manananggal in the morning

I saw this picture on somebody's Plurk. It looked nice but also looked really fake. Somebody then posted it on Facebook and asked, "What would Trese do?" It's interesting how readers have started to quickly associate Trese with supernatural happenings and strange events. Some Trese-readers on Facebook would comment about how certain current events might have been caused by the Talagbusao, Bagyon Lektro, or by fire elementals. I find it amusing that when these unusual things happen, they immediately think, "This is a job for Trese!"

Anyway, going back to the picture above, I wonder why the photographer/photoshop artist decided to set it in the morning. Wouldn't it have been more realistic if it was shot at night? Or was this supposed to be a manananggal that partied too much last night and is just on her way home? Her lower half must be really pissed!

...which reminded me of the time we tried to fake a "supernatural scandal". Below are three videos we did to secretly promote the Neil Gaiman event at Subic back in 2007. I worked on these videos with Ian Sta. Maria and we were lucky enough to get Romeo Candido to direct them. Romeo was the director of the movie "Ang Pamana:The Inherittance"; the trailer of which you'll see at the end of this post. I believe the DVD of the movie is available locally and you have to watch it if you love stories about aswang, tikbalang, and ghosts.

TIKBALANG SIGHTING

THE WHITE LADY

THE MANANANGGAL

"ANG PAMANA" MOVIE TRAILER

Order TRESE at National Bookstore website

CLICK THE LINKS BELOW TO ORDER:

TRESE Book 1
http://nationalbookstore.com/shop/products.asp?merchant_code=NBS&categ=95&product=19157


TRESE Book 2
http://nationalbookstore.com/shop/products.asp?merchant_code=NBS&categ=95&product=30929


TRESE Book 3
http://nationalbookstore.com/shop/products.asp?merchant_code=NBS&categ=95&product=30930


National Bookstore's Delivery and Returns Policies
(allows local and international shipping of TRESE)
http://nationalbookstore.com/docs/policy.asp


You can also order all the other titles from Visprint.
Just search by PUBLISHER and type in "Visprint"

a restaurant called KAGAT

Will Kagat ever open a branch beside The Diabolical?



You’ve probably already heard of Kagat, the controversial Halimaw-themed restaurant — raves and rumors have been flying around, so we sent writer and singer cum baker Waya Gallardo to sift tale from truth

Waya Gallardo will taste everything once. From kamaru (mole cricket) and kalabaw (carabao), to fried scorpions and sautéed silkworms, she will open her mouth and taste and then make up her mind. More often than not, she ends up liking it. But when Kagat (loosely translates to “bite” in English), the darkly themed halimaw (monster) restaurant opened last month, even she had to think twice before finally agreeing to try their specialty: Black Adobo.

At first glance, Black Adobo doesn’t seem like anything out of the ordinary. It isn’t even a main course, but an appetizer dish of three small birds braised in vinegar, an extraordinary amount of garlic, and fresh green peppercorns. But you can only order this dish once in one night. No one can call back to the kitchen for more.

For these small birds, served whole, head, beak, claws and all, are the fabled Black Chicks, allegedly harvested from the throats of real manananggals [a vampiric creature in Filipino folklore whose upper half sprouts wings, and separates from its lower one when it hunts for human blood].

A particularly macabre gastronomic gimik, or just another fanciful recipe on a menu that features Tinolang Adarna and Kapreng Kape (tobacco leaves are brewed along with the coffee beans)? Maybe. But how to explain the stories circulating, of Black Adobo inducing mild euphoria, of diners experiencing a common craving for cooked offal. And the wings—how do you explain them?

READ THE COMPLETE REVIEW / INTERVIEW AT:
http://www.unomagazine.com.ph/2010/05/constant-craving-kagat/
By Waya Gallardo (Interview by Luis Katigbak), originally appearing in UNO Magazine’s April ‘10 issue. Photography by Mitch Mauricio.

The Oldest Balete Tree in Baler

Last month, our friend Pinky went to Baler and went to the oldest balete tree in the area.



She took photos because it immediately reminded her to this scene from TRESE: MASS MURDERS.






According to their tour guide, the tree is so huge, it would take 60 people with arms out-stretched, to encircle the tree.





And here's Pinky about to start her version of the Twelve Trials of the mandirigmang-babaylan.







And here are pictures from the inside of the tree.



Hey Pinky! Is that a diwata behind you?

Trese protective-wear

Well, it's not exactly made of mystical cloth and it's not made by the blind weaver of Basilan, but it's the proto-type TRESE shirts designed by Wella and Argem. We hope to have them ready for the next comic book event this year.




Wella prepared them so I'd have some new Trese-wear to wear at the KOMIX101 talk I gave at Fully Booked last May 8 at Fully Booked.



This was organized The Center for East Asian Languages. Learn more about them at:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Makati-Philippines/The-Center-for-East-Asian-Languages/80111449619?ref=ts

http://www.discoverlanguages.com.ph/

Komix101: Required Comic Book Reading for the Summer

A talk about men with capes and women in tights; about mutants with claws and aliens with a lot of angst. If you like sci-fi stories, romance novels, crime shows, horror movies, then there's a comic book or graphic novel that you'll definitely like. 

Join us as we guide you through the shelves of graphic novels and find out which titles will grab your interest and open new worlds for you. 

The seminar will be led by Budjette Tan, comic writer and editor, and co-creator of the graphic novel Trese.

Date: Saturday, May 8, 2010

Time: 2:00pm - 4:00pm

Location: U-View Theater, Fully Booked, Bonifacio High Street
This seminar is for free.

On May 15, Raymond Sison leads KONICHIWA MANGA, a discussion about manga and anime. 2:00 to 4:00PM at U-View, in Fully Booked Bonifacio High Street.

These seminars are organized and hosted by The Center for East Asian Languages. Learn more about it at:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Makati-Philippines/The-Center-for-East-Asian-Languages/80111449619?ref=ts

http://www.discoverlanguages.com.ph/

Sunday Inquirer reviews UNDERPASS

“Underpass” by various creators (Summit Media)
A CHILLING journey to the dark, hidden places we fear, “Underpass” is a comic book anthology featuring four well-crafted horror stories.


In “SIM,” Gerry Alanguilan shows just how much can go wrong when one picks up a discarded SIM card in a jeepney. Betrayal comes in many colors in “Judas Kiss,” a tale from David Hontiveros, Budjette Tan and Oliver Pulumbarit. There is a magnetic quality to the violence found in Hontiveros’ and Ian Sta. Maria’s “Katumbas.” Vanity and fame come at a pretty price in “The Clinic,” from Tan and Kajo Baldisimo. “Underpass” is a sidetrip worth your attention as it is both disturbing and amazing. 

Read the other titles recommended by the Sunday Inquirer at:
http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/sim/sim/view/20100424-266190/Booking_Passage 

You can also read the complete story of THE CLINIC at:
http://tresekomix.blogspot.com/2010/01/down-other-dark-corridor-clinic.html

For more preview UNDERPASS pages, click the link below
http://www.summitgraphicnovels.com.ph/

The Automated Election Horror Story

This was entry in the Summer Komikon's Cover Recreation Contest.


Fantastic work!


Photo from ROCKETKAPRE's Flickr Page
http://www.rocketkapre.com/2010/summer-komikon-2010-photo-roundup/#more-1492

Summer Komikon 2010

SUMMER KOMIKON 2010
U.P. Bahay ng Alumni
April 17,2010 / 10am to 8pm
P50 entrance fee




This Saturday at the Summer Komikon, Mervin and Ian will be launching a 12-page preview book of SKYWORLD: PRODIGAL.




The first two SKYWORLD books will be available at the Alamat table along with the preview book.

See more Skyworld art at:

http://iantoy.deviantart.com/

http://tresekomix.blogspot.com/2009/10/down-other-dark-corridor-skyworld-book2.html

Also at the Alamat booth will be Paolo Fabregas, who will be selling copies of THE FILIPINO HEROES LEAGUE

And now for some not-so-good news...
Me and Kajo were really hoping to launch a new story this Komikon, but work got the better of us and we were not able to finish it on time. So sorry about that.

I won't be able to attend the Komikon this Saturday.

Hope to see you all in the next comic book event.

Anyway...
Click on the links below to get a list of other comic book titles you should check out when you go to the Summer Komikon:

http://gerry.alanguilan.com/archives/2558

http://mcoy.blogspot.com/2010/04/komikon-indies-updated.html

Powerbook's Pinoy Author of the Month

I was surprised to get this message from Mark Torres on my Facebook: Hey Budj, congrats on being PowerBook's Filipino Author spotlight! was very pleasantly surprised to enter PB Megamall and see your stand. It's great that the shop's recognizing your great work and contribution to the local fiction industry. It's a pleasure being able to collaborate with you. Keep up the fantastic work...

And so, I clicked on the link and found out I am PowerBook's Filipino Author of the Month! Oh wow! Talk about having a Happy Easter! Thank you PowerBooks!

And remember kids, you can order TRESE via http://powerbooks.com.ph
Just click the links below! Order now!

TRESE: MURDER ON BALETE DRIVE
http://powerbooks.com.ph/webinternal/products.asp?product_id=4204

TRESE: UNREPORTED MURDERS
http://powerbooks.com.ph/webinternal/products.asp?product_id=4770

TRESE: MASS MURDERS
http://powerbooks.com.ph/webinternal/products.asp?product_id=5049

night swimming

"They were once worn by two aswang who were forced to do battle in 'The Theater of Doom'. Every night they fought for their lives. Their master used the masks to control them. When we put a stop to the theater and set them free, the aswang decided to stay with us. They died defending your grandfather from the maligno horde."-- Anton Trese

And this is Kajo's illustration of those two very loyal aswang and a very young Lolo Trese. I'm hoping we can one day tell the tale of the Trese Clan's early adventures and cases.



More Trese art at:
http://www.exhibit13.blogspot.com/
http://budjette.deviantart.com/

awesome! he really liked it!

RJ Ledesma was lucky enough to have a really long interview with Neil Gaiman (and managed to hug him as well). It was also great that RJ got to ask Gaiman about what he thought of the local comic book creators.

RJ: Did you also like Budjette Tan’s Trese?

GAIMAN : I really liked it. What I’m really enjoying right now is that people from the Philippines send me and give me comics. This makes me happy. And I just love the fact that these are comics using Philippine culture and folklore. One of the things I really love about the contest is the feeling that I got to point out to people that this stuff is cool. Because when I first came out here, people were giving me books of local folklore and I was reading them. And I was loving them. People would then ask me, “What do you like?” and I would tell them “I liked the aswangs and the manananggals.” After that, they would ask me if I would put them in my stories. Then I started feeling as if I did (write about them) it would lend them some kind of legitimacy, but I would be like a cultural tourist. But what about you guys? This stuff is yours!

read the complete interview at:
Sandman Hearts The Dork Knight
POGI FROM A PARALLEL UNIVERSE By RJ Ledesma
(The Philippine Star) March 21, 2010
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=559724


Last Thursday, I had my third close encounter with the Prince of Stories and was able to personally give him a copy of TRESE: MASS MURDERS. Despite having OT that night, I was able to get to the line on time all because of Wella, who got me my signing pass, my number in line (I was #337), and arranged for everything so that I could once again meet Mr. Gaiman. :-)



I introduced myself, showed him a copy of Trese and the postcard he sent me last year, and he said, "Oh, that's you! AWESOME!" (Wella also shot a video, so we have proof that Mr. Gaiman said that Trese is AWESOME.)



While Gaiman was signing my copies of Sandman, the Fully Booked clerk who was assisting him saw the copy of Trese that I just handed over. He looked at the book and then looked at me and asked, "You're Budjette Tan? You wrote Trese? Oh wow! Nice to meet you!" And we shook hands above Gaiman's head -- which was a very strange moment for me.



And all the while Gaiman was signing my books, I just kept saying thank you. I wonder if I should've kept bowing while and should've said, "Thank you, m'lord! Thank you, m'lord! Thank you, m'lord!"



And Mr. Gaiman wrote...


thanks to Wella and Gerry for the photo & video coverage

flashback!!! here's my report from the 1995 San Diego Comic-Con
the first time I met the Dream King.
http://babblingpoint.blogspot.com/2005/07/blog-post_06.html

Reviews about THE CLINIC

"To me, [THE CLINIC] is the most fully-executed story of the four, just because it seamlessly marries the dreamlike quality of Baldisimo’s light, airbrushed images to the irrevocably showbiz backdrop of Lyn’s encounter with the supernatural. The story offers an unforeseen turn-around--just when you thought the worst thing Lyn would have to face was a tiyanak, you are greeted with a pleasant surprise: that there are more frightening things than unborn babies. The incidents that occur while Lyn is unconscious at the titular Clinic evoke a variety of reactions, among them the morbid wonder and mild disgust of good horror. The idea it leaves with the reader is the sort that persists long after you’ve put the book down, and this is a phenomena which, depending on how you look at it, is the worst or best thing that a horror story can do."
Deficient in Darkness: A review of Underpass by Fidelis Tan
http://www.thepoc.net/metakritiko/metakritiko-opinions/3962-deficient-in-darkness-a-review-of-underpass.html


"I have never accepted, at least on my literature’s style of writing, the use of flowers to symbolize a woman’s sexual organ. And with this credence, I never incorporated flowers and butterflies on my works to denote womanhood in terms of sex and rock and roll. A vagina is a vagina. No less, no more. But when I read the Underpass, a graphic anthology comprising of four different stories of Summit Media, I changed my mind. The Clinic by Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo is a one good comic story."
http://axrealm.com/2010/02/the-clinic-where-abortions-are-done-in-a-different-manner/

"Face your worst fear as they say. Summit Media comes up with this Graphic Anthology called Underpass and collects 4 original stories from today's great minds like Gerry Alanguilan and Budjette Tan. (It's Summit's take on putting komiks mainstream) For some strange reason, we like being scared. We Filipinos have this thing for the mythological/paranormal creatures and these 4 short stories will give you that. I think that Budjette Tan is probably the best person to talk to when discussing Aswang, Duwendes, Kapres, Tiyanaks and Manananggal. The writer's brilliant when it comes to these creatures."
http://jiggycruz.blogspot.com/2010/02/underpass.html

Read the complete episode of THE CLINIC at
http://tresekomix.blogspot.com/2010/01/down-other-dark-corridor-clinic.html

THE CLINIC is part of the horror anthology UNDERPASS (now available in bookstores and magazine shops nationwide)

For more preview pages of UNDERPASS, click the link below
http://www.summitgraphicnovels.com.ph/

Ambush vs Trese! Fight!

AMBUSH by Andrew Villar
http://ambush007.multiply.com/

TRESE: The Last Full Show

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pngd_lPVzVE

Many thanks for Dan and Dang of IDEALS Creatives for inviting me to be part of last year's Pecha Kucha.

In Pecha Kucha "each presenter is allowed 20 images, each shown for 20 seconds each giving 6 minutes 40 seconds of fame before the next presenter is up."

So, I decided to do make my presentation a tour of Trese's Manila, which became a 6 minute 40 second Trese short story.

Doing this event was a dream come true. One of my favorite scenes in the move CAPOTE was the part where he read the opening chapter of his book to jam-packed theater. It amazed me at how people were willing to spend a night watching a man standing in front of a podium and slowly read his tale to them. No special effects. No grand soundtrack. Just the man, his story, and the sound of his voice. Watching that scene, I wondered when I would get the chance to do the same thing.

It was wonderful to be given the chance to do just that. So, thanks again to Dan, our super-host Jao Bautista, and the team who put together Pecha Kucha Manila.

Watch the rest of the talks at
http://www.youtube.com/user/pechakuchamanila

Pecha Kucha Night Manila Vol. 2 - Budjette Tan, writer and co-creator of "TRESE" graphic novel, December 9, 2009, Cineplex 3, Shangri-La Plaza Mall, EDSA

Organized by Ideals Creatives (http://ideals.ph)

Visit: http://pechakuchamanila.com/main/
Follow: http://twitter.com/pechakucha_MNL
Email: pknmanila[at]gmail.com

ABOUT PECHA KUCHA
Pecha Kucha Night, devised by Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham (Klein Dytham architecture), was conceived in 2003 as a place for young designers to meet, network, and show their work in public.

But as we all know, give a mike to a designer and you'll be trapped for hours. The key to Pecha Kucha Night is its patented system for avoiding this fate. Each presenter is allowed 20 images, each shown for 20 seconds each giving 6 minutes 40 seconds of fame before the next presenter is up. This keeps presentations concise, the interest level up, and gives more people the chance to show.

Pecha Kucha (which is Japanese for the sound of conversation) has tapped into a demand for a forum in which creative work can be easily and informally shown, without having to rent a gallery or chat up a magazine editor. This is a demand that seems to be global as Pecha Kucha Night, without any pushing, has spread virally to over 200 cities across the world.

a new story from The Diabolical

TRESE: I CARRY YOUR HEART

“I came from one of the dorms, near the university. College boy was found dead in his room. It was locked from the inside. No sign of forced entry. No signs of struggle and no wounds on the body. And since there were no visible means of suicide and no note, my guess is he died of natural causes. We’ll just have to wait for Spunky from the morgue to tell us otherwise.” Guerrero finished the rest of his tale as well as his coffee.

Trese closed her eyes and asked, “Was the body drenched in sweat? Or at the very least, did his forehead and lips have beads of sweat?”

Guerrero thought about it for a second and said, “Why, yes! Yes, it was!”

“And did the air smell sweet? As if you were standing near a lot of fruit?” Trese continued.

“Yes. I thought it was the boy’s cologne or something. Why? You know what killed him?”

“It was a bangungot!” the Kambal raced to answer the question. Trese raised her glass to the Kambal for giving the right answer.

READ THE COMPLETE STORY AT:
http://diabolical13.blogspot.com/2010/02/trese-i-carry-your-heart.html

And you might also like to read TRESE: THE USUAL STPOT
http://diabolical13.blogspot.com/2009_02_13_archive.html

and for those interested, here's the traditional description of a bangungot based the research and writing of Maximo D. Ramos:

BANGUNGOT

Geographic origin of myth: Ilocos and Tagalog

The Bangungot (called Batibat by the Ilocanos) is described as a large, dark man or woman who sits on the chests of sleeping persons. Unable to breathe, the victim dies unless medical attention is given. The name comes from the root words “bangon” (to rise) and “ungol” (to groan). As a medical phenomenon, bangungot is exclusive to Asians, primarily Filipinos. All victims are males. Bangungot is not to be confused with sleep paralysis, which is common and harmless.

TRESE goes UP!

UPDATE: my apologies to the U.P. WRITER'S CLUB. I will not be able to attend today's forum on comic book writing. Hope to be part of your next forum.




And on FEB 13(SAT) I will be at U.P.L.B. along with the other guys from Alamat. (Kajo will not be able to join us on this day, since he will be far, far away.)

More details at: http://komikstrip.jonasdiego.com/

down the other dark corridor: THE CLINIC

THE CLINIC
Story by Budjette Tan
Art by Kajo Baldisimo

THE CLINIC is part of the horror anthology UNDERPASS (now available in bookstores and magazine shops nationwide)

For more preview pages, click the link below
http://www.summitgraphicnovels.com.ph/