Mars Ravelo was one of the most prolific Filipino graphic novelists of the 20th century, known for creating iconic superhero characters like Darna, Captain Barbell, and Lastikman. He started his career as a cartoonist in the 1940s and went on to write hundreds of comic book stories. Ravelo established his own publishing company and received numerous awards recognizing his significant contributions to Filipino popular culture through comics. He passed away in 1988 after a decades-long, hugely influential career, leaving a legacy of over 500 comic book works.
Mars Ravelo was one of the most prolific Filipino graphic novelists of the 20th century, known for creating iconic superhero characters like Darna, Captain Barbell, and Lastikman. He started his career as a cartoonist in the 1940s and went on to write hundreds of comic book stories. Ravelo established his own publishing company and received numerous awards recognizing his significant contributions to Filipino popular culture through comics. He passed away in 1988 after a decades-long, hugely influential career, leaving a legacy of over 500 comic book works.
Mars Ravelo was one of the most prolific Filipino graphic novelists of the 20th century, known for creating iconic superhero characters like Darna, Captain Barbell, and Lastikman. He started his career as a cartoonist in the 1940s and went on to write hundreds of comic book stories. Ravelo established his own publishing company and received numerous awards recognizing his significant contributions to Filipino popular culture through comics. He passed away in 1988 after a decades-long, hugely influential career, leaving a legacy of over 500 comic book works.
Mars Ravelo was one of the most prolific Filipino graphic novelists of the 20th century, known for creating iconic superhero characters like Darna, Captain Barbell, and Lastikman. He started his career as a cartoonist in the 1940s and went on to write hundreds of comic book stories. Ravelo established his own publishing company and received numerous awards recognizing his significant contributions to Filipino popular culture through comics. He passed away in 1988 after a decades-long, hugely influential career, leaving a legacy of over 500 comic book works.
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The Story of Mars Ravelo
Mars Ravelo was one of the most prolific Filipino graphic novelist who was well known to be the creator of the characters Darna, Dyesebel, Captain Barbell, Lastikman, Bondying, Varga, Wanted: Perfect Mother, Hiwaga, Maruja, Mariposa, Roberta, Rita, Buhay Pilipino, Jack and Jill, Flash Bomba, Tiny Tony, and Dragonna among others.
Mars Ravelo was born on October 9, 1916 in Tanza, Cavite when the Philippines was still an American Territory.
He started out as a cartoonist, then as a writer, and later on as editor -in- chief for two publications houses and for several film companies. He wrote and illustrated the superheroine Varga which was published in Bulaklak Magazine Vol.4, Number 17 (Cover dated July 23, 1947). He later established his own company, RAR.
Ravelo created the characters of Darna the super heroine, Dyesebel the love-lorn mermaid, and Captain Barbel the super hero, Facifica Falayfay, and the duo of Jack & Jill. He also created the drama about a young orphaned girl named Roberta for Sampaguita Pictures. Ravelo wrote the movie adaptation of Alicia Vergel's Basahang Ginto. Ravelo is known to be the "Father of Philippine Comics."
During his stay at Ace Publications, Ravelo proved that he was among the best komiks writers in the Philippines. All his serials were loved by komiks readers, such as "Buhay Pilipino" in Liwayway, and serial novels like Darna, Bondying, Roberta, Jack and Jill, and later, Captain Barbell, Maruja, Lastikman, Goomboo Roomboo, and hundreds of others.
Between 1950s to 1970s, he earned the unofficial title "the King of Komiks," a feat oftentimes only contested by fans of his contemporaries, Francisco V. Coching and Clodualdo del Mundo. In later years, Mars formed his own komiks publishing company, RAR publications. He eventually retired from the komiks industry due to illness.
In 1984, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Komiks Operation
Brotherhood KOMOPEB in recognition of his immense contribution to the komiks industry. His co-awardees were Tony Velasquez, Francisco V. Coching, Jose Zabala-Santos, Larry Alcala, Francisco Reyes, and J.M. Perez.
A scrawny mambobote, a shy young girl in crutches, children orphaned by chance
or some crude laboratory accident, all suddenly discovering feats they can only accomplish in another form, in an ideal form this is what Ravelos Universe is made of and the comics that came before him and, to some extent, influenced his stories and drawings. It thrives, one might suggest, in the simplest of dualities (good and evil, the underdog and the privileged). But what of transformation? One doesnt merely wear a costume and become extraordinary in Ravelos hyper-naturalistic panels, one has to change fully, to be something or somebody else instead.
This creates tension rather than continuity, a projection of what one might become when one perseveres against all strenuous everyday odds, thus going beyond the enlarged superhuman self. For Mars Ravelos stories and characters to be told and retold in print, television, film, and now in this exhibition reinterpreted by artists from different fields, it is not the storytellers skill, importance, and influence that make his graphic novels a work of literature and art, but his commitment to his readers and followers; and that, even if told a hundred times before, never gets old.
In the mid-1980s, Mars returned to the komiks scene with a remake of his successful Goomboo Roomboo. In 1987 he suffered a stroke, he died on September 12, 1988. He was buried in his native town of Tanza, Cavite. His legacy was more than 500 works of popular komiks novels, a true monument of his immense achievement.
His life story was featured in Magpakailanman on May 26, 2005 and Dennis Trillo portrayed the role of Ravelo
Published Works : Akoy Nauuhaw, Akoy TaoMay Dugo at Laman, Alicia
Alonzo Alipin ng Busabos, Alyas James Bond-ying, Dyesebel, Ang Biyenan Kong, Amerikana, Ang Pinasulabi, Angelito, Baby Bubut, Balahibong, Nangangalisag, Bartola, Basahang Ginto, Bata Batuta, Berdugo ng mga Anghel, Bitter Sweet, Biyenang Hindi Tumawa, Bobby, Boksingera, Bondying ,Booma, Boyoyoi, Buhay Pilipino, Bwana Hai, Captain Barbell, Cumbanchera, Dalaginding na si Tessie, Darna, Devil Pig, Diyosa, Queen of the Dancing Waters, Dobol Trobol, Dragonna, Dugo sa Mukha ng Buwan, Dyangga, Dyesebel, Elepanta, Eternally, Facifica Falayfay, Flash Bomba, Galo Gimbal, Ganid, The Last Man on Earth, Ging, Gog, Goomba, Goro, Goyo, Gringgo, Gumuhong Daigdig, Haydee, Higantina, Da Big Byuti, Hootsy-Kootsy, Hudas sa Hudas, I Believe, Iniluha Koy Dugo, Inspirasyon, Isang Lakas, Ito Ba Ang Aking Ina?, Jack and Jill, Jesus Iscariote, Jinkee, Jungle Boy, Kamay ni Bruldo, Kapitan Boom, Kiko, Kitikiti, Kontra Partido, Kwatang, Lastikman, Little Lucy, Magic Guitar, Magic Makinilya, Mambo-Dyambo, Mariposa, Maruja, Miss Tilapia, Mowmoo, Nakangiting, Halimaw, Ngitnit ng Pitong Whistle Bomb, Pomposa, Prinsesa Gusgusin, Raul Roldan, Rita, Rebecca, Roberta, Rodora, Rosa Rossini, Rowena, Rubi-Rosa, Selosang-Selosa, Si Gorio at si Tekla, Silveria, Ang Kabayong Daldalera, Sindak!, Suicide Susy, Taong Tuod, Teksas, Ang Manok na Nagsasalita, Three Sisters, Thunderstar, Tiny Tony, Torpe, Trudis Liit, Tubog sa Ginto, Tumbando Cana, Varga, Via Dolorosa, Vicky, Zorina.
http://lifestyle.mb.com.ph/2016/11/11/100-years-of-mars-ravelo/ http://www.philippinecomics.net/creators/marsravelo/marsravelo.htm Project in English The Story of Mars Ravelo
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(African-American Literature and Culture 5) Rita B. Dandridge-Black Women's Activism - Reading African American Women's Historical Romances - Peter Lang (2004)
