Interviewing the creative minds behind the comic smash hit ‘Trese’
By Adrian M. Dy
LATE NIGHT RAMBLINGS, Philippine Daily Inquirer
October 22, 2011
http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/19189/with-a-second-edition-in-stores-super-talks-to-the-creator-of-the-beloved-%e2%80%98elmer%e2%80%99
When things go bump in the night, it’s Alexandra Trese’s job as the go-to consultant on all things paranormal to make sure they don’t bump into you, or do something much worse. Oct. 8 marked the release of the fourth volume of “Trese,” entitled “Last Seen After Midnight,” containing four brand new cases that chronicle the gruesome happenings that occur when the paranormal intersects with the mundane.
To commemorate the occasion, Super! sat down and picked the brains of the series’ writer Budjette Tan, with artist Kajo Baldisimo joining in midway.
For those who haven’t heard of it before, how would you describe “Trese”?
Budjette: If you have police procedurals, I guess “Trese” would be a magic procedural. It is “CSI” meets “The X-Files,” “CSI” versus aswangs and engkantos, and it’s set in the wonderful, dimly lit Manila.
You’ve won a Philippine National Book Award for volume 3, “Mass Murders.” Is there now pressure to deliver?
Kajo: Yes medyo, before that, masaya lang eh, we do this for fun lang. Then after that, meron ka nang notion na, dapat mas maganda yung next project. May responsibility na kami.
Budjette: A responsibility to come up with something new. Even when we do stuff din, it’s like, “What stuff haven’t we done? What else would be interesting?” Also what’s interesting for us? If you notice that’s one of the things Kajo does with the artwork, there’s something new. And that’s also mind games for myself. It’s like I paint myself into a corner.
As an analogy, the first time CSI does the DNA-thingy with the techno music it’s like, ’Wow! What a great thing!’ Then after you see it a hundred times, it’s like cut, cut, cut, “Now I know who the murderer is!” It’s the same thing with “Trese.” We need to keep things fresh for ourselves and that’s why Kajo has explored a new style in Book 4, and at the same time, we have new ways of dealing with the mysteries of Manila.
READ THE COMPLETE INTERVIEW AT:
http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/19189/with-a-second-edition-in-stores-super-talks-to-the-creator-of-the-beloved-%e2%80%98elmer%e2%80%99
