One favorite past time in the Philippines is the Komiks aka “Comics” in the western world. An animated source of reading material that are available on every news stands. This is so popular that most of the young and adults alike in urban or rural life reads it frequently and one could find a komiks in every household. Action, drama, fantasy you name it komiks has them. The most popular komiks novel and the one of the earliest is a fantasy entitled Captain Barbel, the local Superman Hero, which was written by the late great novelist Mars Ravelo in 1963. Captain Barbel was so popular that it was made into a movie countless times by popular actors to this date. Ravelo was also the creator of the high flying local fantasy heroine, Darna, that also made it as a blockbuster in the movies during the 1950’s and starring Rosa del Rosario. Another great komiks novelist is Carlo Caparas, who wrote thousands of novels of which about 200 got into the movies. Pedro Penduko by Francisco Coching, also a local popular hero about a boy who endlessly battles mythological creatures in his quest to find his father.

This local past time has attracted a lot of young and old readers alike with some learning the first steps of reading thru this medium. It is always good to have a komiks handy or some of it available in a household but be sure they are family friendly and educational avoiding the junk ones or the adult and porn related which is so JUNK. Komiks are part of our local traditions and a great medium of learning. So tangkilikin ang sariling atin.