Reviews
The Dark Colony Clasificado: The Grinning Niño of Barang by Budjette Tan, J.B. Tapia, Bow Guerrero
celxius's review
5.0
"The Dark Colony Clasificado: The Grinning Niño of Barang" is a case report of an exploit by a group known as the Order of St. Michael. Presented as an "illustrated novella", the book captures the brand of horror that is distinctly Filipino. Taking elements that every Pinoy is familiar with (family, religion, faith, devotion) and then allowing darkness to invade them, the creators are able to tell a story that at one point questions the "goodness" of one's intentions and at another, highlights the importance of accepting ones frailty and need for help and salvation.
Although I refrain from using the word "authentic", I am making an exception this time: this is authentic Filipino horror storytelling at its finest.
Although I refrain from using the word "authentic", I am making an exception this time: this is authentic Filipino horror storytelling at its finest.
dee2799d's review
2.0
More of an illustrated novella than a graphic novel really, but let's go with graphic novel.
I haven't read the other Dark Colony comic so this is my first foray into this world and the worldbuilding is great. There's the flavour of gothic-ness attached to Catholic celebrations, ceremonies, and history (I might be reading the wrong books, but I've always loved that part of being Catholic, if nothing else). The idea of our Spanish colonisers fearing that the demons they've captured were bound to escape and wreak havoc, thereby requiring them to throw all the bad shit on to the 'Dark Colony' is a very good concept and I'd love to have seen more of that.
I love the relics and the little stories attached to them. The illustrations are also very good.
So why two stars? Because like my problem with The Lost Journal of Alejandro Pardo nakukulangan pa ako sa kanya. Sure, it's a novella so I didn't really expect to have a shitload of exposition. But this is a very interesting premise with a very interesting worldbuilding, an intriguing cast of characters, and an eerily realistic villain: we get only the barest bones of it because of the length.
Kulang 'yung development of the characters. We have more telling than showing--not a bad thing! But in the case of a climactic scene yes I think we need to know Andres as himself first and not just some proud son of the Grand Knight. The novella wasn't long enough for me to feel really attached to the characters. Especially since there are so many of them!
I would have liked to see more of this world. Aside from the things we needed for the story, we really didn't get to see it at all. I mean, I don't even know if these people are native to the Dark Colony or if they came from Spain? What background do they have?
So yeah, this was a good idea but it could have been so much more.
(I'm wondering really if it's something to do with how none of the writers in the Philippines can actually make a living from writing full time, which means less time to write and we don't get long novels at all? Thought for another day, but there's that.)
I haven't read the other Dark Colony comic so this is my first foray into this world and the worldbuilding is great. There's the flavour of gothic-ness attached to Catholic celebrations, ceremonies, and history (I might be reading the wrong books, but I've always loved that part of being Catholic, if nothing else). The idea of our Spanish colonisers fearing that the demons they've captured were bound to escape and wreak havoc, thereby requiring them to throw all the bad shit on to the 'Dark Colony' is a very good concept and I'd love to have seen more of that.
I love the relics and the little stories attached to them. The illustrations are also very good.
So why two stars? Because like my problem with The Lost Journal of Alejandro Pardo nakukulangan pa ako sa kanya. Sure, it's a novella so I didn't really expect to have a shitload of exposition. But this is a very interesting premise with a very interesting worldbuilding, an intriguing cast of characters, and an eerily realistic villain: we get only the barest bones of it because of the length.
Kulang 'yung development of the characters. We have more telling than showing--not a bad thing! But in the case of a climactic scene yes I think we need to know Andres as himself first and not just some proud son of the Grand Knight. The novella wasn't long enough for me to feel really attached to the characters. Especially since there are so many of them!
I would have liked to see more of this world. Aside from the things we needed for the story, we really didn't get to see it at all. I mean, I don't even know if these people are native to the Dark Colony or if they came from Spain? What background do they have?
So yeah, this was a good idea but it could have been so much more.
(I'm wondering really if it's something to do with how none of the writers in the Philippines can actually make a living from writing full time, which means less time to write and we don't get long novels at all? Thought for another day, but there's that.)
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