If you want to see samples of my comics work, head on over to CapsuleZone! If you want to see my graphic design portfolio, just go to Reno Maniquis Graphic Works! Thanks for dropping by!

Friday, January 16, 2009


Is Greg Larocque Filipino?

This thought has been bugging me forever. Well, ever since his latter days as artist of The Flash. Specifically during the Return of Barry Allen storyline. I remember one splash page of Wally West holding Jay Garrick's helmet, and in the background was a Jollibee restaurant. Plus, at the very last page of the story arc, Wally was wearing a jacket with the Philippine flag on it.

So is he or isn't he? According to Wikipedia, he's married to a woman named Rosario. Is Rosario the Pinoy in the family that's why he injected all that Pinoy stuff in his art?

Regardless, I like his art. My first Greg Larocque experience was Marvel Team-Up 148, which I bought way back when the US had military bases in the Philippines. I bought it at a PX Goods store in Pampanga. I read the issue thinking that the main villain, the Black Abbott, was pretty cool. I also dug the art. It wasn't spectacular, but it was clear and the action was easy to follow.

I think he began to hit his stride when he did Legion of Super Heroes. I'm not a Legion fan, so I skipped over that part of his career. The Flash was where I would catch up with Mr. Larocque next. I liked how he would make Wally West move, as opposed to previous artist Jackson "Butch" Guice's, which looked stiff at that time. I also liked the sleek, shiny design that he would make for Wally later on, making Wally his own man yet still recognizable enough as the Flash. It's a shame he doesn't do mainstream books nowadays.

But still, everything comes back to the original question... Is Greg Larocque Filipino? Can anyone help me out here?

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

bro, greg is half filipino and half american heres the link:http://secretidentitiesbook.blogspot.com/2008/10/secret-identities-interview-greg.html

Reno said...

Thank you very much, Anonymous! Much appreciated! :)

Greg LaRocque said...

kamusta Reno, I ran across your post & wanted to affirm that YES, I am Filipino American. Dad is from Cavite City & Mom a Baltimore girl. I traveled to Manila the 1st time in 1988, met my wife Rose there & we now live here raising our 2 kids. One born there & one here. I hope you've seen the story I did for Secret Identities, it was very cool to create some filipino characters & shine a light on some matters that need to be discussed. I'm on facebook, look me up & become friends if you like. take care, Greg

Reno said...

Wow! Thanks for visiting, Mr. Larocque! Haven't read SECRET IDENTITIES yet, since it's not readily available here in the Philippines, but I'll ask my sister (who lives in the US) to hunt down a copy for me. Thanks again for visiting and I'll be looking you up on Facebook! :)