'Captain Barbell'.
Mars Ravelo was one of the most successful Filipino comic artists. He was the creator of the famous superheroine 'Darna', and the highest paid comic artist of his time. After World War II, Ravelo realized the Filipinos were in need of a superhero. He created the heroic superheroine 'Varga' in Bulaklak magazine in 1947. Ravelo left the magazine two years later, and had to leave his character behind. So, upon joining Pilipino Komiks in 1949, he remodelled 'Varga' into 'Darna'. The character soon appeared in Kenkoy, Liwayway and Kampeon Comics and eventually got her own title as well as a series of movie and TV adaptations. Among the artists who've drawn 'Darna' stories have been Nestor Redondo.
'Buhay Pilipino'.
Among Ravelo's other creations are 'Rita', 'Buhay Pilipino', 'Kaptain Barbel', 'Lastikman', 'Bondying' and the mermaid 'Dysebel'.
Ravelo also wrote scripts for other artists, like Joey Celerio, Jim Fernandez , Nestor Infante, Nestor Malgapo, Petronilo Marcelo, Alex Niño, Jesse Santos and Elpidio Torres.
Ravelo was also a novelist, and later the editor-in-chief for two major publishing houses and film companies. In his writings, he didn't avoid taboo issues like incest, child abuse and homosexuality. At the peak of his success, he founded his own company RAR. He created such graphic novels as 'Hiwaga', 'Maruja', 'Roberta' and 'Jack and Jill'.
'Captain Barbell'.