Sonambulo
Encyclopedia
Sonámbulo is a fictional character from the American independent comic book series of the same name created by Rafael Navarro
.
The character made his first public debut in Sonambulo: Sleep of the Just, the first of the on-going series in 1996. The story follows the eponymous character, who in the '50s became a successful luchador. Due to his rise in fame, Sonámbulo was approached by the local Mafia
with the intent of extorting money from him and other special services. Around the same time, the masked-wrestler was plagued by a strange sleeping disorder. Upon refusing the gangsters demands, he was brutally beaten, shot, and left for dead. Instead of dying however, Sonambulo fell in to a deep hibernation only to awake decades later, having the power to see other people's dreams and having the uncanny ability to go without sleep. Using his new-found powers, Sonámbulo becomes a private detective against the supernatural
underworld of the night. All of the collected stories following the character feature some surreal dream-like quality, keeping with the theme of sleep.
The comic is notable for winning the Xeric Foundation
Award and being one of the first mediums to combine elements of lucha libre
along with the Hardboiled
genre (creating a cross-genre
known as Lucha Noir). The comic has been translated into Spanish
for distribution in Spain
and Mexico
as well as French
and Croatian
for distribution in France
and Croatia
respectively. The development of a live-action film adaption has been in talks, most notably with the film-makers of Y tu mamá también
.
of the series is Salomon Lopez, before achieving fame as the masked-wrestler known as Sonámbulo, Salomon grew up in a poor "meaningless" town in Mexico
. While in Mexico, Salomon fell in love with Julia Verdin who had dreams of becoming a singer. This only depressed Salomon, who claimed to have no aspirations, and knew that being with Julia would only prevent her from living her dream. One day he left his hometown without telling anyone, in search of a dream of his own. He eventually adopted the identity of Sonámbulo and became a successful luchador. Notoriety in the ring led him to act in cinema. Salomon then developed a sleep sickness which involved him falling asleep for days at atime. The local Mafia
had approached the luchador many times to extort money and other services from him. After repeatedly denying their demands, the gangsters resolved to kill him. After his apparent death, Sonámbulo was buried underneath the wrestling ring the Olympic Auditorium. The hero did not die however, instead he fell in to a deep sleep only to awake thirty years later. Upon awakening, the luchador discovered he had the ability to "see" people's dreams and go without sleep indefinitely. Using his new-found powers, Sonambulo becomes a private investigator, devoting his life to fighting the criminal element and the dark forces of the supernatural.
Rafael Navarro
Rafael Navarro is an independent American comic-book artist best known for creating the Xeric Award winning series, Sonambulo, which cleverly blends elements of Lucha Libre and the noir genre. He has collaborated with Keith Rainville and has had work featured in Rainville's From Parts Unknown...
.
The character made his first public debut in Sonambulo: Sleep of the Just, the first of the on-going series in 1996. The story follows the eponymous character, who in the '50s became a successful luchador. Due to his rise in fame, Sonámbulo was approached by the local Mafia
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
with the intent of extorting money from him and other special services. Around the same time, the masked-wrestler was plagued by a strange sleeping disorder. Upon refusing the gangsters demands, he was brutally beaten, shot, and left for dead. Instead of dying however, Sonambulo fell in to a deep hibernation only to awake decades later, having the power to see other people's dreams and having the uncanny ability to go without sleep. Using his new-found powers, Sonámbulo becomes a private detective against the supernatural
Supernatural
The supernatural or is that which is not subject to the laws of nature, or more figuratively, that which is said to exist above and beyond nature...
underworld of the night. All of the collected stories following the character feature some surreal dream-like quality, keeping with the theme of sleep.
The comic is notable for winning the Xeric Foundation
Xeric Foundation
The Xeric Foundation is a private, nonprofit corporation based in Northampton, Massachusetts, which for twenty years awarded self-publishing grants to comic book creators, as well as qualified charitable and nonprofit organizations...
Award and being one of the first mediums to combine elements of lucha libre
Lucha libre
Lucha libre is a term used in Mexico, and other Spanish-speaking countries, for a form of professional wrestling that has developed within those countries...
along with the Hardboiled
Hardboiled
Hardboiled crime fiction is a literary style, most commonly associated with detective stories, distinguished by the unsentimental portrayal of violence and sex. The style was pioneered by Carroll John Daly in the mid-1920s, popularized by Dashiell Hammett over the course of the decade, and refined...
genre (creating a cross-genre
Cross-genre
A cross-genre is a genre in fiction that blends themes and elements from two or more different genres.-Examples:*Action comedy *Comedy-drama or dramedy *Comedy-horror...
known as Lucha Noir). The comic has been translated into Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
for distribution in Spain
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...
and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
as well as French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and Croatian
Croatian language
Croatian is the collective name for the standard language and dialects spoken by Croats, principally in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Serbian province of Vojvodina and other neighbouring countries...
for distribution in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
respectively. The development of a live-action film adaption has been in talks, most notably with the film-makers of Y tu mamá también
Y tu mamá también
Y tu mamá también is a 2001 Mexican comedy-drama film directed by Alfonso Cuarón, and co-written by Cuarón and his brother Carlos. The film is a coming-of-age story about two teenage boys taking a road trip with a woman in her late twenties; it stars Mexican actors Diego Luna and Gael García...
.
Fictional character history
The protagonistProtagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
of the series is Salomon Lopez, before achieving fame as the masked-wrestler known as Sonámbulo, Salomon grew up in a poor "meaningless" town in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. While in Mexico, Salomon fell in love with Julia Verdin who had dreams of becoming a singer. This only depressed Salomon, who claimed to have no aspirations, and knew that being with Julia would only prevent her from living her dream. One day he left his hometown without telling anyone, in search of a dream of his own. He eventually adopted the identity of Sonámbulo and became a successful luchador. Notoriety in the ring led him to act in cinema. Salomon then developed a sleep sickness which involved him falling asleep for days at atime. The local Mafia
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
had approached the luchador many times to extort money and other services from him. After repeatedly denying their demands, the gangsters resolved to kill him. After his apparent death, Sonámbulo was buried underneath the wrestling ring the Olympic Auditorium. The hero did not die however, instead he fell in to a deep sleep only to awake thirty years later. Upon awakening, the luchador discovered he had the ability to "see" people's dreams and go without sleep indefinitely. Using his new-found powers, Sonambulo becomes a private investigator, devoting his life to fighting the criminal element and the dark forces of the supernatural.