Even after several years, some of the characters created by Filipino comic book legend Mars Ravelo have stood the test of time. To this day, his female superhero Darna is known by almost every generation.

Being introduced in 1950, you would think that Darna could have been easily forgotten. But no – for over 70 years, Darna has been cemented as a Filipino cultural icon with its continued presence in literature and art. And it looks like there’s no stopping it as well. ABS-CBN is bringing Darna back on television with a modern twist for today’s audiences via the much-anticipated “Mars Ravelo’s Darna: The TV Series.”

While Darna may have become a common household name, there are some things that you may not know about her. Here are 10 trivia tidbits about the iconic character:

1. Darna was based on Mars Ravelo’s first superheroine Varga, who was a female Filipino version of Superman.

Photo credit to owner

Mars was a fan of the American comics hero “Superman” and would muse about the idea of having a female superhero. During his time in Bulaklak Magazine around the late 1940s, he created “Varga,” who had powers and ambitions similar to Superman and a strong representation of Filipinos’ empathy and compassion.

When Mars left Bulaklak, he did not have the rights to the character of Varga anymore, prompting him to create Darna.

2. Darna is Mars’ tribute to his mother, who is his “champion and hero.”

Aside from seeing the lack of female heroes, Mars was inspired by his mother, whom he saw as his “champion and hero.” His mother raised him all on her own, showing Mars how strong and resilient his mom is.

3. Darna possesses gifts likened to the gods Venus and Apollo and the Biblical hero Samson

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It’s apparent that Darna possesses beauty, brawns, and heart. In the early series of the comics, she was introduced to have “the charm of Venus, the Roman goddess of beauty and love; the fortitude of Apollo, the Greek god of eloquence and of the Sun; and the strength of Samson, the Biblical hero of great strength”.

​4. Darna is said to come from the planet of Mars or Planet Marte.

Darna isn’t from the Earth. She is channeled by her alter ego, the human Narda, when she swallows the magic white stone that fell on Earth from the Planet Marte, or the Filipino translation of “Planet Mars”.

It’s also a nice quip given that the creator of the comics “Darna” is named “Mars” as well.

5. Darna was not inspired by the American superheroine Wonder Woman or the magical bird Ibong Adarna as some believe.

While Darna has many physical and magical similarities to Wonder Woman or that her name is close to the magical bird “Adarna,” Darna was not conceptualized by Mars with those in mind.

In fact, Mars’ sketches of Darna (or Varga) were created sometime before 1939, which was two years earlier before Wonder Woman’s comics were published. The closeness to the Adarna bird, on the other hand, was also a coincidence since “Darna” was simply an anagram of Darna’s alter-ego, “Narda,” Narda was said to be named after one of Mars’ old playmates.

6. Several publishers rejected the concept of having Darna, a female superhero, before.

Around the time that Mars wanted to pursue his idea of having a female superhero, he faced several rejections from editors and publishers. For them, the idea of a female superhero wouldn’t sell. That may be a big regret, looking at its popularity now.

Fortunately, Bulaklak Magazine gave Mars’ “Varga” a chance, paving way for Darna to eventually be born.

7. The trademark Darna look we know today was created by the legendary Nestor Redondo

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When Mars created Varga, he was both the writer and artist of the comics. Varga’s costume was a long-sleeved turtleneck patterned to a FIlipino flag with the sun and three stars. This look changed when he decided to move publications and create Darna.

For Darna’s renewed image, he collaborated with Filipino comics artist Nestor Redondo, who also later worked with DC Comics, Marvel Comics, and other American publishers in the 1970s and early 1980s. He refined the body proportions of the character and suited her in the widely recognized crimson two-piece with two stars on the brassiere and a flowing front sash. He also fashioned her with knee-high boots and kept the iconic headgear with a winged medallion.

8. Darna served as an icon during the years the Philippines struggled after World War II.

Darna was released in 1950, some years after World War II. Around this time, the Philippines was devastated and countrymen were struggling, looking for signs of hope to uplift their lives. This made Mars realize that Filipinos needed a hero, even in the form of art. In some way, Darna’s stories of hope would help people cope and give them inspiration, a sense of optimism despite the difficult challenges of life.

9. Over 20 actresses (and actors) have portrayed the role of Darna.

Darna had a great impact on Filipino culture that, in later years, her character and stories were adapted by several people. Eventually it reached the big screens and actresses were cast for the titular role.

Through the years, those who have played Darna would be easily recognized because of their portrayal of an iconic character. There were also different versions of Darna, including a Black evil Darna or male alter ego, that caught the attention of many.

10. Darna has been adapted in 14 films and 3 (soon 4) TV shows

Stay tuned for the nearing premiere of the much-awaited “Darna: The TV Series.” ABS-CBN’s JRB Creative Production, Direk Chito S. Roño, and the cast led by Jane de Leon, Joshua Garcia, Zaijian Jaranilla, and Janella Salvador are gearing up for a thrilling reimagination of the Darna story.

SOURCES:
[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7] Ernee Lawagan. DARNA: The Original Filipino Superheroine. February 15, 2010. http://erneelawagan.blogspot.com/2010/02/darna-filipino-superheroine.html
[1, 6, 5, 7] Ernee Lawagan. THE UNTOLD TRUE BEGINNING OF DARNA. May 12, 2017. http://erneelawagan.blogspot.com/2017/05/the-untold-true-beginning-of-darna.html
[2, 5, 9] Darna. https://darna.fandom.com/wiki/Darna
[7, 9, 10] Darna. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darna
[7] John Legaspi. Darna continues to be one of Philippine culture's ultimate muses. August 13, 2021. https://mb.com.ph/2021/08/13/darna-continues-to-be-one-of-philippine-cultures-ultimate-muses/
[5, 7, 8] Ruel S. De Vera. Darna: Ageless, all-media at 70. Mayy 24, 2020. https://entertainment.inquirer.net/376578/darna-ageless-all-media-at-70
[1, 5, 6, 10] Daniel Ruperto Gaerlan. 5 Darna Facts You Probably Don't Know. April 5, 2019. https://www.esquiremag.ph/culture/movies-and-tv/5-things-you-might-not-know-about-darna-a1605-l-a2327-20190405-src-fhm-lfrm?ref=feed_1
[1, 8] Darna. https://www.writeups.org/darna-mars-ravelo-comics-philippines/
[1, 8] Mars Ravelo. https://www.lambiek.net/artists/r/ravelo_mars.htm
[1, 2, 6] Ricky Lo. The artist who drew the original Darna. April 21, 2017. https://www.philstar.com/entertainment/2017/04/21/1687604/artist-who-drew-original-darna