Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Bomba Komiks

Bomba Komiks is a generic term applied to any Philippine komiks magazines that contain adult-oriented materials especially those that contain graphic nudity and sexual themes. In Tagalog, the word Bomba means "nude" or "naked"

It is not known exactly when the first Bomba Komiks appeared in the Philippines. In the early 1960s, some fly-by-night publishers began issuing underground komiks with adult contents. One of these was Akda Komiks, first published in 1964. Although this komiks did not contain any frontal nudity, it nevertheless contained stories about illicit affairs and suggestive sexual themes.

By the end of the 1960s, there were already numerous Bomba Komiks sold in the streets of Manila, most containing frontal nudity. Many veteran komiks writers and illustrators were lured into the additional income offered by the Bomba Komiks. Many of them illustrated in Bomba Komiks although they somewhat changed their drawing styles.
Understandably though, they rarely used their real names in writing or drawing, preferring to use pen names instead.

Maybe the most successful of the Bomba Komiks publishers was Cil Evangelista, a movie talent manager. His komiks gained a following for portraying movie stars in the nude. For sometime Cil almost gained cult status, somewhat a Filipino version of Hugh Heffner.

The years 1967-72 were the peak years of the Bomba Komiks. They were sold like hotcakes by middle aged men and maybe women as well. Though they were not sold openly in newstands, they were however hidden beneath the clean-type komiks ,and only a suggestive ask can make the salesman offer it discreetly.

Understandably, many legitimate komiks publishers complain about the proliferation of Bomba Komiks. It was a just complaint. Religious and feminist organizations were rallying against the Bomba Komiks. Many people thought that all komiks-magazines contained sexual contents, and so even the clean-type komiks suffered a decline in sales. The stigma of the Bomba Komiks affected the wholesome ones, and it contributed to the decline of the komiks industry in the early 1970s.

When President Ferdinand Marcos declared Martial Law in 1972, the Bomba Komiks was finally suppressed. This does not mean though that Marcos was in any way a moral person. It was an open secret that Marcos was himself involved in many illicit sexual affairs.

The Bomba Komiks surged back to life after the lifting of martial law in 1981. In the mid-1980s, after the EDSA Revolution that overthrew Marcos, a few titles began to appear, also clandestinely. These included Betamax Komiks, Seksi Komiks, and Sizzling Hot Komiks.
In the 1990s up to the present, many Bomba Komiks titles were stiull being sold in Recto and Quiapo area with such titles as L na L, Super Hot, and Xerex Xaviera, and numerous others.

As long as there are people wanting to deviate from reading the ordinary komiks, and as well as men in general are fascinated by sex, the Bomba Komiks will still be around. Even if society and religion consider it taboo.

FOR ADULTS ONLY! The following is my collection of Bomba Komiks from ancient times to the present:
Akda Komiks, one of the earliest Bomba Komiks in the Philippines. The cover shows a priest following the woman he desires.

Cil Evangelista's Uhaw Komiks gained cult folowing in the early 1970s. It not only portrayed nude illustratios but nude photos of movie starlets as well.


A sample page from Bomba Komiks

Cil Evangelista's Censored Komiks


BF Comics Vol.1 No.1

A Sample of pin-up page for the movie starlets


Game Komiks (subtitled: with clean drawings and moral lessons)

Exclusive Komiks

Cil Evangelista's Exclusive Komiks


VIP Komiks Vol.1 No.1

Amazona Komiks Vol.1 No.1 1970

Leo Zapata's Topless Komiks Vol.1 No.1


Another Exclusive Komiks by Cil Evangelista


Premium For Adults Only Komiks Vol.1 No.10


Super Hot Komiks #187, 1995

11 comments:

dodong flores 도동 플로오리스 said...

I used to read similar komiks before. I remember two titles: Boldstar minimag and Dalaga International (not really a komiks but a local counterpart of Playboy magazine)

Dennis Villegas said...

Haha! Now we're really on the same wavelength as I've also read those! :P

Gerry Alanguilan said...

Dennis... isa sa mga project na gagawin ko next year ay isang bomba komiks na one shot. Hopefully, di sya malaswa. Mag tatry ako gumawa ng bomba na medyo matino at romantic.

:)

Dennis Villegas said...

Wow! That would be exciting, Gerry! Finally a respectable "Bomba Komiks"!

dexter said...

the most popular bomba komiks from the 80s was TIKTIK! dont you think so mr. villegas? i also used to buy these nun high skul ako. i remember Clem Rivera doing a lot of bold stories then.

Anonymous said...

Rhyst,
Mr.Villegas, is there a complete page with storyboard in your funny komiks 1st edition? can i see? thanks

Anonymous said...

Ako po c Menjun Piquero ng 2113 San Francisco Bulakan, Bulacan. fourth year student ng Marcelo H. del Pilar National High Schol.

Ngayon po ay my research kmi sa english at topic namin ang
-"reviving of comics industry"-.thesis staement naman po namin ang-"Reviving comics industry will help the nation to meet,recognize,and discover our mind-made superheroes"-

ang research po namin ay hindi naman po napakahaba dahil as of our teacher and adviser as well, she's just preparing us for college. Gayunpaman nahihirapan po kami ng partner ko na makakita ng mga references. 2 URL's lang daw po kasi at 8 books.

Interesado po talaga kami sa topic na 'to. pwede po ba magtanong kung saan nakakakuha or kung saan merong books na related dito? and pwede po ba mag-interview s inyo? Kasi po according to our teacher we can interview some persons about our topic. sa feb. 20 po ipapasa yung research namin. kung sakali po bang pauunlakan ninyo kami, maaari po bang malaman if kailan po kayo pwede?

Sorry po sa kapangahasan ko. Kailangan lang po talaga namin. Sorry din po kung napakahaba ng pagpapakilala ko. Facts po ang mga yan. Iniisip ko po kasi baka akalain nyong nanloloko lang.(Mary Abigail Bautista po ang pangalan ng partner ko sa research). Sige po. Thanks

Anonymous said...

c menjun po ito. sorry po sa feb 9 po pala pasahan ng aming research.my e-mail ad po ako.-->adventurous_menj05@yahoo.com. thanks po uli.

johnnel said...

im looking for a comics w/c i could see the drawings and read the story. can any one know were i could find such as this?

Unknown said...

They are the published adult oriented comics contains sex mature themes innuendo and violence/blood and gore inspired from the late 1970's(1967-72 and again in 1981 to the present the magazines and comics is suitable for men/mature readers only in the Philippines in popular culture in film television and media in Philippine history. Thanks!
From:Wayne

Unknown said...

Philippine version of the adult magazine Playboy in the Philippines become popular for men. Thanks! From:Wayne