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The Black Bestiary

A Phantasmagoria of Monsters and Myths from the Philippines
By Budjette Tan and David Hontiveros
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Black Bestiary by Budjette Tan and David Hontiveros is a graphic novel that delves into the dark and mystical realm of Filipino folklore. Through its beautifully illustrated pages, it crafts a tapestry of mythical creatures and tales that explore the rich, supernatural heritage of the Philippines. With each chapter, readers are drawn into a unique story that is both haunting and intriguing, providing a captivating dive into the world of mythical beasts.
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Format: Hardback
$3499
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this graphic novel if you are intrigued by supernatural myths and folklore, framed within a visually stunning exploration of dark creatures and captivating stories. It blends Filipino culture with striking art, offering an engaging read for those who love immersive and mythical narratives.

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The Black Bestiary

"How to train a Filipino dragon and other real-life adventures of three modern monster hunters! The Black Bestiary is a lively romp through the world of the imagination, as well as a great way to learn more about Asian folklore, magic and myth"--

Tuttle Publishing

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

How to train a Filipino dragon and other real-life adventures of three modern monster hunters!

Since The Lost Journal of Alejandro Pardo was published, other creature hunters have come out of the woodwork to share their spine-tingling accounts of more discoveries. True? Exaggerated? Out-and-out lies? Read on and decide for yourself!

The Black Bestiary adds to the list of powerful and fearsome supernatural creatures we met in The Lost Journal of Alejandro Pardo. Three modern creature hunters - RJ, Gus and Stanislav, who draw their inspiration from Pardo's work - relate their own chilling encounters with the sinister monsters that live among us.

In this book, you'll come face-to-face with:

  • The Bungisngis - You've heard of the Cyclops; this is a Cyclops on steroids!
  • The Tahamaling - Never hunt in the forest without permission from these maidens!
  • The Tiktik - Part avian, part human, part something else. These terrifying creatures feed on the unborn.
  • And many more creatures of horrifying aspect and predilection!

You'll also discover excerpts from the journal of a certain Mr. Kolya, a contemporary of Pardo's, who always tells it like it was. Though these new sightings are all recent, the weapons used against them rely on tried-and-true magic—because forearmed, as well as forewarned, is always best!

The Black Bestiary is a lively romp through the world of the imagination, as well as a great way to learn more about Asian folklore, magic and myth.

The advantage to this is that you didn't need to read the first book at all to appreciate The Black Bestiary. The second book effectively stands alone, thanks to Hontiveros' shift in focus to what he calls 'Pardo's Scooby gang' - the motley associates who accompany the gentleman adventurer in his 19th-century monster hunting - Esquire

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Black Bestiary can be enjoyed independently of its predecessor, with a focus on intriguing monster-hunting adventures set in the 19th century. Its engaging narrative is complemented by captivating creatures and stunning illustrations, offering an entertaining and informative dive into Filipino mythology.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780804855785

Publisher: Tuttle Publishing

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 29 November 2022

Country: United States

Imprint: Tuttle Publishing

Illustration: full-color throughout

Contributors:

  • Illustrated by Kajo Baldisimo
  • Illustrated by Bow Guerrero

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 178.0mm

Height: 229.0mm

Weight: 624g

Pages: 128

Collections

Budjette Tan David Hontiveros Fiction Graphic Novels

About the Author

Budjette Tan is co-founder and editor-in-chief of Alamat Comics in the Philippines. However, he is best known for writing the urban fantasy comics series Trese, co-created with artist Kajo Baldisimo. It received the Philippine National Book Award for Best Graphic Novel in 2009, 2011, and 2012, and has since been adapted into an animated series by Netflix. He is also the co-creator of the award-winning Mikey Recio and the Secret of the Demon Dungeon.

David Hontiveros was a 1997 National Book Award finalist in the best comic book category for Dhampyr and a 2002 Palanca Award winner for his short story "Kaming Mag Seroks." In addition to being a founding member of Alamat Comics, he is the author of Craving, Parman, and Takod, and the Seroks science fiction collections. His ongoing comic book series "Bathala: Apokalypis" is available digitally.

Illustrators:

Kajo Baldisimo is a television storyboarder whose heart is in comic books. With Budjette Tan, he is co-creator of the urban fantasy Trese series, which won the Philippine National Book Award for Best Graphic Novel and has been adapted for television as an animated series by Netflix.

Bow Guerrero is co-creator (with Budjette Tan) of the award-winning Mikey Recio and the Secret of the Demon Dungeon. He is an aficionado of visual history from old forts, churches, historic landmarks, and museums.

Mervin Malonzo is the author and illustrator of the comic Tabi Po, which received a Philippine National Book Award in 2014 and was adapted to a TV mini-series in 2017. He has collaborated with a variety of authors to produce books about Philippine mythology like The Lost Journal of Alejandro Pardo, After Lambana, and Alternative Alamat. In his free time, he works on developing an animated series and film based on a comic called Ella Arcangel and operates the indie publishing house Haliya.

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