Eraserheads: Combo On the Run is set to become the first Filipino-produced film and the first music documentary to be screened at San Diego Comic-Con, running from July 24 to 27. The film will also be featured in a panel at Exhibit Hall 6BCF, a main venue typically reserved for global entertainment franchises. It’s a major step forward for Filipino pop culture, marking a rare moment of visibility on one of the largest platforms in the world. Director and producer Diane Ventura will lead the panel, joined by Ely Buendia, the Eraserheads frontman.
Last July 2024, the trailer of Combo on the Run premiered at the San Diego Comic-Con, making it almost a year since the film was announced globally. While the Eraserheads remain one of the most prominent bands to come out of the Philippines, their impact has rarely crossed into major international pop culture circuits like Comic-Con. The recognition comes at a time when global audiences continue to overlook Southeast Asian music history in favor of more export-friendly talent. Ventura sees this moment as a way to shift that imbalance. “I’m incredibly grateful to have this opportunity to represent our people and country on a more global platform,” she said. “It’s long been my dream to spotlight the ingenuity of Filipino art, talent, and creativity and to be part of a movement that reframes the Filipino narrative.”
The music documentary is matched by a comic book of the same name, illustrated by Raymund Lee, Felix Morales, and Ardie Aquino, and written by Patricio Ginelsa and Justin Quizon. It reimagines the Eraserheads as reluctant heroes in a semi-fictional adventure, pulling from the mythology of their songs to tell four stories through an anthology format.
