MANILA, Philippines — In the immortal words of the legendary Stan Lee, I would like to say to everyone reading this column, “Hey there, True Believers!”

My name is Marco Mañalac, and while I currently do all sorts of things for a living, my existence, at its very core, has always been defined by comics.

Currently, I’m a TV/ stage/ film actor, host, model, and of course, a comic enthusiast.

Comics are not just some new fascination of mine. From the moment I learned to read, I was reading comics. While I am also an avid reader of short fiction, novels, and poetry, comics have always had a special place in my heart. And really, the main reason I fell in love with the medium can be put in two simple words. SPIDER-MAN.

The first comics I ever owned were all issues of Amazing Spider- Man (ASM), Web of Spider-Man, Spectacular Spider- Man and so on and so forth. The list of Spider-Man titles back when I was a kid could run on forever. Nowadays, the only solo Spider- Man ongoing series is the bi-weekly AMS.

You see, when you’re a kid like me, a shy bookworm, concerned mostly about getting good grades in school, Spider- Man is your archetype. He’s actually a big inspiration in my attainment of cum laude in Ateneo.

A friend than a hero

Peter Parker is the hero and man that you aspire to be. It’s been said before, but I’ll say it again. Spider- Man is the Everyman. He’s not a Bruce Wayne, who has an endless amount of money to help him in his crusade against evil. Nor is he a Superman, who comes from an alien planet. Peter Parker is a normal person, just like you and me, blessed with a great power that demands great responsibility. That is what won my heart from the very start.

I loved the drama of it all. I was amused by Spider- Man’s incessant banter during his fights with colorful villains like Electro and the Vulture. I sympathized with him when he was alienated, both as Peter Parker and as Spider- Man. I was heartbroken when his first true love, Gwen Stacy, was murdered by the Green Goblin. I was overjoyed when he got together with Mary Jane. Up to now, I feel his pain when he takes responsibility for all the death and tragedy that surround his life. But above all, what makes Spider- Man such an interesting character is what he, himself, calls the “Ol’ Parker luck.”

Basically, that means things always turn for the worst. And when things do go well for our favorite web-slinger, it just means a bigger fall is up ahead. It’s a cruel world, but misery does, indeed, enjoy company. And when readers pick up a Spider- Man comic, they’re not only looking for a champion to save them from their troubles. They’re looking for a friend who shares their own problems. That’s the ultimate truth about Spider- Man. He’s more of a friend than a hero.

But, before I go into full hero-worship mode, I would like to thank Stan Lee for creating Spider- Man, because Spidey was my window into the realm of comic books. Because of Spider- Man, I started reading other Marvel comics.

In grade school and high school, I collected Avengers, Hulk, Uncanny X- Men, Captain America, and Daredevil, just to name a few.

Giving DC a shot

I was, of course, aware of my bias, as I never really made an effort to experiment with DC. Until college, that is. I told myself, when I was studying in Ateneo, that there has to be a reason why Superman and Batman are always considered the two greatest superheroes of all time, placing above Spider- Man in almost all published and online rankings. So, I gave DC a shot.

I still feel very little love for Superman, but I get why he is commonly seen as the greatest of them all. It’s the principles he stands for that make him respected worldwide, most especially in the United States of America: Truth, Justice, and the American Way, although recently he has given up his American citizenship.

Batman, on the other hand, never struck me on a personal level, as I feel that most of his comics focus too much on his life as Batman, and not really on the Bruce Wayne aspect of his existence. But, just based on pure “coolness,” I can sincerely say that nobody tops the Caped Crusader when it comes to fighting evil and looking good while doing it.

While I may still have to develop more warmth towards the Big Three of DC, including the always lovely Wonder Woman, I have, in fact, found a great connection with the fearless Hal Jordan (Green Lantern) and Barry Allen (The Flash), the hero that Batman himself said is the kind of man that he would have hoped to become if his parents hadn’t been murdered. And it is because of these two characters that I now follow most of the DC universe on a weekly basis, along with my essential Marvel comic releases.

Indies

As my taste in comics widens its reach, I am now currently into various American indie comics, and just as important, our precious local comics.

My current favorite Filipino comic is Trese, by Budjette Tan and KaJo Baldisimo. And of course, our nation’s very own Gerry Alanguilan is making waves here, and all around the world.

It’s an excellent and exciting time to be a comic book fan. Publishers now recognize that the biggest market for superheroes to explore and thrive in is in film. Thus, we now have a barrage of superhero movies, some good and some not-so-good. But at least the effort is being made to capture more people’s hearts and draw them into the comic book universe.

So hop on and join me every other week as I talk about comics and open doors to an infinite number of realities. It is going to be wild!

(Marco Mañalac is a stage/film/TV actor, host and comic book enthusiast.)