FILIPINO graphic designer and comic book creator Carlo Vergara has addressed the upcoming drag event Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah: The Cinemusical in response to what appears to be an unauthorized use of his beloved character in the promotional materials.

“I don’t know who’s behind this event. Sad,” said Vergara in a post featuring the event’s poster. 

Although he clarified that he wasn’t angry, Vergara described the event as a “crowd-drawer with a price” and that it doesn’t sit well with him. 

““To those who dream of creating characters that find their way into pop culture, this is an example of a situation that you might find hard to maneuver,” he said.

“No, I’m not angry. I did say I was sad. But for the most part, I just feel weird about the whole thing,” he added. 

Despite this, he reassured that he was alright with Precious Paula Nicole’s performances. 

“For the record, I appreciate Precious Paula Nicole’s Zaturnnah performances. I share the videos posted on Twitter. That’s all good, because those performances were not meant to be the headline act,” said Vergara. 

“In any case, Precious and Phi look gorgeous in the poster.”

Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah is a popular Filipino comic book created by Carlo Vergara, which features a drag queen superhero who transforms into a powerful, larger-than-life woman with supernatural abilities after receiving a magical stone. 

The comic is a mixture of humor, satire, and social commentary, often exploring themes of identity, love, and the LGBTQIA+ experiences. 

It was adapted into a film in 2006 (Zsazsa Zaturnnah Ze Moveeh) and gained an animated adaptation last year with Rocketsheep Studio. 

This February, a drag show event called cinemusical hosted by Rampa Club features the character. Cinemusical is described as a reimagining of “iconic movies through comedy, music, and captivating storytelling.”

As of writing, the organizers have yet to comment on the issue.