MARIA CLARA VS. DARNA:

SHOWDOWN OF TWO PILIPINO ICONS

What do our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, and komiks writer Marcial “Mars” Ravelo have in common? What do Maria Clara and Darna have in common?

To answer the questions: Rizal and Ravelo, aside from having the “R” initial in their surnames have a common element – Komiks. Yes, indeed. In Philippine Komiks History, Rizal can probably be considered among the first Pilipinos (if the not the first) to have narrated stories in illustrative form. Thus, he is sometimes attributed to as the “Father of Philippine Komiks.”

While Rizal’s drawings may not be considered good enough for today’s komiks standard, the popular grade school fable The Monkey and the Turtle, which he illustrated (1880), is considered as the first indigenous cartoon drawings in the Philippines. He is also a novelist, having written two of the Philippines most renown novels – Noli Me Tangere (Touch Me Not) and El Filibusterismo (The Revolutionary Adventurer) – where Maria Clara and Crisostomo Ibarra are two of the lead characters.

Ravelo, on the other hand, is the most prolific komiks novelist of all times, and is considered as the “Dean of Philippine Komiks” and “Father of Pilipino Komiks Superheroes.” He has written an estimated 800 novels and comedy skits since the age of 22; among the first ones which he himself illustrated were Ponchong (1937?), Bemboy (1938), Si Enteng at Si Engot (1938), Suprema: Ang Kamangha-manghang Dilag (1939), Igo, Ang Mamumugot (1940), Ang Mamamalakaya (1941?), Rita (1946), Buhay Pilipino (1946), Si Berta Ang Tomboy  (1947), Ipe (1947), Varga (1947), Ric Benson (1947), Boboy (1948), Totit (1950). Of course the most famous of his creations was Darna, which is a rewritten and remodelled version of Suprema: Ang Kamangha-manghang Dilag and Varga, and was drawn by another komiks legend, Nestor Redondo.

Rizal’s creation, Maria Clara, modelled after his real-life beloved Leonor Rivera, is the paragon model of Pilipina womanhood – pre-boomers era, that is. Ravelo’s creation, Darna, on the other hand, is the fictional sexy superheroine that has captured the hearts and minds of every Pilipinos of all ages since its inception in both komiks and film in 1950. Both are considered Pilipino icons. 

Who would even imagine that these two icons would clash? Well, we are in the cyberage for which almost anything is thinkably possible.

ABS-CBN premiered the latest Darna series on August 15, 2022 while GMA Network started showing Maria Clara at Ibarra around seven weeks later on October 3. Jane de Leon plays the role of Darna, while Barbie Forteza and Julie Ann San Jose portray the two time-divergent Maria Claras and Dennis Trillo that of Crisostomo Ibarra.

Darna started out strong because of the people’s enthusiasm about the character reappearing after more than 12 years hiatus and curious about how Jane de Leon would fair as the new actress portraying the superheroine. It toppled GMA Network’s ongoing series Lolong in the rating’s top spot. The series, however, struggled as episodes passed. Furthermore, the ABS-CBN Darna pilot could only muster a 10.5% in the Nielsen rating on its pilot, which is only less than a quarter of the 47.1% of the 2005 Darna starring Angel Locsin then at GMA Network – the highest rating for any TV series.

Soon enough, when Maria Clara at Ibarra premiered, the playing field was literally leveled. It soon soared pass all rivals including the Kapamilya Network’s Darna. It remained on the rating’s Number 1 spot continuously unchallenged. The Kapuso Network’s series was well-received by viewers and critics alike.

Based on the Nielsen Philippines Total Audience Measurement (TAM) ratings data for October 3 to 7, Maria Clara at Ibarra garnered a total of 15.1 percent on GMA and GTV compared to Darna, which only managed a combined total of 7.2 percent on TV5, A2Z, Kapamilya Channel and Cinemo. The same rout happened on the October 10 to 14 measurements with the Kapuso series having a 14.8 percent as against the Kapamilya’s 6.9 percent. For the December 12, 2022 TAM overnight rating, Maria Clara at Ibarra had 14.1 percent and Darna only managed a 6.7.

Now, for the nitty-gritty. Everybody who knows me knows that I’m a big Darna fan. As a journalist-blogger, who also used to do film and TV reviews for Celebrity World, MOD, Mr. & Ms. and Atlas TV Guide, I cannot allow my bias to run its course. Having said these, I am disappointed with the newest Darna series. It is not the fault of Ravelo’s iconic character, nor the portrayer. Jane de Leon did what she is told and what she could. So, don’t bash and bully the actress. The series is not a flop, but it’s not that good either. So many flaws and so-so performances. The problem I think primarily lies in the scripts, the choice of actors, and some on the direction. Chito Roño is a good director and also a screenplay writer, but he shouldn’t have allowed a run-of-the-mill story to push through; he should have imposed changes where they are needed.

Here’s my take: If you are going to modernize Darna and create a new series, albeit, the passing of the magical pebble (again!) in a millennial’s perspective, one needs to conceptualize a new storyline passed that which have been repeatedly shown. Without destroying the essence of the original story that Ravelo wrote, it should include new characters, protagonists, villains, plots, scenarios, and all. Enough of Valentina and her snakes; everybody knows about her already. For even if you change her alter-ego, the characterization is still a remake of the old – obsolete for the fans’ taste.  There are so many villains and intriguing plots in Darna’s more than two dozen komiks adventures; why the heck do they keep on recycling Valentina? Sure, she is the first and foremost supervillainess in Darna’s history, but people, even little kids, knew and memorized it already after ten repetitions.

One more thing: Even if you cramped-up a back-story in one episode just to explain the faulty and lackluster scripts, it’s worthless to all komiks aficionados who know about it. You don’t need a humongous billboard at EDSA to showcase Darna either; it only reveals the obvious that the producers are seeking public attention for a bland and left-behind series. All that is needed is fresh and innovative scripts, and probably an upgrade of the special effects especially Darna’s flight scenes, which looks so stiff and weird. The computer-generated imagery is laughable, to say the least. Hey, don’t tell me we are not technologically capable of doing visual effects ala-Superman?!

 

As I am disappointed with the new Darna, my attention, enthusiasm and appreciation were engaged with the concept of Maria Clara at Ibarra. Truly unique and outstanding! I love the way Rizal’s novels were played out mixed with time travel, the interaction of Spanish Era morals with the Generation Z bravados, and even the dialogs have some twists of Tagalog, Spanish and English, very well-delivered. Barbie Forteza, Julie Ann San Jose, Dennis Trillo and the powerful cast of performers all did great. The set design, costumes, scenes, and mannerism circa 1800s are remarkable and genuinely well-researched. Kudos to Suzette Doctolero and her team of writers, and director Zig Dulay.

As a writer myself, it’s truly an exciting thing to conceptualize a story where you mix history and science fiction, and spice it up with everything from drama to fantasy and adventure, to humor, romance and society’s scruples. The network is also brave enough to show the misdeeds and sinister side of Catholicism and the priests. Rizal would have been proud. And who would have the swift-thinking mind to include the blood moon in the storyline perfectly on the dot? (And why did the Darna writers miss it? They should have taken advantage of the same astronomical event, e.g. a portent of doom or, yes, a portal for Darna’s adversaries to enter Earth? Silly me, I thought of it)

Indeed, Maria Clara at Ibarra nailed it! Asombroso y excelente! Pulgares hacia arriba! Whoa! Did I say that right?!

 

 NOTE: This is a late review I made only for the curious people who kept asking me for days to make.
              Especially written for Ms. Kira Bongon.