Mervin Malonzo – illustratör

An anthology of speculative short fiction from 12 talented Asian authors!Dip into the rich treasure trove of Filipino alamat (legends) with this new collection of contemporary short stories. This anthology includes works by a dozen talented and award-winning Filipino writers including Budjette Tan (Trese) and Eliza Victoria (Dwellers). Explore richly imagined realms where powerful gods and magical creatures are responsible for the twists and turns of fate in the lives of ordinary people.The 13 amazing stories in this collection include:The fate of the lingering Sky MaidenThe diwata Maria Makiling seeking romantic partners in the human worldDepictions of Philippine deities, including Balitok, Bangunbangun, Dagau, Haliya, Hukloban and MeluEncounters with celestial power beneath the sea, at the movies and in a pawnshopAnd many more!Each tale is reimagined for a modern sensibility and reinvented for the current generation of fantasy fiction fans. This gripping collection is essential reading for anyone interested in magical realism and contemporary Filipino fiction.

**Included in the Top 50 Best New Comics for Adults in 2022 by The New York Public Library**Immerse yourself in a fantasy world of Filipino myth, magic, and supernatural suspense!Lambana—the realm of supernatural fairies known as Diwata—has fallen, and the Magic Prohibition Act has been enacted. To add to his troubles, there's something wrong with Conrad's heart and only magic can prolong his life. He teams up with Ignacio, a well-connected friend who promises to hook him up with the Diwata and their magical treatments—a quest that's not only risky but highly illegal!On the shadowy, noir-tinged streets of Manila, multiple realities co-exist and intertwine as the two friends seek a cure for the magical malady. Slinky sirens and roaming wraith-like spirits populate a parallel world ruled by corruption and greed, which Conrad must enter to find the cure he seeks. He has little idea of the creatures he will encounter and the truths to be revealed along the way. Will Lambana spill its secrets and provide the healing balm Conrad needs? Or will he perish in the process?Fans of Neil Gaiman, Emil Ferris and Charles Burns will love this new graphic novel!

Adapted from the Philippine National Book Award-winning novel, Janus Silang and the Creature of Tabon takes the reader on a journey of discovery as Janus learns the truth about the supernatural realm of mythical creatures that surround us and how he and his family is connected to this magical world.Monsters live in the darkest corners of our dreams, existing only as nightmares, but sometimes they find a way out. When dreams and the waking world collide how can we know what is real? Janus Silang and the Creature of Tabon tells the chilling tale of a boy's courageous actions amidst a shadowy world and his struggle to overcome the nightmares in his waking life.Janus is like most teenagers—he argues with his parents, wishes he had a girlfriend, and is obsessed with video games, especially one where the players fight against monsters from Philippine folklore. It's all very ordinary, until one day when everything falls apart.During an online tournament at a local internet cafe, all the players fall dead, except for Janus. The horror deepens as the deaths multiply across the country and Janus is contacted by a stranger, a survivor of the tournaments like himself, who asks to help solve the mystery. Along the way, Janus discovers a hidden truth in the game he has been playing and its connection with a nightmarish creature from the ancient caves of Tabon that threatens to destroy everything he holds dear.

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.

**Included in the Top 50 Best New Comics for Adults in 2022 by The New York Public Library**Immerse yourself in a fantasy world of Filipino myth, magic, and supernatural suspense!Lambana--the realm of supernatural fairies known as Diwata--has fallen, and the Magic Prohibition Act has been enacted. To add to his troubles, there''s something wrong with Conrad''s heart and only magic can prolong his life. He teams up with Ignacio, a well-connected friend who promises to hook him up with the Diwata and their magical treatments--a quest that''s not only risky but highly illegal!On the shadowy, noir-tinged streets of Manila, multiple realities co-exist and intertwine as the two friends seek a cure for the magical malady. Slinky sirens and roaming wraith-like spirits populate a parallel world ruled by corruption and greed, which Conrad must enter to find the cure he seeks. He has little idea of the creatures he will encounter and the truths to be revealed along the way. Will Lambana spill its secrets and provide the healing balm Conrad needs? Or will he perish in the process?Fans of Neil Gaiman, Emil Ferris and Charles Burns will love this new graphic novel!