If the fascination for Filipino mythological characters transforms like a manananggal into an international mania, then we could say that the Age of Pilipino Content has come.
“TRESE” the animation series on Netflix is hugging a lot of airtime and media space these days.
The property is based on a comics series that had no popular following, but has an almost fanatical fandom.
The comics community is pumping its fists for the Trese creators, Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo.
More Pinoys are rejoicing that another Filipino creation has gone international.
And to boot, Filipino mythological creatures, from aswang to tikbalangs, are ushered in to give their bites.
Passion-driven
Trese came out in 2005 as passion-driven photocopied comics. It was all in black and white and this forced economy worked well with the mood.
The tales of Trese meld Philippine underworld mythology with broody, bloody graphic storytelling that has Alexandra Trese, an enigmatic private investigator, delving into crimes of supernatural origin.
Alexandra is to Captain Guerrero or CapG in the animation version, as what Batman is to Police Chief Gordon.
The cops dial a friend in Alexandra when a crime scene feels too diabolical to solve.
To Trese, work is personal. Deeply personal.
We realize that when the series reveal her back story where we are introduced to her parents.
Grotesque
With the creators of the animation swearing to stay close to the storyline and spirit of the comics, Alexandra is shown in alliance and head-butting with the grotesque.
So, we encounter aswang, tiyanak, tikbalang, multo and even zombies in “Trese” on Netflix, even if zombies seem to have been appropriated by the Koreans as its national horror genre.
There are even Nuno sa Manhole, White Lady sa Balete, and Santelmo sa Nokia.
If the fascination for Filipino mythological characters transforms like a manananggal into an international mania, then we could say that the Age of Pilipino Content has come.
Other Filipino-made comics
More Filipino-made comics dealing with supernatural could be made into animation, or even live action films.
There is Arnold Arre’s Mythology Class that was also self-published, in four issues in 1999.
It tells of another female lead, anthropology student Nicole Lacson, who encounters and then mingles with tikbalangs, kapres, and engkantos starting one stormy night.
She recalls her grandfather's stories that she thought were just products of fertile imagination.
Like Trese, Nicole’s adventures happen in Metro Manila, where the streets strangely lead to fascinating dimensions.
“Together with new found friends, she embarks on a quest into the realm of myth and folklore where she fights alongside heroes of her childhood against an age-old terror,” says an article.
Mythology Class blends in historical and mythological Filipino heroes like Rajah Sulayman and Lam-ang of Ilocos region.
Arre’s four issues was collected as one edition by Adarna House in 2005, and then reprinted in 2014 by Nautilus Comics.
Arre is now busy making his own animation projects that he holds close to his chest.
National Book Award
Mythology Class won the National Book Award, alongside Darna that was written by me and drawn by Gilbert Monsanto, Ryan Orozco, and Lan Medina; published by Mango Comics.
Mango Comics also has its take on the supernatural with MooMoo Hunters, conceptualized and illustrated by Lito Yonzon and written by Ryan Villena, one-time Ateneo teacher and theater director.
MooMoo Hunters came out in 2004 and tells of twin brothers Migo and Gibo, boy scouts named after archangels, who come face-to-face with the malevolent side of endemic underworld characters.
Set in a rural area, the twins brave through their adventures with aswangs, tikbalangs, kapres, and the living dead.
Another comics that could qualify as having originated in the Philippines is Stone by Whilce Portacio, a Fil-am.
Portacio created the prototype of Stone in 1995 when he was in the Philippines to create a hub for then young Filipino comics artists like Gerry Alanguilan, Leinil Yu, Gilbert Monsanto, Jay Anacleto, Edgar Tadeo, and others.
Banner project
Coincidentally (to Trese, that is), Portacio’s temporary hub was in a reputed haunted house on Balete Drive.
“Originally, Stone was going to be this pure Filipino story where we didn’t have to set up the back story of manananggals and tikbalangs,” said Whilce in an old interview in Philippine Star.
He said that Gerry Alanguilan, now in comics heaven, egged him to revive the local publishing industry by coming up with a banner project.
So Whilce came up with 10 pages set in the Philippines, but American artist Brian Haberlin (of Witchblade) got interested in it for the Western market.
Thus, Stone became an OFW.
Though Filipinos hardly heard of it, Stone sold more than 70,000 copies. For an independent comic book, that established a record.
The property was pitched for a film for Warner Barnes but was shelved.
A typical enough story in Hollywood, where sleepers could turn out much later to be blockbusters.
Comics into animation
Perhaps, the genius of Ian Sta. Maria, a Filipino artist currently working for Lego in Denmark, should now be recognized. Create a spell with Salamangka, anak!
Comics into animation - it is only right when they are taken in in one breath.
I heard that Tony Tuviera (Eat Bulaga) bought the rights to Larry Alcala’s “Kalabog and Bosyo,” private investigators who peer into the strange and the absurd, while commercial films producer Tony Gloria got Alcala’s “Siopawman.”
The two producers intend to make the comics properties into animation. Sana matuloy.
They could provide the laugh break we badly need from the tikbalangs in the palace.
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