Captain Barbie: The Philippines’ new gender-switching superhero
The Filipino anthology tv series Daig Kayo Ng Lola Ko is no stranger to superheroines. The family orientated series runs a number of different stories each season, some re-imaginings of classic fairy tales, and some borrowing from modern genres like comicbooks. Captain Barbie is an example of the latter; a four episode tale that focuses on a superheroine -- but a superheroine with a secret... She is a man in her everyday identity.
Actor, presenter, and model Barbie Forteza plays Captain Barbie (the name cashing in on the lead’s fame on primetime and social media, apparently), a pink-clad heroine with a bubbly personality and a zero-tolerance attitude towards local crime gangs. Captain Barbie can fly, deflect bullets with her wrists, fire energy blasts from her hands, and summon a staff that she throws to knock down opponents. That same staff can also transform her from and to her secret identity of Bruce Dimagiba (Jeric Gonzales), an everyday police officer who struggles to take on the same villains that his pink alter ego tackles with ease.
This isn’t the first time that the Philippines has dabbled with mixing superheroines and sex changing. ZsaZsa Zaturnnah is a comicbook that sees a gay beautician find a magic rock that transforms him into an amazonian superwoman. The character is unashamedly a camp spoof on the popular superheroine Darna, and was popular enough to be given a 2006 movie filled with flamboyant characters and revealing costumes. Captain Barbie, by comparison, is a much tamer take on gender and superheroes, deliberately pitching at an audience that includes young children.
A lot of the humour initially comes from Bruce coming to terms with suddenly learning he can transform into a super powered female, then later episodes shift to a tricky romantic triangle between Bruce/Barbie and two of his fellow police officers -- one female, one male -- who are unaware of his dual identity. Comic relief is also provided by an over-the-top pantomime villain, Goldino (Thou Reyes), who is part 'gangsta’ and part Adam West Batman villain.
All episodes are up to view on the GMA Network’s web site, for anyone who is curious. Daig Kayo Ng Lola Ko doesn’t appear to be too fond of sequels, so this may be the only time we can enjoy the ultra-pink delights of Captain Barbie. But who knows, if the character is popular enough then maybe she might return in some form or other.
