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Zsazsa Zaturnnah #2.1

Zsazsa Zaturnnah sa Kalakhang Maynila (Part One)

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Aling Pag-ibig Pa Ang Hihigit Kaya?

After defeating a giant frog, a horde of zombies, and the extraterrestrial Amazonista, small-town beautician Ada begins a new chapter by moving the big city with hunky Dodong, and taking up residence in the old house of his friend Gwyneth. Not only does earning his keep prove more difficult, Ada also finds himself dealing with a haunting past, the return of the Zaturnnah stone, new enemies and allies, startling revelations, true confessions, and the prospect of a new--and complicated--romance. Can Ada survive a place that seeks to wear out his mind, his body... and his heart?

Zsazsa Zaturnsah sa Kalakhang Maynila is the sequel to the award-winning graphic novel. This is the first of the three parts.

Advisory: Contains material not suited for young readers. For mature readers only.

86 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

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296 people want to read

About the author

Carlo Vergara

18 books35 followers
CARLO VERGARA, simply known as his signature CARVER, is a Filipino graphic designer, writer, editor, theatre actor, teacher, and illustrator.

Wrote and illustrated One Night in Purgatory, a short comics tale about homosexual love. The comic book was nominated by the Manila Critics Circle for a National Book Award the following year, and was cited by the Sanghaya Yearbook of the state-run National Commission for Culture and the Arts. A year after, he produced his second graphic novel, Ang Kagila-gilalas na Pakikipagsapalaran ni Zsazsa Zaturnnah, which was adapted into a musical and feature film in 2006, and winner of the Manila Critics' Circle National Book Award. He has also done illustration work for Graphic Classics anthologies (published by Eureka Productions), and is now currently working full-time as a creative director for a magazine publishing company, devoting his spare time to making comics.

(Taken from here.)

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5 stars
154 (48%)
4 stars
71 (22%)
3 stars
64 (20%)
2 stars
21 (6%)
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9 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
Profile Image for Nicolo.
3,409 reviews199 followers
February 22, 2016
It took eight years for author Carlo Vergara to follow up his award winning graphic novel ZSAZSA ZATURNNAH but the wait was worth it. It appeared that Vergara took the time to learn how to craft a superhero story and he delivers it here in spades.

The new story picks up where the the original ended, Ada moves to the big city with potential love interest Dodong to get away from the craziness that engulfed his small town when he became the superheroine Zsazsa Zaturnnah. But it appears that the Zaturnnah stone, the source of his powers isn't done with him just yet.

Like his character, Vergara had to learn again to write and draw a superhero story. In this new book, Zaturnnah seeks out the big city's super-powered defender to learn the ropes from him. In his credits page, Vergara acknowledged some practitioners of the genre for their help, comic creators like Budjette Tan and Stephen Segovia.

Although this is primarily a superhero tale, Vergara infused equal parts drama, romance, comedy and action. That he was able to execute this seamlessly is a testament to his talent as a sequential storyteller. I am looking forward to the next installment and I hope its release won't take almost a decade.
Profile Image for Ayban Gabriyel.
63 reviews63 followers
October 12, 2012
Matagal ko nang gustong basahin ang librong ito, ewan ko ba kung bakit ngayon ko lang naisipang bumili ng kopya.

Kapansin-pansin ang kober ng komiks na ito dahil sa magadang pagkakagawa at pagkakakulay.Ayon rin sa kover ay Php. 500 pesos ito! Pero echos lang daw. Hahaha. Nakakatawa yung part na yun na sinadya sa kober.

Magaling si Carlo Vergara magdrowing, maganda ang illustration ng libro, na isa sa una kong tinitingnan sa pagbili ng mga komiks. Ayoko kasi ng komiks na panget ang pagkakadibuho ng debuhista, nakakatamad basahin hindi ako ginaganahan basahin hindi nakakatuwang masdan.

Tungkol ito kay Ada, isang baklang super hero na kinabog ang bato ni Darna sa laki. Nagiging si ZsaZsa Zaturnnah sya pagnilunon nya ang gabolang bato na mula sa outer space.

Ngayon, si Ada ay nasa magulong siyudad na ng Maynila kung saan mas marami ang ipis sa tao at mukang ito rin ang magiging kalaban niya. Isa lang ang reklamo ko, nabitin ako sa librong ito. Ayun din ang sinabi sa akin ng isang kaibigan na nabasa na ang libro. Sana lang Lumabas na ang kasunod. :)

Kudos Carlo Vergara!

PS. May cameo sa bidyo ng Sirena si Carlo Vergara habang nagdodrowing.
Profile Image for K.D. Absolutely.
1,820 reviews
October 13, 2013
I found this better than the first Vergara's book about a comics local superhero, Zsazsa (or Ada when he is a normal human being). This character is actually and obviously a spin-off of Darna, a beautiful local heroine who is a hetero woman and whose normal human being persona is called Narda. You see, Zsazsa or Ada is a gay beautician who is in love, but denying it, with his friend, hunk Dodong. Ada is in denial because she is being reminded of his past love when he was ditched because he was gay and he has been told that no straight male would ever truthfully fall in love with him unless he gets a vagina.

When I reviewed the first book of Vergara entitled Ang Kagilagilalas na Pakikipagsapalaran ni Zsazsa Zaturnnah (1 star) I got angry comments from my friends due to its homophobic tone. This plus my review of Jane Austen's Emma (2 stars) made my brother to give me an advice of not discriminating gays and gay-themed books. The reason for my prejudice against gays was not because I am a gay myself (I am straight) but because that was the environment I was born in. My father used to hate and look down on gays and in the small island in the Pacific where I grew up, there were then just a couple of gays and they were being laughed at behind or sometimes not too behind their backs. So, prior to these reviews, I used to laugh at them too. Obviously, what I thought came out in those reviews. But those reviews were "sanitized" by me now. If you only saw their original versions, you would also hate me for being who I was: disgusting homophobic.

But people can change, right? We are all not too old to shed off our old paradigms and be better persons. Reading for one, made the trick for me. The more I read, the broader my mind becomes. I used to be a worrier too. Now, I only think of the Holocaust victims and what they went through I could still be thankful to God for whatever little problems that he throws down my way.

The part where Dodong embraced Ada from behind while they were in the park is the most romantic part of this book. I enjoyed looking at how Ada looked like in those frames. She was obviously in love with Dodong. If only all homosexual love can be like that. Dodong is depicted here as a straight handsome man and he even had a hetero love, Soledad who he bumped into one afternoon when he was not with Ada. Vergara made Soledad appear as an ordinary chubby provincial lass. Had she been stunningly beautiful, I would have doubted his attraction to Ada so much that it would be enough for me to junk this book.

What I am trying to say that this is, just like the first book, this is an escapist that caters to the fantasies of a young gay men. Escapist books are entertaining but like what F. Sionil Jose's point his one of his essays, the essence of writing literature is how you expose realities that help people of a nation realize who they are and what they could become. Writers have the responsibility of helping in building a nation as literature tells people their history and it is in history that we learn our lessons. Lessons that we can bring with us in moving forward.

This book is just okay for me. It has some happy and funny moments but they are just not enough for me to like this book.
Profile Image for Maria Ella.
555 reviews101 followers
November 24, 2014
Kahit hindi ka babaeng bakla sulit ang iyak mo rito, sa katatawa, at sa kachizzyhan nina Ada at Dodong. Sulit na sulit yung eksena sa Luneta habang background music and pagkanta ni Ada ng Manila.

Lipad na, Ada!
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

Dyan pa lang wagas na ang tawa ko sa kilig eh ahahahahaha
Profile Image for Ronald Lim.
Author 2 books15 followers
March 1, 2012
“Zsazsa Zaturnnah sa Kalakhang Maynila” picks up right where “Ang Kagilagilalas na Pakikipagsapalaran ni Zsazsa Zaturnnah” ends. After defeating a giant frog, zombies, and the Amazoniztas from Planet X (x x x x x x x), gay hairdresser Ada heads to the big city with his hunky boyfriend, Dodong, ready to live a life free from magic stones and superheroics.

It’s altogether a new set of challenges that Ada has to face in Manila. Aside from the fact that money is harder to earn here, he also has to grapple with his relationship with Dodong. Having already been burned once, Ada is reticent about plunging headfirst into love this time around. What if Dodong is just another iteration of the men who’ve used and abused Ada in the past?

Complicating matters even further is the return of the magic “Zaturnnah” stone, which once again decides to announce its presence by clonking Ada on the head during a spirited bout of singing. A giant flying cockroach and another superhero follow in short order, and Ada once again finds himself putting on the mantle of being Zsazsa Zaturnnah.

Perhaps the thing that’s most apparent in ”Zsazsa Zaturnnah sa Kalakhang Maynila” is the fact that it’s an incomplete work. It’s the first of three volumes, and therefore does not enjoy the advantage that ”Ang Kagilagilalas na Pakikipagsapalaran ni Zsazsa Zaturnnah” — the version most people are familiar with is the one that collects all three volumes of the first story — had: a proper resolution, as well as an opportunity for readers to see and judge the story in its entirety.

I’ve read comments from other readers that this sequel isn’t as funny as the first book, and while there is truth to that, the reason why ”Zsazsa Zaturnnah sa Kalakhang Maynila” is not as funny as the first one is not because the jokes fall flat, but because there really aren’t many of them right now. And I think that’s an important distinction to make.

There’s a lot more story and introspection in this particular volume, and Vergara does a great job of looking at some of the concerns of a particular set of gay men that we have here in the Philippines. I’m pretty sure that a lot of the insecurities that Ada has about his relationship with Dodong has been felt and expressed by quite a number of gay men before.

There is also some biting social commentary thrown into the mix, and it’s not just the usual suspects that Vergara dings with a little painful truths. To use drag queen parlance, everybody gets read in this book. Vergara is an equal opportunity thrower of shade.

Sure, readers looking for humor may not be as satisfied with this volume, but I think that they also have to understand that there are still two more volumes of story left. Ditching the story now because of that would be like not buying an entire album just because you didn’t like one song.

Yes, it’s an entirely different Zaturnnah we’re working with here — and I for one am looking forward to where she is going to take me.
Profile Image for Jedi JC Daquis.
925 reviews45 followers
May 15, 2016
At last I get the chance to review this graphic novel! The first of three parts (as indicated in the cover) but the second in the series, Zsazsa Zaturnnah sa Kalakhang Maynila chronicles the life of Ada (Zsazsa Zaturnnah) and her boyfriend Dodong in Manila.

In the first graphic novel, province Ada got a Darna-like but ridiculously large stone that enables her to transform as voluptuous Zsazsa Zaturnnah. This has made her defeat a giant frog, zombies and the Amazonistas. Ada seemed to have won the jackpot. Not because of the stone but because of Dodong.

Now the two of them have traveled to the capital (because you know, work and greener pasture), author Carlo Vergara expands the Zaturnnah universe by introducing new allies and villains as well as opening the window to Ada's past.

Sa Kalakhang Maynila part one patterns its story and humor to the first one - the quirks, the jokes and the fight scenes. I particularly find Ada's face change from demeaning to cartoon ugly while being flirted by Dodong very hilarious. While this rehash may be a good choice because I didn't see anything wrong with the debut graphic novel, Sa Kalakhang Maynila doesn't offer something new style-wise. The reason for this might be attributed to the stellar "performance" of the Amazonistas that cannot be easily matched. In short, I am not saying that Sa Kalakhang Maynila part one is bad, the very first one is just that good.

If you are looking for a Filipino graphic novel, the Zsazsa Zaturnnah must definitely be one in your pull list. After all the years that has passed since this was published, I thought part two will never be realized. Then poof, now available at bookstores!
Profile Image for Clare.
76 reviews8 followers
October 1, 2015
Mas nauna ko pa tong nabasa kaysa sa unang ZsaZsa Zaturnah (Wala pa akong kopya, baka bukas meron na).
Dahil mas nauna ko ding napanood ang pelikula kaysa mabasa ang komiks, naiimagine ko na si Ada sa katauhan ni BB Gandanghari at si Dodong naman, Alfred Vargas. Masaya syang basahin hindi lang dahil bakla ang bida pero kasi nakakakilig din ang kwento. Lahat naman siguro tayo e dumaan sa martir na pag-ibig, nabigo at umaasa pa ding magmamahal at mamahalin nang todo (Naks. hehe)at sa kalagayan ni Ada, GANDA MO TEEEEH, HABA NG HAAAAIR! De, seriously. It only tells us that everybody deserves to be loved. (Tama ba SVA ko? lol)Minsan magdudududa kung karapat-dapat ka bang makatanggap ng ganung pagtingin pero you know, tatanggihan pa ba ang grasya Ada? Haha hindi, lahat naman tayo karapat-dapat makatanggap ng pagmamahal at si Dodong ang makakapagbigay sayo nun no. Haha ay sorry nadala ako. Kailan ba ang susunod? Nakakabitin!
Profile Image for DC.
284 reviews91 followers
February 7, 2012
Ang galing, kasi sinundan niya talaga ang mga pangyayari sa naunang libro (Ang Kagilagilalas na Pakikipagsapalaran ni Zsazsa Zaturnnah). Ang galing, kasi hindi nawala ang mga katauhan nang mga karakter, at hindi rin kinalimutan ang mga nangyari sa kanila "kamakailan" lang. (Kailangan mo yata talagang basahin ang naunang libro para maintindihan ang kwento rito.) Ang galing, kasi nandoon pa rin ang pakiramdam na hindi mo alam kung ano ang makakasalubong mo sa susunod na pahina.

Seksing-seksi, nakakatawa, maintriga, mapulitika, at gay na gay pa rin ang dating!

Ansarap basahin! Sana lumabas agad ang susunod na kabanata ><

PS: Echos lang na P500 'yan. Nabili ko ang librong ito nang wala pang P200.
Profile Image for Honeypie.
783 reviews61 followers
December 30, 2014
Nakakatawa to!! I like it!! Meron lang akong hindi masyadong magets na either hardcore sa lalim ng Filipino term or gay lingo, but other than that, na-enjoy ko naman dahil nakakatawa :))

Sabi sa front cover, "PARA SA MATURE READERS", totoo naman. Or at least siguro yung mga hindi masyadong pa-conservative sa mga 'biological terms'. Hahaha!

Medyo mahirap i-relate yung 'script' sa Carlo Vergara na 'nakilala' ko, kasi ang galing niya makipagconverse in English. Pero ang galing lang ng pagkakasulat sa Filipino (or Tagalog) nung comics!

Pagdating kay Ada, yung lead star, hindi naman ako masyadong nag-OA-an sa kanya. Nakakaintindi naman talaga na may hesitations sya sa mga lalaki, after what he/she have been through. Sana lang hindi masyadong tumigas na talaga ang puso niya, kasi the one thing that I would not want on this series is heartbreak. (May ganun!? Haha!).

Ang galing din nung mga drawings. Halatang pinaghirapan. Hihi. : D

Excited for the next 'books'. Buti na lang, hindi kamahalaan to.
Profile Image for Ding.
186 reviews15 followers
February 19, 2012
I truly appreciate the work that goes on in making a graphic novel. I loved this character ever since the first book. I feel privileged that I was able to work on the stage version of the first book and eventually I got commissioned to work on the movie.

This follow up series is not as funny as the first book though. The difference between this latest installment from the first book is the difference between ROFL and a giggle. The story does not say much as this first of a series of 3 is the 'establishing' book. After a long wait, it tries to re-acquaint the readers to the old characters and establish new ones that are coming up.

Over all I love this book because of what it represents, and I love ZSAZSA and ADA.

Thanks Carlo Vergara!
Profile Image for Josephine.
Author 4 books79 followers
February 2, 2013
My first book for this year.

I don't find this as funny as the first one. But hey, maybe it's because it's only the first out of three installments for book two?

In any case, Ada revealed why she's weary of guys [like Dodong] and why she's a staunch non-believer of "true love."

Looking forward to reading the rest of book two.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Ara.
15 reviews
August 12, 2013
Hay Ada ang ganda-ganda mong baklita ka! Haba ng Hair! At ikaw baklitang Gwyneth wag na init ulo makakakita ka rin ng sarili mong Dodong. hahaha

Sa halagang P20.00 pesos (Sale kasi), hindi na ko nagdalawang-isip na bilhin ito. Ito ang kauna-unahang graphic novel na nabasa ko mula kay Carlo Vergara, at sobrang BOW ako. Ang ganda ng illustrations at hindi nakakainip.
Profile Image for Maui Rochell.
750 reviews1 follower
January 20, 2016
Hindi ako avid fan ng comics pero nakita ko 'to sa Library namin at sinubukang basahin. Maganda ang mga drawing at may laman ang mga linya. Ang weird lang din makabasa ng ganitong klaseng likha sa tagalog kasi iba 'yung dating. Pero ayos siya, lalo na din siguro 'yung paraan ng pagkakasulat at pagkakadrawing.
Profile Image for Maan.
198 reviews8 followers
February 10, 2012
Book #15 for 2012: I love Zsazsa Zaturnnah! I've seen the play and movie a number of times already. Finally, a follow up on Carlo Vergara's epic work. :)
Profile Image for Bernard.
13 reviews1 follower
February 5, 2018
Kahanga-hanga talaga ang pagkakaguhit ni Vergara. Hindi ako binigong patawanin na as in hagalpak. Ang mga larawan ay nangungusap na kahit hindi mo na basahin ang mga salita ay kaya na nitong magkwento. Sa madaling salita, isang mahusay na malikhaing pagkukwento ang taglay ng grapikong nobelang ito. Mabibitin ka kung kaya't mas magandang basahin agad ang mga kasunod nitong libro.
Profile Image for rubiscodisco.
152 reviews
April 27, 2019
This series goes even better into the emotional tensions of queer people when it comes to romance. How do I know that my partner loves me? How am I sure that they are not using me? Are they just going to use me and they got what they want? The emotional scars of the main character are struggles that many queer filipino people face.
1 review
June 27, 2017
it's awsome
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for bryan.
210 reviews27 followers
June 11, 2020
Mas nauna ko 'tong binasa kaysa sa Ang Kagila-gilalas na Pakikipagsapalaran ni Zsazsa Zaturnnah kaya wala akong comparison kung alin ang mas nakakatawa o mas maganda. Gusto ko yung art style, lalo na yung pagpapalit ng facial expressions. Gusto ko rin yung mature humor na pang-mature readers (you know it *wink wink*).

At si Dodong. JUSKO PO SI DODONG.

Ada, hunny, listen. Give him a chance. He's obviously whipped. Di ko alam kung anong nakikita niya sa'yo, but he loves you and wants to be with you. Like for real. ❤️

Also, I do appreciate Carver's depiction of Ada's struggle between seeking financial and economic stability and playing the superhero role in a big city. Lumawak ang mundo ni Ada/Zaturnnah pagtungtong niya ng Maynila kaya excited akong malaman kung saan tayo dadalhin ng pakikipagsapalaran niya rito. Looking forward to parts 2 and 3!
Profile Image for Rise.
308 reviews41 followers
January 16, 2016
Hayun, may mga bagong characters na dinagdag. May evil forces pa rin na kinakaharap si Ada aka Zsazsa Zaturnnah. Ang dating higanteng palaka ay napalitan ng insekto. (Walang kinalaman sa Metamorposis ni Franz Kafka.) May pahaging sa kababawan na napapanuod sa noontime TV. 'Di tulad ng kritika sa pop culture ni Bob Ong, hindi na-overwhelm si Carlo Vergara ng kanyang materyal at naging mas epektibo ang satire nito. Ang love story sa pagitan ni Ada at Dodong ay nagkakaroon ng kumplikasyon. Kasama na ang tensyon sa pagitan nila at ng isang bagong karakter kung saan nakikituloy sila sa Maynila. May siningit na isa ring makapangyarihang third party, ngunit medyo malabo pa ang katauhan ng kontrabida dito. Makahulugan pa rin ang mga dialogue, pero parang di na ganun kataas ang energy level. Ang tagal ng inabot nq sequel na 'to bago lumabas pero itutuloy pa rin ng dalawang bahagi. Sana sabay-sabay na lang ni-release sa isang omnibus na edisyon ang 3 volume. Kahit pa ang price tag ay 5,000 pesos (echos din). Magaling ang artwork, pero syempre makukulangan ka dahil di nakumpleto ang istorya. Sa ganitong klase ng maaksyon at comedy na istorya, malamang ay mawala na ang momentum kung medyo magtatagal uli bago pa lumabas ang karugtong.
Profile Image for Lynne.
Author 1 book15 followers
April 11, 2016
NAKAKALURKEY 'TONG KOMIKS NA 'TO!!! AYLAVET TO THE NTH LEVEL!

Bihira lang ang mga storya na nagpapakita ng perspective ng isang miyembro ng LGBT - Lesbian, Gay, Transgender, Bisexual. Pero dito ata sa Pilipinas unang nagkaroon ng isang SUPERHERO NA BAKLA! San ka pa? Ibang level ang kuwentong dala ni Ada!

Ibang level din ang detalye at katuwaan na dala ng kuwento ni CarVer, dahil sa daloy ng kaniyang kuwento. Ang mastery niya sa pagguhit ng detalye ng mga tao, lugar at expression, pananamit, at kung anu-ano pa ay tunay na kakaibang talento!

Pinakakinaaaliwan ko yung mga moments na sobrang saya ni Ada na ibang level ang tawa niya! Haha! Ramdam ko ang saya ni Ada sa date nila ni Dodong! <3 Pati na rin ang mga costume niya ay <3

Para sa mga mature readers, dahil may mga jokes na kulay berde. Pero kahit may ganoon ay ito ang nagbibigay ng kulay sa kwento ni Ada! Iba ang mga suliraning haharapin niya bilang isang bakla, at isang superhero!

Aabangan ko ang susunod na kabanata! Nakakaexcite!
Profile Image for Joyce Aguilar.
254 reviews5 followers
February 4, 2017
When I first read this comic book (the first Zsazsa Zaturnnah), I was surprised to see the author's name. Carlo Vergara has been my officemate long ago, and I am always fascinated how he can draw using Corel with the old mouse flicking and moving. I am mesmerized how he can draw the emotions and movements of people in the screen of the computer.
This is a fabulous story of one gay superhero who turns into a sexy woman who fights the evil villain. We may never find another superhero like her. It is both fun and exciting to flip through the pages, and I find myself laughing out loud on some of the scenes. What I love about this story is the great love of Dodong for Ada. He truly cares for him, the human person and not Zsa zsa the superhero.
The musical stage play is a blast and the movie version is also good.
This second comic book is a much awaited sequel and I love, love, love it!
Profile Image for Badet.
95 reviews42 followers
April 23, 2012
kumpara sa na unang zsazsa zathurna, masasabi kong ito ay isang mahinang sequel, ngunit hindi ko dini-discourage ang mga fans ni Vergara na basahin ito. Itong comic book na ito ay una sa tatlong bahagi series kung saan itinutuloy ni Vergara ang buhay ni Ada sa maynila kasama si Dodong, kaya baka sadyang hindi kasing exciting.
561 reviews4 followers
September 12, 2016
As much fun as the first one. I miss Didi though.
Profile Image for Azalea.
4 reviews6 followers
January 2, 2016
bitin!

Napakaganda ng illustrations, maganda ang kwento. Ano pa nga ba ang aasahan kay Carlo Vergara? Mahusay!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews

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