Trese by Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo
When the sun sets in the city of Manila, don't you dare make a wrong turn and end up in that dimly-lit side of the metro, where aswang run the most-wanted kidnapping rings, where kapre are the kingpins of crime, and engkantos slip through the cracks and steal your most precious possessions.
When crime takes a turn for the weird, the police call Alexandra Trese.
---
When dusk arrives in the city of Manila, that's when you become the most likely prey of the criminal underworld.
Kidnappers and thieves will be the least of your worries.
Beware the criminals that can't be bound with handcuffs nor harmed with bullets.
Beware the ones that crave for your blood, those who hold your heart ransom, and the ones that come to steal your soul.
When crime takes a turn for the weird, the police call Alexandra Trese.
---
12 midnight at Metro Manila.
Try to remain calm if you suddenly spot a tikbalang speeding down EDSA or a manananggal swooping across the Makati skyline. While partying at the Fort, never ever let the enkanto at the bar buy you a drink.
Yet, there are deadlier things than walk the streets of this city.
One of them now demands blood and sacrifice.
When crime takes a turn for a weird, the police call Trese.
---
Foul play. Magic spells. Supernatural criminals. When crime takes a turn for the weird, the police call Alexandra Trese.
---
In a city where the aswang control everything that is illegal
and where ancient gods seek to control everything else,
enforcing the law can be a very difficult task.
When crime takes a turn for the weird, the police normally call Alexandra Trese. Lately, it seems like others have been taking that call.
Trese must confront these supernatural crime-fighters and bring order back to the city, before the underworld attempts to seek balance in its own way.
---
Welcome to The Diabolical!
My name is Hank. I'll be your bartender for tonight.
What will it be? Don't tell me. I know exactly what you want to drink.
So, what's on your mind? You have a story to tell?
You've come to the right place. I've got some interesting stories as well.
Have you heard the one about the ghost who walked in the bar?
The one who kept coming back, waiting for the arrival of that certain someone?
What about the guy who had coffee with his dead girlfriend?
Or the story of the spectral Christmas carolers?
And then there's that strange tale of all those senior citizens who watched the last full show and never came out.
No? Haven't heard those? Well, have another drink and I'll tell you all about it.
---
As I've said earlier, Trese didn't appeal to me at first, but my curiosity started to grow when my officemates kept talking about it. During the Aklatan Book Fair, I bought the first two books, and discovered how good it was! I have learned so much about Philippine lower myths from these comic books.
I'm trying to spread the awesomeness of the comic books to all my friends even though they tease me how I've never moved on from comics. My favorites so far are books 3 and 4. And I now want my future bar to be The Diabolical. ;)
