Looking for LONG LOST 1950s Filipino Crime Comics

CONTEST TIME!

These days, I've been asked more often about the 1950s Filipino crime comics that served as a catalyst for the self-censorship of local comics. To recall, I wrote in one of my "Reflections" articles about Don Ramon imposing his company, ACE Publications', editorial standards on other comics publishers at the time. The cause was the rise in popularity somewhere between 1950 to 1954, of the Filipino crime comics genre. Manila city councilors of the era were fearful that the violence and suggestive sex in this particualr comics genre were "excessive" and tended to "corrupt" young minds. The solution by these politicians was a proposed ban on ALL Filipino comics in the newsstands. To stave off the possible extinction of the comics medium, Don Ramon Roces together with the Catholic Church's Knights of Columbus, "invited" all comics publishers in 1954 to form a self-censorship group using ACE's editorial guidelines, as their association's very code of self-censorship.Thus was born the APEPCOM Code.

From thereon, people have been asking me through e-mail, and personally, about this little known but PIVOTAL fact of Filipino comics history. And you know what? It's exasperating as hell.

People I know from the antique collection business scratch their heads whenever I ask about the 1950s Filipino crime comics. They don't know what I'm talking about. Its as if a piece of history was totally lost; forgotten and tossed back in the dustbin of local comics history. At least I got me some rare and hard-to-find Pinoy bomba comics (from 1968 and 1981 no less!) for future reference in an article I'm preparing on the subject. And no, I don't make these notes inside a locked bathroom either you inquisitive, smart-assed, cross-examiner you. :)

But seriously, its the Pinoy crime comics that's really been bugging me lately. I've searched high and low for this elusive yellow bastard but so far, no such luck. So...

If there's anyone out there who could volunteer to go on a perilous and ofttimes frustrating archeological expedition to locate a Filipino crime comic published somewhere between 1950 to 1955, then hop on board and read the following...

TERMS:

A. E-mail and respond by clicking the comments button on this blog article.

B. Tell me the name of the 1950s Filipino crime comic you got, the name of the publisher, specific year of publication, and condition of the comic. If you can scan an image of the cover and some interior pages, THE BETTER. If you can get me more than 3 of these crime comics titles and any additional information on the subject (i.e., writers and artists involved and synopsis of the stories), you've really got me.

C. Leave your name and contact nos. or email address if you can help me here.

D. THE REWARD: A COMMENDATION AND SPECIAL CITATION OF MERIT IN THIS BLOG FOR ONE YEAR. AS SOLE JUDGE, I HAVE DISCRETION OF CHOOSING THE LONE WINNER and the HONORABLE MENTIONS. COSTUME DESIGN, SEASONING, FLAVOR, AND AUDIENCE IMPACT DON'T COUNT. :)

Got that? Fine. Now get moving or I'll be forced to give you a ticket!