Banned bloomers to hoops haven: New comic looks at the history of women's basketball in the Philippines

When basketball first came to the Philippines in the early 1900s, girls ruled the court.

That's one of the surprising facts revealed in anew limited comic series bygraphic novelist Lorina Mapa. The Hudson, Que., artist reveals other tidbits ofwomen's basketball history in her latest comicfor Recovering Filipino, a new CBC Radio summer series and podcast.

Basketball a national passion in the Philippines is the subject of thefirst episode of the show, whichfollows host Jim Agapito'sjourney to become a better Filipino.

Mapahas created a three-part series forRecovering Filipino. Herfirst comicdetails thereal-life epiphany Agapito had while saying goodbye to his 97-year-old grandmother, as she was on her way to the Philippines in late 2019.

Herlatestcomic drawson research byLou Antolihao for hisbookPlaying with the Big Boys.

LISTEN|Recovering Filipino looks at why basketball is so popular in the Philippines:

Recovering Filipino27:26Why are my titas fighting over basketball?

Jim grew up playing basketball. He grew out of that passion, but his Filipino friends and family haven't. Why does the sport get his aunts (titas) yelling and flashing fists? Jim discovers the surprising origin of this love affair with basketball.

Mapa'sfinal comic in the seriescommissioned by CBC's Creator Network a guide to Filipino food will be published July 6.

She is currently at work on her new graphic memoir,8 Animal Tales.It takes readers back to Mapa's childhood again and is based on a "menagerie of childhood pets," including frogs, a dog that keeps running awayand a duck named Duke.

About the artist

Lorina Mapa was born in Manila in 1970 and at the age of 16 moved with her family to Washington, D.C.

In 1990, she graduated from the Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art in New Jersey where she met her husband, artist Daniel Shelton (creator of the comic strip Ben). They have four children and live in Hudson, Que.

Her graphic novel memoir Duran Duran, Imelda Marcos and Mewas nominated by the American Library Association as a Great Graphic Novel for Teens. Lorina was featured on the CBC's2018list of Writers to Watch and nominated for the Joe Schuster award for best writer.