Mauro Malang Santos
Woman in Red, 1997
Mauro Malang Santos, more popularly known as simply "Malang" is one of the Philippines' most prominent painters. At 77 years old, Malang is still active and still painting. His works have been considered to "celebrate the Philippine landscape, it's people and their traditions with rapturous, fiesta colors."
Malang began his career as a cartoonist, writing and drawing "Kosme The Cop, Retired". He, along with other cartoonists including Larry Alcala, established the "Bughouse" in 1955, a gallery specializing in cartoons.
The strip below comes from Bituin Komiks #22, published in June 30, 1950 by F. J. Quiogue Publication for which he also served as assistant editor.
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Another Filipino painter who has roots in comics include National Artist Vicente S. Manansala, who contributed artwork to what may be considered a "comic book" adaptation of Philippine History in "Philippine Saga: A Pictorial History of the Archipelago Since Time Began", written by Prof. H. Otley Beyer and Prof. Jaime C. De Veyra, serialized in The Evening News in 1947.
More on Vicente Manansala later....
