takot
"takot - the Tagalog word for “fear” or “afraid” - is a comic and visual poem about navigating fears inherited from Filipino parents. When I was a kid, my parents would scare me with stories about the aswang, evil shapeshifting creatures from Filipino folklore. Stories of the aswang emphasize the importance of close-knitted communities and relying on each other to stay alert and be protected. And while maybe not directly inspired by these stories, my parents always had a distrust of people outside of our family, a deep fear of venturing far outside of our home or what’s familiar. Their world is full of love, but it’s voluntarily small. I wasn’t afraid of the aswang, but I did inherit my parents’ three great fears: accidents, violence, and sickness - fears that manifest and shapeshift in this comic. Fears I imagine fighting off and not being scared of anymore."
About the maker: Mark Perez is an artist, designer, writer, and lo-fi beats-to-chill-to producer from Vancouver. He’s discovered zines as a way to explore his Filipino-Canadian identity and to express his typically shy self. He loves learning new things, being bad at stuff, and connecting with people he can talk movies, pass aux’s, and make stuff with.
Instagram: @_markperez, @madebytarantados (zine collective)
By Mark Perez; November 2024; 101.6x76.2mm; 24 pages; Zine Shine 2025