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Sep

17

Zuma Commission

Filed Under My Art, Philippine Comics | 18 Comments

It’s not often I do commissions, but I do them when I have both the time and the interest in the subject matter. And I’ve always wanted to try and draw ZUMA. I based this design on the original design by co-creator Elmer Esquivias, which made its first appearance in Rex Komiks #1 in June 1978. Co-created by writer Jim Fernandez, Zuma is one of the most popular komiks characters in Philippine comics. However, Zuma and the other characters in the story are not Filipino, but South American, specifically, Aztec.

In fact, the very first story where Zuma makes his first appearance is entitled “Dugong Aztec” (Aztec Blood)

Comments

18 Responses to “Zuma Commission”

  1. Jaime on September 17th, 2008 4:12 am

    My favorite spinoff from this comics was Zuma’s daughter, Galema (if I remember it right). She was one hot babe! :D

    I remember reading about Galema on one issue seducing a paperboy who eventually became her victim/prey.

  2. dennis on September 17th, 2008 5:32 am

    Hi Gerry,
    In later sequel “Anak ni Zuma” in Aliwan Komiks (Writer:Jim Fernandez, and Illustrator: Ben Maniclang), created a Filipino setting, and created Filipino characters. I remember the time when we were buying Aliwan komiks right from the GASI offices in 18th Avenue Cubao. And you know what, I still keep all those old Aliwan komiks in my house up to this day, re-reading them once in a while. My favorite character in the series was Galema, who unlike Zuma was kind-hearted. She had a twin sister-a white snake with telekinetic powers. Together they helped the townsfolk and law emforcement to battle Zuma. Later on, Zuma had a son named Dino, a freak with snake’s head and human torso. As a child, Dino was mocked and sent to circus as a freak show. The little boy resented this and promised to take revenge when he grew up, helping Zuma to spread terror. It was such an exciting story and arguably the series that made Jim Fernandez a household name back then. I remember it was competing against Hal Santiago’s “The Hands” in Pioneer Komiks, another very popular series.
    “Anak ni Zuma” was probably the best known and the most exciting series among all the Zuma serials. In fact, it was too popular, that GASI publisher Elena Roces, encouraged Fernandez to create twists and turns so that the story will not end. And the serial went for something like 8 years!

  3. jim on September 17th, 2008 7:52 am

    who currently owns the rights to zuma, gasi or jim fernandez?
    nasaan na si jim fernandez ngayon?

  4. kc cordero on September 17th, 2008 9:47 am

    jim,
    a friend close to CJC told me that caparas now owns the zuma rights.

  5. Reno on September 17th, 2008 10:57 am

    KC, I don’t think that Caparas holds the rights to Zuma. If that were true, he would have milked this property a long time ago, selling the rights for a TV series or something.

    Jim, I think Mr. Fernandez is now living in the US, but no one seems to know exactly where. I remember Hal Santiago telling me that he was living in Florida, although Mang Hal didn’t know the exact address or contact number.

  6. Ed on September 17th, 2008 11:00 am

    Parang chicken heads ang mga snakes sa ulo ni Zuma. :P

  7. Gerry Alanguilan on September 17th, 2008 11:05 am

    He.he. I’ve got chickens in the brain.

  8. gilbert monsanto on September 17th, 2008 11:51 am

    Parang si Loki pala siya noon ano? Saka parang matanda na siya.

    Cool rendition Gerry!

  9. adam! on September 17th, 2008 12:34 pm

    hayup, a. gaano kalaki yung art?

  10. Gerry Alanguilan on September 17th, 2008 1:13 pm

    Adam, 11X17. :)

    Gilbert, oo nga, Loki rin pumasok sa isip ko nung ginagawa ko e. At dun sa original design, mukhang matanda talaga sya, Di naman geriatric, pero nasa mga 45-50 years old ang itsura.

    Actually nakakatawa yung headgear dun sa original, para syang panyo na tinali sa ulo at ang buhol nasa ilalim ng baba. Parang bangkay ba. Di ko na lang ginawang ganun. hehe.

  11. Ed on September 17th, 2008 3:05 pm

    Sana parang Pharaoh helmet na hindi mataas at may cobra. :P

  12. kc cordero on September 17th, 2008 5:20 pm

    Reno,
    kinausap na ng isang tv station si cjc about zuma, hindi kinaya ang presyo na hiningi niya.

  13. gilbert monsanto on September 17th, 2008 11:40 pm

    Yan ang lesson, bakit niyo ibebenta ang rights ng OC original character ninyo? kung pwede naman kayo mismo ang kumita dito kapag may lumapit na big TV stations? Just wonder how I’d feel if I sold it for a million and found out the buyer got more soon after?

    Shucks.

  14. adam! on September 18th, 2008 1:51 pm

    Yan ang lesson, bakit niyo ibebenta ang rights ng OC original character ninyo? kung pwede naman kayo mismo ang kumita dito kapag may lumapit na big TV stations?

    ang mas magandang tanong ay… bakit kailangang gumawa ng original creations na ang goal ay gawin silang TV property?

  15. gilbert monsanto on September 18th, 2008 5:38 pm

    Adam,

    ang sagot diyan. Kanya-kanya yan. Ako pang komiks lang talaga mga gawa ko. Kung magugustuhan pang TV sa future. extra success na lang yun.

    -G

  16. kc cordero on September 18th, 2008 8:21 pm

    gilbert,
    sa zuma, my gut feel is that tumatayong broker si cjc ni mang jim. remember, mahusay makipag-deal si mang jim kaya di ito papayag na maliit ang kitain or basta bitawan ang rights sa kanyang creations. sa history ng philippine komiks, si mang jim lang ang pinayagan ng mga roces na may percentage sa per copies xold ng mga komiks na may nobela siya.

  17. rAd on December 7th, 2008 2:28 pm

    congrats sir Gerry on that Zuma commission! Question, is that how he looks like sa comics? All I remember kse is the Max Laurel movie look

  18. Gerry Alanguilan on December 7th, 2008 2:50 pm

    Hello rAd! Yes, that design is based on the original artist Elmer Esquivias’ designs, which fist appeared in “Dugong Aztec” in Rex Komiks #1, the first appearance of Zuma. :)