If you’re looking for a good comic to snuggle with on a rainy day, Trese and Demon Dungeon writer and MRM Manila deputy executive creative director Budjette Tan can recommend a few.
In an interview with adobo, Tan shared his current favorite artists in the local comic scene, though he said, "I will limit my answers to Pinoys who do locally published stuff, because if we go into the territory of Pinoy artists who are also doing comics for Marvel and DC, that’s also a long list."
Apart from Trese artist Kajo Baldisimo and Demon Dungeon artist Bow Guerrero, the following are Tan’s top five (in no particular order):
1. Gerry Alanguilan – "The inker for Leinil Yu. I have to lump them together, because they really work well together, Leinil Yu and Gerry."
2. Carlo Vergara – "Still great as far as I’m concerned, and really envious that he can write AND draw stories, just like Gerry."
3. Manix Abrera – "With his Kikomachine. And I still think that his comic book 12 is something that should be read by more people. It’s 12 stories that are completely wordless."
4. Tepai Pascual – "She also works in an ad agency and is the writer/ artist for Mactan 1521, which is a fictionalized life of Lapu-Lapu. Really great brush art."
5. AJ Bernardo – "He draws crime-fighting call center agents. It came out in three issues, it’s written in Tagalog, written by Noel Pascual. It’s like a Tito, Vic and Joey movie mashed up with Saturday Night Live. Even the way AJ panels his comics is something I rarely see in local comics today, or even international books."
