Darna created by Mars Ravelo, made a comic strip for Bulaklak Magazine featuring a superheroine name Varga, who is the same character as Darna.
After the first comic strip published in July 23, 1947, the superheroine became very popular, Bulaklak magazine continued to publish her story until 1949; when Ravelo had a falling out with the editor and decided to leave the magazine.
Since the name Varga was owned by Bulaklak, Ravelo changed his character’s name to Darna in Pilipino Komiks #77 on May 13, 1950. Ravelo continued the series until his death in1988.
Darna’s character became so popular in 1951, when Royal Films produced a film version. Since then, a total of 14 films have been made. In 1951, two Darna movies were made, both starring Rosa del Rosario. In the eary 1960s, two more Darna films were made, starring Liza Moreno. Eva Montes also played the role of Darna in one version, as did Gina Pareno in 1969.
But the 1970s movies with Vilma Santos as Darna are exemplary, she made three movies of Darna, and it influenced the people’s point of view of the character for almost 30 years. The line “Ding, ang bato!” (“Ding, the stone!”) from one of the scenes of Lipad, Darna, Lipad!, became a favorite expression.
Lorna Tolentino also played Darna in 1977 in a TV Series, then in 1979, Rio Locsin potrayed Darna in “Bira, Darna, Bira! movie”
Vilma Santos made one more Darna movie in the 1980s entitled Darna and Ding, with Nino Muhlach as Ding. In 1991, Nanette Medved potrayed Narda, as a model working in Manila while Anjanette Abayari was Darna in the 1994, Darna: Ang Pagbabalik.
Darna also appeared in the 1986 movie Captain Barbell, played by and in the 2003 version of Captain Barbell, Regine Velasquez played the role of Darna too.
Then in 2005 Angel Locsin played Darna in aTV Series, then Marian Rivera in 2009, also in a TV Series.
Darna is the only local superhero that has been played a total of 14 times in movies, four times on TV, thrice on stage and twice in TV commercials. Nothing beats the good old classics, and Darna is here to stay!
