Darna

This article is about Filipino comics character Darna. For other uses, see Darna (disambiguation).

Darna, Cubitt
Publication information
Publisher	Mango Comics
First appearance	Pilipino Comics #77 (1950)
Created by	Mars Ravelo Nestor Redondo
In-story information
Alter ego	Narda
Team affiliations	Captain Barbell, Lastikman, Dyesebel
Abilities	psionic abilities allow her flight super-strength super-speed vision powers magic resistance reaching outer space regeneration psychic influence near invulnerable skin flame alchemy or Pyrokinesis

Darna is a fictional character and Filipino comics superheroine created by writer Mars Ravelo and artist Nestor Redondo. In her more popular incarnations, she is a deceased warrior from another planet manifesting herself through a girl from Earth, named Narda. She first appeared in Pilipino Komiks #77 (May 13, 1950).

Darna is a retooling of Ravelo's earlier character Varga, whose stories he wrote and illustrated himself. She first appeared in Bulaklak Magazine, Volume 4, #17 (July 23, 1947). Ravelo left Bulaklak due to differences with the editors.

Abilities

Darna's powers include flight, super strength, super speed and near-invulnerability. In the 2003 retcon, the latest releases of the comic, this is due to her psionic background. Thus a form of telekinesis enhances her speed and strength and allows her flight. Her skin has a high level of invulnerability because of her race. Her psionic abilities also allow her to exercise limited psionic influence or telepathy. For weapons, the ruby encrusted in the winged medallion on her helmet also augments her psionic abilities, allowing her to emit a powerful concussion blast and the medallions that make up her belt can be used like throwing stars (shuriken). In the 2005 TV series, she also has heat vision, lent by the ruby. In the TV series, she uses her bracelets to deflect bullet impacts. Narda transforms into Darna, and vice versa, by shouting out their respective names. First, however, Narda has to swallow the white stone, which conveniently comes out of her mouth every time Darna changes back into herself. However, it was not so in her comic incarnations (see below).

Contrary to what some Filipinos may believe, Darna was not named after the magical Ibong Adarna (Adarna bird), which appears in a Philippine epic of the same name. In Bulaklak Magazine, Narda was already established as Varga's mortal identity. "Darna" was simply an anagram of "Narda". Also, see [1].

History

Early years

Darna's first adventure (as Darna) was first serialized in the pages of Pilipino Komiks #77, where she was pitted against the snake goddess Valentina. Here, Narda, a young girl, swallows a stone, which has the word Darna on it, and transforms into Darna by shouting out the latter name. Likewise, Darna turns back into Narda by shouting her name. The stone, which was from the planet Marte, stays in her body. Her secret is known to her grandmother, and her brother Ding, who becomes her sidekick. The superheroine quickly gained popularity among Filipino comic book readers.

Later years

Starting in 1951, several Darna movies were made. Some made from 1973 onwards starred the future multi-awarded dramatic actress and politician Vilma Santos. In these 1970s films, Darna's origin was changed; no longer a little girl, Narda was now in her late teens. Also, she herself becomes Darna, unlike the original where she just "channels" her (not unlike Jason Blood and Etrigan). Only Ding knows her secret in this version. Also, the stone comes out of Narda's mouth every time she changes back; she has to swallow it every time she wants to transform (This became standard for following versions). Darna is not specified as coming from Marte, just as a "warrior of Light". This version of Darna became most people's idea of the character for about 3 decades. A catchphrase popularized by the movies and said by Narda runs, "Ding, ang bato!" ("Ding, [give me] the stone!")

A TV series was also produced in 1977. Created by Ketchie Benedicto and airing on KBS 9, Darna! The TV Series starred another future multi-awarded dramatic actress, Lorna Tolentino, as Darna/Narda.

The Mango Comics miniseries

In 2003, an award-winning Darna miniseries was published by Mango Comics, with major input from Ravelo's family. This version showed Narda as a college student who first found the stone 10 years before. However, the details of Darna's origin was changed again - Her race of "Adarna Warriors" originally came from the planet Tiamat, as did Valentina's, the "Serpent Queens". Their respective peoples had warred for many years. On Tiamat, Darna's race used artificial wings. Because of the war between the Adarna Warriors and the Serpent Queens, they fled the planet Tiamat and went to the planet Nibiru, also known as Marte.

Here, Darna (both the name and the character) is explicitly linked to the Adarna bird (Ibong Adarna).

2005 TV series

Main article: Darna (2005 TV Series)

In 2004, executives of GMA Network and Hugo Yonzon, current license holder of Darna and head of Mango Comics, signed a licensing agreement for a new Darna television series. It premiered in Filipino homes on April 11, 2005 and garnered a 47.1% rating according to AGB, making it one of the highest rated pilot episode ever in Philippine television. During the fourth episode, it garnered 52.1% overnight ratings from AGB, the highest rating yet for the show because this was the episode that Narda transforms into Darna for the first time. Filipino actress Angel Locsin starred as Darna. The television series ended Friday, November 25, 2005.

Four actresses who previously played Darna were involved in the TV series:

• Gina Pareño (Darna and the Planetman, 1969) appeared as Darna's grandmother
• Rio Locsin (Bira, Darna, Bira, 1979) appeared as the wife of Dr. Zombie, one of the villains
• Lorna Tolentino (Darna in 1977 TV series) portrayed Queen Adran of Marte
• Regine Velasquez (plays Darna in Captain Barbell, 2003) sang the theme song of the series. Quite interestingly, she also provided a voice clip of shouting "Darna!" for use in the TV series.

The series features several prominent Filipino actors and actresses as the villains:

• Alessandra De Rossi - Valentina
• Celia Rodriguez - Braguda
• Tonton Gutierrez - Nosferamus/Tatay Mulong
• Eddie Garcia - Oscar/Mambabarang
• Carmina Villaroel - Sulfura/Sabrina
• Christopher de Leon - Dr. Zombie/Dr. Ted
• Cristine Reyes - Molecula
• Berwin Meily - "Toymaster"
• K Brosas - Divina Devinica/Divina Demonica
• Katrina Halili - Black Darna/Carol
• Nadine Samonte - Ava

2009 TV series

Main article: Darna (2009 TV Series)

The first TV series was aired last 2005 with Angel Locsin as the lead role which made her a big star. GMA Network confirms that the rights of Darna is still theirs along with Captain Barbell and Dyesebel. Last January 2008, it was announced that GMA Network decided to make another version of the show but this time, it will be along with Captain Barbell. But due to schedule conflicts of Richard Gutierrez, everything was shelved. Angel Locsin, the first TV Darna, has transferred to ABS-CBN, the rival station of GMA Network in 2007.

GMA Network announced that the new styled Darna would be a mirror to Marian Rivera's personality, possibly featuring more comedy flavor into the drama plot. Rivera will also undergo mental and physical trainings. Also, Galvante confirmed that Captain Barbell, another Mars Ravelo's creation, is going to be shown in the series.

Marian Rivera will be starting her fighting routines with an expert on May 17, 2009. Unfortunately, it was postponed due to conflicts on schedule. She will also be soon trained on harness.

GMA Network, along with the Ravelo's copyright holders of the character, has unanimously chosen Marian Rivera as Darna. It was said by Wilma Galvante, the SVP for Entertainment TV, in an interview that the new Darna should be a real star because it is a prime role. The Ravelo's said in an interview that Marian Rivera is the sexiest and most beautiful actress to play Darna. The new project was sadly not as successful as the previous one as observed by most of the people who patronized the franchise.

Two actors are considered for the role of the leading man. They were Mark Herras and Mark Anthony Fernandez but it was the latter who got the part.

Actors and Actresses Who Played Darna in Movies and Television

• Rosa del Rosario in "Darna" (1951) and "Darna at ang Babaing Lawin" (1952)
• Liza Moreno in "Si Darna at ang Impakta" (1963) and "Isputnik vs. Darna" (1963)
• Eva Montes in "Darna at ang Babaing Tuod" (1965)
• Gina Pareno in "Darna at ang Planetman" (1969)
• Vilma Santos in "Lipad, Darna, Lipad!" (1973), "Darna and the Giants" (1973), "Darna vs The Planet Women" (1973) and "Darna and Ding" (1980)
• Chiquito in "Terribol Dobol" (1974) - first male Darna
• Lorna Tolentino in "Darna" (1977 TV Series)
• Brenda del Rio in "Darna Kuno?" (1979)
• Dolphy in "Darna Kuno?" (1979) - second male Darna
• Lotis Key in "Darna Kuno?" (1979)
• Rio Locsin in "Bira, Darna, Bira!" (1979)
• Nino Mulach in "Darna and Ding" (1980)
• Sharon Cuneta in "Captain Barbell" (1986)
• Nanette Medved in "Darna" (1991)
• Anjanette Abayari in "Darna Ang Pagbabalik" (1994) and Ang Pagbabalik ni Pedro Penduko (1994)
• Regine Velasquez in "Captain Barbell" (2003)
• Angel Locsin in "Mars Ravelo's Darna"(2005 TV Series)
• Katrina Halili in ""Mars Ravelo's Darna"(2005 TV Series)
• Marian Rivera in "Mars Ravelo's Darna"(2009 TV series)
• Angel Aquino in "Mars Ravelo's Darna"(2009 TV series)
• Carla Izabella Eliquen in Levitown Avenue

Darna's Nemeses

• Valentina
• Babaeng Tuod
• The Planet Women
• Babaeng Lawin
• Babaeng Impakta
• Mambabarang
• Planetman
• Sulfura
• Mulawin
• Braguda
• Nosferamus
• Dra. Fontesberg
• Meilin
• Molecula

See also

• Isis (DC Comics)
• Supergirl
• Superman
• Wonder Woman

External links

• Official Mars Ravelo's Darna web site
• GMA Network's official site for the 2005 TV series
• Mango Comics Darna web site
• Darna at the International Catalogue of Superheroes

References