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Feb

27

Fascinating Coincidence

Filed Under Philippine Comics | 7 Comments

Flipping through a 1953 issue of Liwayway Magazine, I was immediately struck when I saw this illustration.


Illustration signed by “Leynes”

To my eyes, the couple looks so much like Arlan and his wife May. Arlan only looks slightly similar, but May looks almost exactly the same. You can see for yourself in the tribute video of Arlan I made earlier. I had scanned this, printed it out and gave a copy to Arlan a couple of years ago and even he was surprised at how close the features were.

I think it’s simply coincidence, but what an awesome coincidence it is. Seeing the page again as I browsed this Liwayway issue, I thought I’d post it here.

Comments

7 Responses to “Fascinating Coincidence”

  1. Pinoy Comics USA on February 28th, 2010 7:58 am

    Gerry,
    The artist is most probably Nestor Leynes. Here’s his web site: http://www.angelfire.com/al4/nesley/1950.html

  2. Gerry Alanguilan on February 28th, 2010 8:16 am

    OMG. It’s Arlan and May again, on that first cover! Thanks for the link, Rod!

  3. Pinoy Comics USA on February 28th, 2010 12:20 pm

    Gerry,
    I think you’re right. That doctor in the color illustration does look like Arlan, I’m not sure about May, as we only catch a short and fast glimpse of her. Pinanood ko uli yung video, ang saya pa ni Arlan. Nakakalungkot isipin ang mga pangyayari.
    BTW, Nestor Leynes was one of the exponents of the art movement called Magic Realism or Photo-Realism that became popular in Manila around the 70s. One of those involved in that movement was Steve Santos (son of Malang) whom we know as the blogger of Unang Labas.

  4. Peter Urkowitz on March 1st, 2010 9:33 am

    Hi Gerry, I just saw that Neil Gaiman will be in the Phillipines: “March 17th 2010 I’ll be in Manila, back in the Rockwell Tent, for the third Philippine Graphic/Fiction Awards.” From his blog at http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2010/02/what-today-is.html

    OOPS! Now I see that you’ve already listed it on your sidebar! Nevermind, then, sorry! Have fun!

  5. Rina A on March 6th, 2010 2:48 pm

    I really enjoy your blog, Gerry. This one post reminds of all the Filipino romance comics my Lola would give my siblings and I when she’d come visit us in the US from the Philippines. I never understood what they said, though she tried to translate all the word balloons for me, but the amazing artwork was pretty unforgettable!

  6. Gerry Alanguilan on March 6th, 2010 3:11 pm

    Hello Rina!

    The great thing is, Liwayway Magazine still exists today, and it still contains some truly marvelous illustrations which accompany all sorts of short stories.

  7. Rina on March 13th, 2010 5:47 am

    Gerry, that’s great! I’ll try to find some issues. That magazine is just like the ones my Lola would show us, maybe it’s the same ones? There were lots of interviews with Vilma Santos, Sharon Cuneta, and Snooky Serna in those. I think I need to start a Filipino comics distribution here in California, though I am sure there is one?