KAMPEON

 

Kampeon ("Champion") was yet another popular wisecracking hero created by writer Mike Tan*. Co-created by artist Gilbert Monsanto, the character initially appeared from 1993 to 1994 in Kidlat Super Heroes Komiks, published by Sonic Triangle Publishing, Inc. 

[*Under the pseudonym Exodus, Tan had also created an earlier unrelated Kampeon character which appeared in Super Adventure Komix from 1989 to 1990.]

 

THE CHAMP IS HERE!

 Sick and tired of his parents' incessant quarreling, teenager Jimmy Rey ran away from home. Heading out to his favorite campsite when he was a boy scout, he has a close encounter with a UFO...

   

The spacecraft was piloted by a dying alien named Exidor. A member of an intergalactic law-enforcement organization known as Kampeon, Exidor claims to have telepathically summoned Jimmy and transfers his powers to the teen... 

 

 

Thus empowered and guided by the spirit of Exidor, the brash youngster becomes Earth's newest and unlikeliest champion. 

 

 

 

POWERS AND ABILITIES

 

 

Jimmy transforms to his superheroic alter-ego by shouting the name "Kampeon." As Kampeon, he has superhuman strength, a healing factor, the power of flight, and the ability to project energy as either force fields or devastating power blasts. 

 

 

 

TALKING HEAD

 

EXIDOR 

Also known as Anino ng Kampeon ("Shadow of the Champion"), Jimmy's predecessor counsels him in the form of a floating disembodied head. Jimmy affectionately refers to him as Ulo ("Head," naturally).

What does everybody want? HEAD!

 

 

SUPPORTING CAST

  

TERI 

Jimmy's girlfriend. She puts up with his crap. It must be love.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

JIMMY'S PARENTS 

They argue a lot.  

JIMMY'S LITTLE BROTHER 

He likes to watch TV.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VILLAINS

 

YARGO & ZORLAK 

A pair of intergalactic criminals. Yargo is the armored alien warrior, Zorlak is the huge robot dragon.  

DR. DIMPOLS  

The resident mad scientist.

 

 

 

 DEVILIN 

 A mysterious terrorist type who vows to destroy Kampeon. He never did. He never even tried.

These 2 panels are Devilin's ONLY appearances!

 

 

 MYSTERIO 

An illusion-casting villain who wears a fish bowl on his head. Not to be confused with the Spider-Man villain who has THE SAME NAME, THE SAME POWERS AND LOOKS ALMOST EXACTLY LIKE HIM. 

TOTALLY different character.

 

THARANTOS  

An evil alien entity, formerly one of the Paham ("Sage"), the founders of the Kampeon corps. He takes on human form by possessing the body of Jimmy's rival Spike.

 

 

 

THE KAMPEON CORPS 

 

The last few chapters of the series were supposed to be the start of a storyline wherein Jimmy and the other Kampeons in the universe band together to battle the threat of some cosmic badass named Grogg. Unfortunately, with Kidlat Komiks' cancellation, the story was never completed. 

 

 

 

 DARK CHAMPION

 

 

In 2006, Kampeon returned as a character in the Metropolitan segment of the flip-book magazine Rambol Komiks, published by Gilbert Monsanto's independent imprint Sacred Mountain Publications. In the new series, the once-happy-go-lucky hero is reduced to a ruthless government puppet, pitting him against the other Monsanto-created heroes such as Biotrog and the Galactic Guardians.

 

 

 

2 COVERS AND A POSTER 

 

Happy Father's Day, ZUMA - Love, GALEMA

Fatherly love. (Read what happens next at Filipiniana.net)

 

Galema, daughter of Zuma, has always been an important part of the Aztec anti-hero's mythos since her introduction in the long-running Aliwan Komiks serial, Anak ni Zuma (1976-1984). Raised by human foster parents, Galema never saw eye-to-eye with her natural father, choosing to protect humanity from his malevolent machinations. 

 On film, Galema was first portrayed by actress Snooky Serna in the 1985 movie Zuma, and by Jenny Lyn in the 1987 sequel Anak ni Zuma. A television series is reportedly in the works, Galema, Ang Anak ni Zuma ("Galema, The Daughter of Zuma"), to star Andi Eigenmann in the title role. (And before I forget, ZUMA ASUNCION?! SERIOUSLY?!) When Zuma was given his own title in the mid-90's, Zuma Komiks, Galema (along with her half-man/half-dinosaur half-brother Dino) also appeared in a back-up strip, Mga Anak ni Zuma ("The Children of Zuma"). In the following episode from Zuma Komiks #111 (December 22, 1995), Galema has a heart-to-heart talk with her dad about religion, parent-child relations and sacrificing virgins.

 

KALAYAAN

In celebration of Araw ng Kalayaan (Philippine Independence Day), as well as the 1st anniversary of this very blog, it's only appropriate that today's featured hero is... 

 

Kalayaan ("Freedom") is an independent comic book created by writer/artist Gio Paredes. Debuting in June 2007, the ongoing series is self-published by Paredes under his own imprint, GMP Comics.

 

MEET JOHN DE LA VEGA

 

 

Abandoned by his mother, recently orphaned by his alcoholic father, and unemployed, John dela Vega was an ordinary, down-on-his-luck young man. But his fortunes change dramatically after he saves the life of geneticist Rhea Calalang...

   

Impressed by John's courage and fighting prowess, Rhea convinces him to take part in Project Kalayaan, an experimental procedure to turn man into superman... 

 

 

Now endowed with genetically-enhanced superhuman abilities, John is transformed into Kalayaan, a new Pinoy Superhero for a new age. 

 

 

 

POWERS AND ABILITIES

 

When his genetic enhancements are activated, John's average 5'3" build mutates into Kalayaan's muscular 6'5" frame. 

 

Kalayaan's costume is a nanobot armor that automatically forms around his body when activated. The suit can also mimic the appearance of regular clothes. 

 

Kalayaan possesses superhuman strength and speed, as well as invulnerability and the power of flight. 

 

Art by Erwin Ropa

 

He can also fire powerful blasts of energy from his eyes. 

 

Aside from his powers, Kalayaan is armed with retractable blades from his arm guards, and was also trained in the martial arts by his late father. 

 

Art by Erwin Ropa

 

 

SHIELDS ARE FOR SISSIES

 

 

In his first appearance, Kalayaan actually carries a shield, but he abandons it immediately. I don't know if it's intentional, but the move seems to send the message that Kalayaan is not just another localized Captain America knock-off, as some flag-themed Pinoy superheroes tend to be (no offense to those kinds of characters). 

 

 

ARTISTIC FREEDOM

 

Part of the fun of following the series is following creator Paredes' progress as a writer and an artist. While the early issues of the comic were very crude, the art actually gets better with each issue, and recent stories have shown much more depth. An interesting and ironic aspect of the character of Kalayaan is that although his name means freedom, he often feels trapped by his responsibilities as a hero and by his own personal issues. 

 

 

ALLIES

 

RHEA CALALANG  

After her parents were murdered by kidnappers, Rhea conceives Project Kalayaan with the aim of creating a superbeing to fight against crime and corruption.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

CYFER 

Rhea's younger brother, a technological genius who dons a high-tech battle suit of his own design.  

GRAYHORN 

A mystic lawman from an alternate dimension known as the Dark Realm.

 

 

ENEMIES

VORGON 

An electric-powered supervillain/mad scientist who wants to take over the city.  

DIE-CUT  

Vorgon's sword-wielding henchman.  

BLOOD FANG 

A man/wolf/lion hybrid created by Vorgon. Formerly a normal man who had been bullied most of his life, Blood Fang volunteered for the villain's genetic experiments in order to get his revenge on society. Vorgon later creates an army of Blood Fang clones.  

MALIKMATA  ("MIRAGE") 

 A psychic villain who attempts to take control of Kalayaan's mind. He also has the power to make duplicates of himself.  

SALAMANGKERO  ("MAGICIAN") 

Grayhorn's brother, an evil sorcerer from the Dark Realm.

Art by Gener Pedrina

ALIPIN ("SLAVE") 

Kalayaan's evil doppelganger, created by Salamangkero from the dark side of the hero's personality. Although Alipin sets out to punish evil (or what he deems as evil), he does so with extreme prejudice, meting out lethal "justice" for even the most minor of misdemeanors. Like his heroic counterpart, he is also ironically-named; while created to be a slave, he follows no one's will but his own.

 

 

SPECIAL GUEST HEROES

LAPU-LAPU 

The Datu of Mactan, the 1st Filipino hero. Kalayaan encounters the historical figure in a near-death experience, and helps him fight a giant squid.

 

 

SANDUGUAN ("BLOODPACT") 

 The nationalistic superhero team created by writer/artist Gener A. Pedrina.

   

BAYAN KNIGHTS 

The closest Philippine equivlent to the Justice League and the Avengers, an all-star team of Pinoy superheroes from various independent comic creators. Kalayaan is a member of the Bayan Knights' Powerhouse Division. Pictured below are (clockwise from top) Pag-Asa, Servant, Bagwis, Liberty Girl, Luzviminda, Claw, and Maskarado.

   

For more about Kalayaan (including the first three issues posted online), log on to the official Kalayaan website.