Adventure time: let’s get reading
We all have a different sense of adventure. Some prefer the cozy and curious, others don’t mind something a bit more chaotic or urgent. In these books, we’re taken on very different journeys—across dreamy landscapes, zombie-filled city streets, surreal cosmic nightmares, and the terrifying realities of our warming world.
While their styles, tones, and stories are varied, each invites us to see things differently. Whether these adventures feel strange or satisfying, comforting or confronting, they all ask us to imagine and to keep reading, because every journey, even a misadventure, has something to reveal.
Way Way Out There by Cat S.
What’s it like to go way, way out there? To explore beyond what’s familiar and find a path leading to what you’ve dreamed of is what this beautifully illustrated comic book by award-winning illustrator and author, Cat S of Little Wolf., lets unfold. Following Jules, “an aspiring Big Bear,” as he goes to Way Way Out There, the tale is filled with creatures and characters that help him on his quest. Like its main character, the story is sweet, curious, and playful. It’s a cozy read for bedtime with children or really, for anyone who wants to escape to a little, dreamy journey.
School Run by Macoy and Ardie Aquino
Here’s an interesting riff on the zombie apocalypse—one where the undead are just another hazard of daily life, tracked like typhoon signals, and where kids still go to school if it’s only “Zombie Signal Number One.” Unfortunately, the kids are already on their way to school when the “massive zombie horde” is spotted swimming across the West Philippine Sea, and everyone is advised to stay indoors. The story follows five kids who get caught in a deadly zombie storm, racing against time (and infection) to reach their school and take their anti-zombie pills. The dark humor softens the horror, but the perilous setbacks the kids encounter still bite. It’s fast, fun, and at times, thoughtful, just like any youthful adventure, but with a whole lot of zombies.
11:30 to Baguio by Vaughn Tan
What begins as an ordinary late-night trip to Baguio turns into a surreal awakening into cosmic horror in this impressive and thrilling graphic novel by Vaughn Tan. 11:30 to Baguio takes a familiar road trip and turns it on its head—or detaches it. The story plunges into the horrifying when Mark awakens with his severed head mechanically attached to a giant alien creature. There’s barely any dialogue, no narration at all, but Tan’s meticulous line work and bold panels guide the reader through confusion, scale, and terror. It’s a strange and unsettling visual journey best taken slowly.
Ten Years to Save the World
Edited by Julie Talt and Paolo Herras, this comic anthology asks readers to step into the climate crisis from multiple angles and not look away. Bringing several comic creators from the Philippines and the UK, the styles, voices, and focus vary, but the message is the same: action can’t wait. From sharp takedowns of greenwashing and corporate hypocrisy (in Jack Teagle’s colorful, bold style) to sobering accounts of the West Philippine Sea (in Kevin Eric Raymundo’s signature Tarantadong Kalbo strips) and global power imbalances (in Emiliana Kampilan’s sweeping narrative), each comic adds a necessary piece to the conversation. While it can be a disquieting read, it’s also a hopeful one, as these artists and writers refuse to stop imagining better futures and urge us to do the same.
All books are available at the Mess Studio, The Atrium, Makati Ave., Makati City