Could Pinoy superheroes have their own cinematic universe?

‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ has Filipinos imagining what a Mars Ravelo universe could look like.

The release of “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” has once again sparked a familiar conversation among Filipinos: when are we getting our own superhero universe? The idea of a Mars Ravelo Cinematic Universe has been floating around for years, but the latest wave of superhero excitement makes the question feel more relevant.

We already have the familiar names: Darna, Captain Barbell, Dyesebel, and Lastikman. But Ravelo’s comics have a much deeper bench, with lesser-known heroes such as Flash Bomba, Varga, Tiny Tony, and Dragonna waiting to be rediscovered by today’s audiences.

And why stop at superheroes? Characters like Bondying, Facifica Falayfay, Jack and Jill, and other personalities from Filipino comics could also open up a universe that isn’t limited to the traditional superhero formula, allowing stories to move between action, comedy, fantasy, romance, and even everyday Filipino life.

The idea isn’t entirely far-fetched, especially now that audiences are used to interconnected stories across films and series from Marvel and DC Comics. But Filipino komiks actually had their own version of this idea long before the current superhero boom.

In 2008 and 2009, ABS-CBN’s “Komiks Presents” went through a run of Mars Ravelo adaptations. The plan was to eventually bring several of its featured heroes together in “Isang Lakas,” a superhero team led by Lastikman.

The concept was essentially a Filipino answer to the superhero team-up formula that audiences now associate with Marvel and DC. Contemporary reports even described it as a “Pinoy version of Justice League or the Avengers,” with Flash Bomba positioned as the final piece of the team.

But “Isang Lakas” never made it to television. The project was listed among “Komiks Presents”‘ canceled or unreleased projects, and there does not appear to be a publicly documented explanation from ABS-CBN for why the planned series was ultimately shelved.

That’s what makes the idea particularly interesting today. Filipinos aren’t asking for something that has never been imagined before; we actually came surprisingly close to having our own shared superhero universe.

Of course, not everyone is convinced. Some Filipinos already think a local superhero universe would be corny, cheap, or an obvious copy of Hollywood, while others argue that the characters aren’t the problem; they just need the right producer, writers, world-building, and CGI.

The renewed attention toward older Filipino superhero films also shows that the connection is still there. “Gagamboy,” while not a Mars Ravelo film, has seen renewed activity on Letterboxd following the “Spider-Man” release, showing how excitement around a new superhero movie can also send Filipino audiences back to the local superhero films they grew up with.

At the heart of the conversation isn’t really a demand for a Filipino version of Marvel or DC. It’s a question of what could happen if Filipino komiks were finally given the same confidence, resources, and imagination.

“Isang Lakas” was supposed to bring Filipino superheroes together. Perhaps now, after years of Marvel and DC, it is time to ask what that idea could look like if given another chance.

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