Jim M. Fernandez is a
Filipino
Filipino may refer to:
* Something from or related to the Philippines
** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines.
** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...
comic book artist best known for his works on ''Aztec'' and ''Aliwan Komiks''. He also popularized the
fictional character
In fiction, a character (or speaker, in poetry) is a person or other being in a narrative (such as a novel, play, radio or television series, music, film, or video game). The character may be entirely fictional or based on a real-life perso ...
,
Zuma in his novels.
Apart from being an editor, illustrator, cartoonist, and writer for
Philippine comics
Comics in the Philippines ( fil, Komiks}) have been widespread and popular throughout the country from the 1920s to the present. Komiks were partially inspired by American mainstream comic strips and comic books during the early 20th century. ...
, Fernandez was also a
certified public accountant in the
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
.
[Jim M. Fernandez by Komiklopedia on 2007/12/31]
/ref>
Career
During college, Fernandez was the editor of ''The Commerce Journal'', ''The English Journal'', and ''The UST UST or Ust may refer to:
Organizations
* UST (company), American digital technology company
* Equatorial Guinea Workers' Union
* Union of Trade Unions of Chad (Union des Syndicats du Tchad)
* United States Television Manufacturing Corp.
* UST Gr ...
Commerce Silver Jubilee'' Book.[
]
Influences
As an illustrator, Fernandez was influenced by the ''Tarzan
Tarzan (John Clayton II, Viscount Greystoke) is a fictional character, an archetypal feral child raised in the African jungle by the Mangani great apes; he later experiences civilization, only to reject it and return to the wild as a heroic adv ...
'' character by Edgar Rice Burroughs. In 1953, he was mentored by Tony S. Velasquez, a Filipino illustrator for the Velasquez Advertising Agency.[
]
Career
Fernandez started his formal career as an illustrator by accepting the project to create drawings for the short story ''Batas ni Sumakwel'' published by Marte Publications. After this first assignment, Fernandez illustrated for ''Mabuhay Komiks'' and ''Extra Komiks''. Afterwards, he illustrated for Gemiliano Pineda's novel ''Mga Haragan''; Mars Ravelo
Marcial "Mars" Ravelo (October 9, 1916 – September 12, 1988) was a Filipino comic book cartoonist and graphic novelist who created ''Darna, Dyesebel, Captain Barbell, Lastikman'', '' Bondying'', ''Varga'', ''Wanted: Perfect Mother'', ''Hiwa ...
's ''Mariposa'', ''Dalaginding na si Tessie'' ("Tessie is Now a Young Woman"), ''Darna
Darna () is a Filipina superheroine created by writer Mars Ravelo and artist Nestor Redondo. The character's first appearance was in ''Pilipino Komiks'' (Ace Publications, Inc.) #77 on May 13, 1950. Darna is a retooling of Ravelo's earlier cha ...
at ang Impakta'', ''Darna at ang Babaing Tuod'', '' Captain Barbel'', ''Haydee'', ''Elepanta'', and ''Flash Bomba''; Rico Bello Omagap's ''Ang Nobya Kong Igorota'' ("My Igorot
The indigenous peoples of the Cordillera Mountain Range of northern Luzon, Philippines are often referred to using the exonym Igorot people, or more recently, as the Cordilleran peoples. There are nine main ethnolinguistic groups whose domains ar ...
Girlfriend"); Tony Tenorio's ''Sor Matilde''; and Tony Velasquez
Antonio "Tony" Velasquez (29 October 1910 – 1997) is a Filipino illustrator regarded as the Father of Tagalog comics and as the pioneer and founding father of the Philippine comics industry. He was the creator of '' Kenkoy'', an “iconic Phil ...
's ''Lupang Ginto'' ("Gold Land"), ''Ulilang Christmas Tree'' ("Orphaned Christmas Tree"), and ''Ang Mahal Kong Bungal'' ("My Incomplete-Toothed Loved One").[
]
1960s
In 1963, Fernandez became the co-founder of CRAF Publications, the publisher of ''Redondo Komix'' and '' Alcala Fight Komix''. During the same year, Fernandez established the Real Publications, the publisher of ''Bolniks Komiks'' and ''Lindelmel Komiks''. In 1965, Fernandez went back to the Roces Publications, the publisher of ''Pilipino Komiks'', ''Hiwaga Komiks'', ''Espesyal Komiks'', and ''Tagalog Klasiks''.[ In 1966, he illustrated ]Mars Ravelo
Marcial "Mars" Ravelo (October 9, 1916 – September 12, 1988) was a Filipino comic book cartoonist and graphic novelist who created ''Darna, Dyesebel, Captain Barbell, Lastikman'', '' Bondying'', ''Varga'', ''Wanted: Perfect Mother'', ''Hiwa ...
's Tiny Tony
Tiny Tony is a Filipino comic book character created by Mars Ravelo and illustrated by Jim Fernandez.
In other media Television
The 2009 television series Komiks Presents: Tiny Tony stars John Prats.
Collected editions
See also
*Isang L ...
.
In 1967, Fernandez studied at the Famous Artist School. It was during this period when Fernandez's black-and-white rendition of ''Darna at ang Impakta'' was given an "A-rating" by B.Th. Closset, together with the comment "very good handling of pen and ink". Also in 1967, Fernandez created the cartoon ''Feathers'' for the Manila Times
''The Manila Times'' is the oldest extant English-language newspaper in the Philippines. It is published daily by The Manila Times Publishing Corp. (formerly La Vanguardia Publishing Corporation) with editorial and administrative offices at 2/F ...
newspaper.[
]
1970s
During the end of the 1970s, Fernandez started writing and illustrating his own novels. His first novel was ''The Fighting Priest'' in ''Hiwaga Komiks''. His other novels were ''Farida'', ''The Dormitory'', ''The Grandmaster'', ''Nunal sa Balikat'' ("Mole on the Shoulders"), and ''Starex''. In 1973, Fernandez focused more on writing instead of drawing. Fernandez's novels ''Halik sa Hangin'' ("Kiss in the Wind") and ''Titang'' were illustrated by Hal Santiago
Dominador "Hal" Santiago (August 9, 1941 – February 21, 2021) was a Filipino illustrator and writer in the field of Philippine comics (known locally as ''komiks''). Santiago was described by Filipino writer Jim M. Fernandez as the “Raphael o ...
; his ''The Astronaut'' and ''Mission: Jupiter'' were drawn by Mar. T. Santana; his ''Aztec'' was illustrated by Elmer Esquivias.[
After working for Atlas Publications, Fernandez started illustrating for Graphic Arts Service, Inc. (GASI) in March 1976, where his novels '' Anak ni Zuma'' (''Aliwan Komiks''), ''The Gorgon'', ''Astrobal'', ''The Cannibal'', ''Jeric-the Boy from Mars'', ''Polaris'', ''Virga'', ''Borbo'', and ''Angkan ni Zuma'' ("Clan of Zuma") appeared in print. Fernandez also authored the novels ''Kambal sa Uma'' (''Kislap Magazine''), ''Anak ni Kro'' (Affiliated Publications), ''Karpetina'' (Affiliated Publications), and ''Mulawina'' (Affiliated Publications), ''Uso pa ba ang Birhen'' ('']Liwayway
''Liwayway''[''Liwayway'']
Komiklopedia, The Philippine Komiks Encyclopedia, Komiklopedia.wor ...
''), ''Tiza'' (''Liwayway''), ''Touchdown'' (''Liwayway''), and ''Anak ni Touchdown'' ("Touchdown's Child") (''Liwayway''), and ''Nazka'' (Rex Publications).[
]
Film adaptation/TV Adaptation
A number of Fernandez's novels were adapted into film. Among them were his ''Nunal sa Balikat'', ''Farida'', ''The Dormitory'', ''Life Everlasting'', ''Kingpin'', ''Brutus'', ''Kambal sa Uma'', and ''Anak ni Zuma''. Fernandez received the amount of 100,000 pesos
The peso is the monetary unit of several countries in the Americas, and the Philippines. Originating in the Spanish Empire, the word translates to "weight". In most countries the peso uses the same sign, "$", as many currencies named "dollar" ...
for ''Anak ni Zuma'' when it was adapted for the cinemas.[
In 2009, the successful remake of Jim Fernandez' Kambal Sa Uma starring Shaina Magdayao and Melissa Ricks and the original actress who played both roles Multi-Awarded Actress Rio Locsin who played the twins in the film adaptation Locsin also gave pointers to both actresses on the role she similarly portrayed 30 years ago
]
Awards
In college, Fernandez won the gold medal during a student's debate competition at the University of Santo Tomas
The University of Santo Tomas (also known as UST and officially as the Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas, Manila) is a private, Catholic research university in Manila, Philippines. Founded on April 28, 1611, by Spanish friar Migue ...
. Fernandez's illustrations for Mars Ravelo's ''Darna at ang Impakta'' garnered him the Award for Excellence in Illustration from the Society of Philippine Illustrators and Cartoonists (SPIC).[
]
Family
Fernandez's brother, Rolando Fernandez, is his assistant illustrator.[
]
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fernandez, Jim
Living people
Filipino comics artists
Filipino artists
Year of birth missing (living people)
University of Santo Tomas alumni
Filipino illustrators
Filipino cartoonists
Filipino comics writers
Filipino accountants