63 Responses to “The Difficulty of Doing Superheroes in the Philippines”

1. jeff cruz on June 29th, 2009 10:25 am

   hey gerry

   very interesting post. i really appreciate the thought you put into this essay. sort of reminded me of some conversations i had with whilce on a similiar subject.
   I believe that Timawa was a step in the right direction. The attention to detail, and research that you put into the strip put it head and shoulders above the rest. hopefully, you’ll find an alternative venue for the strip. the newstands are poorer without it!

2. adam! on June 29th, 2009 11:10 am

   To be the product of our unique problems, needs, dreams and desires.

   Pero I wouldn’t label Zaturnnah as a book that accomplished that, as it was too mired in perverting1 the Darna mythos, which was also too mired in resembling Western aesthetics, than really being “its own thing” = Pinoy, not to mention its somewhat lopsided-yet-good-natured gender politics.

   Kung meron man tayong strictly Pinoy “superhero” na mula sa “unique problems, needs, dreams and desires” natin, I nominate Arre’s Andong Agimat, na sa totoo lang ay perversion rin lang naman ng mga Ramon Revilla (et al) movies, pero yung mismong mga pelikula na yun ay base sa mythos natin ng mga anting-anting,2 at pasok rin siya sa criteria na representation pa rin siya ng kung ano nag nangyayari sa Lipunan pero yung existence nung “superhero” ay hindi detrimental sa element na yun. Yun pa nga ang rason kung bakit siya nageexist.

   Dos centimos ko lang po! Sana gumana ang mga html codes ko sa post!

   ————————-
   1In a good way (I hasten to footnote).
   2Na ginamit rin sa Darna

3. adam! on June 29th, 2009 11:12 am

   at hindi gumana ang superscript codes ko. damn!

4. sparks on June 29th, 2009 11:33 am

   Hmm…maybe the superhero doesn’t have to solve all the problems in our context. Maybe it isn’t a solution-oriented hero?

5. Andrew Drilon on June 29th, 2009 11:44 am

   That’s something I’ve been thinking about as well for the last few years, Gerry.

   To add to your thoughts, there’s the element of science fiction so deeply rooted in the superhero figure as well, which is a genre that Filipino prose writers have been equally struggling with (though with arguably more success over the last few years.) Advanced technology (and chemistry, and biology) in a Filipino setting is a juxtaposition that I feel we’ve yet to comfortably reconcile, given that the local zeitgeist is still entrenched in folktales/superstitions, both rural and urban. Which is probably why horror is a more popular genre here.

   Zsa Zsa tackled the juxtaposition intelligently, by emphasizing it with wit and humor, to great effect. Gagamboy (the movie) did something similar as well, from an even more provincial perspective, with some success. A straight-faced approach to the genre would need some more thinking, though, because Zsa Zsa’s unique tone and style won’t necessarily work with other stories. To add to the difficulty, an English-language superhero story set in the Philippines would need to go through serious hula hoops in order to convey something genuinely interesting, given our post-colonial multilingual issues.

   Right now, I feel it boils down to these questions: what is the Filipino perspective of a ‘super’ hero; a savior figure that represents or comments on our ideals? And how would one convey such a figure, without belittling/ignoring/misrepresenting our country’s current struggles? For that matter, what Filipino ideals would this superhero need to embody or aspire to?

   It’s definitely something that needs to be pondered on, especially if we’re to make any good superhero stories in the future…

6. Gadgetmonger on June 29th, 2009 12:08 pm

   I think a Filipino superhero would be very similar in the vein of Batman. In our society, a man’s reputation rested almost entirely on image. A superhero could easily be maligned by intrigue if he is to exposed or political. Much like the caped crusader, he would have to work in the shadows to elude the public eye undisturbed and maintain a mystique that will serve as a cautionary tale for criminals.

   He would have to be a hero by not battling supervillains with world deomination/destruction in mind, but egotistical (is there any other kind) politicians who destroy and rape the country and its people. He would have to be more like V for Vendetta whose sense of justice is on a societal level, for that is where most of the suffering is committed.

   Perhaps the best way to describe him is a person who is thinking what we are all thinking but with the technology or the ability to make it happen.

   Of course, the motivation behind this can be culled from any of the stories of people off the street because suffering is what we all have in common.

7. adam! on June 29th, 2009 12:47 pm

   Ang isang magandang tanong – kunsakaling gusto nating ipursue ang problema na’to – ay kung bakit ba kailangang me halo ng Nationalist Pride ang mga superhero natin dito.

   Meron rin naman kasing brainwave na dapat likas na hiwalay ang superheroes mula sa mga sociopolitical concern natin, kasi natitrivialise ang mga bagay-bagay kapag nasa context na ng superhero komix. Sasabihin ng karamihan na hindi siya inherently designed para bitbitin ang konsepto na yun, kasi once subukan niyang iaddress iyun, slippery slope na ito patungo sa pagiging effectively obsolete ng either superhero concept o nung mga sociopolitical issues.

   Tulad ng tanong na Bakit maraming gutom sa Africa sa mundo ng DC Comics, kung saan nageexist ang mga tao na tulad ni Superman, o kahit si Bruce Wayne lang? You’d think tutulungan nila yung mga tao dun, pero hindi.

   Ang isa pang pupuntahan ng banggaan ng superheroes at sociopolitical issues ay ang banggaan nila na magreresulta sa complete annihilation ng dalawang konsepto na yun mismo, na tulad nga ng ginawa ni Alan Moore (et al) sa Miracleman. Para iaddress ang mga isyu, kailangan niyang alisin ang dilemma ng pagiging “good” superhero. So, sa aktong pagaddress ni Miracleman ng isyu siya mismo tumigil sa pagiging superhero.

   Etcetera etcetera.

   Ang isang malaking phenomena kasi ng superhero komix dito ay ang pagiging “nationalist” nila. Me namroblema na ba nito, kung bakit ito ang isa sa mga pinakaprevalent na concepts sa komix natin?

8. auggie on June 29th, 2009 12:52 pm

   Gerry,

   Actually, you could still do the superhero stuff closer to home. The Pinoy super hero siguro has to address the massive poverty of the Philippines exarcerbated by its foreign debt. has to address the humongous overpopulation which is close to 100 million with a land area so small. How do he solve that ? by generating gazillion of money/treasure to buy off the debt. Where to get ? by scouring our ocean’s depths and salvaging those sunken treasures during the 200 years of the Acapulco-Manila Galleon Trade, plus those sunken warships during WW2 which the largest naval battle in the history of the world was fought, THE BATTLE OF LEYTE GULF, he could sell all the scrap iron to China which is worth billions. Just a starter.

9. Eric Agoncillo Ambata on June 29th, 2009 1:09 pm

   Hi Gerry,

   I got a link to your post via twitter as RT’ed by Caffeinesparks…

   I like very much your thoughts on the matter and I will give my two-cents.

   The Western dimensions to our super hero genre will always be a baggage because it’s a product of our Commonwealth and Post-American period. But looking at the history of comics in the US, the super hero genre in context as we know it took flight during the Depression period. The gilded age/industrial age before that brought forth sci-fi stories. The key I think in this context is irony and satire which we may admit it or not is lost to a majority of Filipinos today. Zsa Zsa Zaturnah is the perfect satire of our times but in the guise of very recognizable “slapstick” approach that is the staple of our current media: flamboyant gays are still objects of humor. But the Zsa-Zsa type of satire is a double-edged sword: its witty, satirical yet it perpetuates stereotyping which in the context of current gender politics which is not progressive. But I digress, we pronounce only how the super hero genre may work and not its perceived politics. I love Zsa Zsa no doubt about it. But one can never stretch the idea too far. It works within its bounds and context.

   The best “hero” type of character for me is still Crisostomo Ibarra, a zeitgeist character, proto-industrial age character, if not a proto-zorro type of character.

   But I say, let us embrace this baggage and make this a touchstone to more uniquely Filipino-voiced super hero genre.

   Cheers,
   EAA

10. David S. on June 29th, 2009 1:59 pm

    Wow, I understand everything you’re trying to say here. In fact, as an aspiring Fil-Am comic writer here in the States, also struggling to reconnect with my roots, I’ve decided making a pitch for Marvel’s “Triumph Division”.

    The major problem with this has been exactly what you said. In a country with much poverty and political corruption, a Superhero team dealing with a Supervillain trying to poison Manila’s waterline would be trite and inconsequential. To add to that layer, writing a story about a Philippines-based Marvel team supposes that the majority of the readers would still be American, which means that portraying the Philippines as an impoverished and politically corrupt country would be a disservice to the Filipino people.

    The problem has gotten me to rework a pitch over and over again, and it hasn’t gotten any easier. I’m glad you posted this blog, because it’s really confirmed a lot about how I feel about writing a pitch for this project.

    - David

11. Gerry Alanguilan on June 29th, 2009 2:01 pm

    Adam, there is tendency to create nationalistic superheroes, in the same vein as Captain America and Captain Britain where nationalism is worn on the hero’s very clothing, and it’s supposed to represent that nation’s values and ideals. There are many of my contemporaries who do the same kind of thing. Creators don’t have to do it, but I think many of them do because there seems to be an underlying desire to create a uniquely Philippine hero that Filipinos can look up to and be proud of. I believe there is validity in that desire. Because quite honestly, this is something Filipinos need right now. There is so much despair, cynicism and pessimism about being Filipino right now and any attempt to help rectify that I find commendable.

    The same kind of tendency can be found in music with songs like “Pinoy Ako” by Orange and Lemons and even Manny Pacquiao’s “Lahing Pilipino” where the virtues of being Filipino are extolled in the lyrics. These songs are designed to uplift the spirit and pride of the Filipino.

    However, I feel more pride in being a Filipino in seeing Manny kick the ass of another boxer than I do hearing him sing that song. It’s superfluous. Manny doesn’t need to sing to us to feel pride. We already feel it through his accomplishments.

    In comics, I too want to create a superhero like this, designed to uplift the Filipino spirit and pride. But I want to try it using different techniques. In a way, Timawa was my first attempt. But I think Doctor Rizal would give me more opportunity to actually accomplish it.

12. Gerry Alanguilan on June 29th, 2009 2:19 pm

    Hey David, I think what you’re attempting is awesome, and I strongly urge you to continue doing it. Quite honestly, I never thought this article would get so much response. There’s really no conclusion to the article save for me struggling to find one. But I think this hurdle we all see can actually be considered a challenge by any comics creator who wants to take it up.

13. raipo on June 29th, 2009 2:41 pm

    hay, nakapag-post din….

    IMHO, hindi lang sa superheroes kungdi sa Sci-fi na rin. Given our nation’s technological state it’s hard to envision SF stories set here. Hard but not impossible. Yun lang. :D

14. The Blurb » Superheroes in the Philippines on June 29th, 2009 2:55 pm

    [...] An interesting discussion has already begun in the comment section. Read the entire article in his blog. Click here. [...]

15. Gerry Alanguilan on June 29th, 2009 3:05 pm

    Raipo, I actually had sci-fi idea a while back, with Filipino characters in outer space setting. But I scrapped it because it was pointed out to me that it was too similar to something else.

    Anyway, I think the key to doing Sci-fi in the Philippines is to concentrate on character and emotion rather than technology. Additionally, in a highly advanced future, the Philippines could still be portrayed as the “third world”. For instance, the US could have all these awesome Galaxy class super high tech Enterprise-like starships while the Philippines would have the beat up old Millenium Falcon where not everything works all the time. That way, the dynamic between us and other cultures in a faraway future world may still seem familiar.

16. DAJB on June 29th, 2009 3:05 pm

    I know exactly what you mean, but it’s not just a problem specific to the Philippines. I faced EXACTLY the same issues you’ve raised here when trying to “re-imagine” superheroes in a UK setting! You may think the UK is not quite as different from the US as the Philippines is (no argument from me there!) but the issues really are the same. The fact is that everything we know and take for granted about superheroes is designed to work in the context of a global superpower where every city is made of towering skyscrapers. For the type of superhero we’re used to, it’s not enough to simply change the geographic location of the action – the US (and more specifically New York) simply IS the natural habitat of that particular animal!

    I don’t believe the local problems of real-world crime and poverty are the problem, either. The US has enough of that, even WITH its army of home-grown superheroes. It’s more a question of having to reimagine the whole genre, not just the characters; of taking each genre convention and asking: how would that actually work HERE? Let’s be honest, there is NOTHING remotely British about Marvel’s Captain Britain (just a US-style hero draped in a Union flag!) or DC’s Shining Knight (an unimaginative cliche escaped from a Mediaeval theme restaurant!) Unfortunately, it’s easy to take the superhero out of the US, but it’s damned difficult to take the US out of the superhero!

    For me, I decided the answer was as follows: (a) use clearly identifiable local environments and consider how working in that environment would affect behaviour patterns; (b) include real-world, non-powered characters to observe and pass comment on events as they unfold; (c) ensure the characters speak and act like they were born here (no aping glib US speak borrowed from mainstream comics or TV!); (d) invest each character with some aspect of the NATIONAL character; and (e) draw on local history for the character’s backstories, just enough so they have a sense of national identity but not so much that they become spoofs.

    I can’t help with how you would make that work in the Philippines specifically, but that’s the approach I took with the UK. I found it takes a lot of planning and re-working of the whole idea of what a superhero story is, not just what a superhero character is!

17. raipo on June 29th, 2009 3:16 pm

    haha TUMPAK! Hard but not impossible!

18. Rod Espinosa on June 29th, 2009 3:19 pm

    Why does the Filipino “hero” have to BE a superhero at all? The very idea of the Superhero (along with the visual cues of tights and cape) is inherently foreign.
    And it just compounds the problem when we dress our own versions of Superman in Filipino colors and makes them fight crime –yet another feature of the Western superhero (I have powers therefore I must fight street crime).

    Taking a cue from the Japanese; Songoku of Dragon Ball, when boiled down to the essential basics, is really Superman. But just look at how differently readers perceive the two. We know Goku is the hero even though we don’t see him beating up robbers or going after crime bosses. His heroism is expressed in other ways.

    If I knew how to create a unique Filipino character, I would have done it a long time ago, though… What form the hero will take, who knows still? But it is something that has to be unique to Filipino culture alone.

    Dressing them up in tribal costumes is just too easy. Which is why it hasn’t worked, out that way.
    The future hero of the Philippines may yet arrive in a form totally unexpected and unlooked for. they are good guys though they may not necessarily fight crime. The basic archetype which we can finally call our own, is still to be invented, IMHO.

19. adam! on June 29th, 2009 3:19 pm

    re: SciFi

    Tingin ko mas magiging effective storytellers tayo kung subukan muna nating alisin ang sarili natin mula sa Global Context. Ang nangyayari kasi ay kinukumpara natin lagi ang mga akda natin sa akda ng ibang mga tao sa ibang bansa, at iniisip kung Bakit ba tayo ganito, di katulad nila, progresibo? tapos ang sagot natin ay mga isyung postkolonyal. Baka mas maganda kung ang poproblemahin talaga natin ay ang development ng idiom na likas na sa atin lamang, yung mga bagay na gagana sa mga mambabasa dito?

20. Gerry Alanguilan on June 29th, 2009 3:31 pm

    Thanks for the insight, DAJB! You make some pretty good points. Your procedure is very specific and upon reflection, pretty sound. I think they may well be applied effectively in other places, even here in the Philippines. Thanks for passing by… it’s always great to hear the opinion from creators from other countries.

    Rod, that’s an awesome point. I do find it exciting knowing that there is still room for the Filipino superhero to grow into and exactly what it is, I can’t wait to see.

21. adam! on June 29th, 2009 3:41 pm

    Creators don’t have to do it, but I think many of them do because there seems to be an underlying desire to create a uniquely Philippine hero that Filipinos can look up to and be proud of.

    So I suppose what komix peeps (creators and readers both) ought to problematise is how to balance that Vision, that urge to “Serve the Country,” with the limitations of Talent and the hard reality of Arroyonomics.

    The fact remains that the majority of local superhero komix are gleefully proudly superficial, very much in tune with Superman, et al, despite their well-meant Nationalist (= not superficial) intentions. It is that lack of artistic and critical maturity that leads towards superficiality of narrative that leads towards stories that are just “there.”

    The fact remains that komix, regardless of what level of engagement (webkomix, zine, glossies), is almost always a money thing, be it production-wise or consumption-wise, and almost always caters towards the LCD, which is almost always the superficial stuff. So far, the more groundbreaking “mainstream” stuff out there came out as self-published efforts, not “corporate-owned,” which is what most of us komix peeps seem to be gunning for whenever we talk about getting more venues for our stuff, etc etc.

    Maybe our superhero komix aren’t mature enough yet to carry our Nationalist Yearnings? Sana di masyado magulo ang mga sinabi ko, hahaha.

22. adam! on June 29th, 2009 3:43 pm

    Ayun. Rod Espinosa’s comment (no. 17) pretty much elaborates on my question sa comment no. 20. Haha! Masarap problemahin ang mga ganitong bagay, pero anghirap gawan ng paraan. Pero kailangang problemahin para magawan ng paraan!

23. mojacko on June 29th, 2009 3:55 pm

    why not make a superhero story where the hero does try to go after the Abu Sayyaf, beats the corrupt politicos senseless and gets sued left and right like Pixar’s The Incredibles?

    pero for me, ok na sa aking yung escapist material where the superheroes take on super-powered villains na di kaya ng mga pulis. tapos, you can touch on a little bit of socio-political topics in every issue.

    anyway, ano ba explanation ng Marvel at DC kung bakit di nila nahuli si Obama or napigilan ang 9-11? Or the global recession? Where was Superman or the X-men?

24. Ed on June 29th, 2009 7:10 pm

    Wow. Daming comments.

    Gio Paredes gave me a copy of Kalayaan #7. Interesting coz there are some situations in the issue kung saan binarahan yung chimney ng factory kasi nagbubuga ng itim na usok. Winasak din ang harapan ng taxi cab dahil nangongontrata ang ibang taxi drivers.

    But “radio-active salagubang” is a great idea, Gerry. Hehehe.

25. Cev Ruiz on June 29th, 2009 7:14 pm

    My two cents,

    I believe there’s a way to portray superheroes in the Philippine setting in a uniquely Filipino way while at the same time givine them the complete trimmings of Western superheroes of capes and tights as we have come to know them.

    I think the trick is crafting the story in a certain way wherein the superhero is actually equally helpless in finding solutions to real world problems such as poverty and corruption. Take corruption for example, though the superhero could find out and stop the bad guys our justice system renders his/her actions impotent. So maybe the essence of the story would revolve around how the superhero could be a hero regardless of these real world problems or perhaps despite or inspite of these real world problems.

    With the in my mind, a Filipino superhero would be a champion of course of everything Filipino whom I believe at the very core is the epitomy of HOPE, of being able to wake up every morning and do what we do inspite of all the evil and injustice around us because we internally and eternally believe and hope that THIS TOO SHALL PASS, to give way to a better future.

    P.S. Actually I already have a story for a graphic novel specifically about the Filipino superhero but I don’t have an artist / collaborator / time to do it. It’s pretty much written and all I can say is it pretty much explains why there aren’t any significant superheroes in the Philippines today. If anyone would like to bounce ideas around feel free to drop me a mail bomb.

26. Ferres on June 29th, 2009 10:59 pm

    Then make him/her an anti-villain.

    Superheroes are so generic and predictable anyway.

27. Gio Paredes on June 29th, 2009 11:25 pm

    Nabangit pa ako ni boss Ed dito ah. :D

    Sana nagustohan nya ang comics na bigay ko.

    Anyway, in this issue (#7) of Kalayaan. It has may sub-stories inside it that deals with the things that we Filipinos are not very fun of in our country. Nabangit na nga ni boss Ed yung dalawa. At ang isa pa ay ang traffic.

    http://gioparedes.deviantart.com/art/K7-Page-14-127650753

    “If I had powers myself the very first thing I would do would be gather up all these idiotic and corrupt politicians and beat them senseless.”

    Naisip ko na yan dati eh. Kung may superpower lang ako. Ganito gagawin ko sa mga snatcher.

    http://gioparedes.deviantart.com/art/K7-Page-25-127305871

28. Pinoy Comics USA on June 29th, 2009 11:44 pm

    Gerry,
    The Pinoy Super Hero you’re looking for is right there in your midst, a living, true-blooded Filipino: Manny Pacquiao. I think he is the embodiment of the true super hero as discussed in the comments here.
    Rod

29. Jordan Santos on June 30th, 2009 1:02 am

    Hey Gerry, a link from Budj at facebook got me here :) It’s already midnight, and I don’t have time to read the replies, bukas nalang. But let me just point out that the US also has “huge problems of poverty, education, (and) political corruption.” We just don’t read it in their comic books because they too don’t want to address them. Well, they would, but only up to a point.

    I bet any superhero in the US would want to beat the crap out of the squabbling Republicans and Democrats, and they would also be MORE disappointed that poverty and lack of education exists in the most powerful country in the world itself. Corruption? The big leagues compared to ours since their kind of corruption and greed affects the world rather than just one country.

    US citizens would also question their superheroes if you factor all these. But you know what? I think they don’t. Their comic books and superheroes still work regardless of these realities. Superman still works regardless of a US President who reasoned invading Iraq with deception and lies all the way from the start. Daredevil still works even with the real current gang wars, human trafficking and drug problems in the streets. Wonder woman still works for women empowerment even though her costume says the opposite. That Secret Invasion or Final Crisis thing still was believable that it could be the end of the world regardless of the current financial crisis that is gripping the, err, whole world.

    I think it’s because they want their real problems being solved at least somewhere, like, in comic books.

    That, or for them to forget these real problems by reading something, like comic books :)

    Puwede rin naman yan dito sa atin.

    Better sleep now, cheers!

30. Bong Redila on June 30th, 2009 8:08 am

    15. Gerry Alaguilan – “In a highly advanced future, the Philippines could still be portrayed as the “third world”. For instance, the US could have all these awesome Galaxy class super high tech Enterprise-like starships while the Philippines would have the beat up old Millenium Falcon where not everything works all the time.”

    Unless the Amazing Dr. Rizal will use the time machine in the past and change the Philippines future… FOREVAAH!! (fading echo) :D

31. jzhunagev on June 30th, 2009 9:49 am

    Why is it that comics became the domain of superheroes? When you say comics expect superheroes to crop out of its pages.
    I think, from what I had read of our komiks during the 60′s to 70′s, writers don’t preoccupy this topic in their heads. Komiks back then has many stories to offer the reader aside from the superhero stuff. Dotted in some of its pages are slices of life and sob stories. So mainly the social issues present back then are much presented in those sort of stories and the superhero stuff remains what they ought to be–which is to provide escapist entertainment to the reader.
    If you’re trying to find a hero who dealt with the social issues of their time I think it is was best presented by Francisco Coching though his protagonists are not the superhero who we had gotten used to today; they’re just common taos who want to do good and is selfless in service of his country who is in dire need of his help.
    I think its just best to delineate that superheroes who naturally are super in their own ways can’t tackle mundane problems because such trivialities make them, well, trivial. Imagine can Superman use his laserbeam to make plants grow faster thus making production fast enabling more people to eat food. Then resolving the problem of hunger.
    I think what makes social issues dull is that it does not contain much action in and of itself. Huge problem such as mentioned above takes time to ponder and the superhero is a man of action, He must be in the thick of things.
    Social issues for me is best left to the common tao. Because the reader or the man of the street can sure be inspired by what the common tao did to solve this or that problem. He can relate to what the common tao did as he is experiencing the same thing himself.

    I think that’s what my two pesos, or whatever its worth, of opinion is.

32. Paolo Chikiamco on June 30th, 2009 10:25 am

    Hi Gerry,

    Quite a thought-provoking post. My thoughts:

    INHERENT LIMITATIONS: When I look at the traditional caped heroes, those of iconic stature such as Superman, Spiderman etc., I find that the stories in which they participate in (at least within the continuity of a non-limited series) are inherently limited in such a way as to prevent them from dealing with anything but super-villains and their plots. It’s not the lesser degree of poverty etc in the USA that allows superheroes to ignore structural/societal problems (and given the global mandate/morality of most heroes, it logically should not) it is simply that they cannot be allowed to do so as that would result in stories not aimed at the target demographic, narratives without clear-cut victories or evident bad-guys or climactic fight scenes. The traditional superheroes just aren’t built for that kind of narrative, whatever the economic state of their country–as we’ve heard frequently before “the poor will always be with you.”

    This is not to say that it is not possible for a story to be told in which superheroes address these issues, but (a) if done consistently that for me removes those “heroes” from the realm of the archetypal superheroes; and (b) if just done as a one-off, without any follow-through then it’s hardly done right.

    As you said, superheroes can’t deal with real world, macro-level problems. They simply aren’t designed for those stories/to do those stories and continue on as viable main characters.

    SOCIO-POLITICAL ENTANGLEMENTS: That being said, if one wants to do even a quasi-realistic portrayal of a Super-hero that acquires any degree of fame in the RP in this day and age, stories about said hero would inevitably need to address the socio-political arena. That’s the way it is for most anyone here anointed with “hero” status, as both the “fans” and the politicos–not to mention the Church–would be keen to use him/her for their own purposes.

    UPLIFTING FILIPINO SPIRIT: This is something more personal to me I suppose, but while I do love my country and respect and admire my countrymen who achieve success–individual achievement has never made me feel “proud to be a Filipino.” Group accomplishments yes, like EDSA 1 (even 2, regardless of the outcome), the stands at Bataan and Corregidor, stories of villagers giving food to prisoners during the death march, etc. A Filipino superhero though wouldn’t really make me feel good about being a superhero–conversely if a group of us went about trying to support/put into action the ideals of said hero, that’d be something to cheer. As such for me, personally, I don’t think of a story focused on a gifted individual/small group as being an appropriate locus for any nationalist leanings.

33. Robby Villabona on June 30th, 2009 11:25 am

    Hi, Gerry,

    I think a few people are touching the point I also wanted to convey about this topic… that maybe there’s a new consciousness among people that there are no easy solutions to complex problems (which is what a hero essentially is — a fantasy shortcut to a quick solution). In 1986 that hero was supposed to be Cory Aquino, then in 2001 it was GMA. The lack of a successful “Edsa Tres” shows Filipinos may have given up looking for heroes for the time being. Maybe the original EDSA generation have grown up to realize they have really have nobody to look to but themselves.

    Have you watched the HBO series THE WIRE? If not, I highly, highly, highly recommend it. I would even go out on a limb to say it is quite possibly the best TV show I have ever seen (yes, even better than ROME, DEADWOOD, THE SOPRANOS, and BSG – whose wrap-up was a major disappointment).

    I really like THE WIRE because it’s so real — it’s essentially the points of views of various people surrounding the problem of drugs, corruption, bureaucracy, violence, politics, etc. Whatever “good” there is that is achieved is not due to any “hero”, but the collective effort of very flawed people of various motivations — each etching out small victories and suffering setbacks… sometimes achieving big things then feeling like the prize wasn’t as good as the chase.

34. Gerry Alanguilan on June 30th, 2009 11:44 am

    Hey Robby, I loved the Wire. I could very easily agree it was one of the best TV shows I’ve seen. I haven’t seen the last season yet though.

35. Jose Mari Lee on June 30th, 2009 12:27 pm

    Before we can define a Filipino superhero, we must first define who exactly the Filipinos are: a mixture of different races – who have their own cultural nuances and sentiments, segregated by regionalism, constricted by mores and traditions, hegemony, political corruption, widespread poverty, religious fanaticism and the tendency to hop into the band wagon of mob hysteria:

    “Bitayin na si Echeverria!”
    “Paupuin na sa silya elektrika sina Jaime Jose!”
    “Ikulong na si Hayden Kho!”
    “Pangalagaan ang mga babaing tulad ni Katrina HALINGHING!”

    and on, on, ad nauseam.

    These are what we see in the country, and even Ernest Hemingway had said it even more succinctly: Filipinos are nondescript. He was referring to the outside look of every Filipino. I’m not trying to put words into his mouth, but I think he fell short by saying that the Filipinos are a bizarre bunch.

    They seem not to have a unified interest, no unified aspirations, no desire to make RP a place that they can call home, an honest-to-goodness true home of their own. Each one has his own agenda, and many tend to divide themselves even during a national crisis, such as the Second World war. That time, Filipinos were fighting left and right the atrocities being inflicted to them by the Japanese Imperial Army, yet what did some of the Filipinos do? They became MAKAPILI (Japanese collaborators), grouped themselves against other Filipino groups (such as the Lapuz-Escudero horrific feud), resulting in an open season, not only for the Japanese, but also from his awful fellow Filipinos, making the innocent Filipino bystanders sitting ducks waiting to be butchered.

    It’s no use dissecting the poverty and other social ills in the country for a superhero feature. People in the first world won’t even understand, for instance, why a mother should be prostituting herself in order to feed her baby, or why is it that totoy is not going to school just because his parents are farmers who need the help of their young son to eke out a living.

    If there’s one cancer that’s killing the Filipinos it is their DIVISIVENESS.

    This is a Filipino bad attitude that needs a massive dose of chemotherapy. A Filipino who has an ingenious idea of UNITING the nation – this can be the defining moment of a true Filipino superhero.

    Someone like Ramon Magsaysay, a simpleton who had united the Filipinos (and even if the CIA helped him persuade the HUKBALAHAP to throw their arms and be part of a peaceful existence), what he showed was strong, decisive character and a lot of compassion toward his fellow man.

36. auggie on June 30th, 2009 1:59 pm

    JM,

    So in effect, The Filipinos are similar to the Mongol hordes of the steppes, warlike, each tribe into his own, hostile to each other Mongol tribe, but expert horsemen. It took a Genghis Khan ( a visionary)to realize this and has the guts and the wherewithal to unite all these warring tribes, and convert them into a cohesive war machine the world has ever known.Who is the Pinoy GENGHIS KHAN ?

37. randyvaliente on June 30th, 2009 3:43 pm

    Sabi nga ni Renato De Quiros sa isa niyang article sa newspaper, masyado daw tayong mahilig sa ‘form’ imbes na sa ‘content’. Gusto natin na makita ng iba na ‘maka-Pilipino’ tayo in a particular situation. Kaya nga nauuso ngayon ang mga damit na may 3 stars & the sun, mga kantang maka-Pilipino, at kung anu-ano pang propaganda, agendas, movements, etc. Pero deep within, ni hindi natin naiintindihan kung sino tayo. Kaya hindi rin natin alam kung sinong ‘hero’ o ‘superhero’ ang bagay para sa atin. Kaya nga kahit Pilipinong-pilipino tayo sa pananamit at ‘pride’, pero maka-banyaga naman ang takbo ng utak natin. Sad ano? hehehe

    Nayu-unite lang tayo ng kung anu-anong ka-churvahan :) pero hindi natin alam kung bakit. Kaya nga daw nagkaroon tayo ng mga ‘pambansang prutas’, ‘pambansang bulaklak’, ‘pambansang kamao’, etc. kasi kahit dito man lang e makita ng ibang lahi na ‘united’ tayo.

    Iba pang example na mahilig tayo sa ‘form’ kesa sa ‘content’:

    Mahilig tayong magdasal at magsimba, at tumawag sa kung sinu-sinong diyos at santo, pero hindi naman ito nakikita sa ating gawa.

    Mahilig tayong mag-celebrate ng fiesta kahit wala tayong pera, uutang na lang tayo.

38. Salacious Graille on June 30th, 2009 7:02 pm

    The Superhero itself is a flawed concept, as much as I love reading stories about them. Essentially a glorified policeman, the Superhero only solves problems within his/her proximity or limitations; while the writer may take liberties in widening the Superhero’s sphere of influence, there are simply some social realms where the concept of a government-sanctioned (or otherwise) vigilante becomes an impotent mass of failed fever dreams.

    Paul Dini has tackled this issue in his Superman: Peace on Earth one-shot. Supes, being the idealist that he is, was challenged by his dealings (as an investigative journalist) with poverty, corruption and the like. Focusing on a tangible and stupefyingly played-out global concern (in this case: world hunger), Superman–with the support of certain US NGOs–flies off to developing (or third world, for those of us who abhor political correctness) countries, delivering fucktons of food to the poor and needy.

    Unsurprisingly, hilarity ensues, as the strongest man in the world is consistently foiled by military red tape, xenophobic hivemindsets, hunger-addled greed and people who plain don’t want his help, for he is an American pigdog.

    Despite the liberties Dini has taken in dumbing down the Pulitzer-winner Clark Kent/Superman, his hyperbole stands. Superheroes who try to move outside the realm of piddly crime-figthing will invariably hit some walls. Pretty formidable ones, too. Of course, writers have speculated on the implications of political superheroes as seen in Wonder Woman, cultural ambassador to Themiscyra, and Ellis’s The Authority.

39. Raule on June 30th, 2009 8:08 pm

    Why a pinoy hero? Why a superhero?

    Unable to deal with difficult issues in the country and yet entertain without the intervention of superheroes?
    I think it’s an absurd limit, friends. Filipino artists can create good characters, ordinary people with problems, people like us, without incredible powers.

    Greetings to all from Spain.

40. Robby Villabona on June 30th, 2009 9:16 pm

    Form vs substance (uniquely Filipino practices):

    1. Mahilig mag kabit ng European plate numbers sa ilalim ng Philippine plate numbers. Kunwari nakatira daw sila dati sa Europe at inuwi lang nila ang kanilang Corolla Vios! Hahaha!

    2. Mahilig magbigay ng mahabang pangalan sa mga anak (para tunog importante). Kung saan-saang lupalop dinadampot ang pangalan kaya nagiging pinakbet and tunog. Example: Simone Francesca Emmanuelle Cuneta Pangilinan

    3. Mahilig uminom ng San Mig Lite para mukhang health-conscious. Pero iinom ng doseng bote tapos crispy pata at sisig ang pulutan.

41. adam! on June 30th, 2009 11:03 pm

    All things considered, yes, we’ve lots and lotsa problems. But where are the practical suggestions for finding workable solutions?

42. Ferres on July 1st, 2009 12:34 am

    Topics like these seem to always devolve into the usual pinoy bashing thread.

    Our own bit of reverse racism.

    If the lot of our people is to serve foreigners for a greater good then so be. Still better than doing nothing.

43. Budjette on July 1st, 2009 1:16 am

    Oh wow! Talk about arriving late for the party.

    You’ve done it again, Gerry.

    You’ve stirred up quite a hornet’s nest.

    So, the question is, if the Philippines had a superman, would he be the solution to the country’s problems? The more important questions would be: would the Pinoy superman want to do such a thing? Maybe he’ll just get into showbiz? Maybe he’ll just get into politics?

    Having superpowers doesn’t always mean you’d want to save the world.

    Being tall doesn’t mean you’ll be a great basketball player.

    Being beautiful doesn’t mean you’ll make a great actress.
    (Lots of examples of these in Pinoy showbiz)

    Most superheroes react to a given situation. They’re like policemen and firemen. They only come into the picture where there is a threat or situation that needs to be solved.

    In some stories, superheroes have been shown taking a more proactive stance. So, instead of just fighting muggers and bankrobbers, they try to save the world by taking control of it.

    In the 80s, there was SQUADRON SUPREME story that showed the team taking control of world. Their utopia came at the price of have a dictatorship ruled by the Squandron.

    In KINGDOM COME, it showed how Batman turned Gotham City into a police state. It was crime-free city, but it was under the Batman’s martial law.

    So, you could tell stories of that explore that scenario.

    But it’s still possible to tell superhero stories set in the Philippines, given our current situation. I think Paolo Fabregas’ FILIPINO HEROES LEAGUE is a good example of that.

    (preview pages at…)
    http://pfab.deviantart.com/

    In his story, the best of the best Pinoy heroes have migrated to other countries because they get better pay over there. So, we are left with D-lister superheroes, who live in an HQ that looks like a government office and they rush to stop bank robbers using a pedicab (because their jeepney didn’t have any gas and they didn’t have any gas money).

    Of course, they only way we’ll ever figure out if it works or not is to write it, draw it, and get it out there.

    So, I hope to see more comic book stories (superheroes or otherwise) in the upcoming komikons!

44. unsamani on July 1st, 2009 1:26 am

    I don’t know why there needs to be so much conscious effort to introduce Pinoy elements into local comics just for the sake of saying it is “makabayan”…

    For me, any work done by a Filipino artist is Filipino art. Be proud of who you are and what you do! Don’t worry about your work not addressing poverty, political corruption, or manananggals. If you force “filipino elements” into your story, then you will just ruin it and make it look “trying-hard”.

    Just go write a good story with good characters–superhero or not. Your being Filipino will naturally come out.

45. Hai on July 1st, 2009 2:37 am

    I think forcing a story to be socially/culturally relevant is a terribly bad idea and often leads to stilted and unbelievable story telling.

    And the moment you insert a superhero demigod into what remains of the story, it will lose whatever serious credibility it has left. Superheroes just don’t make a convincing platform for serious socially relevant themes.

    So far, I have not seen a superhero comic (local and abroad) that would even pass as serious literature. Reading Maus has made more impact on me than all the superhero comics I’ve read.

46. Borgy on July 1st, 2009 7:54 am

    Looking at all the comments there is still the underlying factor that seems to be neglected on: What sort of hero are we looking for?

    Is it the all-powerful savior who’s ethical fortitude transcends mere mortal standards? The zealot who stands as a paragon for all others to follow? The crusader who’s thirst for justice drives him to obssession? The everyman who has had the role placed on his unready shoulders? The warrior who lets nothing stand in his way of achieving his ideals? The dashing rogue who scoffs at the rules and is as much self-centered as he is selfless?

    All heroes fall in one category or another or a combination of any. Before anything else, is defined by what he stands for then is built from that seed onward. Remember the old adage ” a hero is made not born”.

    I myself have struggled with the same question of what kind of superhero would work in a Philippine setting, that a Filipino can relate and look up to and admittedly, am working hard to address it.

    Maybe this is a shameless plug but Servant is my attempt and, hopefully, when it is fully realized, will address the questions brought forth here ^_^

47. Jose Mari Lee on July 1st, 2009 8:31 am

    “Reading Maus has made more impact on me than all the superhero comics I’ve read.”

    … and the BLACKHOLE is one great world between harsh reality and mind-boggling fantasy that took me to terra incognita, way much more than any superhero feature I’ve read in comics or seen on screen. I just hope Neil Gaiman’s screenplay will be as close as possible to the original.

    This is a good solution. Forget about a Filipino superhero. Let’s just showcase Filipino culture and way of life as honest as we can. Meanwhile, let’s start weaning ourseleves from the Asuwangs and malignos, or the ones we call in Bicol, TAWO SA LIPOD. These creatures have been saturating recent works. How about strong character pinoys like CARLOS BULOSAN? His life story is one fascinating existence that would look good as a graphic novel. If there was one Pinoy who rattled Uncle Sam, it was none other than Mr. Bulosan. No superpower, no escapist fare, just honest-to-goodness inspiring Filipino stories. Go ahead and show the good, the bad, the ugly, and the beautiful. After all, we have great Filipinos despite the negative situations we’ve already whined about.

    Showcasing these great pinoys to the whole world will give us the chance to vindicate our image abroad, tarnished by our local movies exhibited in world film fests, telling everyone that we are only good as male and female prostitutes, or…

    • serbis
    • masahista
    • curacha babaing walang pahinga
    • macho dancers
    • sibak
    • hada

    … at kung anu-ano pang mga KAPUTAHAN, na kung ililista natin dito ay baka mag-CRASH ang komikero site dahil sa tindi ng gigabyte na kakainin nito.

48. auggie on July 1st, 2009 4:58 pm

    JM,

    I concur. Let’s leave the superhero stuff to Marvel, DC, Image, Dark Horse, Manga, etc they are good at it… Let’s concentrate on new grounds to be explored. Example: Why on Earth should Filipinos kill each other off when they have a hated common enemy, the Japanese Imperial Forces ? That’s the gist of a soon to be made graphic novel addressing the ESCUDERO-LAPUZ conundrum that happened in Sorsogon in the last World War.

    Another: WAS THE FIRST CIRCUMNAVIGATOR AROUND THE WORLD, A FILIPINO ? A soon to made graphic novel about the the odyssey of ENRIQUE, a Visayan youth bought by Magellan in the slave markets in the Moluccas, brought to Spain for a royal audience with the King of Spain, and went back to the Far East, oly to be killed in Mactan. All these told by Enrique as an eyewitness account.

    There are other materials soon to be written. I think this has a more global market.

49. Cev Ruiz on July 1st, 2009 8:46 pm

    I just realized…

    Hindi bayani ang kailangan.

    Sa halip isang pinuno.

    a reiteration from DC:New Frontier (in the comics it was a conversation between wonder woman and superman while in the animated movie it was a conversation between lois lane and superman…)

50. Gilbert on July 2nd, 2009 12:40 am

    On a side note lang, since madami na namang points na naibigay. When I started working as a contributor sa GASI, (1990-96) HINDI o halos walang superhero titles, puro HORROR,LOVE STORIES, FANTASY at SCI-FI. I think DARNA lang yata sa atlas ang superhero ang title at siyempre sa mga pambatang titles like FUNNY komiks at Bata-Batuta komiks. So hindi totoo na ang komiks sa pinas ay puro Superheroes. After Kick Fighter lang nagkaroon ng ilan pang superhero titles sa GASI.

    Yun lang, naaalala ko lang kasi hirap ako noon, kasi sa style ko na parang alien sa mga editors noon.

51. Francis Lim on July 2nd, 2009 8:16 am

    Ang superhero genre ay imbento ng mga Amerikano. And as such, reflects the aspirations and embodies the dreams of the American people. This is not necessarily bad, dahil maraming mabubuting katangian ang mga Amerikano. Ang kanilang paniniwala sa katarungan, dignidad at kapantayan. Sila’y makadiyos rin at makatao. Itinayo nga ang kanilang bansa sa mga paniniwalang ito. Ngayon, sa tagal ng panahon umiba na rin ang kultura ng Amerikano at hindi rin natin masasabing mabuti ang lahat ng pagbabagong ito. Naniniwala pa rin ako sa format ng “Pinoy Superhero” magandang pagkakataon ito para muling ipamulat ang mabubuting katangian ng kulturang Pilipino. We have an opportunity to reach out to a new generation of kids, to revisit our old myths and stories. True, perhaps we are taking a difficult path by choosing this genre. Almost quixotic some would think, but that’s the point isn’t it? I am glad for discussions such as yours, it makes everyone stop and reassess their positions. And I am doubly grateful for comments or viewpoints that probe and stretch the possibilities for a “Pinoy Superhero”. Thanks very much for your site, Gerry.

52. Myke08 on July 2nd, 2009 6:41 pm

    Kung masasagot ba ng isang creator ng isang superhero ang problemang tinatalakay nyo posible bang mabago ang lahat? Paano kung ang creator na yun ehh sa creation pa lang nya sablay na paano pa ako maniniwala sa mga sinasabi nya? Sample, Pinoy ang roots…pinoy god decendant ang superhero… inshort Malay looking or browned skinned kung Pinoy God like nga…pero magugulat ka, ang Super hero nya na sinasabing sasagot sa mga katanungan yan ay sablay na kung pag nakita sya ehh Caucatian looking at blue eyed and hair pa at foreigner ang name.

    Paano ako maniniwalang may sense sya sa sinasabi nya?

    Haaayy…kaya nga ako i dont consider my character a hero and I dont want to think of him that way either.

    Miss you all!

53. rhiver on July 2nd, 2009 9:06 pm

    sir, ang ganda na na-pose nyong challenge. challenge para sa akin kasi mejo binibuild up ko pa yung karakter ko na si manila man. although natapos ko na isulat ang kanyang background at unang mga istorya, napapaisip pa din ako sa naisulat mo dito. paano nga ba mahaharap ng isang superhero ang real life dilemmas nang hindi nagmumukang idiot and without the story being awkward.

    napaisip tlga ako dun ah. hehehe.

    sir more power!!!

54. Heubert Khan Michael on July 3rd, 2009 12:43 am

    wow. very thought-provoking. Still can’t believe I read all 53 comments!

    Learning is indeed fun. :-)

55. powil guzmanos on July 3rd, 2009 12:57 pm

    i feel that some elements of superhero stories if placed in Philippine context will look awkward. and i want to believe that it’s because I’m not used to seeing these combinations. ex. aliens in manila?… it’s so unrealistic.

    But could superheroes battle against social problems? I guess in the story itslef it’s difficult. But Looking at a particular title as a comics-product in a real bookstore might add another dimension to the discussion.

    Unrelated to that are my pinoy superhero ideas:

    1. a nobody in the Philippines but realized the superhero potential within while abroad. because overseas, the stakes are higher, the villains bigger, and there are other things that can further the superhero career. ex. going against nuclear powered weapons or protecting Hubble Space Telescope from asteroids. Both are possible with an American nationality.

    If you’re Filipino you’re limited with going against local insurgencies, or impeaching/protecting the president, every several years, at best.

    2. superheroes not wearing spandex and sexist clothes not because they finally realise they are silly but because the catholic church condemned them. While superheros from other countries still wear them all the time.

    3. superheroes not tackling problems in poverty, education, corruption, starvation, etc. because that’s what those in power effectively do in the Philippines. So it’s okay. Really! It would be socially untrue if superheroes do otherwise!

    4. politicians using superheroes as campaign endorsers (hence they are protected by the government unlike in other superhero stories), until somebody exposed a sex scandal video. the superhero in question tells the media he/she is the victim.

    5. Foreign superheroes’ adventures in the Philippines. Local heroes don’t have the “save the world/country” attitude. Their powers seem to only function only within several baranggays.

    6. Superhero realising the superhero potential within after going back home as a balikbayan – picked up the “save the world” attitude from abroad.

    7. Superheroes not performing high enough because the talents are misdirected. ex. a “Catwoman” -like hero saving kittens/cats from becoming roadkill all day long because even animals need superhero assistance in the Philippines.

    8. superhero wants to become a superdictator. the hero was so frustrated with many generatiions of politicians he/she vowed no one should hold a public office except himself/herself.

    9. superhero coping with real world problems rather than solving them. A superhero realises the power he/she posesses, but doesn’t know what to do with it. example, what to do during the 1986 EDSA revolution..but no matter which side things don’t seem to go for the better.

    10. superhero with super identity crisis

56. Alex on July 4th, 2009 3:56 am

    Kapitan Sino – Bob Ong

57. Jose Mari Lee on July 4th, 2009 6:43 am

    “8. superhero wants to become a superdictator. the hero was so frustrated with many generations of politicians he/she vowed no one should hold a public office except himself/herself.”

    Wooooooooo… I like this premise. Wow, I’d place him on one of the 7,200 islands watching the whole nation with all his sort of electronic gadgetry! Brilliant idea.

    Now we’re talking…

    The international crime syndicates will all be against him because they won’t be able to use the country for all their nefarious activities: curtail hegemony, economic sabotage, unabashed abuse of local resources such as poisoning the water and land from multinational mining companies, abuse of fishing in the country by Japanese fishermen, and so on.

    powil guzmanos you’re one heck of an idea man.
    I won’t mind seeing this sort of a Pinoy superhero. It’s quite edgy: not really bad, definitely not good, but absolutely intriguing.

58. KS Knight on July 4th, 2009 2:30 pm

    If I were bitten by a radioactive salagubang (probably irradiated through foreign toxic dumping), I be robbing a bank.

    In fact there’s a 95% chance that if any one Filipino gets superpowers, it’ll be someone way below the poverty line. And addressing my hunger will the first of my concerns. The 4% remaining middle class citizens will probably do the most genuinely heroic thing while I don’t want to even imagine what would happen if some rich spoiled 1% gets that superpower.

    I’d disagree that foreign superheroes will be put in an awkward position when forced to address real world issues. Warren Ellis did it perfectly well when he murdered President Bush in his Black Summer. When Mark Millar took over The Authority from Ellis, the first thing the superhero team did was overthrow a southeast asian dictator and housed the refugees it was terrorizing. Alan Moore’s Miracleman literally obliterated the concept of MONEY and when Neil Gaiman took over, he turned that world into a utopia.

    Superman (according to Grant Morrison) on the other hand, is rationalized as a scientist that protects and observes, not to interfere with the affairs of humans as much as possible. Although in his original conception, Superman first fought against domestic abuse! Batman until now still deals with mobsters every now and then, which were a major social concern in the time of his creation (and to some degree, until this very day). Captain America was made to fight Nazis in an era where the Nazis were a real threat. Heck even Bugs Bunny was shown hammering Hitler in those days.

    I would actually go so far as to say the superheroes are an adolescent fantasy’s way of dealing with the real world.

59. Gerry Alanguilan on July 5th, 2009 12:23 am

    “I’d disagree that foreign superheroes will be put in an awkward position when forced to address real world issues. Warren Ellis did it perfectly well when he murdered President Bush in his Black Summer.”

    The problem with that is that they would no longer be superheroes, would they? Warren made superheroes into super murderers. Alan Moore and Neil Gaiman, to save the world, they made superheroes into super dictators. Awesome stories, awesome comic books, but these are stories that have an underlying contempt for the idea of the superhero. A hero is about doing the right thing, even when it’s the most difficult, most ridiculous thing to do.

    Grant Morrison is perhaps the one that came closest to addressing this basic conundrum of superheroes and real world issues. In JLA, Morrison postulated that superheroes are not here to save the world. They should allow humanity to grow on their own. Then what is the point? Superman says they’re here to catch us when we fall.

60. Gerry Alanguilan on July 5th, 2009 8:03 am

    Alan Moore’s Watchmen is an even more extreme example. Make no mistake, I love that book. It’s one of the greatest books I’ve read. But consider this: to save the world, the superhero had to kill a million innocent people. And for the plan to succeed, the rest of the superheroes had to stay quiet about the truth and do nothing about it. The one hero who wouldn’t go along, Rorschach, was killed for it. And yet even he can hardly be called a hero when he goes around brutally breaking people’s fingers like it was nothing.

61. Rod Espinosa on July 5th, 2009 1:53 pm

    What a fascinating topic and thanks to Gerry for starting it.

    Read all the comments and I will try to chime in with my two cents:

    The Filipino disunity and lack of cohesion is something that was discussed a lot. I agree that we seem to be still locked in what I call our “tribal mentality”. There is only the love of your own family and local town (hence the patrimony that exists on all levels of society). And yeah, we need to look beyond just being members of our immediate clans and baranggays and consider the country as a whole. (If not, we may as well break up into a federation of island states because that is how we have acted almost since gaining independence… )

    Hey, Saw Gilbert Monsanto’s post. I was at Sonic Triangle/ GASI too… those were the years indeed… underpaid as all heck but somehow enjoying the fact that my unusual (Manga/Western) style was accepted there. I was lining up to get my check with a bunch of housewives… Ah the memories…

    But to the topic at hand…
    I think many cultures have their “iconic” characters. In the US, you have the Marvel and DC characters. Crossgen failed because no matter what their efforts, they failed at creating an iconic character. They failed to create their “Superman” or “X-men”. That one character or series that defines the company.
    Every entity has their iconic characters. Hasbro has Transformers and G I Joe. Disney has Mickey Mouse and company.

    IDENTITY is important. If all we do is come up with a Fil version of Mickey or Dilbert, it will fail.

    The Japanese ripped off early American comics and cartoons. That’s where most innovations begin. But out of that came the gigantic comic book industry we know today as the purveyors of our favorite manga and anime.

    I believe that given time, even we will come up with our own brand of character.
    Like I mentioned before, it may not be in the form of a superhero for that idea was borrowed from another culture. It’s worth borrowing, don’t get me wrong, but I think it can be a good foundation to creating what would be the future genesis of a line of characters similar to how current anime has roots in Disney’s Snow White.

    I fondly remember original Filipino characters (not superheroes) like Nik-nok (middle class suburban kid that loves fried chicken–brilliant!), Planet op di Apes, Bing, Bam and Bung… I mean, all those original funny characters including those gossiping neighbors in Inquirer “LOve Knots”… the list goes on and on.
    But yeah, there will be a future iconic character that speaks to most Filipinos. That character can be our hometown hero like Wiggles is to Australia or Dora the Explorer (a girl that just encourages learning–imagine that!).
    It ain’t sexy, but if a character can somehow encourage people to better their lives through education or information, then I believe it will catch on.
    They are “super” heroes… in their own way.

62. Rod Espinosa on July 5th, 2009 2:03 pm

    Also, considering the practical needs of our people at present, we may also take that into consideration.
    Filipinos aren’t interested in crime-fighting demi-gods.

    I believe if a character can entertain but at the same time give people ideas on how to better themselves, I think that’s a better character to develop even if that character only happens to be an NGO volunteer with unusual people skills and has more than the usual adventures. WE can take inspiration from Herge’s Tin-tin. How simple is that? A guy and his pet dog go on all these adventures! And he doesn’t even have powers! yet that character was huge in Europe.

    Much like the creator of “99″ wanted kids in his country to have good Muslim characters to look up to instead of the usual diet of AK-47 wielding fanatics that Muslims have been tarnished with. So what did he do? He created a superhero team made up of the 99 virtues in Muslim theology.
    The superhero element is there, but it also ties in with education.
    Hey, I’d like to collaborate on something given the chance.

    Peace,

    Rod

63. jason on July 8th, 2009 7:20 pm

    are you weak?