.gif)
Kraken (comics)
Encyclopedia
Kraken is a Spanish
comics
series, written by Antonio Segura
and drawn by Jordi Bernet
, first published in the magazine Metropol in 1983. The stories are centered around protagonist Lieutenant Dante, a policeman in a dystopic society patrolling the violent sewers of the fictional city Metropol.
The stories are presented in relatively short episodes, and feature concentrated violence, claustrophobic settings and little sentimentality. There are also occasional appearances of characters who bear resemblance to real-life actors (such as Orson Welles
' character in Touch of Evil
and Max von Sydow
's character in The Exorcist
).
and collected into a number of volumes by different companies:
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...
comics
Comics
Comics denotes a hybrid medium having verbal side of its vocabulary tightly tied to its visual side in order to convey narrative or information only, the latter in case of non-fiction comics, seeking synergy by using both visual and verbal side in...
series, written by Antonio Segura
Antonio Segura
Antonio Segura is a Spanish comics writer.-Biography:Antonio Segura's earliest work appeared in the early 80s after meeting the experienced artists José Ortiz, Luis Bermejo and Leopold Sanchez who were looking for an inexperienced scriptwriter, untainted by the industry...
and drawn by Jordi Bernet
Jordi Bernet
Jordi Bernet Cussó is a Spanish comics artist, best known for the gangster comics series Torpedo and Jonah Hex.-Career:He was born in Barcelona, the son of a Spanish comic book artist, Miguel Bernet....
, first published in the magazine Metropol in 1983. The stories are centered around protagonist Lieutenant Dante, a policeman in a dystopic society patrolling the violent sewers of the fictional city Metropol.
Publication history
As one of the flagship comics series to appear in the Spanish magazine Metropol, founded by an artist group to achieve greater creative freedom, it was staged in a city bearing the magazine's name, similar to other comics native to the publication. As the magazine's run proved short-lived and was forced to shut down, the series continued its run in Zona 84. Initially published in black and white, later album issues were released in colour.The stories are presented in relatively short episodes, and feature concentrated violence, claustrophobic settings and little sentimentality. There are also occasional appearances of characters who bear resemblance to real-life actors (such as Orson Welles
Orson Welles
George Orson Welles , best known as Orson Welles, was an American film director, actor, theatre director, screenwriter, and producer, who worked extensively in film, theatre, television and radio...
' character in Touch of Evil
Touch of Evil
Touch of Evil is a 1958 American crime thriller film, written, directed by, and co-starring Orson Welles. The screenplay was loosely based on the novel Badge of Evil by Whit Masterson...
and Max von Sydow
Max von Sydow
Max von Sydow is a Swedish actor. He has also held French citizenship since 2002. He has starred in many films and had supporting roles in dozens more...
's character in The Exorcist
The Exorcist
The Exorcist is a novel of supernatural suspense by William Peter Blatty, published by Harper & Row in 1971. It was inspired by a 1949 case of demonic possession and exorcism that Blatty heard about while he was a student in the class of 1950 at Georgetown University, a Jesuit school...
).
Characters
- Lieutenant Dante leads a sewer patrol unit, in its efforts to hunt down the Kraken and combat the criminal activity that flourishes in the underground maze of tunnels.
- The GAS patrol, the Subterranean Action Group, who make up Dante's soldiers. A police unit with an extremely high mortality rate.
- The Kraken, the antagonist monster, is almost a mythical character, by horrific reputation and rare appearances.
French reprints
The series has been reprinted in French in Métal HurlantMétal Hurlant
Métal Hurlant is a French comics anthology of science fiction and horror comics stories, created in December 1974 by comics artists Jean Giraud and Philippe Druillet together with journalist-writer Jean-Pierre Dionnet and financial director Bernard Farkas.The four were collectively known as "Les...
and collected into a number of volumes by different companies:
- Le monstre sous la ville (1986, Gilou, ISBN 2-905146-04-4)
- Le meilleur flic de la ville (1987, Les Humanoïdes AssociésLes Humanoïdes AssociésLes Humanoïdes Associés is a French publishing house specialising in comics and graphic novels. Founded in December 1974 by Mœbius, Jean-Pierre Dionnet, Philippe Druillet and Bernard Farkas in order to publish Métal Hurlant, it quickly expanded to include a variety of science fiction work...
, ISBN 2-7316-0484-0) - La patrouille de l'horreur (1988, Les Humanoïdes Associés, ISBN 2-7316-0483-2)
- L'appel de l'enfer (1988, Les Humanoïdes Associés, ISBN 2-7316-0485-9)
- Le roi des égouts (1991, Soleil ProductionsSoleil ProductionsSoleil Productions is a French publisher of both original and imported comic books.-Partnerships and collaborations:In 2004, Soleil and Delcourt created a joint venture called "DelSol", a partnership distribution society for France, Belgium and other Francophone countries.In 2008, Marvel Comics is...
, ISBN 2877640582)