Darkseid Invades Manila in Wonder Woman #37

The Philippines doesn’t really need a superhero. It’s hard to say if a superhero can even save the Philippines (Inside joke for those who’ve read the comic). Even so, it’s nice to see one drop by once in a while. In Wonder Woman #37, the famed heroine faces off against Darkseid in Metro Manila for the conclusion of the Children of the Gods story arc. The comic, written by James Robinson, also features several members of the Justice League, including The Flash, Aquaman, Cyborg, Batman, Superman, and two Green Lanterns.

Wonder Woman vs Darkseid in EDSA, Ortigas

Colorist Romulo Fajardo Jr released an image depicting Wonder Woman and Darkseid in EDSA, Ortigas. The image also appears to depict Zeus in engaged in combat with the villain. Interestingly (or annoyingly, depending on how you view Pinoy slang), the word “lodi” makes it onto a jeepney. Several other Filipinos worked on the art of the Children of the Gods arc, including Carlo Pagulayan and Stephen Segovia as pencilers and Michael Jason Paz as inker.

The issue itself follows Wonder Woman immediately where #36 left off. As DC puts it: “As a fevered battle with Darkseid rages between Wonder Woman and the dark god, the Amazon warrior must choose between saving the lives that hang in the balance and ending the threat before her forever.”

Most readers of comic books won’t bat an eyelid at the location wherein events take place. Still, there is something endearing about seeing bits and pieces of your homeland in fictional media. Filipinos seem sensitive to this as well; case in point, the backlash in 2013 when Dan Brown’s Inferno likened Manila to the gates of Hell. This time around, Filipinos are happy enough to see Manila featured in a superhero story. It might be a version of Manila blown up by Darkseid, but it’s still Manila. And hey… people have been complaining about the state of the Metro for so long. Maybe a hostile alien invasion is just the renovation the place needed.