator Alexandra Trese as she helps the police solve unearthly crimes in Metro Manila—sometimes with some direct action from Trese and her bizarre bodyguards, the Kambal.

READ THE COMPLETE INTERVIEW AT:http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/sim/sim/view/20081012-165981/Supernatural-Storytelling

13 LETTERS DOWN

For this special online edition of 13 Letters Down, we did a very quick Q&A with Kajo Baldisimo, artist and co-creator of TRESE.

What comic books are you reading now? What was the last comic book /graphic novel you read that you really liked?
I keep re-reading WATCHMEN (ang aking paborito) from time to time and I’m still in love with it. Pero, teka… if that’s not counted , uhm… the latest comicbook I’ve read na nakaka-aliw … Kiko Machine ni Manix.

Who are your favorite artists?
We’ll run out of paper if I put everyone kaya siguro yung top 5 lang: Jim Lee, Nestor Redondo, Fernando Amorsolo, Alex Nino, Mar Santana, Alex Ross… saka Hal Santiago.

Why the change in art style in this issue? What inspired this?
I’ve been experimenting since issue 1, looking for that definitive TRESE look. I want something gritty yet clean (an’labo no?). I think I’ve hit it with issue 7. This is the same style I used dun sa Trese pinup sa Ish 1. I will be re-drawing Trese 1-6 after I’m done with Trese 13.

Who was your basis for Alexandra Trese?
Part girlfriend ko (Hi Divine!). Part Major Kusanagi. Part Maja Salvador. Part KaJO Baldisimo. Hindi ko pa po napapanood ang Underworld nung ginawa ko yung Trese 1 (actually, hanggang ngayon) so hindi po based kay Kate Beckinsale si Alexandra.

Who’s your basis for the Kambal?
The Kambal’s design is loosely inspired by those Matrix mumus. And their maskara is based on a Mananggal mask I made for the story ‘The Last Datu’.



What ever happened to NWA? Will you ever finish that story?
I’m writing Sopas’, Panic’s and Gagam’s stories everyday. But I won’t draw them ‘til TRESE is done, so sorry po sa mga mambabasa ng NWA.