Jan (comics)
Encyclopedia
Jan is the pseudonym
of Juan López Fernández (March 13, 1939- ), Spanish
comic book writer and artist, most famous for his creation Superlópez
.
. Completely deaf from the age of six, his parents encouraged him to draw and in 1956, he began to work in a studio in order to learn animation
.
He emigrated to Cuba
in 1959 where he worked in Televisión Cubana (Cuban Television) and the Instituto Cubano de Arte e Industria Cinematográficos (ICAIC) (Cuban Institute of Cinematographic Art and Industry). He also collaborated on some periodicals for children at this time, and later on, on actual comic books and newspaper supplements.
Jan returned to Spain in 1969, and worked in the now defunct publishing house Editorial Bruguera
until 1985 where he helped illustrate the work of other comic book artists.
In 1973, however, Jan created Superlópez
, a parodized version of Superman
. It was a series that began as a single page and later expanded into full albums, with adventures involving supervillains and criminal organizations. It also dealt with issues affecting contemporary Spain, namely the illegal drug trade
, the transition to democracy
post General Franco, etc.. The stories had originally been written by Efepé (pseudonym of Francisco Pérez Navarro), but Jan later took over this duty as well.
In 1982, Jan worked on the periodicial Pulgarcito
for Editorial Bruguera, and stopped work on Superlópez in order to do so. However, he decided to abandon this in order to devote himself fully to his creation. Jan's eldest son ended up doing some work on Pulgarcito, but also eventually abandoned this task.
When Editorial Bruguera
was shut down in 1985, Jan, together with many other comic book writers, had to do work for other editorial companies. Jan published his first (and only) erotic comic 'Laszivia' in Norma Editorial
, and created characters such as 'Cab Halloloco' and 'Los ultimos de Villapiñas' for the Jauja comic magazine. The character 'Superioribus', drawn for the editorial Forum, is also a superhero parody. In 1987, Ediciones B began publishing a Superlopez magazine. In this way Jan can continue working on this character till now, with a few other contributions from time to time to other magazines, such as the characters Pum Tarrota or Super Tron.
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
of Juan López Fernández (March 13, 1939- ), Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
comic book writer and artist, most famous for his creation Superlópez
Superlópez
Superlópez is a Spanish comic book character created by Jan. Created in 1973, Superlópez is a parody of Superman. Born Jo-Con-Él on the planet Chitón much like Superman's home planet of Krypton, he leaves his planet when he enters a spaceship and presses a button, an accident that sends...
.
Biography
He was born in the town of Toral de los Vados, in the province of LeónLeón (province)
León is a province of northwestern Spain, in the northwestern part of the autonomous community of Castile and León.About one quarter of its population of 500,200 lives in the capital, León. The weather is cold and dry during the winter....
. Completely deaf from the age of six, his parents encouraged him to draw and in 1956, he began to work in a studio in order to learn animation
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
.
He emigrated to Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
in 1959 where he worked in Televisión Cubana (Cuban Television) and the Instituto Cubano de Arte e Industria Cinematográficos (ICAIC) (Cuban Institute of Cinematographic Art and Industry). He also collaborated on some periodicals for children at this time, and later on, on actual comic books and newspaper supplements.
Jan returned to Spain in 1969, and worked in the now defunct publishing house Editorial Bruguera
Editorial Bruguera
Bruguera was a Spanish publishing house based in Barcelona, which was devoted mainly to the production of popular literature and comics. It was created in 1910 as El Gato Negro, changed its name in 1940 and came to possess, as indicated by Jesús Cuadrado:...
until 1985 where he helped illustrate the work of other comic book artists.
In 1973, however, Jan created Superlópez
Superlópez
Superlópez is a Spanish comic book character created by Jan. Created in 1973, Superlópez is a parody of Superman. Born Jo-Con-Él on the planet Chitón much like Superman's home planet of Krypton, he leaves his planet when he enters a spaceship and presses a button, an accident that sends...
, a parodized version of Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
. It was a series that began as a single page and later expanded into full albums, with adventures involving supervillains and criminal organizations. It also dealt with issues affecting contemporary Spain, namely the illegal drug trade
Illegal drug trade
The illegal drug trade is a global black market, dedicated to cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of those substances which are subject to drug prohibition laws. Most jurisdictions prohibit trade, except under license, of many types of drugs by drug prohibition laws.A UN report said the...
, the transition to democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
post General Franco, etc.. The stories had originally been written by Efepé (pseudonym of Francisco Pérez Navarro), but Jan later took over this duty as well.
In 1982, Jan worked on the periodicial Pulgarcito
Pulgarcito
Pulgarcito was a weekly illustrated magazine of Spain that was published by Editorial Bruguera from June 1921 to 1986....
for Editorial Bruguera, and stopped work on Superlópez in order to do so. However, he decided to abandon this in order to devote himself fully to his creation. Jan's eldest son ended up doing some work on Pulgarcito, but also eventually abandoned this task.
When Editorial Bruguera
Editorial Bruguera
Bruguera was a Spanish publishing house based in Barcelona, which was devoted mainly to the production of popular literature and comics. It was created in 1910 as El Gato Negro, changed its name in 1940 and came to possess, as indicated by Jesús Cuadrado:...
was shut down in 1985, Jan, together with many other comic book writers, had to do work for other editorial companies. Jan published his first (and only) erotic comic 'Laszivia' in Norma Editorial
Norma Editorial
Norma Editorial is a Spanish comics publisher, with its headquarters in Barcelona.Founded in 1977 by Rafael Martínez, it publishes both original Spanish comics , Spanish translations of Japanese manga as well as Spanish translations of American or European comics and...
, and created characters such as 'Cab Halloloco' and 'Los ultimos de Villapiñas' for the Jauja comic magazine. The character 'Superioribus', drawn for the editorial Forum, is also a superhero parody. In 1987, Ediciones B began publishing a Superlopez magazine. In this way Jan can continue working on this character till now, with a few other contributions from time to time to other magazines, such as the characters Pum Tarrota or Super Tron.
Awards and recognition
In May 2002, he received the Grand Prize of the Barcelona International Comics Convention that acknowledged his contributions.External links
- Official Website
- Cachis la Mar! (devoted to Superlópez)