TRESE VOL 1 - MURDER ON BALETE DRIVE

Tan and Baldisimo's series of supernatural noir explores a sinister underworld in the Philippines, now published for the first time in the U.S. Alexandra Trese pursues a criminal gang of aswang-monsters who can take human form. A trail of gruesome deaths in Manila (a woman burned alive in an unscorched room, a man drained of life in a nightclub bathroom)lead the Manila police to realize otherworldly forces are at play, and they call in Alexandra. Her grandfather befriended aswang and her father hunted them, and the unflappable Alexandra navigates arcane alliances and rivalries along with her complicated heritage. With the aid of a menagerie of Filipino folklore creatures and her two masked enforcers, Alexandra finds and eliminates the creatures. The haunting, fine-lined black-and-white art evokes the style of Filipino artists like Nestor Redondo and Alex Nuño. Real-world political parallels could be read between the blurred lines of Alexandra's world and the current wave of government-sanctioned extrajudicial killings in the Philippines. Whether that's intentional, there's complexity layered in: the "bad guys" may be monsters, but their killing at the hands of a vigilante and her deadly enforcers plumbs troubled waters. The unconventional monster art and moody, action-packed narratives make this horror-crime series a must-follow for any aficionado of the macabre. (Oct.)--Publishers Weekly

"The story structure is perfect, mixing in occasional whimsy and the hint of previous adventures that may or may not be told. Baldisimo's black and white art has the creepiness of a Warren magazine story (by Alfredo Alcala or Nestor Redondo, of course). Yet it also blends in a manga influence. It's no wonder that Netflix has picked this book up for their anime programming ï¿9; it's already cinematic and Trese is a terrific character." --fanboyplanet.com

“The four stories are accompanied by in-depth fact sheets about the amazing creatures we meet, and to close Tan gives us the backstory of Trese and how it eventually ended up as a show. It rounds off a winner in every way, exotic, glamorous and beguiling.”—theslingsandarrows.com

"supernatural elements lend the story a strong horror vibe, which is accentuated by the grisly, black-and-white art." - The Verge

"Trese adds new life to the supernatural genre, elevating traditional stories passed down through countless generations across the Philippines. Tan's imaginings are the key to unlocking the gates to these little-known tales and making them universal, while Baldisimo's mind-blowing art is something to behold ï¿9; a superstar artist, waiting to be discovered." SYFY WIRE

“Budjette and Kajo's Trese is a gem. It excites the little child in me which used to believe in the wonders of Filipino folklore, and my adult self who enjoys intelligently written and drawn tales.” - LEINIL YU