Review of ZSAZSA #1
COMIC RELIEF by Bernie T. Sim
MTV INK, April 2003

She ain't Joey de Leon's She-Man, but Zsazsa Zaturnnah is still one hilarious babe. This second Alamat offering from 2001 National Book finalist Carlo Vergara (One Night in Purgatory) is ripe with enought Pinoy showbiz cheek and parlor-gay camp to have you giggling for days.

The two-part, black-and-white book revolves around the (mis)adventures of Ada, a small-town hairdress who gets bonked by a fist-sized stone that falls from the sky. One swallow (snicker) and poof! She turns into a beautfiul and powerful woman who saves nincompoop townsfolk from a giant frog, zombies, and stylish Amazonista from Planet XXX led by, ehem, Queen Femina Suarestellar Baroux (charing!).

Of course, one simple cannot tell a great Pinoy tale without a well-rounded (and well-muscled) love interest. In Ada's case, it's Dodong her matipuno next door neighbor, who gets her panties in a bunch. The wisecracking Didi is the story's frank and funny sidekick, the one who gets all the great lines: "Sa susunod, Dodong, mag-brief ka naman. Naamoy tuloy ng mga mumu ang kayamanan mo."

Though the plot is predictable (hello, baklang Darna!), the hilarious storyline and crisp dialogue make ZsaZsa one delightful spoof of Pinoy superhero movies. Closet fans of Sharon Cuneta and Lorna Tolentino should really pick this one up. Promise.