For those of you who were born without superpowers, I tell you, it’s easy. All you need is a good heart, a chaotic society, and a cosmic entity from space to grant you amazing abilities. Mars Ravelo, one of the most popular comic book creator in the archipelago, made the formula as idiot friendly as possible. This guide will discuss comprehensively, all the essential elements of superhuman crime fighting using the two most popular creations of Ravelo namely, Darna and Captain Barbell, as references.
1. Wait for a cosmic entity. Probably the most important element in becoming a superhero is superpowers. It is also the most desired. Everybody wants to fly. Everybody wants to read minds. Everybody wants superhuman strength so that you can beat the hell out that old professor of yours who flunked you in your chemistry class in high school.
Bad luck to most us, because superpowers can never be generated on this earth. When I say not on this earth, I mean not something science can produce or explain. If you observe carefully the superheroes of mainstream, western comic books such as DC and Marvel, you would notice that almost all sources of superhuman abilities in their fantasy world are grounded on science, one way or the other. Spiderman’s high-jumping, web-slinging, fast-moving fetes were all caused by a radioactive-spider bite. The unstable molecular structure of the spider’s venom caused the teenager’s DNA to undergo genetic transformation. The X-Men were all unfortunate victims of mutation, a common occurrence in nature, wherein an offspring acquires traits that are not physically dominant in both parents. Superman is complex being from the planet Krypton, whose genetic structure allows him to use our sun’s light to grant him enhanced ability’s (like a human solar panel).
Darna, the earliest creation among the two, was granted super abilities, by a white stone that fell from space. Narda, the mortal identity of Darna, had to swallow the rock and shout the magic word in order for her to transform into the super-heroine.
When the Narda first appeared in Bulaklak Magazine, Volume 4, #17 she had to shout a different name. Before, the name of the superwoman that emerged after swallowing the stone was Varga. The story line was basically the same. Ravelo had issues with the editors of Bulaklak and resigned form the publication, said the comic book creator’s daughter Rita Ravelo-Dela Cruz in an interview. After quitting from the magazine, Ravelo signed-up with Pilipino Komiks where he released, for the first time, Darna, as we know her today in Pilipino Komiks # 77. In contras with some notions regarding the name of the character, Dela Cruz said that the name “Darna” didn’t came from the popular children’s story “Ibong Adarna.” It is only Narda spelled backwards. According to Dela Cruz, Ravelo got the name from his childhood playmate Leonarda.
Captain Barbell has a more mystifying origin of superpowers. In the original comic version and the 1965 movie (played by Herbert Bautista and Edu Monsano), Teng-Teng, a skinny, kind hearted member of the lower class, was given a barbell by an old hermit. The hermit was a mysterious man who was never identified in both the comics and in the movie. Teng had to lift the barbell and shout “Captain Barbell” in order to transform into the muscular champion.
In the 2003 movie played by Ogie Alcasid (Teng) and Bong Revilla (Capt. Barbell), the barbell came from space (like Darna’s white stone). It crash landed to earth and was buried underground for centuries waiting for the right person to pick it up.
In the two series, the devices which granted the characters superpowers were magical. No logic could explain the origin of both the white stone and the barbell. Magic became an easy escape route for Ravelo.
GMA Networks tried to tie the logical lose ends of the Ravelo characters. The modern adaptations CB gave the storyline a dose of science fiction. In the 2005 television series, Potencion Magtanggol or Teng, played by Richard Gutierrez, is a superhuman mutant form the future. He was sent to the past to escape the clutches of the evil General. Likewise, the barbell too came from the future, but unlike the device given by the hermit in earlier versions, it contained no magic. The barbell is more of a medallion made out of a special element called Barbanium. The element is a form of radioactive metallic substance that could enhance the abilities of normal human beings.
Teng in the TV series already posses super abilities because his bones are complete made out of Barbanium. There is a scene in the first episode, where six-year-old Teng lifted a tractor (just like the young Kal-El in the first movie of Superman) without the barbell being anywhere near him. But this doesn’t mean that he doesn’t need the barbell anything more than costume change. For some reason, his powers are limited. He tends to become weak after using his abilities. The barbell, in this case, serves as a battery, allowing the young crime fighter to use his powers without the fear of his muscles turning into jelly.
2. Have a good heart. Motivation is overrated. If Peter Parker’s uncle didn’t die of a mugging incident, then Spiderman probably wouldn’t be web slinging in any part of Manhattan. Instead, maybe he found a career in wrestling. If Bruce Wayne’s parents weren’t shot by thugs, then the millionaire probably grew up as some middle-aged gambling lord. The characters by Ravelo never had these kinds of motivations. The only driving forced they had was a kind heart that and the willingness to save the word.
Both the barbell and white stone had a mind of its own. Both chooses its own barer. The qualification was simple: the heart of the person who yields it must be pure. In CB, the barbell can never be lifted with people with evil intentions. The white stone, likewise, can never be used by people with a mischievous mind.
3. Keep your identity a secret. Just like what Elastagirl said in the Disney movie The Incredibles, “Protect your secret identity as if it was your most prized possession.” I can only think only of one superhero team whose identities are open to the public they serve, and they’re the Fantastic Four of Marvel Comics. The rest of them seem to treat privacy as if it was money.
The whole crime fighting business is all centered on the Judeo-Christian virtue of charity. Or, if you want to be philosophical, you might consider classifying their actions under Emmanuel Kant’s Categorical Imperative. There is a need for a costume.
Superheroes from the west needed create their costumes after they get their superpowers. It’s a separate package. It could be a burden sometimes. When ever there’s villain attacking the town, they would have to go through the trouble of finding secure place for them to make an instant dress-up. Some of found some clever of ways of pulling off the quick costume change. For example, Spiderman wears his spider costume inside his shirt. He only needs to loose the coat put on some gloves and a mask, and then he’s ready for action. Superman’s gimmick is slightly similar but a lot easier. Like Spidey, he wears his costume inside his shirt. The only difference is, he doesn’t need wear a mask. He just takes off his glass, changes his hairstyle, and the Kryptonian is set to fly.
Those costume changes only takes time. When you’re a Pinoy superhero, you would know that every second counts. In both Darna and CB, the costume goes with the superpower. When Narda swallows the white stone, she instantly transform into the superwoman, costume and all.
The case is similar with CB. However, in this case, there is more to his transformation than just dress up. When Teng uses the barbell, he transforms into a different person. The thin and petite young man will change into a tall and masculine champion, after shouting the magic word. In the movie version, aside from the guy doing Teng, there would be a separate actor who would play the role of CB. The Teng played by Herbert Bautista transform into Edu Monsano, after lifting the barbell. Ogie Alcasid’s Teng transforms into Bong Revilla.
But this change in character doesn’t happen in the TV series. The GMA version is the first incarnation of CB wherein the actor playing Teng and CB is the same. When Richard Gutierrez lifts the barbell, there would only be a change in costume. The transformation resembles that of Darna. The fact that Gutierrez lifts the barbell with his left arm could justify this event. In the Herbert Bautista movie, using your left hand to lift the barbell will neither change your appearance nor will it give you special abilities. But this raises the question, If Richard Gutierrez lifts the barbell with his right arm, will he transform into a more masculine character? The series never cleared this out.
4. Avoid your antithesis. Bullets, lasers, and atomic weapons beware. Filipino superheroes rarely have weakness. Unlike Superman, who folds at sight of Kryptonite, a Filipino superhero is invulnerable to almost anything. At least, in superhero mode they are.
Western superheroes usually live their lives hand in hand with their superpowers. Every time they go to the mall to buy food, or go class, or to their day jobs, they know that they are safeguarded by their abilities. A love interest is usually inserted in the plot to give the foreign character a weak point. The emotions, or the “human side,” become the accustomed target for their villains. In Ravelo’s world, the human side is literally the human form. Since Darna and CB are entirely dependent on the stone and the barbell, the time that they turn back into their alter egos becomes a moment of vulnerability for both characters. Whenever Narda goes to the market without the stone, she does that on her own. In some episodes, the villain would usually get the chance to create havoc during the time when the stone is not available.
This is a common dialogue for Narda: “Sinusugod ng halimaw ang bayan. Hala naiwan ko yung bato sa bahay. Paano na yan?” Narada would hurry back home to get to the stone but the time she gets there, half the town would have been razed. Sometimes, a friend would come in the nick of time to hand Narda the stone. Kind of like a buzzer beater. All is saved in the last minute.
The television series of CB added a little twist to the nature of barbells power. Unlike the one in the original comic book, CB here has a weakness. The powers granted by Barnium are not absolute. It can contrasted by another element call “Askobar” short for “Asido Kontra Barnanium.” The so called chemical is usually in liquid form, but can be crystallized to form an opaque, purple rock, which glows whenever CB would come near it. At a certain radius from the rock, the hero becomes completely vulnerable. His body will also excruciate with pain, making him unable to stand up, or do anything for that matter.
5. Know your foreign inspiration. You can argue all you want but Darna will always be better than Wonder Woman. Dela Cruz claimed that Ravelo never really patterned the Pinoy heroine to hard kicking Amazon. She said the Ravelo wanted to create a female Superman, that’s why he created Darna. During the 1950’s US soldiers brought to the Philippines comic book series such as Superman and Captain Marvel. These characters inspired Ravelo to create a superhero of his own.
When Darna first came out, she can already fly. The Wonder Woman of the 1950’s only possessed superhuman strength and the ability to leap huge distances. Darna, also, never blocked bullets with her armband like Wonder Woman. In the original comic version, she was completely invulnerable. Bullets bounce off her chest like the stunt of superman. It was only until the 1970’s version (played by Vilma Santos), that the arm shielding stunt was executed by the Filipino superwoman.
It’s not really that hard to guess as to who inspired Ravelo to create CB. Captain Marvel of DC comics never really got as popular as Superman here in the Philippines, but the character he influence was sold here like hotcakes. For those of you who don’t know CM, he comic book character who first appeared Whiz Comics #2 during the 1940s. The characteristics of this super-powered champion are similar to that of Superman’s. He has the ability to fly at super-sonic speed, lift huge weights without breaking a sweat, he’s invulnerable to anything. But unlike the popular Kryptonian, CM doesn’t need a costume change. His alter ego, Billy Batson, is young boy who was granted special powers by an old hermit. All the kid needs to do is to shout the word “Shazam” then a lightning bolt will transform him into a tall, masculine, adult, with super powers.
The similarities between Captain Barbell and Captain Marvel will give you the impression that without a doubt, CB was a rip off of CM. But of course you already had that idea when you took note of the homonymy of their names.
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Just follow the above mentioned and you’ll find yourself in the super-powered crime-fighting business in no time. Ravelo’s formula is simple. In fact it’s so simple, that anyone can become superhero, or a superhero creator, with so little effort.
