There are seven books in this award-winning series written by Budjette Tan and illustrated by Kajo Baldisimo. The seven volumes in the series are a must-have for comic book aficionados and horror junkies. The series perfectly combines themes of horror, crime, and dark fantasy to create original and engaging plots. Trese is one of the very few Filipino comic book series that enjoyed popularity both in the Philippines and abroad.
The main character in the series is Alexandra Trese, a mysterious female detective whose specialty is dealing with cases of supernatural origin. If the policemen encounter paranormal crimes that they can't explain and handle, they give Alexandra Trese a call.
The Trese series:
Trese 1: Murder on Balete Drive
Trese 2: Unreported Murders
Trese 3: Mass Murders
Trese 4: Last Seen After Midnight
Trese 5: Midnight Tribunal
Trese 6: High Tide at Midnight
Trese 7: Shadow Witness.
After reading the comic book series, you should also check out the anime adaptation of the series which is available on Netflix. The reception for the animated adaptation have been mostly positive. Most fans of the books found the adaptation really good despite the fact that it did not exactly stay true to the source material.
This is an anthology of 13 horror stories by 13 Filipino authors. Every single story in this anthology is a gem. Each story is unique in its own way. That is not surprising at all because the authors tapped for this book are already accomplished fictionists. Many of them have already published stories in various publications.
The anthology contains the following stories:
1. All That Darkness Allows by Don Jaucian
2. The Skip by Joseph F. Nacino
3. Dalaw by Nicole V. Ignacio
4. Mama's Here by Mich Lagdameo Roque
5. The Invite by Marla Miniano
6. Sunshine by Chiara Cui
7. All the Birds by Yvette Tan
8. Going Down by Kara Ortiga
9. Fire Tree by Weng Cahiles
10. Analemma by Eliza Victoria
11. Stigmata by Chinggay Labrador
12. Phantoma, Towards a Pharmacology by Karl R. De Mesa
13. Inked by Anton D. Umali
Cubao Pagkagat ng Dilim: Mga Kuwentong Kababalaghan by Tony Perez (1993)
In this collection of short horror stories, Tony Perez transports Filipino mythical creatures that are usually associated with folklore from rural areas to Cubao which happens to be among the busiest and most populated urban centers in Metro Manila. Virgilio S. Almario described the collection as a marvelous experimentation on the short story format. And he's right. This is a great collection of original stories written in an experimental but very absorbing style.
News of the Shaman: Four Novellas of Horror by Karl R. de Mesa(2010)
The four novellas in this book have recurring characters so they intersect and build upon each other. If reading a long novel intimidates you, don't worry because this isn't a novel. Each of the four stories here can pass as a stand-alone work. Of course, you will appreciate the book more if you read all four novellas. There's a reason why de Mesa made the stories interlace each other.
The four novellas in this book are Angelorio, News of the Shaman, Faith in Poison, and Bright Midnight.
Demons of the New Year: : An Anthology of Horror Fiction from the Philippines
Edited by Karl R. de Mesa and Joseph F. Nacino
