Neophobia: A Deconstruction of Filipino Horror

The horror genre finds itself situated in a paradoxical position: simultaneously the analog of the anxieties of the common folk and the perpetrator of the ideological ends of the ruling hegemonic order—thus, this zine problematizes who the figures of Filipino horror are and asks: why have we created them in the first place?

Neophobia is a 60-page zine that serves as a deconstruction of Filipino horror, blending illustration, comics, and graphic design. The zine is divided into three parts: Setting the Stage, which provides the historical context of how supernatural creatures found their way into the Filipinos’ collective unconscious; Lights, Camera, Action, which discusses images and stories in specific Filipino horror films; and Closing Night, a fictitious short story based on the lived experiences of individuals. When they step out of the theaters and close their television screens, what is revealed is a fear much more pervasive and inescapable than the terror of the 'other'—it is the terror of everyday life.

This is the zine I made as my creative output for my seniors thesis in the UP Diliman College of Fine Arts, completely free for Halloween season!