Comic / Graphic Novel
I’ve loved comics and graphic novels since I was a kid, blah, blah, blah and all that jazz. Well, like thousands, millions of people in this world. I created them as a kid, with my brother Jon, following the guidelines of Akira Toriyama (gratuitous violence, masked sexism, anthropomorphic animals and tons of science fiction). Later, with hair where there wasn’t before (and less hair where there used to be more, thanks, Dad), together with my colleagues Resi and Anita from Pelopantón (illustration, graphic design and more), I wrote the scripts for two young adult graphic novels about science and ecology that were published between 2011 and 2015 (more about them below). Then, with my colleagues from Kid Hyena (music and more), Matt and Maria, worked on the script of a graphic novel based on a series of novels (written by me, Mr. Dave G. Finch) that is waiting to be drawn and published (which is no small feat).
The Well of the Wolves
The Well of the Wolves is a project that’s been in progress for almost 10 years. From its conception, the writing of a series of novels, its subsequent adaptation into a graphic novel script, the search for an artist, preparing the material for the project’s promotion (art by Oriol Tuca), the sending of the promo to literary agents and specialised publishers… It has been, and continues to be, a long and tortuous journey. The literary world, especially the comics/graphic novel world, is tough (especially if you have to earn money for food and whatever else is vital, which takes away time for unpaid art). Matt, Maria and I have learned this the hard way. But we haven’t given up. This shit is written and waiting to be drawn, published and shared. It may take a while to fulfil this dream, but, trust us, we will get there. And you will love it! What we really need is money to pay the artists. We might try to raise funds through a crowdfunding campaign. I’ll keep you updated on how it goes. I might also ask (politely) you to give us money, gold, silver, jewellery, or anything else of value to make this project a reality.
Trojan Bear / Oso de Troya
Science, ecology, legends, mystery, adventures… In collaboration with the CSIC (Higher Center for Scientific Research of Spain) and the UiT (Arctic University of Norway in Tromsø). Luis Resines and Anita Bonilla proposed this lovely project to me, and having already collaborated with them on another comic, I didn’t hesitate for a moment. The premise: to raise awareness about the danger to the Arctic (and the rest of the world) caused by climate change, which we did through a small and endearing adventure where Dr. Bearson travels to the Arctic to investigate the mysterious archaeological discovery of an ancient object, the Trojan Bear, which can tell us a lot about our present. Myths and legends of classical Greece and science. All in this 39-page comic that was published in 2015 and 2016 (in English). If you want to read Trojan Bear / Oso de Troya, you can download the PDF below (free). If you would like to own a paper copy, you can buy it here on the website (in Spanish) and Pasión por los libros or Amazon (in English).
Expedición Malaspina, un viaje de doscientos años
“ The Malaspina Expedition, a two-hundred-year journey”. Science, ecology, history, adventure… My first project with Anita and Resi. Our first major publishing project. Tailored for the CSIC. It was a great learning experience, and I remember it fondly. The hardcover graphic novel was published by Catarata and the CSIC in 2011. And it’s still on sale! In it, we raise awareness among young people about the important (and adventurous) work carried out by scientists in their research, especially those studying the oceans and seas (and the effects of climate change). We remember Alessandro Malaspina, a navigator who travelled around the world on the largest scientific expedition ever funded by the Kingdom of Spain. We accompany Mr Fish aboard the Hespérides, an oceanographic vessel affiliated with the CSIC, which, two hundred years later, will complete the “Malaspina Expedition 2010,” the new ambitious circumnavigation voyage for scientific purposes. An adventure through past and present, reality and fiction. A look at what scientists do when they decide to board a ship and circumnavigate the world.
If you’d like to read the Malaspina Expedition: A Two-Hundred-Year Journey (in Spanish only), you can download the PDF below. And if you’d like to own a physical copy, you can purchase it online, for example, on Amazon. Link below.
