DINO, Son of ZUMA: Blind Date with a Dinosaur

"I love you, you love me..."

Dino was one of the bizarre characters made famous in Jim Fernandez and Ben Maniclang's long-running Aliwan Komiks serial, Anak ni Zuma (1976-1984). The dinosaur-headed son of the Aztec demigod Zuma has also been portrayed on film, appearing in the 1987 sequel based on the serial.

During the mid-1990's, Grahic Arts Service, Inc. published Zuma And Other Amazing Stories (or Zuma Komiks, for short). The anthology featured the further adventures of the sinister snake-man (Zuma The Series), while another strip, Mga Anak ni Zuma ("The Children of Zuma") was devoted to his offspring Galema and, of course, Dino.

In this short tale from Zuma Komiks #112 (December 29, 1995), we find that Dino has been playing Lizard King of the Jungle, living in peace and harmony with his animal friends. But then, an injured and blinded young woman enters his life...

NIKNOK and the Tree with a Heart

Valentine's Day is just around the corner, so in the spirit of the season of hearts, let's talk about the one fruit-bearing tree in the Philippines that has one...

"Saging lang ang may puso!"

According to Philippine folklore, the heart of the banana tree contains an agimat or magical charm that drops out of it at the stroke of midnight. Whoever catches the charm in his mouth would be endowed with supernatural powers; provided, of course, he survives the kapre, tikbalang and other mystical creatures who would then try to take the charm from him. From Pilipino Funny Komiks #169 (September 11(!), 1981), here's a take on the banana heart myth featuring one of Funny Komiks' most popular characters: writer Pat V. Reyes and artist Vic R. Geronimo's mischievous, fried chicken-loving kid Niknok.