Hey fellow stamp enthusiasts! This week’s Sunday Stamps takes us on a trip to my homeland, the Philippines, one of the countries in the mighty Eastern Hemisphere. The Philippines first competed in the 1924 Olympics held in Paris, making us the first country in Southeast Asia to compete, and later, in 1928, win medal. This year, 22 Filipino athletes will compete in nine sports: athletics, boxing, fencing, golf, gymnastics, judo, rowing, swimming, and weightlifting.
On to today’s stamp: Today’s star is a First Day Cover featuring none other than one of the iconic komiks (comics) superheroes of the Philippines! Back in 2004, the Philippine Post issued stamps dedicated to these “Great Achievers in Philippine Art (Comics Illustrators)”. Let me tell you, when I saw my favorite komiks heroes plastered on stamps, it was like a childhood dream come true! Big thanks to my good friend, Myron, for this awesome FDC!
Now, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty. The left side of the envelope showcases some legendary Pinoy comics superheroes:
- Dyesebel: The coolest mermaid you’ll ever meet (sorry, Ariel).
- Kulafu: Our very own Tarzan swinging through the Filipino jungle.
- Lapu-Lapu: A true legend – a superhero inspired by the real-life hero who defeated Spanish invaders way back when. 🇵🇭
But the main attraction (and rightfully so) is on the right! We have the one, the only, Darna, the OG superheroine of Philippine komiks, and the most popular Filipino superhero ever. Created by the amazing Mars Ravelo and brought to life by the legendary Nestor Redondo (who even went on to work for DC and Marvel in the 70s and 80s), Darna first graced the pages of Pilipino Komiks in 1950 and she’s been a Filipino pop culture icon ever since.
Created originally as “Varga” in 1947 by Mars Ravelo, she was recreated as Darna in 1950 due to fallout with his publisher. According to the Manila Times , “DARNA is a cultural icon born at a time when the Philippines was struggling to come out of the devastation of World War II. She served as a salve to a country looking for a champion.”
https://www.writeups.org/darna-mars-ravelo-comics-philippines/
Growing up, everyone knew Darna as the Pinoy Wonder Woman. Superpowers, fighting evil, rocking that awesome outfit – they are practically twins! Turns out, there’s a bit more to her story. Darna is actually more like a Filipino Captain Marvel – a super-powered warrior from planet Marte who appears on Earth through an ordinary girl named Narda and a magic white stone. Intriguing, right? You can learn more about this fascinating character [here].
Darna’s legacy goes beyond comics, with movies and TV shows launching the careers of countless Filipino actresses. But for me, nothing beats the classic komiks experience. I was practically reading these things before I was in the first grade! Fun fact: a lot of my early 80s contemporaries learned to read through komiks.
Did you have any favourite comic books/superheroes growing up? Share in the comment!