Underpaid Filipino Superheroes Fight More Than Supervillains in This Poignant Graphic Novel
In Paolo Fabregas’ alternate world of superheroes, every country has its own special group of superheroes. The Philippines has its own, called the Filipino Heroes League or FHL. In the graphic novel, the FHL is a government-funded organization created to augment the police force. But much like most things in the Philippines that are state-funded, the FHL is also cash-strapped.
Unlike many superhero narratives we’ve been exposed to, Fabregas’ storytelling and imagination is grounded on third-world issues, making the graphic novel quite charming. Its unadulterated treatment of the negative aspects of Philippine society, such as corruption, poverty, poor urban planning, and injustice toward the poor, are familiar themes that have not been featured in many superhero graphic novels or incorporated into the background stories of its major characters. It really answers the question, what if superheroes existed in the Philippines? (Hint: They would all work abroad.)
Without flashy costumes or Batmobiles but, on most nights, a pedicab powered by super speed, the third-world superhero group does what it can to fight injustice, corruption, and other third-world problems, despite being underpaid.
It's tough being a superhero...but it's even tougher being a third-world superhero.
Filipino Heroes League Book 3: Revolution is the final chapter that concludes the events from its prequel, Filipino Heroes League Book 2: The Sword in which our superheroes get entangled in a government conspiracy and are accused of collaborating with corrupt politicians.
Book 2 retells an EDSA Revolution in which Filipino superheroes also take part. The alternate history also incorporates the supers in national issues, like the overseas migration of millions of Filipinos. Book 3 takes that concept a step further by imagining what would happen if these Filipino superheroes were also OFWs—albeit sidekicking for their more popular foreigner counterparts. It is a creative take on the brain drain that is happening in many of the Philippines’ crucial sectors: health care, education, and science.
With most of the Filipino Superheroes working abroad as Overseas Filipino Superheroes, the Filipino Heroes League is left to fend for themselves against a sinister plot to bring the evilest Filipino supervillains back into power.
In this third and final installment of the series, the Filipino superheroes find themselves broke, persecuted, and powerless. Fabregas mines his imagination in creating detailed and compelling exhibits of the Filipino situation.
The Filipino Heroes League Book Three: Supreme Power was launched at the Manila International Book Fair in 2019. The first book, Sticks and Stones was published in 2011. Book 2, The Sword, was a finalist for Best Graphic Novel in the 2014 National Book Awards.
