Philippine comics
[6] However, by the end of the 20th century, public interest began to wane, with alternative forms of entertainment such as television and the Internet taking precedence, leading to the decline of nationally distributed comic books.
[8][9] Early political cartoons personified the nation as "Filipinas", a naive maiden courted by Uncle Sam, who later was replaced by Juan dela Cruz, a slipper-wearing common man introduced by Jorge Pineda in The Independent.
[13][14][15] This notable character was created by writer Romualdo Ramos and by illustrator Tony Velasquez, who was 18 years old at the time, by commission from publisher Ramon Roces [tl].
[16] The moniker "Kenkoy" was ingrained into the Filipino vernacular as a term meaning "someone who is boisterously hilarious, funny or amusing",[17] and the character persisted in comics and visual media well into the 21st century.
[26] American comic strips including The Lone Ranger and Fritzi Ritz, which had been serialized in The Tribune, were replaced by The Boy 'Pilipino' by Japanese cartoonist Keizo Shimada [ja] and The KALIBAPI Family by Tony Velasquez.
[2][33] While American titles like Superman, Archie, and MAD, sold in supermarkets and bookstores, were primarily consumed by the middle classes,[34] homegrown comics were embraced by the common people.
Collaborating with the Catholic Church, APEPCOM implemented a self-regulatory code aimed at excluding "filth harmful to morals," such as explicit sex, horror, and criminal activities, from their works.
[42] Francisco Coching, a World War II guerrilla fighter,[22] established the indigenous style of Philippine comics with his dynamic and intricate drawings.
[49] Other notable figures include Alfredo Alcala, Clodualdo del Mundo, Nestor Redondo, Alex Niño, Pablo S. Gomez, and Jesse Santos.
Despite facing condemnation from religious and feminist groups, bomba magazines remained popular until they were forced underground following intensified enforcement measures during martial law from 1972 onwards.
[36] During the presidency of Corazon Aquino in the late 1980s, comics were used to disseminate messages urging communist guerrillas to surrender, camouflaged as romance stories, and distributed nationwide.
Recruited by DC Comics editor Joe Orlando in 1970, DeZuniga would create the western hero Jonah Hex and contribute to Conan the Barbarian, as well as various romance, horror, and war titles.
[36][61] Nonoy Marcelo, among those blacklisted, evaded censorship by joining the state-run media agency, and infused subtle political satire into his cartoons featuring his rat character Ikabod.
[60] Eventually Marcos was overthrown in 1986, yet satirical cartoons did not regain their former prominence, as media conglomerates increasingly excluded content deemed detrimental to business interests.
Alongside losing talent to the higher-paying American counterpart,[b] the industry faced criticism from the administration and the Catholic Church regarding perceived 'harmful' content, not to mention economic recession.
The actual readership far exceeded these figures due to the conventionalized sharing of copies among friends and families, making comics the most widely consumed form of publishing, even surpassing newspapers.
[66] In the 1990s, economic instability, political turmoil, and natural disasters strained family finances, resulted in sharp decline in comic book sales.
[70] To address the downturn in the market, comic book publishers employed various strategies, including the integration of Japanese anime and video game aesthetics into children's titles and the incorporation of adult humor.
[70] Alamat Comics, founded in 1994 as a small convention for independent creators to connect,[70] eventually expanded to formally publish works such as Wasted by Gerry Alanguilan.
[89] Notable works like Trese by Alamat member Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo, The Mythology Class and Trip to Tagaytay by Arnold Arre, and One Night in Purgatory by Carlo Vergara have been released in book form by mainstream publishers.
The popular comedy show Bubble Gang played a significant role in this by featuring Voltes V, evoking memories of the military regime and contributing to anime's broader appeal.
[70][97] Although the magazine did not last long due to financial difficulties,[97] its popularity spurred the emergence of followers such as Mangaholix by the same publisher,[70] alongside Questor and Nautilus Comics.
[68][118] During the 1970s, each magazine featured signature long serials, with Anak ni Zuma in Aliwan Komiks standing out as a prominent example that remained popular for over a decade.
[68][118] The title of comics was often straightforward, employing everyday objects, the main character's name (in accordance with the Filipino convention of "characteristic + first name"), or wordplay based on the name of a celebrity.
[120] Traditional comic books experienced a decline in the 1990s and have since evolved into modernized forms with updated content and binding, targeting university students and affluent urban residents.
[65] Despite the male dominance in the industry, this genre was contributed to by many female writers including Elena Patron, who produced over 350 short comics and 120 serials in 20 years, alongside Nerissa Cabral and Gilda Olvidado.
[68] These stories frequently portrayed characters such as a compassionate prostitute, a daughter sacrificing herself for her family, or a woman deceived by her lover, with the protagonist ultimately prevailing and finding happiness.
[135][136][137][138] Besides these mainstream genres, Philippine comics explored a wide range of themes, including news, politics, agriculture, biography, history,[77] and sports.
[4] While U.S. superheroes typically operate in settings where superhuman abilities arise from innate qualities or are obtained through scientific means and training, the powers of traditional Filipino heroes often stem from faith.
Among classics adapted into television series in the 2000s are Mars Ravelo's Darna (2005), Carlo Caparas' Bakekang (2006), Francisco Coching's Pedro Penduko (2006), Pablo Gomez's Kampanerang Kuba (2005).
