A 'Class'
of its Own
by Ruel S. de Vera
(February 7, 2000 - www.inquirer.net)
Filipino comics achieves
maturity with the extraordinary supernatural series 'The Mystery Class'
COMIC books have always had
a special place in Filipino society, leaving an imprint on Pinoys as they grow
up. This cultural significance has resulted in a diverse lot, ranging from Mars
Ravelo's innovative komiks stories to the seminal tales in the serial Funny
Komiks. But recently, younger artists have tried to merge Filipino sensibility
with a Western-style art form: the American comic book/graphic novel.
Several groups have sprung
up to foster this development. Alamat Comics has made persevering contributions
for five years now. The results have ranged from the no-holds-barred catharsis
of Gerry Alanguilan's ultraviolent "Wasted" to the whimsical hijinks
of Marco Dimaano's "Angel Ace." Making serious waves internationally
is noted comics creator Whilce Portacio's Avalon Studios, which is distributed
through its mother company Image Comics. Avalon has notably produced the series
"Stone," which adapts some Filipino mythos to slam-bang action and
glossy, Western-style art.
Melding of forms
What appears to be the most
extraordinary effort to meld Pinoy and Western forms together has finally
arrived in Alamat Comics' "The Mythology Class," a four-issue limited
series from UP Fine Arts grad Arnold Arre. The series has received critical
praise for its unique take on Pinoy mythos, and its final issue, "The
Mythology Class," consolidates the critical approbation.
In the near future, the
largest mall is being built in the Philippines but the battle between good and
evil continues. Bantugen's wife Datimbang embarks on a mission to recover all
of the escaped enkantos and decides to recruit a new band of volunteers to help
her. She recruits them under the guise of teaching a class as Mrs. Enkanta,
hence the series' title.
A quaint bunch of
characters, led by starry-eyed mythology fan Nicole, makes up the new Mythology
Class. There are psychics and tech guys, fat funny guys and good-looking
college kids. Combining magic and technology, they quickly round up the
enkantos. But a rowdy group of frat boys accidentally releases bloodthirsty
Aswangs, who hatch a plan to trap the good guys and gather more... food. The
plan, of course, involves the mall.
Arre's art is quirky and
impressive. The black-and-white panels combine an almost Manga-like sensibility
with a caricaturist's sense of character. Each character in "The Mythology
Class" is a standout, but none upstages the protagonist Nicole. Her
snub-nosed cuteness is quite refreshing, though her anime-style curves are
still a tad over-the-top. Most impressively crafted is the tattooed half-horse,
half-man spirit Lusyo. You have to see it to appreciate it.
Appealing
Furthermore, Arre's
characters are sincerely appealing, ranging from the immortals, who will learn
to appreciate these modern times, and the class members, who will, of course,
discover their inner strengths through the important mission. Original witty
touches abound, including a truly tiny, ambivalent Nuno sa Punso who will play
an important role in the happenings. The Aswangs, as in classic Pinoy folklore,
can transform into dogs, even cutesy puppies that pack a deadly secret. The
only drawback here is that there are too many characters crammed in just four
issues.
However, Arre knows how to
pace his scenes within every issue, from the funny dialogue-oriented frames to
the fast-paced action sequences. And like many good comic books, "The
Mythology Class" starts off a little sluggishly with a text-heavy first
issue, what with the immense amount of exposition necessary to explain the
premise. The third issue is the most dramatic, giving that eerie
"what-do-we-do-now" feeling that great cliffhangers have. Everything
is wrapped up in a thorough and satisfying manner with the final issue. All the
issues also feature lovely colored cover art by Arre.
Beyond that, as several
writers have previously noted, it is the combination of GenX-style angst and
adventure with the multi-dimensional battle between good and evil that makes
"The Mythology Class" special. It is the seamlessness, the ease with
which the series puts together magic and barkada gimmicks, that give "The
Mythology Class" the feel of one of those deep daydreams during
socioanthropology classes.
That "The Mythology
Class" runs with a perfectly natural blend of Filipino and English
dialogue again exemplifies what Arre has accomplished: updating traditional
Filipino myths for today's audience and situating them in the 21st century.
Arre gets the milieu right: a radio call-in show featuring a "Miss
Zarffa," computers, junk food, scenes at the Oblation, thesis defenses,
the works.
With a nod to the work that
inspired his own (the third issue is dedicated to folklorist Maximo Ramos) and
a fun, solid artistic vision all his own, Arnold Arre has produced the kind of
comic book other people only dream of: one that's substantial, entertaining and
still joyfully original. "The Mythology Class" is a wild ride that
brings a new generation of readers to the powerful world of Filipino mythology.
Hop on this tikbalang's back and hang on.
"The Mythology
Class" is available at all Comic Quest branches