Silat Malacca Sultanate era. Outside Asia, silat was referenced in Tom Clancy's Net Force by Steve Perry, although the books give a fictionalized portrayal of the art. The earliest instance of silat in graphic novels are found in Indonesian comics of the 1960s which typically featured heroes that were expert martial artists. The titles "Si Buta Dari Gua Hantu", "Jaka Sembung", "Panji Tengkorak" and "Walet Merah" all gave rise to popular films in the 1970s and 80s. Indonesian action star Barry Prima made a name for himself portraying the character of Jaka Sembung onscreen. Silat is featured in Malaysian comics as
Pencak Silat independence, some schools have adapted themselves in the context of modern religion. Among the most popular modern styles is the Muslim-directed Tapak Suci. An evasive long-range system, it requires constant movement as the practitioner rotates on their own axis every few seconds. Similarly the Setia Hati school is Christian-organised. Rooted in silek Minangkabau of the Padang area, it relies on kicks and footwork while the hands are mainly used defensively for blocking and parrying. Java's western region was the first area from which pencak silat spread out of Sumatra. The Sundanese pencak silat of West Java may be called "silat