MASKARADO

On the 118th Philippine Independence Day and the 6th anniversary of this blog, we present, at last...

Created by writer-artist Reno Maniquis, Maskarado ("Masked Man") debuted as a comic strip in the daily tabloid Tempo, running for 170 installments from February 20 to August 30, 1992.  Despite that very brief run, the character endured, and since the year 2000 has appeared in a series of independently-published comic books under the Capsule Comics imprint.


CARLO MIRANDA

In the original strip, police detective Carlo Miranda was the first to take up the mantle of Maskarado.  Killed in an encounter with a gang of criminals, his body was taken by a mysterious man who restores him to life in his spaceship.

 When Carlo revives, the mystery man gives him a strange mask.  Upon wearing it, Carlo emerges clad in a suit that bestows him with amazing powers.

The stranger reveals himself as an alien named Orimar.  Hailing from the planet Anilom, his people had wanted to help the people of Earth by appointing a champion to protect them from evil.  A role for which Carlo had been chosen.

Accepting the responsibility, Carlo fights the forces evil as both a police officer and the masked hero known as Maskarado.

Programmed to be used specifically by its designated wearer, the mask supplies Carlo with knowledge of all forms of combat.  As Maskarado, he possesses superhuman strength and speed, flight, and invulnerability to anything less than the force of a bomb.

After several adventures, the strip ends with Carlo retiring from the role of hero to settle down with his wife Myla.

Orimar takes back the mask for reprogramming and looks for a new protector to take Carlo's place.  It would be almost a decade before anyone dons the mask again.

RAYMOND PACHECO

The comic book series introduces us to Raymond Pacheco,  an ad agency employee who saves a little girl from getting run over by a car.  That act of heroism impresses Orimar, who chooses Raymond to take over as the new Maskarado.

ALLIES

BATTLER

An armored warrior from another dimension, Battler seeks Maskarado's help to free his world from the tyrannical Conqueror.

HAMMER MAN

Maskarado's former arch-nemesis.  When blacksmith Rolando Galez pounds his hammer on a crashed meteorite, he finds his hammer, and himself, infused with the meteor's energy.

Hammer Time!

Deciding to use his new-found power for personal gain, Rolando becomes the costumed assassin known as Hammer Man.  He hires himself out to crime boss Jonathan Man, eventually bringing him into conflict with Maskarado.

Please, Hammer, Don't Hurt Him!

Hammer Man is defeated after Maskarado crushes his hammer.  However, his hammer is later restored by the demon Etrigazar.

U Can't Touch This

Joining forces with Etrigazar, Hammer Man once again takes on Maskarado and his allies.  But the hero appeals to his humanity and persuades him to turn against the demon before he destroys the world.

Because of his part in helping to save the world, Hammer Man is pardoned for his crimes.  He goes on to become a superhero and an operative for the United Nations.

2 Legit 2 Quit

DAI-HANSHI GUARD

"The Over Samurai" (according to Google Translate) are a super sentai-style team of Japanese heroes.

KALAYAAN

Maskarado has teamed up with Gio Paredes' patriotic hero Kalayaan, and both heroes have also been members of...

BAYAN KNIGHTS

The all-star team of indie komiks superheroes.  Maskarado (the current one) was a member of their Powerhouse Division.

ENEMIES

JONATHAN MAN

Not Nick Fury

One-eyed Chinese crime lord and Maskarado's first foe.  He lost his eye when the hero punched it out in their initial encounter.









CONQUEROR AND OMEGATRON

The evil tyrant Conqueror rules Battler's dimension with his mind-controlling Master Machine.  Omegatron is his powerful robot henchman.

ENERGON

Mr. Pure Energy

An evil energy being from the Danger Zone, a limbo-like realm between Battler's dimension and the Earth.









ETRIGAZAR

Summoned to destroy Maskarado, the demon Etrigazar also plots to destroy the Earth and spread his evil throughout the universe.

LAGIM AND DILIM

Juliet de Juan vows vengeance on Maskarado after her brother Joel was killed in the hero's battle with Energon.  Black magic practitioner Heidi Gozon offers her services, and together they summon the demon Etrigazar from Hell.

Etrigazar promises to fulfill the two women's desires in exchange for their servitude.  Heidi is transformed into the demon's herald, Lagim ("Terror").

That's one happy skull.

While Juliet becomes Etrigazar's enforcer, Dilim ("Darkness").

Along with Hammer Man, Lagim and Dilim took on Maskarado and Battler.  But eventually, Maskarado makes Dilim see the error of her ways and convinces her to take their side against Etrigazar.

A.T.A.C.

The Advanced Technologically Augmented Combatant, a giant battle mecha that went up against the combined forces of Maskarado and Kalayaan.

SILAKBO

A super-powered arsonist, Silakbo ("Burst of Fire") possessed the ability to produce fire.

COVERS