The Top 4 Most Successful Komiks of This Generation (Part 3 of 4)

*Read from the start: (Part 1  Part 2  Part 3  Part 4)

Alright!

It’s about time I get this article moving. It’s been more or less a week since I left this unfinished document and I thought I’d give it just that. I’m not a professional blogger after all. The workload in the office was light the past week; but there is no way I could write anything in that place –Not when Benjo is around, not when Alex is up to another scheme, and NOT when the Wii plays its inviting tune. But now that it’s another weekend and I am at the comforts of my personal workstation, I can continue.

And the 2^nd place goes to…

“…Speed babad, speed babad, hirap mo ay oveeer!” sings Bumpi as she smells her laundry.

One thing about superheroes that really captures my fancy is the idea of the alter-ego; where Superman poses as a humdrum farm boy and the dashing Spider-man becomes the unpopular Peter Parker, underneath the big city’s canopy. Alter-egos ranged from billionaire playboys, war veterans, small village lasses, and uhmm… why not? Gay beauticians!

Ang Kagilagilalas na Pakikipagsapalaran ni Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah (first release: 2002), written and illustrated by Carlo Vergara kicked off when Ada (our gay hero) gobbled up a durian-sized (and shaped, mind you) extraterrestrial rock that fell and hit him inside his bathroom. It transformed him into a voluptuous super heroine (genuine in all parts), and called himself Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah as given by his friend Didi… Well you just have to either: read the book(s), watch the movie, or catch it onstage (I read it’s being discussed in U.P. classes too!) to find out what happens next.

In the year 3000 AD, Bumpi XVII will become an immensely popular Ultimate Jack ‘en Poy athlete..  

Yes, people. Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah Ze Moveeh (2006) is pinoy komiks’ comeback to the big screen; never before since the Mars Ravelo classics and the Pablo S. Gomez dramas did local komiks made such an impact to this medium. I watched the film not expecting much. I saw it thinking it was my personal duty to support my own industry and to Carlo as well (I’ve met the guy! He recognizes me to say the least). As I expected, the movie version didn’t quite meet with the komiks’ level which makes it highly criticized by many.

As I come to think of it now, Filipinos are way advanced in making komiks than in making movies! This is undeniably true in Zsa Zsa’s case, and this goes back as far as to the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s. Filipino’s are just natural-born komikeros.

Although not satisfied with the film version, I came out of the movie house, happy nevertheless. I knew that would be a start when people start recognizing the local komiks’ potential for a good source of story materials and its marketability for different mediums. There are rumors now of Andong Agimat (A. Arre) and Trese (B. Tan and K. Baldisimo) movies in negotiations and the primetime TV slots are filled with Carlo Caparas’s komiks’ titles. The second Zaturnnah book, Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah Sa Kalakhang Maynila will most likely make it to the big screen as well.

Carlo Vergara has to finish it first though, which I’m sure he would. (See preview pages here)

On the other hand, Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah Ze Muzikal, the franchise’s musical version is getting much better reviews than the movie. It really sucks that I haven’t caught any of the shows over the years so I can’t give my own review. But that’s right people; Ze Muzical has been playing on different theaters for years now, touring even in the provinces. That’s how great it is! –and I’ve been unaware of it after its first run.

Bumpi (again), last year’s stop-dance defending champion, will not be defeated in son, Nate’s birthday party…

But silly ole’ me need not to fret anymore. Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah Ze Muzikal will fly again this February for its sixth, sixth, sixth, sixth, sixth, sixth… SIXTH!  run. There will be fifteen showings scattered all over the love month, so I think there should be no excuse left for me not to catch at least one. I already asked my date to go in advance, so I guess I’m okay. If I still don’t get to see it this time, I might as well jump off a bridge.

Bumpi  finds out that getting a cab in EDSA becomes a breeze every time she joins cosplay events.

So, with a top-selling, National Book Award-ed (2003) graphic novel, an ongoing musical and a movie under its belt, the effeminate, Ada and the Zuper Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah grabs the second place in this countdown. In less than a decade, Carlo and his characters are now cultural icons to Filipino gay communities, who finally have found their champion.  

Soon, there will be a second book! And I’m already sold after a mere six-pager preview.

Bumpi (yet again) couldn’t accept that she lost the darned parlor game.

 Visit Carlo Vergara over here.

To get tickets for Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah Ze Muzical (from Carver’s blog):

“To make reserving your tickets a little easier for you, you can call Lorelei or Paolo at TP:

Or you can contact Lorelei through 09285518645.