FILIPINO SUPER HEROES IN COMICS VS. TV ADAPTATION
Despite what some people think. The Philippines also has it’s own set of super heroes. Powerful beings protecting the world from harm. Here are some Filipino super heroes as portrayed in the comics and on TV.
1. PANDAY
The real name of Panday is Flavio. Panday was conceptualized in the 1970’s by writer Carlo J. Caparas and artist Steve Gan. Panday, in Filipino means blacksmith. Although in some areas of the Philippines, Panday is also referred to as a wood worker/carpenter. In Filipino comics, after a meteorite fell from the sky, Flavio forges the meteorite’s ore into a dagger. It magically turns into a sword when he raises it and points it to the sky. He uses the sword to fight the evil Lizardo and his supernatural allies. Just like with the other superheroes, Flavio has a love interest and a sidekick. Panday has been adapted into movies mostly staring Bong Revilla Jr. and the late Fernando Poe Jr in the role of Flavio.
In the TV adaptation of “Ang Panday”, features a new young Panday named Tristan played by Jericho Rosales, and his love interest named Eden played by Heart Evangelista. In this TV adaptation, Flavio forges his dagger and a church bell from the meteorite’s ore. After Lizardo murder’s his wife, Falvio goes out and beheads Lizardo in an epic battle. After which Flavio plants the dagger into the bell to be later found by Tristan in the future when Lizardo was revealed to have survived the ordeal.
Panday doesn’t have any special powers aside from his excellent swordsmanship.
2. CAPTAIN BARBELL
Captain Barbell was created by writer Mars Ravelo and artist Jim Fernendez in the early 60s. Captain Barbell’s alter-ego Teng-teng was a thin, weak, asthmatic person abused by his 4 half-brothers and dreams of becoming a strong, muscular man. Since Captain Barbell’s alter-ego was a thin guy, the creators decided to base the super hero on the strong man found in circuses to give emphasis to their physical difference. Originally, Captain Barbell was shirtless, wears a mask, and a cape. Teng-teng got his superpowers by releasing a genie in a bottle. In return the genie gave him three wishes. He wished for fried chicken and a magic barbell that only he could lift and could transform him into a powerful being by raising it in the air and shouting “Captain Barbell!”. When he was about to ask for his third wish to become small again, the genie was unfortunately eaten by a cat.
In the TV adaptation, the story of Captain Barbell begins in the year 2106. A time when the Philippines was the center of the world’s research in human cloning, robotics and genetics. Arell, a young boy and his mother Mrs. B were forced by his father Captain B to ride the time machine back to the past to escape “the General”. Captain B is the only person who can fight the General because he possesses extraordinary strength due to the Barbanium, a powerful element discovered by the Philippines in the year 2016. The time machine sends both Arell and Mrs B to the year 1992. Arell and his mother were separated during a crash landing. Arell is found in a burning wreck by an affectionate and elderly couple named, Lolo Aloy and Lola Melay. They give Arell a new name – Potenciano or Teng. Teng played by Richard Gutierrez, has a scar on one side of his face which disappears when he turns into Captain Barbell. Teng is aware that he was adopted and doesn’t really know much about his biological parents. One night, Teng discovers the Barbanium in a junkyard while being beat up by a cyborg who followed him to the past and has been looking for him all this time. The Barbanium turns Teng into Captain Barbell.
3. DARNA
Set aside Wonder woman, Cat woman and other heroine you know because Darna i here. Darna is the Philippine’s #1 comic book super heroine who defends the world with her magical white stone. Created by writer Mars Ravelos and artist Nestor Redondo in the early 50s. Darna’s alter-ego, Narda, is a village girl who finds a tiny meteoric white stone from outer space. Narda has been portrayed as an ordinary girl, a cripple, and more in movies and tv series. Narda swallows the stone and shouts “Darna”, which transforms her into a sexy and powerful being with her signature winged helmet. We’re still not sure how she discovered the stone’s powers by swallowing it. Becoming Darna is not just ingesting the stone and yelling the name. One must have a pure innocent heart and a selfless will to eliminate evil. Since, Narda has the characteristics needed to function as Darna, the stone grants her the power within it to perform her duties. But Narda is not able to transform to Darna if her heart is full of hatred and/or vengeance.
Darna has been appearing in movies since the 50s played by actors such as Vilma Santos, Nanette Medved, Liza Moreno, and others. Darna has even been portrayed as a male hero in a 1970s movie. In the TV adaptation, the heroin has been portrayed by Angel Locsin, Marianne Rivera, and others. The difference between the comics and TV/movie adaptation doesn’t really have that much difference. Mostly they differ in Darna’s costume, Narda’s portrayal, and the people surrounding Narda (family, friends, enemies). But one thing remains. That signature winged helmet.
4. LASTIKMAN
Lastikman, an alien with a mouth from another planet that somehow got trapped on earth and decided to fight crime in the Philippines. Created by writer Mars Ravelos and artist Mar T. Santana. He has the ability to mock the form and elasticity of rubber. He can stretch and reshape his body in any form he wants. The his costume is retained even if he is transforming his shape. He can also change into a normal huma with any clothes he wants and he can also imitate the looks of the person he likes to imitate.
In the TV adaptation of Lastikman, he is a half-human and half-alien. He possesses the ability to distort and stretch his body just like in the comics. His costume is the classic checkered costume just as in the comics. The story revolves around him fighting monsters created by Agaddon, a Harraian Scientist in the Philippines. Lastik man has been notably portrayed by Vic Sotto in movies.
5. JOAQUIN BORDADO
The story of Joaquin Bordado in the comics and in the TV adaptation is the same. There are only little details that were added to prolong the TV series. Created by Carlo J. Caparas, Joaquin is an assassin disguising as a sales agent. He wishes to live a quite life with his wife and son. His last mission was to kill the head of an illegal arms dealing syndicate. Unfortunately, the mission didn’t turn out as planned, he was caught and sent to jail.
While in jail he met a mysterious man named Jilco whose body was covered with tattoos. Unknown to Joaquin, one of his fellow inmate was an assassin sent by his former master to kill him. He is killed by his fellow inmate but Jilco revives him and gives him all his tattoos. The tattoos transform into weapons and live creatures that fight for Joaquin. A tiger, a serpent, a dragon, a sword, a strong female warrior and more. With his new powers, Joaquin has a new mission in life. He faces challenges as he is the chosen heir who will continue the battle between good and the evil.
6. DRAGONNA
The story of the TV adaptation of Dragonna revolves around a tomboyish girl, descendant from a race of Tagon or Taong Dragon (Dragon People). Created by Mars Ravelos. Dragonna was an orphan named Rona raised by normal humans. Rona’s abilities first manifested when she tried to stop her father from beating her mother. She discovered that she can create fire every time she loses her temper. She transforms into a Tagon whenever she wants to fight. She uses her abilities to defend the innocent and fight crime. She falls for a human, only to learn that she is bound to lose her powers once she encounters love.
In the TV adaptation of Dragonna, Rona is played by actress Shaina Magdayao. A very powerful and full of potential less known super heroine of the Philippines.
7. KAMANDAG
Kamandag, a half-human half-snakesex maniac super villain with a hideous scaly-skin and a temper that matches that of the Hulk. Created by Carlo J. Caparas in the 1980s.
In the TV adaptation, the show portrays Kamandag as a hero. An entire ancient civilization of half human, half animal beings live in a world under ground called Ambograw. The beings here are called Ambogs. Vergel (Richard Guiterrez), a young man who was sent to the surface by his parents as a child to protect him from potential threats to his father’s rule who was the King of the Hasbayas being the heir to the throne. Hasbaya is a tribe of half-human, half-snake people living in Ambograw. As Vergel grew, he discovers he has the abilities of a snake and decides to use it for good, protecting the innocent. He names himself “Kamandag”, the Filipino word for venom.
