In The Beginning...

Kulafu

Molded from the likeness of Edgar Rice Borrough's Tarzan, On July 7, 1933, Francisco Reyes, one of the pioneer Filipino comic illustrators in collaboration with writer Pedrito Reyes, created Kulafu. Our hero's story begins, when as a young boy with his parents in a jungle, was snatched by a gigantic bird, which dropped him in the bird's nest as food for her young. The young boy accidentally fell into the arms of the apes, who took the boy into their care. The boy grew up as a strong young man. Later in his adventures, he saved a civilized woman from being devoured by a crocodile. When asked his name, he replied "Kulafu, Kulafu". The  woman thought that it was his name but it's supposedly a meaningless grunt he learned from the apes.  

 

Kulafu's jungle-kingdom was set in the deep jungles of the Visayas, where he battled evil men, dragons, siokoy , and other mythical creatures.

  

Ipo-ipo

According to Filipino comics historian and collector Dennis Villegas,Ipo-ipo (meaning "whirlwind") is regarded as the first costumed and first true comic book superhero of the country. Ipo-ipo was created by Lib Abrena and Oscar del Rosario in April 1947 in reaction  against Japanese military invaders who refused to surrender even after the admission of defeat by Japan in 1945.

Magasin ng Pagsilang #3
April 5, 1947

Ipo-ipo derived his superpowers from the whirlwind. He can harness the  powers of tornado and the speed of the wind. He moves so fast bullets just past through his body. Ipo-ipo was born in the pages of Pagsilang magazine in 1946.

Hagibis

Hagibis (meaning "rapidity", "velocity" or "speed) was created by Francisco V. Conching  in 1947.Tarzan-like in appearance, the form of Hagibis had also been based on another early Filipino comic book hero, namely Kulafu who was created by another pioneer Filipino comic book artist, Francisco Reyes.

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