It is a masterpiece of the Spanish comic, but they had to discover ‘Paracuellos’ in France so that we would pay attention here

It is unanimously considered one of the masterpieces of the Spanish comic: ‘Paracuellos’ by Carlos Giménez is genuinely (for his tone, for his graphics and, of course, for his theme) from here. However, It was not easy to find a hole in our bookstores. As if one of the stunted children of the work were, ‘Paracuellos’ was the result of an initial misunderstanding that forced Giménez to seek space in other markets. And then he returned in style.

‘Paracuellos’ is one of those capital works of the Spanish comic that is simple to find in any bookstore. He coda in that sense with ‘Maus’, with ‘Watchmen’, and within the national space, with Mortadelowith Superlópez and with few more, because the editorial world of comic in Spain is a continuous recycling of successes. But finding ‘Paracuellos’ is, for years, very easy: in fact, Penguin Random House has launched a total edition on the occasion of its 50th anniversary that collects all the volumes of this work in giant format.

Their virtues are obvious From the first moment: above all, the exquisite drawing of Giménez, supernaturally endowed to provide overwhelming personality to his creatures, is already in 1975, when he began to create it, absolutely extraordinary. A lot of Children dressed all the same, but each with a very important personality Thanks to the looks, sad and naive, but very distinctive, with which they receive the designs of adults (educators, wardens, nuns, inspectors, family members, members of the phalanx).

As a good heir to the tradition of the Españo and the Spanish Berlanguian cartoon, it is the portrait of a terrible situation but without humor disappearing completely from children’s lives. Children marked by fears of very diverse type (to be abandoned, to be beaten, to lose the few privileges that scratch among their peers -because they know how to draw, because they have a toy, because they know how to play football -), but at the same time they are unable to lose their innocence, which turns their adventures into experiences halfway between the endearing and terrible.

And, of course, above any other value, there is the ruthless portrait, in the first person (We are not, yes, before a strictly biographical comicalthough in part it is) of an atrocious reality: The life of admitted children in social assistance homes during the Francoist postwar. Children of defeated in the civil war, orphans or families in extreme poverty, educated under the yoke of nationalcatolicism and the Falangist discipline. Hunger, punishments, loneliness, institutional violence … A portrait that, despite its crudeness is not lacking hope and tenderness.

Liked more in France

The first episodes of the series were published from 1975 in several Spanish magazines such as ‘Thank you very much’, ‘El Papus’ and ‘Yes’. They had a very limited success, so Giménez was forced to leave the work after the publication of only two albums. He told so For rtve.es: “No Spanish editor of the time wanted to publish them in their magazines. They were horrified to see those pages full of familic and sad children with those disproportionate eyes and those most disproportionate ears yet yet.”

The absence of eroticism or humor for adults in ‘Paracuellos’ closed the doors in Spain, but In France he found an alternative route in the legendary magazine magazine ‘which began to publish it in 1976. A much more prone market to recognize the talent in the cartoon made it a success and from there jumped to other countries in Europe, similar success. 20 years later, in the late 90s, Giménez resumed the work with four more albums. In 2016 he would return to her again coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the series, with three albums that Finally they would conclude it.

‘Paracuellos’ remains, despite the wide parenthesis over time, and thanks to the integrity and quality of Giménez, as a total work, of a caliber that has made that Your candidacy is presented on some occasion to the Princess of Asturias de las Artes. It is an essential piece of our comic that, however, had to be recognized outside to start appreciating in your country of origin.

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