KARATECHA

Hey, it's been a while.  I've been forced to go on hiatus for health reasons, and it'll take a bit more time til I can post on a regular basis, but I'll do what I can.  For now, may I present the sexy ninja crimefighter, Karatecha.

Appearing in KISS Comics (published by Compass Comics Group) from 1988 to 1989, Karatecha was written by Roljie Redondo, with art by Gilberto Monserrate (issues 1-5) and Ding Abubot (issues 8-10).

Never really collected KISS Comics, but I remember it and its sister publication, the horror comic ARGH!  They used to have those commercials on TV ("Uuuuy, KISS!"  "ARGH!  Lagot kayo!").  ARGH's signature characters were Bungo, Da Monster Avenger and this Vampirella-ish character, Devlynn, Da Devil's Daughter.

Thanks to Pauli Santos for providing the images and info about this character.

HORSE-MAN

Written by Zoila and illustrated by Carlos A. Divinagracia, Horse-Man ran in Super Action Komiks (published by Atlas Publishing Co., Inc.) for 53 chapters, starting from issue #132 (February 23, 1988)  to #190 (April 4, 1989).

The titular Horse-Man was a centaur who led a peaceful existence among the virgin forests of remote pacific island Isla Verde.

But the Horse-Man's idyllic paradise is disrupted by the arrival of a film crew on a location shoot.  Fascinated by these strange two-legged creatures who are similar to him and yet aren't, the centaur observes the humans from a distance.  But it isn't long before he gives himself away.

As it happens, the film's lead actors, Chris De Mesa and Gilda Castillo, are romantically involved, much to the jealousy of co-star Rez De Leon.  During a break in filming, Chris decides to go hunting in the forest.  Rez takes this opportunity to literally stab Chris in the back and dump the mortally-wounded actor in the river.

The Horse-Man rescues Chris from the river and tries to nurse him back to health.  Later, Chris asks the centaur to take him back to their camp.  Unfortunately, Chris dies from his injuries on their way there.

When the Horse-Man is sighted running off with Chris' body, Rez is quick to accuse him of killing the actor.  Gilda, however, has her doubts, noting that the centaur's careful manner in carrying Chris were not the actions of a killer.

Some time later, Gilda returns to the island to retrieve Chris' body and seek out the Horse-Man.  To find out the truth behind Chris' death, Gilda teaches the Horse-Man human speech (he initially could only communicate by making horse-sounds) and gives him the name Sentauro.

As Sentauro spends more time with Gilda, he finds himself becoming attracted to the beautiful actress.  But Gilda explains to him that she only loves him as a friend and her heart still belongs to the deceased Chris.

Through Sentauro, Gilda determines that it was indeed Rez who killed Chris.  But this revelation opens up another dilemma: how do you convict a murderer when the only eyewitness to the crime isn't human?

COVER GALLERY