El Mercenario

El Mercenario

Cover of El Mercenario #1 (1982). Art by Vicente Segrelles.
Publication information
Publisher Norma Editorial
Schedule Irregular
Format Ongoing series
Genre Science fiction comics
Publication date 1980 2003
Number of issues 13
Main character(s) The Mercenary
Arnoldo de Vinci
The Grand Lama
Nan-Tay
Claust
Creative team
Writer(s) Vicente Segrelles
Artist(s) Vicente Segrelles
Creator(s) Vicente Segrelles

El Mercenario (English: The Mercenary) is a science fiction comics series by the Spanish artist Vicente Segrelles, published beginning in 1980. An unusual feature for a comic book, every panel is painted in oil, a time-consuming technique. The series is known for the great attention paid to the depiction of landscapes.

Publication history

The series was initially serialized, beginning in 1980, in the journal Cimoc, before moving on, beginning in 1982, to be published as a collection of 13 albums, with at least 11 having been translated into English (primarily by NBM).

Beginning 1998, Segrelles began using the computer to illustrate most of his comics. The 10th edition of The Mercenary, Giants, was the first to include pages designed entirely by computer.

The latest volume was published in 2003.

Plot

The Mercenary tells the story of a mysterious and anonymous mercenary from a hidden valley called The Country of the Clouds. In this secluded region, the human race develops a culture different from the rest of the world, all while confronting flying dragons, reptilian giants, monsters, Amazons, and other characters familiar from the world of heroic fantasy. Although the setting resembles the medieval milieu of classic fantasy tales, it is actually a science fiction story. Magic is due to advanced technology and aliens, while giants and monsters are natural fauna or the results of radiation. The only blatant magic is in a set of apochryphal stories told by the Mercenary to impress a young boy.

A regular feature of The Mercenary adventures are beautiful women, almost always nude or semi-nude.

Characters

List of albums

  1. The Formula from Hell (Norma Editorial, May 1982)
  2. The Trial of Strength (Norma Editorial, May 1983)
  3. The Floating Fortress (Norma Editorial, Mar. 1984)
  4. The Victim (Norma Editorial, May 1988)
  5. The Water Fortress (Norma Editorial, Dec. 1991)
  6. The Black Sphere (Norma Editorial, May 1993)
  7. The Journey (Norma Editorial, Aug. 1995)
  8. The Year 1000 (Norma Editorial, 1996)
  9. The Lost Civilization (Norma Editorial, 1998)
  10. The Giants (Norma Editorial, 1998) — short stories
  11. The Flight (Norma Editorial, 2000)
  12. The Ransom I (Norma Editorial, 2002)
  13. The Ransom II (Norma Editorial, 2003)

External links

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