After a long long wait, Alexandra Trese is back roaming the streets of Metro Manila and making sure that the city runs as it should, making sure that the magical beasts and creatures that dwell in it are kept in check and is not bothering the normal course of human existence in harmful ways more than one. The first four books have been a success, and this fifth book indeed did not disappoint as it takes off from what has been started, but added something more that will keep Trese fans eager for another installment.
So what's new in the fifth installment? This somehow deviated from the format that the first four books thrived and became famous for, as it did away with showing brief episodes in the life of Trese for each chapter and instead sewing them along a bigger plot, making Trese 5 one big storyline that carries on from one chapter to the next. And in this issue, we see how Manila became the site of the clash between the Tikbalang and the Higante, with all-too familiar figures and a favorite item in the world of Pinoy Komiks. Plus, we'll get to see a lot of storylines that could emerge in the near future, like the growing working relationship between Trese and Maliksi, as well as the way the Madame will change the course of the whole city and its creatures, and eventually Trese's game.
Of course, everything that has been instrumental to the success of the first four books had been there: the Metro Manila of Trese, the different creatures of Filipino mythology as well as the re-imagined everyday things and brands that have become part of Filipino life which, in the Trese universe, are actually enchanged. And of course, the various pop culture and political references used to drive the point with much exclamation: the former first lady, celebrity politicians, and the most horrible massacre of our time which has been given a different "true" story, and of course, the mighty scales of Captain Barbell as a tribute to the great Mars Ravelo. All of these are meant to expose the realities of Philippine society that demands to be responded to, magic or no magic: the desire to take justice on one's own hands,
With all of these packed into the new edition of Trese, is there any more reason not to head to the stands and get a copy for yourself?
*Image from rocketkapre.com
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