222. FILIPINO COMIC CHARACTER MASKS

Recently, I got hold of a set of 8 cardboard masks given as premium items to subscribers and readers of  Filipino Komiks, a leading comics published in the mid 50s thru the 60s by Ace Publications founded in after the War. These masks depicted characters featured by the comic book in their illustrated stories. Many comic characters were inspired by specific American comics, such as Kulafu and Og (local Tarzan) and the above character--D.I. Trece was the Pinoy version of detective Dick Tracy. The masks still retain their original rubber bands that one had to sling over one's ears. The masks are superbly illustrated and in good condition--in fact, I am wearing this mask as I pound away this entry on my laptop. Today, the comic world is enriched by the drawings and creations of Pinoy 'komiks' artists like Nestor Redondo, Alex Nino, Tony de Zuniga, Francisco Coching, Mars Ravelo and Jim Fernandez. Their original artworks, previously ignored, are now worth quite a bounty based on recent sales and auctions.