DARNA LIVES

[blackruzsa]

When people think of KOMIKS, of Filipino comic books, they think of Darna.
DARNA, the iconic superheroine of the ages, who swallowed a space rock to become a superhero.



The first and last time I ever got to read Darna as a comic was in the waiting room of my elementary school, where I was only nine years old and read a comic where Darna escapes from being raped/sold by a bunch of thugs, who only got her trapped for so long since she couldn't call out her own super name, the trigger to turn her into Darna in the first place. (think Shazam for Captain Marvel)

But I digress. Darna comics, like most classic Filipino superhero comics such as Captain Barbell and Lastikman, have gone out of circulation and cannot be acquired except through a LOT of searching and bartering among comic connoisseurs.



In line with this, two lovers of the comic, two iconic comic-makers themselves in the Philippines, Gerry Alanguilan and Arnold Arre, created a nine-page fancomic about what they think Darna's up to THIRTY YEARS LATER.

Basically, not a glamorous life.



---
Translations: Is this it? Isn't there anything else?

We're still okay. We're still lucky. Others there are struggling, poor, and separated from one another. At least we're together, we're happy. That's okay, right?

Husband: Narda, where'd you go!? Look at this! Live from Navotas!

"Thanks to Valentina, the hold-uppers were apprehended and the hostages were saved from peril."

Narda: Is that even right?

Husband: Well of course, the hostages are safe, aren't they?

----

The reason Narda's so confused is because Valentina was her enemy, THE enemy, in the Darna comics. Now she's playing glamorous hero and Narda has no idea what's going on.

Anyways, later on, after work, she gets attacked by thugs. This happens:





-----

Narda: Don't! Don't do this to me! Start, please, start!

Thug: Why do you have to make this harder on us!? Do you think we'll even let you live after this!?

Narda: Start, please, start, please!!!


---






















































And it stops there.

 

Comments

[insolent_one]

I only know a little about Darna from what I've found online when looking up international comics, but this strikes me as a pretty cool setup that they've made with this fancomic.

[tahngarth.livejournal.com]

The art reminds me a little of pre-crazy Frank Miller inked by Klaus Janson or David Mazzuchelli.

[mullon]

Why even have a piece of clear fabric there?

[warpedhand]

Now see, if the Wonder Woman reboot thing had been like this, where Circe was suddenly the Champion of the Gods or something, it could have been much more interesting.

Because I feel that whoever said that Wonder Woman's basic ideal is Peace at any cost was entirely correct. Would she be able to bear that cost herself? And so on.

[redkingcrab]

This is gorgeous.

And I know that character design is basically just underwear, but it is still gorgeous.

[lucky_gamble]

Love the art except the itty bitty curtain/underwear combo.

[majingojira]

No wonder data on her is so hard to come by.

Thank you for posting this!

[zenbro]

I think of it like Phoenix's or Ms. Marvel's waist sashes. Non-functional, but it flutters dramatically in action scenes. Also: sparkly!

[stolisomancer]

It's like she exists to make people think Wonder Woman's outfit is more modest.

[aaron_bourque]

Can't be worse than what they're currently doing to Diana . . .

[icon_uk]

Why not? It's decorative.

[halloweenjack]

The story is very much like Alan Moore's reboot of Marvelman/Miracleman, right down to the aged alter ego trying to remember the magic word and it coming back to him/her in a moment of crisis. (The nemesis becoming the big hero wasn't in Moore's story, although I swear I'd seen it somewhere else.) The art is quite excellent, though.

[halloweenjack]

Also, I have to say that doing a GIS on Darna shows a lot of the live-action TV series stars, who look nice but the white loincloth thing looks even more jarring--it's as if she was eating in a restaurant and accidentally tucked her napkin into her bikini.

[greenmask]

To give the illusion of modesty?

[greenmask]

Though that is just me assuming the pervy worst about comics artists. Which I should not do.

[greenmask]

Hah! That is the perfect description.

[greenmask]

Looks like my kind of story!

Not quite sold on the costume, but depending on how the story plays out, I could deal.

[blackruzsa]

It's pretty.

[blackruzsa]

Hahah, that's just a rebooted version of the costume anyway. I think it was made for the beauty of it. Immodest or not, it's gorgeous and it's meant to strike wonder in people. And it makes a wicked last page.

Too bad they can't continue it.

[greenmask]

It's true, it's a very pretty, elegant and striking design.

There's always hope for continuance!

[jarodrussell]

Is Darna's TV show still on their air?

[alessandriana]

Wow, that last page is gorgeous.

[superfangirl1]

It matches her outfit?

[lieut_kettch]

Gerry Alanguilan said in his blog that the Darna fancomic was inspired by Moore's Marvelman series.

[philippos42]

I would say more modern than that, though part of that may be the printing, & a lot of it is the inking tools used.

Gorgeous last panel though. That one flare from her headdress flashed at me like a real light.