Captain Barbell: The Real Origin of a Pinoy Superhero

MOD, July 2011

On the front cover: Marian Rivera

On the back cover: Louise delos Reyes for the Particles print ad

The second article I wrote about Mars Ravelo’s “Captain Barbell” for MOD magazine. This time it’s about “The Real Origin of the Pinoy Superhero” as told by its creator Mars Ravelo in my 1985 interview with him, still unpublished until this article.

“Sensible people will see trouble coming and avoid it, but an unthinking person will walk right into it and regret it later.” – Proverbs 22:3, The Good News Bible in Today’s English Version.

A Second Rate Trying Hard Copycat

MOD Vol. 37 No. 1809, July 10, 2006
On the cover: Regine Tolentino

For someone who grew up reading Darna and Captain Barbell on komiks and had the privilege of being mentored in komiks script writing by the “Maestro of Komiks” himself, Mars Ravelo, I am bound by conscience to write this article after watching GMA-7’s Captain Barbell (2006). The title, “A Second Rate Trying Hard Copycat?” was not to degrade Captain Barbell but rather to call the attention of people concern with regards to blatant plagiarism.

Also in this MOD July 10, 2006 issue is the article “Body-Beautiful” (pp. 52-53), which is about the things that Hollywood actresses do to stay fit and sexy.

 

 

 

“Certainly the one that is doing wrong will receive back what he wrongly did, and there is no partiality.” – To the Colossians 3:25, New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures.

December 5



DECEMBER 5

Pinoy Komiks Taon 1 Blg. 15, Disyembre 5, 1963
Tampok sa taklob-pahina ang “Captain Barbell”
na likha ni Mars Ravelo at iginuhit ni Jim Fernandez.

 

Disyembre 5 sa Kasaysayan ng Pilipinas

          Noong Disyembre 5, 1837, ang Manila Post Office, na itinatag noong 1767, ay pormal na kinilala ng bansang Espanya bilang postal district ng Philippine archipelago. Makalipas ang isang taon, ang Manila Post Office ay naging sentro ng postal service sa buong Asia.

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GLIMPSE FROM THE PAST

The last illustration done by American-born Swedish artist Haddon “Sunny” Sundblom
(with a Coca-Cola look),
on the cover of Playboy (Gala Christmas issue, December 1972)

 

Personalities and celebrities born on December 5:

1955 – Redford White (real name Cipriano Cemeño II), actor and comedian. (d. July 25, 2010).

1963 – Franz Pumaren, basketball player and politician – in Quezon City.

1974 – Donita Rose (Full name Donita Rose Ramos Cavett), American-Filipino MTV-VJ, actress, model and telavision host – in Utah.

Donita Rose
on the covers of Celebrity World (September 11, 1995), People Asia (Maiden issue, December 1999), 
Mr. & Ms. (May 22, 2001), and FHM Philippines (August 2001).



Kristen Bell on the cover of
Complex (December 2007).

Picture Trivia

          On October 2007, Kristen Bell became part of the television series Heroes as Elle Bishop, a mysterious woman with extreme power. She appeared in 13 episodes of the series. It was also in 2007 when she started as narrator of the TV series Gossip Girl.

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July 18



JULY 18

Hits Vol. 2 No. 99, July 18, 1988
On the cover: American singer and four-time Grammy winner Pat Benatar.

 

SULYAP SA NAKARAAN

Pinoy Komiks Taon 1 Blg. 5, Hulyo 18, 1963
Tampok sa taklob-pahina ang orihinal na “Captain Barbell”
na kinatha ni Mars Ravelo na iginuhit ni Jim Fernandez

 

Events that happened on July 18:

1893 – Rosario Villaroel was accepted as a Mason with the name “Minerva” becoming the first Filipina auxilliary of the Masonic order, La Semilla.

Personalities and celebrities born on July 18:

1875 – Marina Dizon, first woman member admitted to the Katipunan women’s chapter – in Trozo, Manila (d. October 25, 1950).

1977 – Sunshine Cruz, actress and singer – in Manila.

Sunshine Cruz
on the cover of Celebrity World (December 26, 1994)

  

The Star Wars Character C-3PO

The Star Wars droid C-3PO, on the cover

of People Weekly July 18, 1977 issue.

          In the Star Wars universe, C-3PO is a protocol droid constructed to serve people and animals. The droid is an expert in more than six million languages and different means of communication. Its priority task is to aid in the communication, racial interrelation in connection to the tradition and culture of different races of beings and the translation and interpreting of different languages.

          In the first three original Star Wars series and the three prequel series, C-3PO is always accompanied by another droid – R2-D2. The C-3PO (voiced by Anthony Daniels) and R2-D2 (voiced by Kenny Baker) are the only two characters having the same portrayers in the six Star Wars films.

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Angelina Jolie on the cover of
Entertainment Weekly (July 18, 2003)

Picture Trivia

          Do you know the title of the film that Angelina Jolie first appeared together with her father Jon Voight? It was in the film Lookin’ to Get Out (1982), when she was just seven years old.

          Jolie’s acting talent was first noticed in the low-budget film Cyborg 2 (1993). She was first included in a major film starring role in Hackers (1995). In the film Girl, Interrupted (1999), she won the Academy Best Supporting Actress Award.

          Jolie zoomed into stardom and became an instant international superstar for her portrayal of a video game heroine, Lara Croft, in the film Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001), and its sequel Tomb Raider 2: The Craddle of Life (2003), when she became among the highest-paid actresses in Hollywood.

          In her relationship with actor Brad Pitt, she gave birth to three children (Shiloh Nouvel and the twins Knox Leon and Vivienne Marcheline), and they have three adopted children (Maddox Chivan from Cambodia, Zahara Marley from Ethiopia and Pax Thien from Vietnam).

          Aside from her beauty at seductive lips, Jolie is known for her many tattoos in her body (14 are publicly known), including the geographical coordinates (latitude at longitude) of the places where here children were born.

 

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July 16



JULY 16

Pinoy Komiks Taon 2 Blg. 31, Hulyo 16, 1964

Tampok sa taklob-pahina ang “Captain Barbell Kontra Captain Bakal”

ni Mars Ravelo na iginuhit ni Jim Fernandez

 

 

UNANG LABAS

Ang unang labas ng Tagalog Klasiks
(Hulyo 16, 1949). Tampok sa taklob-pahina
ang “Sanglibo’t Sanggabi sa Arabia.

    Ang Tagalog Klasiks, na unang lumabas sa sirkulasyon noong Hulyo 16, 1949, ay inilimbag ng ACE Publishing. Ito ang panglimang tunay na komiks na lumabas sa sirkulasyon matapos ang Halakhak Komiks (Nobyembre 15, 1946), Pilipino Komiks (Hunyo 14, 1947), Balaghari Komiks (Marso 6, 1948) at Bituin Komiks (Mayo 7, 1949). Tampok sa unang isyu ang kuwentong “Sanglibo’t Sanggabi sa Arabia” (na siya ring nasa taklob-pahina ng unang isyu) na halaw sa klasikong koleksiyon ng mga kuwento na 1,001 Arabian Nights. Mababasa rin dito ang “Mga Kuwento ni Lola Basyang” ni Severino Reyes, na sa unang labas ay tampok ang maalamat na kuwentong “Maryang Makiling” na iginuhit ni Maning de Leon.

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Events that happened on July 16:

1807 – The Basi Revolt (also known as Ambaristo Revolt) began in Piddig, Ilocos Norte.

1958 – The PAEC was formally constituted when Pres. Carlos P. Garcia appointed Gen. Florencio A. Medina as commissioner and Pedro Afable as deputy commissioner.

1990 – A Magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Luzon destroying many structures including the Hyatt Hotel in Baguio.

Personalities and celebrities born on July 16:

1873 – Carmen de Luna, educator and founder of Centro Escolar University (d. November 4, 1962).

1918 – Bayani Casimiro Sr, dancer, actor and comedian – in San Pablo, Laguna (d. January 27, 1989).

1964 – Mimilanie "Melanie" Laurel Marquez, supermodel, actress, Miss International 1979 and Supermodel of the World first runner-up (1986), in Mabalacat, Pampanga.

Supermodel-actress Melanie Marquez
on the cover of Celebrity World April 3, 1995 issue



Keira Knightley as Guinevere in the film King Arthur,
on the cover of MOD July 16, 2004 issue

Picture Trivia

For her portrayal as Guinevere in the film King Arthur (2004), English actress and model Keira Knightley trained in horseback-riding, boxing, sword fighting and archery. She nearly killed one of the horses used in the film when it was hit by an arrow while she was practicing her archery skill.
Knightley revealed that digital enhancement were made in her breasts in the American promotional movie posters to make them look larger.
 

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June 6



JUNE 6

Tagalog Klasiks Taon 9 Blg. 259, Hunyo 6, 1959

Nasa taklob-pahina ang nobela ni Pablo S. Gomez na “Pitong Gatang”
na iginuhit ni Fred Carillo.

UNANG LABAS

Ang kathang-isip ni Mars Ravelo na
“Captain Barbell” sa taklob-pahina ng
Pinoy Komiks Blg. 2, Hunyo 6, 1963

       Ang Captain Barbell ay unang lumabas kasabay ng

unang isyu ng Pinoy Komiks noong Mayo 23, 1963. Mula ito sa katha at kuwentong isinulat ni Mars Ravelo at iginuhit ni Jim Fernandez. Sa ikalawang isyu (Hunyo 6, 1963), itinampok ito sa taklob-pahina ng Pinoy Komiks.

(Basahin ang hiwalay na artikulo sa “The Real Story Behind Captain Barebell.”)

Events that happened on June 6:

1952 – The province of Zamboanga was divided into Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga del Sur by virtue of Republic Act No. 711.

1898 – General Emilio Aguinaldo upon surrounding the city of Manila, demanded the honorable surrender of Governor-General Basilio Agustin, which the latter refused.

Personalities and celebrities born on June 6:

1875 – Norberto Lopez Romualdez Sr, scholar, lawyer, jurist and National Language advocate – Burawen, Leyte (d. November 4, 1941).

1932 – Federico Aguilar Alcuaz, award-winning painter – in Sta. Cruz, Manila (d. February 2, 2011)

1956 – Bert “Tawa” Marcelo (full name Norberto Marcelo), actor, comedian and product endorser – Baliuag, Bulacan (d. December 16, 1995).

1960 – Ching Arellano (full name Francis Anthony A. Arellano), actor-comedian – in Malabon, Rizal (now Malabon City).

1968 – Kristine Garcia (real name Virnadeth Calimbajin), actress – in Manila.

1985 – Victor Basa, actor, model and television host – in Quezon City.

Ang Dumagit ni Francisco V. Coching

          Ang “Dumagit” ay nobelang isinulat at iginuhit ni Francisco V. Coching na lumabas sa mga pahina ng Pilipino Komiks (1953-1954) at isinapelikula ng Sampaguita Pictures noong 1954. Ito ay isang kuwento tungkol sa isang batang lalaking pinanganlang Dumagit na lumaki sa kagubatan kasama ng mga hayop.

Ang Pilipino Komiks Blg. 157 na may petsang

Hunyo 6, 1953, tampok sa taklob-pahina ang

nobelang-komiks ni Francisco V. Coching na

“Dumagit”

          Batay sa kuwento, napadpad sa isang isla ang mag-asawang Marina at Joaquin Olivar. Sa kagubatan ng islang ito namatay si Marina matapos ipanganak ang isang batang lalaking pinangalanang David. Itinaguyod ni Joaquin si David, at dahil sa kakaibang liksi ng bata, binigyan niya ito ng palayaw na “Dumagit.” Sa kasamaang-palad napatay ng mga mangangasong dumayo sa isla si Joaquin kaya mag-isang lumaki si Dumagit kasama ang kaniyang mga kaibigang hayop. Makalipas ang 20 taon, dumating sa isla si Federico, ang kapatid ni Joaquin. Kinuha niyang pabalik sa sibilisasyon si Dumagit, subalit hindi siya makaangkop sa mga kaugalian ng kalunsuran kaya higit na ninais ng binata na bumalik sa kinagisnang isla kasama ang kaniyang minamahal na katipan na si Marabini.

          Sa pelikula, si Cesar Ramirez ang gumanap na Dumagit kasama sina Myrna Delgado, Lolita Rodriguez, Van de Leon, na pinatnugutan ni Armando Garces.

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Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher)

and Jabba the Hutt,

from a scene in the 1983 film

Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi,

on the cover of People Weekly

(June 6, 1983).

 

Picture Trivia

          Princess Leia and Jabba the Hutt are two characters in George Lucas’  Star Wars space saga Si Princess Leia at si Jabba the Hutt ay dalawang characters sa Star Wars space saga that are diametrically opposite. Princess Leia (portrayed by Carrie Fisher) is one of the leading characters of the original Star Wars Trilogy, the twin sister of the saga’s hero, Luke Skywalker, and the leader of rebel group that is fighting the “Empire.” Jabba the Hutt (voiced by Larry Ward), on the other hand, is a supporting character, a villain, a 600-year-old crime lord in the desert planet Tatooine. Princess Leia symbolizes good, beauty, and loyalty to her companions while Jabba is the epitome of evil, ugliness and cruelty to his minions.



April 4




April 4

Moviestar No. 1379, April 4, 2011
On the cover: Richard Gutierrez as Captain Barbell,
Geoff Eigenmann, Carla Abellana, Sarah Geronimo, et al.

Events that happened on April 4

1871 – Governor-general Rafael de Izquierdo y Gutierrez assumed office. Under his term, the first steamship line and telegraph lines were opened.

Personalities and celebrities born on April 4:

1868 –Felipe Roca Calderon, lawyer, politician, statesman, author of Encyclopedia Filipina (1908) and “Father of the Malolos Constitution” – in Santa Cruz de Malabon (now Tanza), Cavite. (d. July 9, 1908).

1936 – Louie Beltran (full name Luis Diaz Beltran), broadcast journalist and newspaper columnist and editor – in Manila.(d. September 6, 1994).
1947 – Eli Soriano (full name Eliseo Fernando Soriano), televangelist and religion leader – in Pasay City.

1962 – Roderick Paulate, actor and comedian, in Manila.

1966 – Snooky (real name Maria Milagros Serna), actress – in Manila.

Snooky Serna at three-and-half years old
on the cover of Sixteen (December 14, 1970).

1978 – Berwin Meily. Actor-comedian and magician – in Manila.

Ang “Tipin” ni Larry Alacala

Isang isyu ng cartoon strip ni Larry Alcala na “Tipin”

na lumabas noong Abril 4, 1958 sa Hiwaga Komiks Blg. 144.

          Ang cartoon strip na “Tipin” ay isang nakatutuwang likhang-isip ni Larry Alcala (1926-2002) na lumabas sa mga pahina ng Hiwaga Komiks (1951-1965). Si Tipin na tinaguriang “Yur Peborit Tinedyer” ay larawan ng isang nagdadalaga noong 1950s na laging nakapanamit ng simpleng pang-itaas at pantalong maong. Naglalarawan din ang cartoon strips ng mga nakatutuwang karanasan ng mga kabataan at ng kanilang pamilya noong Dekada 1950s. Ito ay ginawang pelikula ng Sampaguita Pictures noong 1956.

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Ang Tala ni Haring David

The “Star of David” on the cover of
Time April 4, 1988 issue,
the symbolic representation of the Israel nation.

          Ang tala ni Haring David (Star of King David) ay ang tinaguriang sagisag ng bansang Israel. Ito ay binubuo ng dalawang tatsulok (triangle) na may magkakaparehong siha (angle) na magkapatong at magkabaliktaran. Ang sagisag na ito na may bughaw na kulay ay matatagpuan sa pagitan ng dalawang bughaw na guhit sa puting watawat ng Israel. Unang inaladlad ang watawat na ito noong Oktubre 28, 1948, limang buwan matapos itatag ang Israel bilang isang malayang bansa. Datapuwa’t ang watawat na ito ay unang nabuo sa First Zionist Congress noon pang 1897.

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Industrial tycoon John Gokongwei
and his eldest son Lance,
on the cover of Asiaweek (April 4, 1997)

Larawang Tribiya

          Ang industrial tycoon na si John Gokongwei ay ipinanganak (sa pangalang John Go) sa Fujian, China, subalit lumaki sa Cebu kung saan ang lolo niyang si Pedro Gotianco ay may-ari ng isang trading company. Naubos ang kayamanan ng kaniyang pamilya nang masawi ang kaniyang ama at sa pagsalantang dulot ng Ikalawang Digmaang Pandaigdig.

          Sa apelyido ng kanilang pamilyang “Go” ay idinagdag niya ang “kongwei” na ang ibig sabihin ay “maliwanag” at nagsimula muli sa isang maliit na trading business. Sa edad ng 38-anyos itinatag niya ang Universal Corn Products, na pinalitan niya ng pangalang Universal Robina Corporation noong 1970 para sa kaniyang panganay na anak na babae.

          Noong 1997, pumangalawa ang JG Summit, na pagmamay-ari ng mga Gokongwei, sa total sales (699.5 million dollars) sa mga kumpanya sa Pilipinas.

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