Being a superhero is one of the biggest dreams of any kids.

Superheroes are literary products of

a society. This means that personal characteristics of superheroes reflect the qualities a society hold in
high esteem. Superhero films were first created by the Americans. It first started from comic books and
later adapted into television series and movies. These films led to Filipino artists to create our own
superheroes such as Darna, Captain Barbell, Panday and many more. The difference between American
and Filipino superheroes is that it shows humanity and shared self. Their struggle against the forces of
evil is a manifestation of Filipino confrontative values of guts, determination, and resistance. Their
journey to heroism gravitates towards helping the people as well as the challenges brought about by
daily life in which many Filipinos can relate to. Another important aspect of character development
among Filipino superheroes is their relationship to their family and to their fellows. Looking into
superpowers, western superheroes have inherent superhuman abilities. The superpowers of Filipino
superheroes were granted to them after being “chosen” for having a good heart and a willingness to
help their fellows. Filipino superheroes got their powers by being granted a magical object from which
they wield superpowers. The stone, barbell, amulet, and dagger are literary forms of an anting-anting or
agimat. In folk beliefs, the agimat amplifies the qualities of a bearer yet requires the bearer to have a
good heart. The agimat will not work or will only cause trouble if the bearer is not worthy. This moral
expectation is part of the Filipino concept of hero or bayani. Filipino historian Dr. Zeus Salazar defines a
bayani as someone who willingly contributes to the community without expecting something in return.
The bayani is grounded on the values of the people or community where humility is valued. Salazar
further distinguished the bayani from the western concept heroes whose depiction is focused on
individualism. Coming from the Greek mythological tradition, a hero is distinct, superior, and above the
common people whose narrative revolves around his persona. This is different from a bayani who is
among the people and whose narratives always include his relation to his family and fellowmen.
Western superheroes follow the hero archetype while Filipino superheroes follow the bayani.

One of the famous Filipino superheroes we have is Pedro Penduko. Pedro Penduko is a Filipino
comic book character styled as a folk hero or superhero, created by National Artist for Literature
Francisco V. Coching. Pedro Penduko is consistently portrayed a normal human being who has no
superpowers, but is resourceful and quick-witted in battling evil forces. He is aided by a magical amulet
(known as Mutya in the television series). But in films, he was described as a coward descendant of a
family of legendary heroes. While in television series, Pedro is the son of a mortal and a fairy whose
adventure begins as he starts searching for his lost father. He then encounters extraordinary creatures
unique in Philippine folklore. In the 1994 and 2000 films, Pedro Penduko is a treasure hunter that is
prophesied to be the hero and will save the world. He was given an amulet that will give him
extraordinary powers to fight the demon. While in TV series, he was a simple boy who thrust into the
world of superstition and mythical creatures. Every time he fights these mythical creatures, he gained
self-confidence as he passes each challenge in his quest to save his father. Aside from fighting for his
family, it also shows fighting for the one you love. On the second chapter of the story, he will Pedro will
not be the only one who will fight the evil Kalagua. He would be with the five chosen "Engkantao" which
he will became friends. This will show the value of friendship and unity. In the new version, he is a
wimpy teen who lived all his life in the US where he feels like he doesn’t belong that is why he grew up
being bullied since grade school. When he turned 20, he wants to escape. Just then, his adoptive father
passes away in a tragic accident involving something supernatural that nobody can explain. It will all
unfold to him when he goes back to the Philippines to look for his mother whom he hasn't seen since he
was an infant. When he finds her, he learns that she has been a victim of a curse given by a ruler of
Eastern Kasamaan. As he embarks on a journey to find a cure, he learns so much more than what he
originally set out to discover. That he is no ordinary human, and that he may be the prophesied 'chosen
one' who will save the entire town from the rising evil that threatens it.