During the 2005 Komikon, we launched the very first issue of TRESE. We sold that Xeroxed edition of TRESE: AT THE INTERSECTION OF BALETE AND 13TH STREET for P30.
Six hours after the gates of the Komikon had opened, we had already sold out all the copies of TRESE.
I excitedly texted family and friends that my comic book was sold out.
Great! Wonderful! Congrats! How many copies did you sell?, they all asked.
I replied : 50 copies!
In the recently concluded 2009 Komikon, we launched TRESE: MASS MURDERS.
Two hours after the gates had opened, we had already sold all the copies. I leaned over to Ella of Visprint to ask how many copies did they bring.
180 copies, she replied. That did not even include all the copies of TRESE Book1 & 2 that were sold.
So, if my 2009-version traveled back to talk to my 2005-version and told him we’d sell almost 1,000 copies in a single day, I would’ve probably told him he was insane!
Which would not have been surprising considering this whole TRESE experience started with an insane proposal from Kajo to do a monthly comic book.
I’m just more than happy that I was crazy enough to accept that challenge.
Another insane thing we experienced during the recent Komikon was soon after people bought the book, they started to text us about it. In just a couple of hours we were already getting reviews about the book. It was a strange, weird, and wonderful feeling to get such great feedback so quickly. People were already asking us when the fourth book is going to come out.
Actually, Kajo’s already bugging me to give me the script for Case #14. So, worry not, gentle reader, it might just all happen sooner than you think.
Before we get into all of that, we must say thanks to fantastic Team KOMIKON for putting together another successful event. (And thank God you finally decided to hold it in an airconditioned venue! Thank you very much!) Thanks to Nida and the Visprint crew for patiently waiting for us to finish the third TRESE book. Thanks to everyone who prepaid for the book and to everyone who bought the book (and multiple copies of it) at the event. We apologize to the ones whose names we misspelled (and forgot) as we signed your copies of the book.
Thank you very much! And let me just repeat what I said in the afterword of the book: that Book3 is definitely NOT the last Trese book. Believe me, we’ve got MORE stories to tell.
TRESE: MASS MURDERS should be in most Manila bookstores & comic book stores by first week of November and it should be in most stores nationwide by the end of November.
As always, if you can’t find copies of TRESE in your local bookstore, then just go to the Customer Service Desk and tell them to order you a copy. Give them the following info, so they can easily find the title in their system :
TRESE: MASS MURDERS
Published by Visprint
Authors: Budjette Tan & KaJo Baldisimo
ISBN: 971-94569-0-6
More about the other highlights of the Komikon in the coming days!
Comments
Anyway, releasing Trese in compiled volumes such as books 1, 2 and 3 is really a great idea. Don't get me wrong, I still value my individual issues of Trese. But like what I've told Jon Zamar (Digmaang Salinlahi), I like the feel of holding a graphic novel - as well as the satisfaction that I have the stories well in hand without fear of missing an issue or two.
What can I say? More on Anton Trese and Alexandra's brothers! More projects like Underpass!
Please send my regards to Kajo. I really got to have the sketch you guys gave out to those who pre-ordered Book 3 inked - it's not the same without his unworldly shadows :p
And please tell Merv and Ian that we're eagerly awaiting Book 3 of Skyworld as well :D