WHEN it comes to heroes, comic book creator Gerry Alanguilan likes them unusual.

For ?Wasted,? the star was a gun-wielding guy with a shattered heart named Eric. For ?Elmer,? it was a self-aware chicken named Jake Gallo. But for ?The Marvelous Adventures of the Amazing Doctor Rizal,? Alanguilan goes even further and transforms this national icon into a science fiction hero.

It was actually Gerry?s friend, the writer Adam David, who got the adventure started in 2000, when he mentioned Rizal?s ?secret adventures? with fantastic elements.

Recalls Gerry: ?When I read about it, I was kicking myself because he came up with it and I didn?t. What I latched onto was the idea of reinventing Jose Rizal in some way by putting him in fictional stories that demonstrate his heroism in new and different ways.? He adds, ?My objective was to reinvent Rizal in such a way that would make him fun, relevant, and inspiring to readers of all ages.?

Gerry, who had previously adapted tales by H.P. Lovecraft, Jack London and even Bram Stoker for the Graphic Classics line for the international market, made sure to keep Rizal?s essence intact. ?The only difference is that something happens to him that changes the course not only of his life, but of the entire country as well. It?s a fanciful speculation on what could have been if certain events in history had been different.?

"Doctor Rizal" was originally planned in 2007 to follow Gerry?s ?Humanis Rex!? serial in Fudge Magazine, but he changed his mind. Instead, he decided to do the Rizal project as a single volume of 70 pages in full color, published by his own Komikero Publishing. ?That way, I had all the freedom in the world to pace it accordingly, and tell the story exactly as I wanted to.?

Gerry continues to fine-tune the book, hopefully for the 5th Annual Komikon at SM Megamall in October 2009. ?I?m still in the process of doing it, and the whole thing is a big challenge. Since this is a personal project, I?m doing it between the other comic book assignments that are earning me a living.?

The San Pablo native is bent on pursuing his daring reinvention. ?I hope it won?t be just a fun and entertaining read, but enlightening as well. Although this would be a fanciful version of our national hero, I?ve written it with utmost respect. Hopefully, readers would be inspired by Dr. Jose Rizal, enough for them to seek him out, break out their long forgotten history books and read about him.?

For more information, log on to gerry.alanguilan.com.