Panday (comics)


Panday is a fictional Philippine comics character created by writer Carlo J. Caparas and artist Steve Gan. His stories were first serialized in the comic series Ang Panday in Pilipino Komiks during the late 1970s. The character, whose real name is Flavio, became a Philippine pop culture icon since it was adapted to film '' in 1980 with Fernando Poe Jr. portraying Flavio and Max Alvarado as his archenemy Lizardo. The film spawned three direct sequels as well as other more loosely connected films and television series including an animated version.

Publication history

In the 1970s, Carlo J. Caparas was thinking of a new comics adventure novel due to the wishes of his publisher Don Ramon Roces and then later he came up with a legendary folk hero named Panday. He patterned the character to look like Fernando Poe Jr. as he instructed the artist and co-creator Steve Gan to draw Panday's face similar to Poe's. Upon making the character, Caparas already conceived in his mind that Poe would be Panday even before the character was still yet to be portrayed by Poe in film. The character along with its look, villains and powers also drew inspiration from Philippine history and culture.
Their creation first appeared in Pilipino Komiks in 1979 as the comic serial Ang Panday. It sold hundreds of thousands copies every week during its run in the 1980s. The first stories do not contain fantastical elements and Panday is just an ordinary blacksmith named Flavio who fights criminals by using his sledgehammer. He has no superpowers and no supernatural weapons. In the later stories, Panday possesses a dagger that turns magically into a sword which he forged from a mystical meteorite. Caparas got the idea of meteorite from his childhood where he and his playmates would find these kind of rocks and when they break them, sparkling materials that seems magical can be seen inside.
In the 1980s, the character was later serialized in Liwayway magazine entitled Dugo ng Panday and then as a comic strip in the People's Journal tabloid entitled Hiwaga ng Panday. In 2005, an Ovaltine sponsored comics series was released about the character. The story of this comics was connected to the 2005 television series Panday aired at ABS-CBN and was still penned by Caparas but was drawn by Rico Rival and colored by Richard Bonzon.

Character background

The common story line for Panday indicate that Flavio is a noble blacksmith and then one day a meteorite falls from the sky. He forges its ore into a dagger, which magically turns into a sword when he raises it and points to the sky. He uses this sword to fight evil forces who are oppressing his hometown.
Flavio is just a normal human and has no special powers or skills, except for his blacksmithing and swordsmanship. He uses his magical blade that emits energy bolts to fight his supernatural enemies. The blade hums when danger is near and can cut through anything without resistance. He uses a shield on occasion, which is likewise also forged from the meteorite. Flavio wears a distinctive costume, composed of a red vest, dark pants and boots.
Besides Flavio's love interest, supporting characters in the series include a boy sidekick and an old hermit-like adviser. For example, in the first film adaptation Ang Panday, there is a boy named Lando that serves as Flavio's buddy and an old man named Tata Temyong that serves as Panday's adviser. Panday's initial enemies are ordinary bandits, criminals and even Spanish soldiers and then later he battles supernatural beings including witches, ghosts, flesh-eating beasts and demons. His archnemesis is demon prince Lizardo.

In other media

Outside the comics world, Panday is featured in various media, most notably in film and television as well as theme songs for these medium. The character became more popular due to the portrayal of Fernando Poe Jr. in Ang Panday film series from 1980 to 1984. Poe's Panday also appeared as cameo in other films including She-Man, Msitress of the Universe and Ang Pagbabalik ni Pedro Penduko. In 2010, Panday and other characters portrayed by Poe are featured in commemorative stamps issued by Philippine Postal Office.

Films

The Ang Panday original film series consisted of four films: Ang Panday, Pagbabalik ng Panday, Ang Panday: Ikatlong Yugto, and Ang Panday IV: Ikaapat na Aklat. These films all starred Fernando Poe, Jr. as the title character, Flavio and Max Alvarado as Lizardo. After four films starring Poe, other Panday films were produced continuing or rebooting the story line of the original series. The original Ang Panday 1980 film is considered to be one of the most persisting and frequently rebooted film in the action-fantasy genre in the Philippines.
Pandoy, Ang Alalay ng Panday, a parody of and homage to the original film series, was shown in 1993 starring comedy actor Joey de Leon as Pandoy. In the film, Panday is absent and stable boy Pandoy became the new blacksmith and he get rid of the pirates and white slavers lead by villainous Redentor who is terrorizing his town. The film features a subplot of Pandoy having to choose between two romantic interests.
Also in 1993, Ramon "Bong" Revilla, Jr. headlined the film Dugo ng Panday as a descendant and namesake of the original Flavio and Edu Manzano as the antagonist. The plot of the film takes place centuries after the first Flavio's death and then his descendant finds the balaraw because of his pure heart, and takes up his mantle as the Panday. Meanwhile, Lizardo's brain has been transplanted to an alien cyborg body, while his head is preserved in a tank. Eventually, the new Panday destroys the cyborg and kills the head.
A film in 1998 entitled Hiwaga ng Panday stars Jinggoy Estrada as Guiller, a gunsmith, and Kris Aquino as Emy, his love interest. The strory stars as Flavio, the original Panday, dies and before his death he was able to plant his magic sword in a wall in a small chapel, and theonly one with a clean heart and noble intentions may pull it out. In the present day, Guiller, an expert gunsmith and protector of the poor, meets Emy after both are taken hostage by criminals. Guiller becomes the new Panday after he retrieves the balaraw and fights a kidnap-for-ransom gang. The sword is melted and reforged into a shotgun which fires bullets and stun rays. It magically turns back to a sword when needed. Unlike all other incarnations of the Panday, Guiller wears a black jacket and jeans.
In 2009, a reboot of the series, Ang Panday was released by GMA Films as one of the entries of 2009 Metro Manila Film Festival and stars Bong Revilla who also starred in 1993 Dugo ng Panday film as a descendant of the original Flavio but this time he played as Flavio himself. Lizardo is played by Phillip Salvador who also played Flavio in the 2005 Panday television series. Ely Buendia and his Pupil band performed the theme song of the film. In 2011, a sequel, Ang Panday 2, was also shown in theaters as an entry of 2011 Metro Manila Film Festival, with the stars reprising their roles.
In 2017, it was announced that another Panday film was in the works with Coco Martin set to direct and star as Flavio after Caparas approved the film. The film marked Martin's directorial debut. The film was eventually shown during the 2017 Metro Manila Film Festival. The theme song entitled Ang Panday is performed by Ebe Dancel and Gloc 9. The evil Lizardo is played by Jake Cuenca in this film. As like with the previous Panday iterations, Flavio in this film is a descendant of the original Panday.

TV series

In 1987, RPN aired its first ever Filipino animated television series, Ang Panday based on Poe's character. The animated series, the first television adaptation of the Panday character, was created by Geirry Garccia with Poe reprising his role as the voice of Panday. Garccia was honored for his animated works including the Ang Panday television series.
In 2005, ABS-CBN aired a live-action Panday television series. It features a young new Panday named Tristan, played by Jericho Rosales, Heart Evangelista as Eden, his love interest, and Victor Neri as Lizardo. Philip Salvador plays a version of Poe's character who appears in the introductory episodes. In this version Flavio defeated Lizardo. However, Lizardo's brain is still alive, and Tristan, a man from the present time, becomes the Panday in Flavio's stead, as Flavio ascended to Heaven. The theme song entitled "Makita Kang Muli" is performed by Sugarfree and it is included on their second album. According to Spot.PH, this series is one of best fantasy series in Philippine television.
In 2010, after the film Dugo ng Panday that starred Bong Revilla as Flavio was released, GMA Network aired its spin-off, Panday Kids. It is a re-imagining of the Panday franchise of Carlo J. Caparas as well as a homage to Poe's film character. The series is about the three young descendants prophesied to combat evil and preserve the Panday spirit by protecting the legendary sword. It stars Robert Villar, Sabrina Man and Julian Marcus Trono as the Panday kids. Marvin Agustin played the main nemesis of Flavio, Lizardo, who previously played by Philip Salvador from the Ang Panday reboot film. Iza Calzado, who is from the previous film, reprised her role as Maria Makiling. The theme song of the series is performed by Parokya ni Edgar.
In 2016, TV5 aired its first TV series remake of the series, Ang Panday starring Richard Gutierrez as Flavio. The series was co-produced by Viva Television with TV5. Caparas was heavily involved in this project and he said that the series features three parts: a prequel, the story about Flavio and his journey to becoming the Panday. In this version, Flavio is a foundling and was raised by a priest. He also has a brother who was raised by bad elements. Chistopher de Leon portrayed the antagonist Lizardo.