Taking A Look At TRESE

by jtmtzrwj

I can’t believe that I finished reading issues 1 thru 7 of Budjette Tan and KaJo Baldisimo’s TRESE on one sitting. What is it about, you ask? It’s a crime-slash-horror comic about a girl named Alexandra Trese who moonlights as a police consultant for weird cases.
It’s definitely a good book. It has an episodic feel as each issue is a standalone story that has Trese solving a specific mystery. Although there are hints about Trese’s father and grandfather’s dealings with the underworld, nothing much is revealed about them. These may very well be a big reveal for future a storyline but I wannna see these pay-offs real soon.

But what really attracts me to these books are the tales written by Budgette Tan. They are really relatable stories that you may have already heard from your parents or grandparents - the White Lady on Balete Drive, the reptillian monster on a certain mall in Ortigas… etc. My favorite story so far is the one told in issue 3. It’s has a real WTF moment at its finale. A real good one. And be sure to check out Stories From The Diabolical for more Trese side stories. Ooh, and KaJo Baldisimo really deserve some kudos for his superb art style. The book is entirely rendered in black and white but the art is outstanding. He really has a great handle on the contrasts. And it gives the book an extra eerie feel. So go ahead and check it out.