DARNA IN 21st CENTURY ARTS
(UNIQUE AND AWESOME)
(UNIQUE AND AWESOME)
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| Kristine Crame (left) and Kris Belle Paclibar (right) both played the role of Darna in the stage play Darna the Ballet (2003). |
In the 21st
century, six performers have so far played the role of Darna, the iconic Philippine superheroine. Kristine Crame
and Kris Belle Paclibar played the role in the stage play Darna the Ballet (2003). Regine Velasquez donned what could
probably be considered as the most “conservative” Darna costume ever when she
made a guest appearance in the Ramon “Bong” Revilla film Captain Barbell (2003). Velasquez also did a Darna rendition on her
concert The Singer and the Songwriter
(2004).
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| Regine Velasquez as Darna
(on the cover of True
Horoscope Stories,
December 19, 2003). |
Of course,
who can forget the two sexiest ladies to wear the Darna costume, Angel Locsin
and Marian Rivera. Both of them did it for the GMA 7 telefantasy series both
titled Darna, Locsin in 2005 and Rivera
in the remake in 2009-2010. Angel Aquino also put on the costume as the predecessor Darna in the remake.
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| Angel Locsin (left, 2005) and Marian Rivera (right,
2009-2010) both portrayed Darna for GMA 7. |
Since 2013,
talks have been circulating that Angel Locsin would reprise the role, this time
for Star Cinema. It didn’t push through, because she was injured during initial
filming. Then Lisa Soberano was set to play the role. It also went kaput, again
due to injury. As of July 2019, a new up-and-coming young actress – Jane de
Leon – was slated to portray the role.
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| Angel Aquino,
portraying a predecessor Darna
and the keeper of mystical pebble,
in the 2009 GMA 7 TV series Darna. |
First, let’s hope that this time it will push through. Second, as I’ve said in my other posts, let’s also hope that it will not be another same “old story” remake. And third, that the director and writers will make Mars Ravelo's Darna the “original” superheroine,” not some sort of copycat character, and erase the misconception that she’s a bootleg of Wonder Woman. For the truth is, it’s the other way around. Indeed, she is the original, the Suprema. I, however, have that uncanny feeling, a psychic wish perhaps that after all what have been written and talked about, in the finality of things, it is still Angel Locsin that would play Darna.
First, let’s hope that this time it will push through. Second, as I’ve said in my other posts, let’s also hope that it will not be another same “old story” remake. And third, that the director and writers will make Mars Ravelo's Darna the “original” superheroine,” not some sort of copycat character, and erase the misconception that she’s a bootleg of Wonder Woman. For the truth is, it’s the other way around. Indeed, she is the original, the Suprema. I, however, have that uncanny feeling, a psychic wish perhaps that after all what have been written and talked about, in the finality of things, it is still Angel Locsin that would play Darna.
For this blog, I thought of collecting artworks done in the 21st century portraying Darna with various “new” adventures, battling “characterized” enemies, both in comics fiction and real-life parody. Just remember that in arts everything is possible, but one needs characterization so as to avoid personal insults to anyone. Attack the issues, play with the characters, but never the personalities.
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Darna vs. Zuma (by Edgar Tadeo, 2006) Quite a concept if it ever becomes a reality.
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| Darna vs. Wonder Woman Over Subic Bay (by Karl Comendador, 2018). |
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Wonder Woman vs. Darna (by Tristan C. Garcia, 2009) Published on Deviant Art (January 4, 2010). |
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Darna vs. Wonder Woman (by Joel Adams, 2010) Signed art (2012) Currently owned by Carlos Castanos. |
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| Darna vs. the Pork Barrel King (by Ernee Lawagan), Posted in Facebook (July 2014), redrawn (September 2019). |
Darna: "Huwag Iboto ang mga Laging Palpak!
Mixed digital manipulation
(Concept and editing by Ernee Lawagan,
presentation by Newton A., January 2016).
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|
Darna for Marcos Burial. Reconstituted from Darna issue #1, drawn by the legendary Nestor Redondo, Pilipino Komiks #77, May 13, 1950 (by Anonymous, November 19, 2016). |
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Darna tied up Wonder Woman with her own magic lasso (by Rene Micheletti) Published (November 17, 2017) |
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Darna gave Wonder Woman a blacked-eye (Concept by Ernee Lawagan, illustration by Rocel Siena, 2017) |
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| Darna and the Old Fat Wonder Woman
(Cybertistry by Ernee Lawagan, September 2018)
From the original Darna Illustration of Jenny Jasmin
C. Lacay (2009), interspersed with the Superheroes Decadence (Wonder Woman) original comics art by Donald Soffritti (2008). |
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Darna vs. Thanos (by Faye Villanueva-Chelabian, 2019) |
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