Manny Pacquiao in Comics: Illustrating the Life of a Boxing Legend

Watching the news last night (12Nov2010) at ABS-CBN's TV News Patrol with a news item on the 'People's Champ' Manny Pacquiao made me more attentive. Comics? Yes, that's what I've overheard while my eyes were focused on the screen of my desktop computer finishing my latest hub on volcanoes.

Comics! As in the life of the most famous Filipino boxer to date in comics? Well. it's about time to have a biographical illustrations of his life, his career that makes me respect him more.

Being picked by TIME magazine as one of 100 Most Influential People Around The World, this development will be an added feather on his cap.

That's two days before the most awaited fight against Mexican pugilist Antonio Margarito, his 57th professional fight at the famed Cowboys Stadium, Dallas, Texas, USA and maybe the last on his boxing career.

Who is the person behind this comics idea? Let's get to know the illustrator first.

JB Gamboa, has been a comics fan since he was a kid and had created his first biographical comics entitled Laban (meaning fight) on the lives of the most influential couple in the Philippines, Benigno 'Ninoy' Aquino, Jr. and Corazon Aquino (former senator and president respectively).

It was only the fight between the American Golden Boy Oscar de la Hoya and Manny Pacquiao where the former was defeated, when JB decided to illustrate the life of the latter.

The local media started to become interested and just this Thursday night, it was formally introduced to Manny's adoring fans through the news.

I just added his profile on Facebook and he's fans are growing, too! (I cannot use his photos because he's not yet aware of my doing a hub for him, just requested him to add me as his friend.)

I've been a comics fan since I was a kid. It was in the 80s the Philippine comics industry boomed but fizzled lately due to the presence of Internet and the high technology rush.

I still have my collections that were saved after the series of storms and interlude of rats in my cabinet's drawers (Well, this is another hub I should do, later.)

Because of comics, I've been able to shout and read along with the characters. Me and my sisters and brothers used to portray each character, much to our amusement (hehe!). I even learn how to read even if I'm just a toddler (4 years old) with all the big EEEEEE! or the HU!HU!HU!, KA-BLAG! TOG! and other sounds, it's all there in comics. I became hooked!

I even perused the comic wrapper of smoked fish just to read some comics pages. I usually saved my school's money just to buy the latest issue of comics.

I also learn how to illustrate and always dream of becoming a professional comics illustrator, just like the cousin of my grandfather. He's none other than Larry Alcala who reinvented the way comics must be interpreted by the public, through his cartoon series, Slice of Life. Although, he stayed in the US during the prime of his life and career as comics illustrator, he had his last solo exhibit at the Camarines Sur provincial capitol in 1999 before he died in 2002.

The comics influence in my life is still intense, that from time to time, I will read one of my collection until I sleep soundly at night.

P.S. With the life of boxer-turned-congressman Manny Pacquiao in comics...I will not miss to buy a copy of it!