Francisco Solano López (comic book artist)
Encyclopedia
Francisco Solano López was a comics artist
. Acknowledged as one of the most influential Argentine comics
artists, he was best known as the co-creator of El Eternauta
.
, assigned to illustrate his series Bull Rocket for the magazine Misterix. They collaborated on the series Pablo Maran and Uma-Uma, before joining to start Oesterheld's publishing house Editorial Frontera. For the Frontera first publication of the monthly Hora Cero, the team produced the series Rolo el marciano adoptivo and El Héroe. López also alternated as artist on the Ernie Pike
series with Hugo Pratt
, Jorge Moliterni and José Muñoz
. On September 4, 1957 in the publication of Hora Cero Suplemento Semanal, the science-fiction series El Eternauta made its first appearance.
A success, El Eternauta came to the attention of the authorities as the series featured commentary of the political situation of Argentina and neighbouring Chile
, prompting López to flee for Spain to avoid possible arrest. In 1959 López began working for Fleetway
in Madrid
and later London, producing artwork for a host of series, including Galaxus: The Thing from Outer Space, Pete's Pocket Army, The Drowned World, Janus Stark, and Kelly's Eye.
Having returned to Argentina, López resumed collaboration with Oesterheld on El Eternauta II in 1968 with a new publishing house, Editorial Records. He also started work on science-fiction saga Slot-Barr with writer Ricardo Barreiro
, and the police series Evaristo with Carlos Sampayo. In the late 70s López again fled Argentina following persecution from the authorities, and from Madrid he arranged the publication of both El Eternauta and Slot-Barr with the Italian magazines LancioStory and Skorpio.
In the 90s, Solano Lopez produced work in the erotic comics genre, achieving hits with El Prostíbulo del Terror, from a story by Barreiro, and Silly Symphony, made for the magazine Kiss Comix.
Solano López died on August 12, 2011 from a cerebral hemorrhage.
Comics artist
A comics artist is an artist working within the comics medium on comic strips, comic books or graphic novels. The term may refer to any number of artists who contribute to produce a work in the comics form, from those who oversee all aspects of the work to those who contribute only a part.-Comic...
. Acknowledged as one of the most influential Argentine comics
Argentine comics
Argentine comics refers to comic strips, comic books and graphic novels created in Argentina. There is a rich history of comics in Argentina, where they are referred to as historietas.-Early years:...
artists, he was best known as the co-creator of El Eternauta
El Eternauta
El Eternauta is a science fiction comic created by Argentine comic strip writer Héctor Germán Oesterheld with artwork by Francisco Solano López. It was first published in Hora Cero Semanal from 1957 to 1959....
.
Career
López began his career in 1953 working for the publishing house Columba where he illustrated the series Perico y Guillerma. Working for Editorial Abril he met Héctor Germán OesterheldHéctor Germán Oesterheld
Héctor Germán Oesterheld , also known as his common abbreviation HGO, was an Argentine journalist and writer of graphic novels and comics who has come to be celebrated as a master in his field....
, assigned to illustrate his series Bull Rocket for the magazine Misterix. They collaborated on the series Pablo Maran and Uma-Uma, before joining to start Oesterheld's publishing house Editorial Frontera. For the Frontera first publication of the monthly Hora Cero, the team produced the series Rolo el marciano adoptivo and El Héroe. López also alternated as artist on the Ernie Pike
Ernie Pike
Ernie Pike is a comics series written by Héctor Germán Oesterheld and originally drawn by Hugo Pratt, featuring a World War II and Korean War reporter. It was first published in the magazine "Hora Cero" in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1957. The reporter, loosely based on the real reporter Ernie...
series with Hugo Pratt
Hugo Pratt
Hugo Eugenio Pratt was an Italian comic book creator who was known for combining strong storytelling with extensive historical research on works such as Corto Maltese...
, Jorge Moliterni and José Muñoz
José Muñoz
José Muñoz may refer to:*José Antonio Muñoz, a.k.a. Muñoz , Argentine artist and cartoonist.*José Esteban Muñoz , U.S. Latino writer, academic.*Jose C...
. On September 4, 1957 in the publication of Hora Cero Suplemento Semanal, the science-fiction series El Eternauta made its first appearance.
A success, El Eternauta came to the attention of the authorities as the series featured commentary of the political situation of Argentina and neighbouring Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
, prompting López to flee for Spain to avoid possible arrest. In 1959 López began working for Fleetway
Fleetway
Fleetway, also known as Fleetway Publications and Fleetway Editions, was a UK publishing company which mainly produced comic magazines. For a time owned by IPC Media, they are now a division of Egmont Publishing....
in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
and later London, producing artwork for a host of series, including Galaxus: The Thing from Outer Space, Pete's Pocket Army, The Drowned World, Janus Stark, and Kelly's Eye.
Having returned to Argentina, López resumed collaboration with Oesterheld on El Eternauta II in 1968 with a new publishing house, Editorial Records. He also started work on science-fiction saga Slot-Barr with writer Ricardo Barreiro
Ricardo Barreiro
Ricardo Barreiro was an Argentine comic book writer.-Biography:Barreiro was born in the barrio of Palermo in Buenos Aires. At a very early age he published articles and short stories on the underground magazine Sancho. His first comic book as writer was SlotBar, with art by Francisco Solano Lopez...
, and the police series Evaristo with Carlos Sampayo. In the late 70s López again fled Argentina following persecution from the authorities, and from Madrid he arranged the publication of both El Eternauta and Slot-Barr with the Italian magazines LancioStory and Skorpio.
In the 90s, Solano Lopez produced work in the erotic comics genre, achieving hits with El Prostíbulo del Terror, from a story by Barreiro, and Silly Symphony, made for the magazine Kiss Comix.
Solano López died on August 12, 2011 from a cerebral hemorrhage.
External links
- Francisco Solano López biography on Lambiek Comiclopedia
- Francisco Solano López biography on Dan Dare