down the other dark corridor: UNDERPASS

You are invited to take a trip to the other side and come face to face with your most horrible nightmares, your deepest secrets, your greatest fears.

Follow the path down to the Underpass.

THE SIM
by Gerry Alanguilan
What do you do when you find a cellphone SIM card? Do you try to find out who used to own and try to return it? Do you keep it and use it for your own? What do you do when you start receiving mysterious messages from the previous owner?


KATUMBAS
by David Hontiveros and Ian Sta. Maria
When lost souls and wayward demons wreak havoc in our world, the Goddess of Death send her immortal warrior to set things right. His name is Kadasig.


JUDAS KISS
by David Hontiveros, Budjette Tan, and Oliver Pulumbarit
In a secluded house in the hills of Antipolo, Peter hides a secret. He has murdered his wife and brother and buried them in the garden. Peter is about to discover that the phantoms of his past hold an even more terrible secret.


THE CLINIC
by Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo
Up-and-coming actress Lyn Reyes just found out she’s pregnant. This unplanned development will ruin her career, or so says her manager. So, she agrees to have a very discreet operation at The Venus Clinic, where she discovers the darker side of showbiz.




Set to launch this coming KOMIKON 2009 (October 18, Megatrade Hall 1, SM Megamall), "Underpass" is a graphic anthology featuring dark fantasy stories from some of today's greatest Pinoy comics creators.

The full-color anthology, which is Summit Media's first foray into Philippine-produced comics, will retail for P250.

After the Komikon, Underpass will be available in major magazine shops.

hot off the press

Last Saturday, we were able to get our advanced copies of TRESE: MASS MURDERS from Visprint.

Aside from our personal copies, we were also given the copies for the 48 people who prepaid for it at the Manila Book Fair. So, me and Kajo signed and doodled on those books-- which should be arriving at your doorstep on or before Friday. (I found it interesting that out of the 48 who prepaid, more than half were women.)

Thank you very much to the 48! Hope you like it a lot and enjoy the extra treat we've slipped in the book.

And as far as the rest of you are concerned...
the book will be launched at the Komikon, Oct 18, Megatrade Hall!

See you there!!!

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.

IDEAS ALIVE! seminar (October 10)

Ideas Alive! A seminar and workshop on how to be a media creator.

Speakers : comic book creators Budjette Tan & Kajo Balidismo (TRESE) and art entrepreneur Jomike Tejido (FOLDABOTS)

A talk on how to make your creations come alive in different mediums. Your ideas don’t have to be boxed in one medium. Don’t just be a comic book creator or a toy inventor-- be a media creator!

Powerbooks, SM Megamall
October 10, 2009, Saturday, 3 – 5 pm

Sponsored by The Philippine Star, SUPREME, K-Zone, Jack N Jill Pretzels, and Powerbooks

Marvel & DC artists draw TRESE

ART BY PHILIP TAN. Artist of FINAL CRISIS:REVELATIONS, GREEN LANTERN, BATMAN AND ROBIN, THE OUTSIDERS


ART BY LEINIL YU. Artist of ULTIMATE AVENGERS, SECRET INVASION, WOLVERINE, UNCANNY X-MEN, SUPERMAN BIRTHRIGHT


ART BY EDGAR TADEO. Inker of NEW MUTANTS, X-MEN: WORLDS APART, X-MEN: LEGACY, WOLVERINE

TRESE at the Book Fair 2009

No... no... this is not the latest incarnation of the Justice League.

This is a picture of me and Kajo at the Visprint booth at the recent Manila International Book Fair. (Thanks to Wella for taking the pic)

And before you ask, "Who's that character beside Gloomy Kambal?" ... let me tell you that that's Bob Ong. I meant ... that's Bob Ong's KAPITAN SINO character.

(Now that I look at all these characters together, it might be a bad idea to do a "marvel team-up" starring all of them. Maybe we can do that next year.)

Anyway, we just wanted to say thank you to every one who dropped by the Visprint booth while we were there. Thanks to every one who pre-paid for Book 3. Thank you for being so excited and for being so patient. We're just putting the finishing touches to it right now.

The Book Fair also gave us the chance to sit and chat with Alan "Girl Trouble" Navarra, David "Penumbra" Hontiveros, Carlo "Ang Kagilagilalas na ... oh, of course, you know what he did" Vergara, and Nida "I'm really not Bob Ong... really I'm not!" Ramirez; where we got to talk about upcoming titles, future plans, and the importance of Nida being pregnant when we launch new titles.


(thanks to alan for the pic)

During lunch, Kajo popped the question (no... no... he didn't propose!). He asked me, "So, what do you want to do for Book4?" And boy, did we come up with plans for that!

But before we even go there, we've got to launch and release Book3.

While waiting, would you like to see some pages from the book?

TRESE: MASS MURDERS preview pages

Visprint at the Manila International Book Fair 2009

GOOD NEWS!
The MANILA INTERNATIONAL BOOK FAIR aka MIBF is happening this week!

September 16-20, 2009
10:00 AM - 8:00 PM
SMX Convention Center,
SM Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City
http://www.manilabookfair.com/

GOOD NEWS!
Visprint will have a booth at the MIBF.
http://visprintpub.blogspot.com/

BAD NEWS :-(
Trese Book3 will NOT be available at the MIBF. (sorry!)

GREAT NEWS!
You can pre-order Book3 “TRESE: MASS MURDERS” at the MIBF!

We’ll deliver your autographed copy free of charge*, 1 week before the book's commercial release! You’ll even get the chance to win an original Trese artwork from Kajo Baldisimo.

You can also pre-order these upcoming Visprint books:
CRASH, a Not Quite Unreal sequel, by Carlos Malvar
12, by Manix Abrera

MECHANICS:
1. Promo applies to Metro Manila addresses only*.
2. Advanced order and payments should be made during the MIBF.
3. Promo forms available at the Visprint booth.


See you at the Book Fair!

Show me the Munny!!!

Aren't they just adorable!

(Of course, if you're aswang then you better start running because they're cute guns will blow your aswang-ass away!)

These Munny KAMBAL were designed and created by Jan Calleja.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30677525@N07/

Many thanks to Brandie, who commissioned Jan to do these pieces.

Wait... I sense a question in your mind...

... and the answer is, YES! There is Munny TRESE in the works. Stay tuned!

Rocket Kapre takes off!!!

CUT-AND-PASTED FROM : http://rocketkapre.com/

Taking our cue from SF Signal, in Rocket Round Table, we pose a single question to those who toil in the fields of Philippine SF. Our aim is to promote reflection and discussion, as well as to simply compare notes on the genre we know and love. This month we ask the question:

What is your favorite Filipino-created Speculative Fiction story?

The story can be prose or komiks, a movie or a television show… any medium by which a narrative can be told is fair game. One caveat though: let’s limit ourselves to works whose authorship is certain, and not Philippine myths/legends. In other words, Florante and Laura qualifies but “Ang Alamat ng Pinya” doesn’t. Let’s leave those for another day. ^_^

Here are the first batch of answers–I’ll compile any further replies in a subsequent post.

Yvette Tan: [Blog]

==Yvette’s fiction and non-fiction has appeared in so many venues online and offline that I truly believe she could put together an entire magazine all by her self. Her stories have been recognized by the Palanca Awards, the Philippine Graphic Fiction Awards and the 2008 Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror. Her first short story collection, “Waking the Dead,” was released just last month to stellar reviews.==

Mine would be Luis Katigbak’s “Dear Distance” for the imagery [Ed. Note: An excerpt can be found here.] , Arnold Arre’s Andong Agimat [Ed. Note: Dedicated blog is here.] and Budjette Tan’s Trese series [Ed. Note: Blog and the first seven issues in full can be found here.], the last two because of the well crafted storytelling and use of horror elements in a distinctly Pinoy setting.

READ THE REST OF THE ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION AT:
http://rocketkapre.com/2009/rrt-favorite-philippine-speculative-fiction-story/

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

KOMIKON AWARDS 2009 (And the nominees are...)

You can vote by going to:
http://www.komikon.org/

If you're a member of DeviantArt, you can vote at:
http://komikon.deviantart.com/

Or you can do it the old fashion way and fill up VOTING BALLOTS at:

Comic Odyssey
•Robinson’s Place, Level 3 Ermita,Manila
•Robinson’s Galleria, Level 3 Expansion Mall,Edsa cor. Ortigas
Comic Quest
•Lower Ground Floor Bldg. A, SM Megamall
•2nd Floor Main Bldg., SM City North Edsa

down the other dark corridor: WAKING THE DEAD

I’ve been looking forward to this horror anthology from Yvette Tan.

I first read her works in the pages of Rogue magazine. As I read her stories, I’d muttered “Hey! That’s my idea! Bad trip! She beat me to this plot!” Moments later, I’d burst out and say, “Bad trip! She did it better! Damn! That was great!” (Those two stories, “Boss, Ex” and “Seek Ye Whore” are included in the book.)

Ruel de Vera recently reviewed the book:

EYES wide with wonder and flushed with fear, the individuals at the dark heart of Yvette Tan’s stories are unsuspecting people suddenly touched by an inexplicable yet irresistible phenomenon – just like the readers who gingerly approach Tan’s first collection, “Waking the Dead and Other Horror Stories” (Anvil Publishing, Inc., Pasig City, 2009).

That is because Tan has laced her 10 precision-machined stories with elements of horror which are neither contrived nor telegraphed. She takes the mundane and turns it into something menacing.

The first story, “The Child Abandoned,” exemplifies Tan’s approach. Set in Quiapo, the tale centers on the unusual child Teresa, who seems to have an eerie connection with the despoiled Pasig River and the profound change the Pasig undergoes. While it was not obvious at first, the events in this story are the lynchpin of the collection, essentially making the others possible.

“The Bridge” takes that conceit even further, taking a political figure called Madame and the bridge she built at San Juanico into decidedly darker territory: “The presence rode the air, slithered past me, whispered in my ear. It was all I could do, not to bat it away, to run screaming from the room. I could feel my heart beating fast in my chest. I have always been comfortable with my abilities, never been afraid of the beings I could see and hear and feel, until now. I knew what an enkantada was, and a duwende and a kapre. I did not know what was in the room with me.”

Tan’s narrators and protagonists are mostly young yet transcendent, and perhaps the most fascinating thing about “Waking” is how all of Tan’s stories seem to occur in the same parallel Philippines: “Making one’s way through a Quiapo crowd is never easy, especially today. At one point, I found myself in the arms of a tikbalang. Legend has it that before the saint gave life back to the river, the city belonged only to humans. Sta. Teresa’s miracle had opened the doors for the folk of the Other Country… until Quiapo became a melting pot for different species.”

Tan’s stories rise like the enchanted river to meet their readers, the words like brackish water suddenly turning clear. Something is awakened in this book, an irresistible trap of terror and talent from Yvette Tan, whose seductively scary stories will make readers glad they acquiesced when offered this fateful bargain: “Drink, and your eyes will be opened.”

Anvil Publishing will launch “Waking the Dead and Other Stories” by Yvette Tan at 4 p.m. on Aug. 15, 2009, at PowerBooks, SM Megamall.

READ THE COMPLETE REVIEW AT:
http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/lifestyle/lifestyle/view/20090810-219533/Dead-and-loving-it

TRESE at the Metro Comic Con 2009

Congratulations to the organizers of the first METRO COMIC-CON!
From out side of the conventional hall, everything was pulled off without a hitch. (I think the only untoward incident of the event was when Chez Fidelino's Powerbook was stolen from the Sputnik Comics booth.)

Thanks to everyone who bought copies of TRESE. Thanks to the ones who already had copies but decided to buy new ones because they forgot their copies at home and they really, really wanted us to vandalize their mint condition copies of Trese.

It was great to finally meet the people we originally met online, especially the ones we’ve met on DeviantArt.



Thanks to everyone who also got the Trese Amulettes (and to everyone who laughed at my joke about the amulettes having magical powers – yes, I know only two of you laughed, but I kept telling that joke anyway).

If you were not able to get any Trese Amulettes, we’re planning to make them available soon. Just give Ronnie and Ceres time to make more. (Yes, each one is hand-made!)



Thanks to Wella for manning the booth through-out the con and for doing a convincing job in pitching the comics to people ("Yes, this is about supernatural crime... and this one is about Third World superheroes.")

Thanks to Sally and Kid Kulit for taking care of the Trese sales.

Many thanks to ones who got Skyworld and The Filipino Heroes League. Hope you liked those books as well and send us feedback soon!

If you missed out on those titles, read more about them at:
http://skyworldcomics.multiply.com/
http://pfab.deviantart.com/

Thanks again for patiently waiting for TRESE: BOOK 3. If you noticed Kajo sketching away at the table then you already got a glimpse of the final pages to Case #13.

By the way, TRESE has been nominated in several categories at KOMIKON AWARDS. Please do us the favor and vote for TRESE at
http://komikon.deviantart.com/

See you at the 2009 KOMIKON, October 18 at the Megatrade Hall!



































(thanks to Brandie and Lette for the pix)


Gerry's MCC video blog

Paging ... RENJAY

Hey Mr. Renjay,

Last Saturday, at the Metro Comic-Con (MCC), you bought copies of TRESE from us.

You left something at the booth.

Please leave your contact info on this blog or email me at:
budj @ rocketmail .com

Thanks again for buying TRESE!

Hope you enjoyed reading it.

TRESE Amulettes

UPDATE: Sorry, these items are currently out-of-stock. We will post an update on this blog if these will be available again. Thank you very much.  

hey kids :)

Bad news: TRESE: BOOK 3 won't be ready for the Metro Comic Con

Good news: available at the MCC will be these TRESE AMULETTES :)
(which may or may not provide you with protection against aswang and enkanto -- but will definitely attract the opposite sex and make them say: "Wow! That's so cute! What's your name?)

The Amulettes will be available in the following variants:
rings
necklaces
keychain/charms

Price? Very affordable!
(to be determined ... but definitely below P100)
hehehe

--budjette

p.s. Yes, TRESE Book 1 & 2 will be available at the MCC, as well as THE LAST DATU, written by me and Kajo (and drawn by Kajo)

TRESE Amulettes created and designed by
Ceres and Ronnie

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

Keka, Alexandra and Silent Bob

Quark went to the San Diego Comic-Con and brought pasabulong for Kevin Smith.
Hope he likes it!

Thanks Quark!!!

Kiddie and Teen TRESE

Art by Dado
http://artspice.blogspot.com/





Art by Hannah
http://sketchamababble.blogspot.com/






Thanks to Maya for telling about their works.

NBDB's Book of the Month

Trese is the National Book Development Board Book Club's pick for July

http://nbdb.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=740&Itemid=1





Join the NBDB Book Club as we follow the trail of Alexandra Trese as she roves the streets of Manila to unravel crimes involving paranormal creatures Sherlock Holmes style.

This July’s book pick is Trese, the highly acclaimed series of graphic novels by Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo. Contributing to the renaissance of Pinoy comics, Trese reintroduces us to the rich Philippine folklore with its inky sketches detailing creepy stories of dark creatures looming the streets of Manila. The NBDB Book Club will be joined by author Budjette Tan and illustrator Kajo Baldisimo who will talk about their work and answer questions from fans.

Trese is published by VisPrint and is available at Comic Quest, Comic Odyssey, Pandayan, National Bookstore, Best Sellers, Fully Booked, Powerbooks and other leading bookstores and comics outlets.

The NBDB Book Club session will be held on July 25, 2 pm, at the Filipinas Heritage Library, Makati Avenue cor. Ayala Avenue, Makati City.

Moderated by Carlo Vergara (creator of Zsazsa Zaturnnah)

Admission is free.

Call 926-8238 for details.

Powerbooks Recommends

Wow! I just stumbled upon this at
http://powerbooks.com.ph/



You can now order TRESE Book 1 at:
http://powerbooks.com.ph/webinternal/products.asp?product_id=4204

And you can order TRESE Book 2 at:
http://powerbooks.com.ph/webinternal/products.asp?product_id=4770