IVANHOE by Jess Jodloman

Jess Jodloman is probably the most unheralded master comics illustrator of the Philippine Golden Age of Comics. Yet his style, and his comics acumen was equal to if not better than his more acclaimed contemporaries. One probable reason for this unfair neglect was that, unlike his colleagues who were illustrating for Ace Publications (the Mecca of Filipino Comics then), Jodloman chose to stay and illustrate for Bulaklak Magazine, actually more a magazine with comics pages inserted in-between. It was at Bulaklak Publications, that Jodloman achieved his greatest success, with RAMIR, a Viking-like hero, which he created, wrote and illustrated, and which was serialized every week from 1955 to 1957. He then followed this up with a sequel to Ramir titled DURINDANA, about his hero's legendary sword, and then another novel, CRUZ DIABLO, that featured a Zorro-like story. Both comics novels were also serialized in Bulaklak Magazine. Jodloman also worked for publications in the U.S. in what is now known as the first invasion of U.S. Comics by Filipino artists in the 60's and 70s. In his U.S. stint, Jodloman did little work, so that we've found only a few examples of his work published here. Whatever work by him we can find, should be worthy of being treasured, as prime example of Filipino excellence. In the examples shown here, Jodloman was right at home with the familiar costumed illustrations we saw in his masterwork, Ramir, with an adaptation of Sir Walter Scott's classic novel IVANHOE. Here he shows us why he is a master of his craft with his excellent pen-and-ink technique, powerful figures and mastery of human anatomy. Ivanhoe was published by Marvel Comics as a series of illustrated novels by world-renowned authors called Marvel Classics Illustrated.