Trese () is a Filipino komik series written by Budjette Tan and illustrated by Kajo Baldisimo. It tells the story of Alexandra Trese, a detective who deals with crimes of supernatural origin. Its first issue was published on October 22, 2005, starting off as a niche work which grew in popularity as readers were intrigued first by the first two volumes' focus on Manila's urban legends, and then by the later volumes' development of Alexandra Trese as a character. The series went on to win several accolades.
An animated adaptation for Netflix premiered on June 11, 2021, and has both Tan and Baldisimo as its showrunners and Jay Oliva as executive director.
Publication history
Trese was first published independently by Alamat Comics in ashcan and online format. The komik series is currently available in a collected, graphic novel form, published by Visprint, Inc (formerly Visual Print Enterprises). The retail company, National Book Store, re-released Trese: Last Seen After Midnight and Trese: Midnight Tribunal with dust jackets while FILBAR'S re-released the first three books with dust jackets.
A hardcover compilation titled Trese: Book of Murders has also been published and contains the first three graphic novels. These compilations include journal entries from the protagonist's grandfather, Alexander Trese, which serve as additional commentary, providing more history and lore for each case. Trese: Stories from the Diabolical Volume 1 were tales originally published online as early as 2005 and compiled in 2008 in a blog before it collated and published as a book in 2013. Cases #1, #2, and #4 were re-published by Visprint with updated, colored art by Kajo Baldisimo and translated into Filipino by Bob Ong. They also contained the translated journal entries from Trese: Book of Murders.
Trese and the Kambal have also appeared in other publications such as Skyworld and Agents of Ambush.
Other publications
With the goal of reaching a larger audience, the creators set up an Indiegogo campaign for the production of an international 32-page edition of Case 1: At the Intersection of Balete and 13th Street that would contain updated text and art with bonus pages and would also include the same journal entries from Book of Murders. Aside from a variant cover exclusive, supporters could also avail the Indiegogo sketch variant with uniquely drawn covers. The campaign was endorsed by Neil Gaiman. Supporters from the Philippines were given freebies, 2 of the 16 designs sketches that were drawn in 13 ways, and a reprint of the original Trese #1 ashcan.
At the release of Trese 7: Shadow Witness, Visprint Inc. sold more than 300 copies during the 40th Manila International Book Fair. For the 14th anniversary of Trese, a reprint of Trese #1 Global Edition: At the Intersection of Balete and 13th Street was released exclusively by Comic Odyssey and FILBAR'S and called the "Anniversary Edition" . It differed from the Global Edition in price and size, and included a "self-cover" where the paper used for its pages was also used for the cover page. In the same year, Trese Deviations: Iunctura was released in ashchan format. After the closing of Visprint Inc., Avenida Books published Trese Lite Postcard Book Vol. 1. Another company, Ablaze Publishing, released the U.S. edition of Trese: Murder on Balete Drive, which used the Trese #1 Global Edition comic, along with an exclusive variant cover for Comic Odyssey and Sanctum Sanctorum Comics.
Plot
The story of Trese fuses Philippine horror mythology with dark, graphic storytelling and follows Alexandra Trese, a mysterious detective who deals with crimes of supernatural origin mainly occurring in the capital region of the Philippines.
Because of her specialization in the supernatural, Alexandra is often called when the police cannot handle paranormal crimes, by Captain Guerrero, a man who prefers to lean on her knowledge and specialized skills. Alexandra is supported by two mysterious and magical creatures with uncertain powers known as the Kambal and together, they protect the streets of Manila from various creatures of Filipino folklore.
Volume 3 explores Trese's past, when, at 15-years old, she joins her father Anton on her first case. The origins of the Kambal are also revealed in later issues.