Friday, June 06, 2008
Huwag Mo Nang Itanong: A review of the Zsazsa Zaturnnah comic book/film juggernaut from the faggiest girl you know
[Decided to write this review in anticipation of the much-awaited sequel to the comic book.]

It comes as a surprise to no one that Zsazsa Zaturnnah's unparalleled success is thanks in large part to the Filipino gay community (affectionately known as the Federasyon, hee-hee). Syempre, san ka pa, it boasts of a sweet, relatable gay hero(ine) in beauty salon proprietor Ada, a papalicious leading man in hottie-next-door Dodong -- to quote Didi, "Buong-buo ang bawat noodles!", a fabulous, bitchy diva to the max in Queen Femina Suarestellar Baroux, elaborate costumes to diiiie for, and, well, everything about this comic book is rambunctiously, flamboyantly, lovably gay. You will never see so much color on a black-and-white page as you will in Zsazsa Zaturnnah.

However, despite my possibly being the gayest person on your Multiply list, to the point na sinasabihan pa ako ng mga Ghey Frens ko na "Ambading moh talaga, sis!", I do wholeheartedly, pinky-swearingly believe that Ang Kagila-Gilalas na Pakikipagsapalaran ni Zsazsa Zaturnnah (2003) is an excellent read, not just for the Federasyon but for anyone.

To the untrained eye, the graphic novel looks like a blatant Darna rip-off with a hint of Will & Grace mixed in. Trust me, it's not. First of all, Zaturnnah is way hotter, and more importantly, the plot is packed with more wit, sass and humor than any episode of Will & Grace could ever hope to achieve. Yes, even the one with Cher in it.

Zaturnnah mastermind Carlos Vergara's biting sarcasm and tongue-in-cheek view on pop culture jump off the page (Zaturnnah: "Ito ang kinatatakutan ko, Didi. Nag-iipon sila ng lakas...sa pamamagitan ng isang special production number!"), and his prowess as a graphic artist makes every page a joy to look at. I'd call this the Enchanted of Pinoy graphic novels, in that it hilariously pokes fun at the clichéd elements of comic book stories, while at the same time maintaining its own vibrant, original plot. This parody is not without a heart. I first read my copy in the ATC lounge, and I'll admit I had to stop reading halfway through because I didn't want to get caught crying in public. While watching the Zaturnnah DVD in the confines of my own bedroom, though, the waterworks were definitely running. Oo na, sensitive ang lola niyo!

The fruits of this graphic novel's success included a big screen and a musical theater adaptation, with the latter almost universally considered superior to the former. I wasn't able to catch Zsazsa Zaturnnah: Ze Musikal, though, for I was an oblivious youth then, completely unaware of the whole Pinoy Theater thing. As for Ze Moveeh, I regret to say that most of the criticisms hit the nail on the head. It didn't do the comic book any justice. I actually thought it was well-cast, with the bombastic Zsa Zsa Padilla, fieeerce Pops Fernandez, and cuter-than-cute Rustom Padilla, but the execution fell flat on its ass. The film took the plot too seriously, stripping away all of the elements that made the comic book such a fun read. Still, it's enjoyable if only for its stars and its campiness, and it's a great addition to the entire Zaturnnah legacy.

Zsazsa Zaturnnah Sa Kalakhang Maynila, the sequel everyone's been waiting for since reading the last panel of the original back in 2003, is now Under Construction, with weekly previews available on author Carlos Vergara's blog. If you still don't have a copy on the original in your possession, then shame on you! The lovely, 143-page "Collected Edition" is available for about P250 at a Power Books or National Bookstore near you, so repennnnt now! You'll laugh, cry, queen out, and find yourself as hungry for the sequel as the rest of us currently are.

JC got bored @ 7:22 PM

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