Interviews are part of our thesis requirements, and I'm so blessed that Sir J know someone related to my topic. So I got a interview with Mars Ravelo's Family. I even got to set an appointment with them.
Place: Taco Bell - Trinoma
Date: May 24, 2008
Date: May 24, 2008
Time: 3:43pm
Mrs. Gina Ravelo Marasigan and ME
Ravelo's Family
Q: Has there been a tribute for Mars Ravelo? If yes, can you please describe this event, etc.
A: “Marami ng tribute, like in Vargas Museum sa UP. It was entitled “60 years of retrospective” this is one of the most exhibit.”
Q: What is the most important work of Mars Ravelo? Why?
A: “Most important, I guess it was Darna, kasi ito yung pinakasikat sa lahat ng ginawa niya. Something identifying ng mga Filipino at ito yung jump start ng career niya.”
Q: Can you give at least 3 works of Mars Ravelo you saw or read that you like and dislike? Why?
A: “Ayaw na work? Maraming siyang work na ayaw ko” Nasira kasi yung trabaho niya. I can say na yung Golden years niya was in 1950’s to early 1960’s. in 1970’s kasi hindi na okay yung work niya, kasi naging more on business minded na siya and naapektuhan yung creativity niya.
Kung like, more on mga sci-fi creation niya, this is the best work niya for me pero hindi to nagging popular kasi during yung time nila, mahirap gawing movie ang sci-fi. Then yung horror & suspence work rin niya gusto ko, like yung Gunburumboo, tungkol ito sa isang virus na ni-wipe out yung village sa Africa.”
Q: What are the characteristic of Mars Ravelo’s work that make him relevant to todays Filipino?
A: “Relevant to todays Filipino, syempre yung where Mars Ravelo rise, base on true to life experience. Kasi yung tatay ko, nangaling yan sa mahirap, nagging vendor lang siya nun at janitor bago siya nagging artist. So more on MASA yung mga reader niya, and alam ng mga tao na yung mga sinusulat niya at kinukwento niya totoo, yung realistic hindi puro kathang isip lang.”
Q: Where do you think is the appropriate venue for a “tribute event” for Mars Ravelo?
A: “Before diba sa Varga Museum sa UP ginawa yung tribute sa kanya, then before meron din sa Cultural, kasabay pa nga niya yung isang ballet show. So I think more on sa malls kasi MASA yung nagsusuport sa work niya. Nagkaroon kasi ng time na yung attendance ng mga tao konti lang tlga. Marami ng ganung tribute na hindi ganu napupuntahan dahil sa location ng venue.”
Q: What are your expectations in this event? What would you like to see?
A: “Trabaho in true forms, and yung kwento, anu yung totoong version na makita ng tao yung tunay na character na ginawa niya. Yung Pinoy na pinoy hindi yung sinasabi nila na copy lang siya at walang originality. Kasi like yung Darna, more on Filipino talaga, na lumunok ng anting anting, tsaka more on human powers and nung panahon ni Mars, hindi pa uso yun mga alien which ni incorporate niya sa comics niya. Kasi diba puro aswang ang mga lumalabas noon. And yung mga naging partner niyang illustrators, gusto ko rin na masama sila sa tribute kahit paano. Kasi madalas pag ganyan puro Mars Ravelo lang, nagtatampo tuloy yung mga illustrator.”
Q: Who among other illustrators do you see has the potential today?
A: “Hindi ko masabi e, kasi hindi ko na ganu kakilala ang mga illustrator. Pero hindi sila comic illustrator. Mas magaling yung dati sa ngayon, kasi more on detailed work talaga sila and more on enhancement. Kasi ngayon may computer na, Volume ng trabaho kasi noon at ngayon iba na talaga. Kaya rin nawala yung komiks dahil rin sa mga bayad sa mga artist. And yung mga editor ngayon, walang passion sa work not like before na even the small detail sa mga artist pinapansin nila eh yung ngayon basta lang may mailagay na drawing okay na. “
Q: Describe your relationship with Mars Ravelo? Any personal insight you cans hare with his life?
A: “Very avant-garde, his open, his not conservative, open to all idea, mabilis siya magembrance ng idea. Insight, noon ayaw niya ng limitation, he don’t wear relo (watch) he work if he want to work, he sleep if he want to sleep. Nung 1960, naging editor in chief siya ng Pilipino Komiks and vice president. Super workaholic. He always stay at home hindi siya yung tipical guy na nakikipag inuman. And vice lang niya is sigarilio and kape. Hindi siya palabarkadang tao, kung gusto man makipagkita yung mga kaibigan niya pinapupunta lang niya sa bahay.”
After the Interview, Mrs. Gina Ravelo Marasigan told me to email her again the question so that she can add more. So as soon as I got home, I send her my e-mail regarding my interview and here is her reply :
ElainSia:
Has there been a tribute for Mars Ravelo? If yes, please describe this event etc.
Gina Ravelo Marasigan:
There have been several tributes in the past like the book launching of TubogsaGinto and Ako’y Tao, May Dugo at Laman at the CCP in the 1980’s and a mini exhibit on Darna and Mars Ravelo at the CCP Lobby coinciding with the second Darna Ballet produced by Ballet Manila in 2003.
The most significant and the longest run however is an exhibit in the Jorge Vargas Museum at the UP Diliman, entitled “60 Years of Mars Ravelo: A Retrospective.” It ran from December 13, 2003 to February 15, 2004. It is said to be one of the most attended exhibit in the said museum and even had an extended run. It featured actual works and memorabilia of Mars Ravelo and symposia on his work and Filipino komiks in general.
Elain Sia:
What is the most important work of Mars Ravelo? Why?
Gina Ravelo Marasigan:
For me Darna is his most important work since it jump- started his career and his popularity as a komiks novelist.
But prior to this, he was already a very popular cartoonist via the cartoon strips Rita, Buhay Pilipino, Gorio’tTekla, etc.
Elain Sia:
Can you give at least 3 works of Mars Ravelo you saw or read that you like and dislike? Why?
Gina Ravelo Marasigan:
Honestly, out of the hundreds of works that Mars Ravelo has written during the 40 years of his career, there will be forgettable ones. These particularly, are novels churned out during the 1970’s when running his publishing business took more of his time.
There is also this phase in his writing, later on in his life, when he delved on mature and taboo subjects like sex, politics and religion. These works reflect certain sectors of society and tell their stories that would be impossible to run in mainstream publications.
Elain Sia:
What are the characteristics of Mars Ravelo's work that makes him relevant to today’s Filipino?
Gina Ravelo Marasigan:
Mars Ravelo’sworks, as evident in his Superhero characters, are truly Filipino in sentiments. He told stories as he had experienced them and as he had personally observed them. He told stories about himself, about his family, his neighbors and about the person who sat beside him in a bus, or a girl he met around the corner. He told his stories from the Filipino frame of mind.
Elain Sia:
Who among other illustrators do you see has the potential today, and how will you compare them to the artists/illustrators before?
Gina Ravelo Marasigan:
There are very few names and talents that have cropped up nowadays but I have not really seen their works.
Elain Sia:
Where do you think is the appropriate venue for a “tribute event” for Mars Ravelo? What are your expectations in this event? What would you like to see?
Gina Ravelo Marasigan:
An appropriate venue would be somewhere it can be very accessible to the masses. I really expect it to be something bigger than the Vargas Museum exhibit.
I would like to see Mars Ravelo’s works in their true form and substance. I would love that his Golden years be featured in this.
Elain Sia:
Describe your relationship with Mars Ravelo? Any personal insight you can share with his life?
Gina Ravelo Marasigan:
I am the 6th among eight children of Mars and Lucy Ravelo. He is a loving father and a very devoted husband. Good provider and treats his children with a lot of respect.
Mars Ravelo cannot be and never was your regular guy. An avant-garde, he’s a free spirit and a very funny guy. He does not wear a watch and does not keep track of time. He writes his stories in the wee hours of the morning with coffee and packs of cigarette in his company. He didn’t finish his high school and instead spent his time in the public library, reading and absorbing anything and everything under the sun.
Elain Sia:
I had read about his RAR Publishing, can you describe how did he manage this company?
Gina Raveo Marasigan:
I have mentioned about the phase in his career when he delved in more mature and controversial subjects. In the late 60’s, he had a falling out with Don Ramon Roces (of Roces publications, his boss at that time) because the former is curtailing his creative freedom. Roces cannot handle Mars Ravelo’s continued artistic evolution and the church’s pressure on him.
Mars Ravelo established his own publishing house in the early 70’s and managed it together with his wife. He was a hands-on owner and this started his downfall as a writer and caused him his wealth, health and eventually...his life.
Thank you so much for sharing you time. :)
