Half-Filled Glasses: “Trese: At the Intersection of Balete and 13th Street”

My mother got me to start reading by way of komiks (yup, that’s right. “Komiks” is the Filipino term for comic books). I remember those Wednesday mornings when she would come back from the local market bringing with her a huge stack of komiks such as Aliwan, Tagalog Klasiks, Pilipino Komiks, Hiwaga, and “my” komiks, Funny Komiks. I believe that was the first thing I collected (or maybe it was alongside my collection of Yakult plastic bottles which I would use as pins for bowling with my plastic ball). It was the very first thing which I felt I had to buy weekly (ah yes. The beginnings of a comic book geek). I stopped, though, when … hmmm, come to think of it, I can’t remember when and why I stopped. Although one thing I could say about the current incarnation of Funny Komiks is that it pales in comparison to what Funny Komiks used to be when I was a small child.

When I started getting back into comic books (after stopping in college due to financial reasons ), one of the things that I try to get a hold of are the komiks. Unfortunately, things weren’t as prolific before for the local comic books. As I’ve mentioned, one example is Funny Komiks which has become a “ripoff” of anime shows and other manga books. Gone are the days of Niknok and Da Planet Op Di Eyps.

There are, however, a lot of silver linings in the cloudy Filipino comic book world. The Philippines have a rich stable of great artists who draw for international comic book companies like DC and Marvel. We have Gerry Alanguilan, Leinil Yu, Wilson Tortosa, and Carlos Pagulayan. Other comic book writers/artists who have released their own noteworthy local works include Arnold Arre, Oliver Pulumbarit, Carlo Vergara, and the team of Budjette Tan and Ka-Jo Baldisimo. The latter being responsible for the komiks being focused on this review: “Trese”.

“Trese” is about Alexandra Trese, the daughter of an occultist named Anton Trese. Working as a paranormal detective (aside from running her own bar), Alexandra helps the local police investigate supernatural crimes. Assisted by her knowledge of the occult and by her very cool bodyguards, the Kambal, Alexandra can be considered perhaps a local agent for the BPRD (Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense, in Hellboy’s world). Or, to simply put it, the person you would run to for help if you need someone to kick supernatural ass for you (sorry, I can’t put it any cooler than that).

“At the Intersection of Balete and 13th Street” is the first issue in this black-and-white, cheaply-priced series (just 30 pesos) and it tackles the murder of a well-known, local spiritual entity. By who and by how is the mystery and at the onset, this reader was already hooked. Mixing in the usual local supernatural characters, like the nuno sa punso, the aswangs, and the albularyo, “Trese” has what is missing in most komiks right now: Filipino culture. Add to that the very interesting execution and we have what I would like to call a very beautiful Komiks.

If you don’t believe me, check it out first before buying it. All of the issues (I believe) are available online at http://tresekomix.blogspot.com/. Afterwards, when your eyes start to hurt from reading at the computer screen, do yourself (and the Komiks industry) a favor and run to either Comic Odyssey or Druid’s Keep for a hard copy. It”ll be money well-spent