Perhaps, it is ironic that true-blooded Filipinos are behind some of the most recognizable Western pop images, but this doesn’t dim the fact that Pinoy artists, animators, and comic book artists are, time and again, proving that they can hold their own against foreign artists. Actually, Pinoys rank among the best in the world.

Among them is UP product Leinil Francis Yu, who has risen to the top of the comics world for his rendition of the universe’s most famous superhero in DC Comic’s wildly popular “Superman: Birthright.” Published in 2003, the twelve-issue series, aside from giving rise to Yu’s star, put the spotlight yet again on sterling Filipino talent.

Yu took up Visual Communications at the University of the Philippines Diliman, and has an impressive portfolio of work, having illustrated more than twenty books for Marvel Comics before his transition to DC for “Birthright.” Among the titles he drew for were “Wolverine” and “X-Men”. Like many of his Pinoy contemporaries, Yu was inspired to work for the American comic giants by legendary Fil-Am artist Whilce Portacio. Visits to the Philippines to conduct workshops in drawing and animation brought Yu’s talents—along with those of now big-name artist Gerry Alanguilan (“Wolverine”, “Stone”, “X-Force”)—to Portacio’s attention. At present, Yu is now working on other DC titles, as well as his own series, “High Roads,” also by DC.

His success is an encouragement to young artists, who look up to him as a model. “He’s been able to make his art work for him, in that it’s his primary income generator,” says UP student and comic book artist and writer Andrew Drilon. “It’s something to look up to because living comfortably out of doing art in the Philippines is a very rare thing,” he adds.

According to Drilon, already an award-winning artist who has been published in landmark collections like Siglo:Freedom, Project:Hero and Siglo: Passion—the first full-color graphic novel in the country—a UP training has an added advantage for budding artists. “If you’re comparing a UP Fine Arts Graduate to non-college graduates, obviously the UP graduate has an advantage. The exposure to the entire history of art, the deadline, and constant work, all eventually prepare artists who wish to go into advertising, comics, and other pop-art professions. Also, the constant training helps you develop a style, a unique voice in your work that can only really come to light after enough practice and hard work,” he says. “Plus, UP is one of the most creatively-inspiring environments, and the UP diploma is probably the biggest advantage, out in the real world. It’s something, especially if times get tough, that you can fall back on.”

Other successful Pinoys continue to get premium jobs in both the comics and animation industry—recent animated films in the last several years, like “Finding Nemo,” “The Road to El Dorado,” and “The Prince of Egypt” as well as a slew of other classics such as “Scooby Doo,” “Tom & Jerry,” “The Addams Family,” “The Flintstones Christmas Carol,” “The Jetsons,” “Buzz Lightyear,” “Tarzan the Series,” prominently harnessed Filipino artistic talent.

The demand for Filipino talent surged in the last decade, especially in the years when other countries like India, Singapore, and China had not yet penetrated the art outsourcing market in Asia, and big, American-based entertainment providers like Walt Disney Co., Warner Brothers, Marvel Comics, Dreamworks, Inc., and Hanna-Barbera were culling animation products solely from the Philippines. The benefits from this exchange prompted these companies to set up base in the Philippines, spurring the animation industry in the country forward, and giving birth to subsidiaries like Fil-Cartoons and Philippine animation houses.

The preference for Asian subcontractors is mainly due to lesser labor costs. According to a CNN report, a 30-minute cartoon costs $130,000 to produce in the Philippines, compared to $500,000 in the United States. The work is so lucrative that the Philippine animation industry makes up a hearty $50 million of a global industry pegged at $50 billion, according to a study by Beanstalk Media.

The comic book arena continues to be attractive to the country’s animators, especially Fine Arts graduates. Media reports estimate that 150-200 digital animators leave the country yearly, eyeing better income abroad. The demand for Filipino artists, in particular, continues to increase because of their world-class skills and other advantages: English proficiency and understanding of other audiences, particularly the Western audience.

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