El Gato Negro
Encyclopedia
El Gato Negro is the name of two fictional American
comic book
superhero
es created by Richard Dominguez
and featured in the Azteca Productions'
Universe. Both characters made their first appearance
in El Gato Negro
#1 (October 1993).
In the comic's continuity, Agustin Guerrero was the first to hold the title of El Gato Negro in the 1950s, creating the pseudonym
in order to form a successful career in lucha libre
. His motives soon changed however, as he decided to use his talents to fight the criminal element that plagued South Texas. Agustin later retired the alter ego
in the late '60s, only for his grandson to adopt it three decades later. Agustin was first introduced as a major supporting character and there are plans to release a series featuring his own exploits as El Gato Negro.
Francisco Guerrero
, the second and current incarnation of El Gato Negro, is Agustin's grandson. Francisco makes his living as a social worker in South Texas
and devotes most of his free time volunteering for community service
. Growing tired of the increasing crime rate in the Lower Rio Grande Valley and haunted by the murder of his friend Mario, Francisco continues the legacy of El Gato Negro, spending his nights fighting against crime. This version often receives comparison to Batman
, which is in fact one of the character's many influences.
, both making their first published appearance in El Gato Negro
#1 (October 1993) published under Dominguez's own Azteca Productions
imprint. The original series followed the adventures of Francisco Guerrero
, a social worker living in Edinburg, Texas
and grandson to the original El Gato Negro, who adopted his grandfather's former nom de guerre in order to avenge the death of his best friend. The series also introduced Agustin Guerrero, the original El Gato Negro of the early '50s and late '60s, as a major supporting character. Although the character officially retired from his former vigilante-activities, Agustin did appear in costume at the climax of the first story-arc entitled, "Unknown passing, Unforgettable Return" (El Gato Negro #1-3).
Dominguez had originally intended to introduce El Gato Negro as member of a largely Latino superhero group dubbed Team Tejas
, but after placing considerably more empasis on his character development, Dominguez ultimately decided to abandon the Team Tejas project for a later date. The character's secret identity, Francisco Guerrero, was devised to have direct ties to the Mexican Revolution
. His given name
was borrowed from Mexican revolutionary Francisco "Pancho" Villa, while the surname
Guerrero was mainly chosen for its English-translation "warrior", although Dominguez has hinted at a more historical significance, one which has yet to be revealed. Meanwhile the shared alter-ego of El Gato Negro originated from an abandoned settlement by the name of "El Gato", located south of Pharr, Texas
.
The character's personality and visual design was greatly influenced by Dominguez's own favorite pulp and comic book superheroes (most noticeably Batman
) along with classic Mexican luchadors such as El Santo. Another strong influence was Lee Falk's
The Phantom
, a crime-fighter believed to be immortal but is in fact descended from 20 previous generations of crime-fighters who all adopted the same persona. This, along with Dominguez's own appreciation of the Silver Age of Comics, inspired the creation of a predecessor to the modern-day El Gato Negro. This character is now known as Agustin Guerrero, a former luchador-turned-adventurer of the late '50s and '60s.
The Francisco Guerrero incarnation of El Gato Negro became a popular character soon after his introduction, the first printing of the series actually sold-out within two months. A notable 1997 issue revived Margarito C. Garza's
Relampago
character, his first published appearance in nearly fifteen years. The series was later placed on hiatus during the late '90s, although the character consistently made appearances in other media.
". For this, Dominguez enlisted the aid of Michael S. Moore
to serve as writer and co-plotter, having previously worked together on the first published issue of Team Tejas. The series also featured the work of guest penciller Efren Molina, while Dominguez acted as letterer and inker. The combination of Moore's writing style and Molina's pencils gave the new series a few stylistic changes from its predecessor.
Plans to release a compilation series of the original El Gato Negro series are currently in the works. A brand new limited series entitled Lucha Grande Comics which will feature the early adventures of Agustin Guerrero is also in development.
in martial arts and stealth. After being rescued and discharged from the military, Agustin returned to South Texas
to begin a career in Lucha Libre. Recognizing a recurring cat motif in his life, Agustin chose the identity of El Gato Negro, promising to bring bad luck to his opponents. But it was his vigilante activities outside of the ring that made him a legend amongst the communities of South Texas. Agustin's incarnation of El Gato Negro has become so much a part of the local folklore that few even acknowledge his existence, referring to him as a "fairy tale".His motives soon changed however, as he decided to use his talents to fight the criminal element that plagued South Texas. Agustin later retired the alter ego
in the late '60s, only for his grandson to adopt it three decades later.
by night. The citizens of Southwest Texas believe Francisco to be the original El Gato Negro, returning once again to rid Texas of evil. Prior to becoming the new El Gato, Francisco was growing tired of the increasing crime rate in his hometown of Edinburg, Texas. The final straw being the death of his friend, Mario, a border patrol officer who was overpowered and murdered by several drug-runners. Deciding to take action, with the permission of his grandfather, Francisco adopted the moniker of El Gato Negro and operated as the Nocturnal Warrior for several months, successfully fighting against crime. Despite being popular with the citizens of his community, El Gato Negro is constantly being hunted by local law enforcement led by police Captain Miguel Bustamonte
, Francisco's best friend and Mario's older brother.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
es created by Richard Dominguez
Richard Dominguez
Richard Dominguez is an American comic book artist and freelance storyboard illustrator. Best known for creating the popular series El Gato Negro, Dominguez publishes his comics through his imprint and art studio, Azteca Productions...
and featured in the Azteca Productions'
Azteca Productions
Azteca Productions is an American independent comic book publisher and imprint founded by artist-creator Richard Dominguez in 1993. The company's first publication was El Gato Negro #1 showcasing the debut of the eponymous character, in what is now considered the company's flagship series...
Universe. Both characters made their first appearance
First appearance
In comic books and other stories with a long history, first appearance refers to the first occurrence to feature a fictional character.-Monetary value of first appearance issues:...
in El Gato Negro
El Gato Negro (comic book)
El Gato Negro was an independent comic book series featuring the eponymous character created by Richard Dominguez and published by Azteca Productions. The series began in October 1993 with critical acclaim, the first edition actually selling all 5,000 copies within two months, but was placed on a...
#1 (October 1993).
In the comic's continuity, Agustin Guerrero was the first to hold the title of El Gato Negro in the 1950s, creating the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
in order to form a successful career in lucha libre
Lucha libre
Lucha libre is a term used in Mexico, and other Spanish-speaking countries, for a form of professional wrestling that has developed within those countries...
. His motives soon changed however, as he decided to use his talents to fight the criminal element that plagued South Texas. Agustin later retired the alter ego
Alter ego
An alter ego is a second self, which is believe to be distinct from a person's normal or original personality. The term was coined in the early nineteenth century when dissociative identity disorder was first described by psychologists...
in the late '60s, only for his grandson to adopt it three decades later. Agustin was first introduced as a major supporting character and there are plans to release a series featuring his own exploits as El Gato Negro.
Francisco Guerrero
Francisco Guerrero (comics)
Francisco "Pancho" Guerrero, Jr., also known as El Gato Negro, is a fictional character and comic book superhero created by Richard Dominguez and published by Azteca Productions...
, the second and current incarnation of El Gato Negro, is Agustin's grandson. Francisco makes his living as a social worker in South Texas
South Texas
South Texas is a region of the U.S. state of Texas that lies roughly south of and including San Antonio. The southern and western boundary is the Rio Grande River, and to the east it is the Gulf of Mexico. The population of this region is about 3.7 million. The southern portion of this region is...
and devotes most of his free time volunteering for community service
Community service
Community service is donated service or activity that is performed by someone or a group of people for the benefit of the public or its institutions....
. Growing tired of the increasing crime rate in the Lower Rio Grande Valley and haunted by the murder of his friend Mario, Francisco continues the legacy of El Gato Negro, spending his nights fighting against crime. This version often receives comparison to Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
, which is in fact one of the character's many influences.
Early years
The El Gato Negro characters were created by comic book artist and writer Richard DominguezRichard Dominguez
Richard Dominguez is an American comic book artist and freelance storyboard illustrator. Best known for creating the popular series El Gato Negro, Dominguez publishes his comics through his imprint and art studio, Azteca Productions...
, both making their first published appearance in El Gato Negro
El Gato Negro (comic book)
El Gato Negro was an independent comic book series featuring the eponymous character created by Richard Dominguez and published by Azteca Productions. The series began in October 1993 with critical acclaim, the first edition actually selling all 5,000 copies within two months, but was placed on a...
#1 (October 1993) published under Dominguez's own Azteca Productions
Azteca Productions
Azteca Productions is an American independent comic book publisher and imprint founded by artist-creator Richard Dominguez in 1993. The company's first publication was El Gato Negro #1 showcasing the debut of the eponymous character, in what is now considered the company's flagship series...
imprint. The original series followed the adventures of Francisco Guerrero
Francisco Guerrero (comics)
Francisco "Pancho" Guerrero, Jr., also known as El Gato Negro, is a fictional character and comic book superhero created by Richard Dominguez and published by Azteca Productions...
, a social worker living in Edinburg, Texas
Edinburg, Texas
Edinburg is a city in and the county seat of Hidalgo County, Texas, United States. The population was 77,100 at the 2010 census. The University of Texas–Pan American, the only fully accredited four-year university in the Rio Grande Valley, is located in Edinburg.Edinburg is part of the...
and grandson to the original El Gato Negro, who adopted his grandfather's former nom de guerre in order to avenge the death of his best friend. The series also introduced Agustin Guerrero, the original El Gato Negro of the early '50s and late '60s, as a major supporting character. Although the character officially retired from his former vigilante-activities, Agustin did appear in costume at the climax of the first story-arc entitled, "Unknown passing, Unforgettable Return" (El Gato Negro #1-3).
Dominguez had originally intended to introduce El Gato Negro as member of a largely Latino superhero group dubbed Team Tejas
Team Tejas
Team Tejas is a fictional superhero team created by Richard Dominguez and published by Azteca Productions. The group made its first appearance in Team Tejas #1, published in 1997. The comic follows the story of three super-powered mutants and their government appointed leader in their fight...
, but after placing considerably more empasis on his character development, Dominguez ultimately decided to abandon the Team Tejas project for a later date. The character's secret identity, Francisco Guerrero, was devised to have direct ties to the Mexican Revolution
Mexican Revolution
The Mexican Revolution was a major armed struggle that started in 1910, with an uprising led by Francisco I. Madero against longtime autocrat Porfirio Díaz. The Revolution was characterized by several socialist, liberal, anarchist, populist, and agrarianist movements. Over time the Revolution...
. His given name
Given name
A given name, in Western contexts often referred to as a first name, is a personal name that specifies and differentiates between members of a group of individuals, especially in a family, all of whose members usually share the same family name...
was borrowed from Mexican revolutionary Francisco "Pancho" Villa, while the surname
Surname
A surname is a name added to a given name and is part of a personal name. In many cases, a surname is a family name. Many dictionaries define "surname" as a synonym of "family name"...
Guerrero was mainly chosen for its English-translation "warrior", although Dominguez has hinted at a more historical significance, one which has yet to be revealed. Meanwhile the shared alter-ego of El Gato Negro originated from an abandoned settlement by the name of "El Gato", located south of Pharr, Texas
Pharr, Texas
Pharr is a city in Hidalgo County, Texas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 70,400. Pharr is connected by bridge to the Mexican city of Reynosa, Tamaulipas...
.
The character's personality and visual design was greatly influenced by Dominguez's own favorite pulp and comic book superheroes (most noticeably Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
) along with classic Mexican luchadors such as El Santo. Another strong influence was Lee Falk's
Lee Falk
Lee Falk, born Leon Harrison Gross , was an American writer, theater director, and producer, best known as the creator of the popular comic strip superheroes The Phantom and Mandrake the Magician, who at the height of their popularity attracted over a hundred million readers every day...
The Phantom
The Phantom
The Phantom is an American adventure comic strip created by Lee Falk, also creator of Mandrake the Magician. A popular feature adapted into many media, including television, film and video games, it stars a costumed crimefighter operating from the fictional African country Bengalla.The Phantom is...
, a crime-fighter believed to be immortal but is in fact descended from 20 previous generations of crime-fighters who all adopted the same persona. This, along with Dominguez's own appreciation of the Silver Age of Comics, inspired the creation of a predecessor to the modern-day El Gato Negro. This character is now known as Agustin Guerrero, a former luchador-turned-adventurer of the late '50s and '60s.
The Francisco Guerrero incarnation of El Gato Negro became a popular character soon after his introduction, the first printing of the series actually sold-out within two months. A notable 1997 issue revived Margarito C. Garza's
Margarito C. Garza
Margarito C. Garza was an American judge and comic book enthusiast. He served as the 148th District Court Judge of Corpus Christi, Texas. for 3 terms in the 1980s to the 1990s and served two terms as Judge of the Nueces County Court at Law from 1972-1976 .He also served as Assistant District...
Relampago
Relampago
Relampago is a fictional character, a comic book superhero self-published by creator Judge Margarito C. Garza. The character made his first appearance in Relampago! #1 making him the first Mexican American superhero in the American comic book industry. The character's debut series only ran for...
character, his first published appearance in nearly fifteen years. The series was later placed on hiatus during the late '90s, although the character consistently made appearances in other media.
2000s
In 2004, rather than return to the original series, Dominguez launched a brand new series continuing the adventures of El Gato Negro entitled, "El Gato Negro: Nocturnal WarriorEl Gato Negro: Nocturnal Warrior
El Gato Negro, Nocturnal Warrior is an ongoing independent comic book series featuring the adventures of the superhero, El Gato Negro. Created by Richard Dominguez and published under his own Azteca Productions imprint, the series began in November 2005...
". For this, Dominguez enlisted the aid of Michael S. Moore
Michael S. Moore
Michael Stuart Moore is an American writer, director, producer, and comic book writer.-Career:Moore was born in Cookeville, Tennessee with both African-American and Brazilian ancestry. He took an early interest in writing and has read comics since he was seven-years-old...
to serve as writer and co-plotter, having previously worked together on the first published issue of Team Tejas. The series also featured the work of guest penciller Efren Molina, while Dominguez acted as letterer and inker. The combination of Moore's writing style and Molina's pencils gave the new series a few stylistic changes from its predecessor.
Plans to release a compilation series of the original El Gato Negro series are currently in the works. A brand new limited series entitled Lucha Grande Comics which will feature the early adventures of Agustin Guerrero is also in development.
Agustin "Gus" Guerrero
Separated from the Texas Battalion while on a raid, Agustin became lost in the harsh jungles of Korea only to encounter an exiled Japanese warrior and assassin known as "The Black Cat". Forming an alliance, the Black Cat properly trained the lost TejanoTejano
Tejano or Texano is a term used to identify a Texan of Mexican heritage.Historically, the Spanish term Tejano has been used to identify different groups of people...
in martial arts and stealth. After being rescued and discharged from the military, Agustin returned to South Texas
South Texas
South Texas is a region of the U.S. state of Texas that lies roughly south of and including San Antonio. The southern and western boundary is the Rio Grande River, and to the east it is the Gulf of Mexico. The population of this region is about 3.7 million. The southern portion of this region is...
to begin a career in Lucha Libre. Recognizing a recurring cat motif in his life, Agustin chose the identity of El Gato Negro, promising to bring bad luck to his opponents. But it was his vigilante activities outside of the ring that made him a legend amongst the communities of South Texas. Agustin's incarnation of El Gato Negro has become so much a part of the local folklore that few even acknowledge his existence, referring to him as a "fairy tale".His motives soon changed however, as he decided to use his talents to fight the criminal element that plagued South Texas. Agustin later retired the alter ego
Alter ego
An alter ego is a second self, which is believe to be distinct from a person's normal or original personality. The term was coined in the early nineteenth century when dissociative identity disorder was first described by psychologists...
in the late '60s, only for his grandson to adopt it three decades later.
Francisco "Pancho" Guerrero
The second and current El Gato Negro, Francisco Guerrero is a social worker by day and a vigilanteVigilante
A vigilante is a private individual who legally or illegally punishes an alleged lawbreaker, or participates in a group which metes out extralegal punishment to an alleged lawbreaker....
by night. The citizens of Southwest Texas believe Francisco to be the original El Gato Negro, returning once again to rid Texas of evil. Prior to becoming the new El Gato, Francisco was growing tired of the increasing crime rate in his hometown of Edinburg, Texas. The final straw being the death of his friend, Mario, a border patrol officer who was overpowered and murdered by several drug-runners. Deciding to take action, with the permission of his grandfather, Francisco adopted the moniker of El Gato Negro and operated as the Nocturnal Warrior for several months, successfully fighting against crime. Despite being popular with the citizens of his community, El Gato Negro is constantly being hunted by local law enforcement led by police Captain Miguel Bustamonte
Miguel Bustamonte
Miguel Bustamonte is a fictional character who appears in comic books published by Azteca Productions. Created by Richard Dominguez, the character made his first appearance in El Gato Negro #1...
, Francisco's best friend and Mario's older brother.