Going to be honest, I had a “strict” budget but I still went over it. MIBF 2019 is here and make sure you got that budget and then some.
The Manila International Book Fair is a yearly event in where different companies bring not only books, but also different educational mediums. There is a good amount of textbooks here as well. The stalls offer special discounts in a lot of their offerings during this event so it can be worth the travel. These later years there has been more office\school supply stalls present. I did buy a some again but I’ll talk about that in another blog post.
If you are after a bargain, MIBF will run until Sunday, September 15 at SMX at Mall of Asia. Different publishing companies are giving away free tickets. Adarna House has their free ticket here. If you prefer the Visprint tickets, you can find those here. Only difference is the design!
Trese #7 Shadow Witness
Personally the main event of MIBF 2019 for me. The end of the five year wait for Trese book 7! The later chapters focuses on two of Alex’s brothers this time. MIBF Price is 202.50php at Visprint booth.
Last I saw, there was still enough stocks of the book to last until the weekend. It will be available through Lazada and Shopee soon after. National Bookstore, Fully Booked, and Comic Odyssey will also have it in stock later this year. More info on the series can be found at the Trese Blogspot page.
The fans aren’t really vocal on twitter but we are a pretty hyped bunch over at the Trese facebook page. Be prepared for memes if you decide to stop by.
Salamangka
Ian Sta. Maria’s Skyworld was the comics series I got into right after Trese. When it ended, I was a little sad. When news of Salamangka popped up in Facebook, I was definitely excited. Not really a comic but for me, it is more like an artbook. Each page has a illustration and a short poem or story on one side. MIBF price is 445php at Summit Media booth.
Tabi Po Isyu 3.5
Another series I love decided to have a release in MIBF 2019. Caught me by surprise and honestly nearly missed it! One of the darker and bloodier comics I follow definitely. Price is 150php at Visprint booth.
I found this series when it was still online. You can still find the chapters on the official site here.
Set during the Spanish era, this story is centered on Elias. Elias is a young aswang who ends up staying with two other aswangs as they try to find out what they are and how they fit into society.
Liryo
I have been seeing this comic online quite often. Honestly, I do not know what the story is about but the cover always caught my eye. MIBF price is 140php at Adarna House booth .
The synopsis from Adarna House website:
This book was created to tell the stories kept in the dark and so that those whose voices have been silenced by violence can be heard. From the masses, to the masses.
Here is how the comic looks like inside.
Books
Sa Timog ng Alameda
This is another book cover that caught my eye. This one is a Filipino novel about a student protest in Chile. I really like the illustrations but I have yet to finish the book! MIBF price is 490php at Adarna House booth .
Since this book just launched, it is on sale for MIBF 2019. I also took a photo of one of the illustrations inside if anyone is curious.
Mga Nilalang na Kagila-gilalas
I told the lady in Adarna House that I liked mythical creatures so she showed me this book. It is a collection of Filipino creatures. There are illustrations on this as well. This is the new edition of the book but it is smaller with more creatures featured. MIBF price is 210php at Adarna House booth.
After MIBF 2019
It is now the next day and I am experiencing some body pains haha. Still going through the stuff I bought. Although I have rarely written about local comics, I do have a small collection of them. My last post was from 2017’s Komikon if you want to see the local comics I picked up then. The next Komiket is on Oct 12 by the way! Definitely a good place to get your hands on some local comics.
PS. I might add the MIBF prices later. Still looking through my receipts.
