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Darna

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Darna
File:Darna cover.JPG
Mango comic's first issue of Darna.
Publication information
PublisherMango Comics
First appearancePilipino Comics #77 (1950)
Created byMars Ravelo
Nestor Redondo — first illustrations
In-story information
Alter egoNarda
Team affiliationsCaptain Barbell, Lastikman, Dyesebel, None
Notable aliasesDaria, Varga (original known alias before Narda)
Abilitiesflight, invulnerability, super-strength, super-speed, vision powers including heat vision

Darna is a fictional character and superheroine created by Filipino comics genius Mars Ravelo. Darna's was originally known as Varga and first appeared in Bulaklak magazine Volume 4, No. 17 on July 23, 1947. Ravelo had differences with the editors of Bulaklak magazine and Varga's name was changed to Darna. The character was re-launched on May 13, 1950. Nestor Redondo illustrated the first Darna.

Since then, it became a Philippine cultural icon and the most recognizable character among Ravelo's creations.

Character overview and history

Overview

The story of Darna begins, with a young village girl named Narda and the small white stone she discovered that would change her life. The stone comes from planet Marte the home planet of the Adranikas and Anomalikas. The queen of Anomalika, Braguda, wanted to take the stone from the queen of Adranika, Adran. Because of this the stone finds its way to planet Earth and to the hands of Narda. When Narda swallows and shouts Darna, she becomes a mighty warrior ready to defend Earth from evil forces.

Misconceptions

Contrary to popular belief, Darna was not named after the Philippine mythical Adarna bird. In Bulaklak magazine, Narda was already established as Varga's mortal identity. "Darna" was simply the reversal "Narda". Also, Darna was not inspired from Wonder Woman but rather from Superman, whose comics were regularly read by Ravelo. The biggest hero for Ravelo's life was his mother because he never had a father-figure. It came naturally that his creation, Darna, was a woman with Superman-like powers.

Abilities

Darna's powers, similar to Superman, include ability to fly, super strength, super speed and near invulnerability. In the 2005 TV series, it added the power of heat vision. Her powers can only be activated once she swallows the white stone and shouts the name Darna then comes back to a mortal state when she utters the name Narda.

Enemies

  • Valentina - "goddess of the snakes" and main villain of Darna
  • Armida the Hawk Woman
  • Babaing Impakta - the conjoined evil twins
  • Babaing Tuod - Lucinda the tree monster
  • Babaing Linta - Garda the leech woman
  • Isputnik
  • Flaviana the Tree Woman - also called The Woodwitch has the ability to fight enemies by means of her vines and roots, and can turn plants into a deadly weapon. (For example, the leaves of the plant can turn into a sharp blade and the venus flytrap can turn into a deadly monster.)
  • The Giants
  • Ms. Luna - the manananggal
  • Braguda - Queen of Anomalka
  • Mambabarang - Warlock King of insects
  • Sulfura - has the ability to spew fire and acid and melt her enemies
  • Molecula - shape-shifter
  • Nosforamus - grim reaper and right hand man of Braguda
  • Dr. Zombie - re-animator of corpses.
  • Ella the Zombie - reanimated policewoman
  • Demonica - "the voice sucker" is a new villain in the Darna 2005 TV series whose real name is Divina Devinica, a famous singer of the 1930s. She was able to bring back her youth and beautiful voice by the power of an Anomalkan crystal, which also gives her the power to steal voices by sucking people's vocal chords plus the power to do whistle register to produce shock waves and command bats for defense. When she's angry, she becomes Demonica, a creature that looks like Dracula. In the 2005 TV series, K Brosas, a famous singer in the Philippines, plays the role as Divina Devinica/Demonica.

Darna in comics

Darna's first breath-taking adventure was first serialized in the pages of Pilipino comics # 77, she was pitted against the sultry snake goddess Valentina. Darna quickly gained popularity among Filipino comic book readers.

File:Poster sm.jpg
Darna

Darna movie list

  • Darna vs. The Planet Women
    • Directed By Armando Garces
    • Opening day: December 25, 1975
    • Produced by: TIIP
    • Starring: Vilma Santos as Darna, Bentot Jr as Ding, Rossana Ortiz as Elektra, Zandro Zamora, Eva Linda and Lita Vasquez with Ernie Garcia
  • Darna Kuno?
    • Directed by: Luciano B. Carlos
    • Opening day: March 30, 1979
    • Produced by: Regal films
    • Starring: Dolphy as Darna, Lotis Key, Marissa Delgado, Brenda Del Rio as Darna with Celia Rodriguez, Ruel Vernal and Bella Flores
  • Darna and Ding
    • Directed by: J. Erastheo Navoa and Cloyd Robinson
    • Opening day: February 8, 1980
    • Produced by: D' Wonder
    • Starring: Vilma Santos as Darna/Narda, Nino Mulach as Ding, Celia Rodriguez as Lei Ming, Marissa Delgado as Dr. Irene Vontesberg, Veronica Jones as Babaing Lawin and Max Alvarado as the Giant Films.

A new movie is being planned in December 2005 for the Metro Manila Film Festival

TV Series

Main article: Darna (2005 TV Series)

File:Darna fly.jpg
Angel Locsin as Darna

In 2004, executives of GMA Network and Hugo Yonzon, current license holder of Darna and head of Mango Comics, signed a licensing agreement for the Darna TV Series. It premiered in Filipino homes on April 11, 2005 and garnered 47.1% rating according to AGB, making it 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. Filipino actress Angel Locsin stars as Darna.

The series is the first ever in the Darna franchise to feature a "Black Darna" played by actress Katrina Halili.

There are four actresses who previously played as Darna are in the TV series.

  • Gina Pareño (Darna and the Planetman, 1969) - played as the grandmother of Darna.
  • Rio Locsin (Bira, Darna, Bira, 1979) - played as the wife of the Dr. Zombie, one of the villains.
  • Lorna Tolentino (Darna 1977 TV series) - played Queen Adran of Marte.
  • Regine Velasquez (plays Darna in Captain Barbel, 2003) - sang the theme song of the series.

The villains

See also

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