In 2005, Filipino creators Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo developed the horror-mystery comic Trese. The graphic novel centered on Alexandra Trese, a paranormal investigator based in the Philippines' capital, Manila, working alongside the police to protect her city from supernatural entities (which were based on Filipino folklore).
Netflix recently adapted Trese into an anime of the same name, which was executive-produced and directed by longtime DC Universe Animated Original Movies director and storyboard artist Jay Oliva (Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox). The series was also directed by David Hartman, Tim Divar and Melchior Zwyer. It premiered in June of 2021.
Netflix's Trese marked an important step for the graphic novel, as it introduced it to worldwide audiences. Now, Alexandra Trese's mainstream exposure continues with her very own Funko Pop! figure. Philippines-based comic-book store Filbar's collaborated with Funko to develop the exclusive Trese Pop!, based on the graphic-novel version of the titular paranormal investigator.
The figure comes in two versions, both exclusive to Filbar's:
The first version is colored, while the second is a black-and-white Chase variant (a rare Funko Pop! variation of a figure), paying homage to "Trese"'s original aesthetic.
Speaking to ComicBookMovie, Filbar's Chief Creative Officer Ivan Guerrero discussed the effort that went into crafting the collectible:
"We took great care in adapting the character’s likeness into Funko form. Everything from the hairline, to the shape of her dagger, to her pose, was crafted in consultation with the creators of 'Trese,' Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo [...] We really wanted to create a [Pop!] that would appeal to 'Trese' fans around the world. Whether they’ve been longtime fans of the [comic-book] series or new ones coming into the fandom because of the animated series on [Netflix]."
Having acted as a consultant during the development of the Pop! figure, Trese co-creator Budjette Tan stated: "Early on, a lot of fans started to make their own custom 'Trese' Pop! figures. It's great to finally have the official figure which will provide protection from Aswang... well, maybe it will."
If you're interested in picking up the figures, they are exclusively available on Filbar's website. (Note: Filbar's ships only within the Philippines.)
If you want to get immersed in the spooky world of Alexandra Trese, the saga is available on Comixology from publisher Ablaze. Trese is currently streaming on Netflix.